Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation in New York

If you're injured in a motor vehicle accident that the state of New York deems serious, you may be able to file a lawsuit seeking compensation. Your attorney can provide advice whether your injuries are within this threshold.

Insurance companies are adept at contesting your losses. Insurance companies can offer settlements that aren't enough to compensate for your losses.

Damages

If you have been injured in a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation. These damages are meant to cover your costs and loss, which includes medical bills as well as lost income and property damage. You can also be compensated for pain and suffering. This kind of compensation is more subjective and may be difficult to quantify. However, a knowledgeable tort attorney can help you obtain the most compensation for your injuries.

If, for example, you suffer an injury that results in permanent impairment to your leg or arm, compensation may include future costs associated with the impairment. These might include physical therapy, surgeries, equipment, or prosthetics. Additionally, a permanent loss of a limb or major disfigurement can lead to an ongoing cycle of emotional trauma and decreased enjoyment of life. This is called mental anguish.

Insurance companies frequently attempt to lower the value of non-economic damages which are intangible. However, a skilled lawyer at Morgan & Morgan can make sure you're awarded the full value of the general damages in your case.

Medical bills

Medical bills can quickly pile up when you are injured in a car accident. It is possible to feel overwhelmed by the cost especially if you're still recovering from your injuries.

There are a variety of ways to help car accident victims pay their medical expenses. In New York, all drivers are required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) which covers the initial medical expenses of a victim after an accident. PIP will cover the loss of income if an individual is unable to work for up to 90-days.

Medicare and health insurance could also cover medical expenses in addition to PIP. The only catch is that a patient must be able to prove that the cost is related to the accident by providing doctor's bills and receipts.

Some hospitals and doctors may allow an accident victim to negotiate a payment agreement in exchange for a lien on the victim's eventual personal injury verdict or settlement. These liens are commonly called medical liens or hospital liens. If you do not resolve these liens within a reasonable period of time the debts may be transferred to collection. Victims can also seek compensation for the expenses incurred by traveling to and from medical appointments by tracking and keeping their mileage receipts.

Lost wages

If you miss work because of a motor vehicle accident law firm vehicle crash, it can be very difficult to survive. Many Americans live pay-to-pay and losing just a few weeks or months of wages can be devastating. Accident victims are typically in a position to recover lost wages through lawsuits arising from car accidents.

Typically, claims for lost wages are calculated by determining the amount of time that an injured person could have worked without injury. This could include missed shifts, overtime hours, and also any work that is performed during an hospital stay. To prove that the income was lost the plaintiff should request documents from his employer. These can be letters that prove the hours they were off work and their salary or hourly rate. Other documentation can include pay stubs, copies of the injured person's last year's tax return.

It is crucial that the demand package be filed as soon as it is possible following an accident. This will allow the person who was injured to get the maximum benefit from their claim. The evidence of the accident is more convincing when it is immediately provided.

Pain and suffering

It can be difficult to determine the physical pain and emotional distress that result from a car crash. It is important to seek compensation in your case for these damages.

They are referred to as non-economic damages. They could include the costs of suffering and pain as well as the loss of enjoyment from life as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many other. The costs of these can be difficult to quantify because it can take some time to realize the full impact of your injury.

Your lawyer can employ one of two methods to determine the amount of pain and suffering damages. The multiplier method is the most commonly used. It involves adding up all your economic losses which include future and past medical expenses, lost earnings because of your injury, and property damage, and multiplying them by a number that ranges from 1.5 to 5 to determine your total economic damages. The higher the number, the more serious your injuries are deemed to be.

Another method of assessing the degree of pain and suffering is through an hourly basis. Your lawyer can ask the jury to give you a dollar amount for each day that you endure. This is especially beneficial to accident victims who work outside the home or who are struggling to take care of children while recovering from their injuries.