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When you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, you reasonably expect to arrive safely at your destination. However, accidents happen all too frequently. While the focus tends to be on drivers following a car accident, passengers may also suffer severe, long-term injuries. Fortunately, passenger injury victims have grounds to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation for their losses as well.
If you have been injured in a car accident as a passenger, you deserve to have an experienced Bronx passenger injury lawyer in your corner. At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our Bronx passenger injury attorneys are committed to representing passenger injury victims in the Bronx and recovering the compensation they deserve on their behalf. When you retain our services, you can trust us to build a strong case as we fight tirelessly for your rights and interests.
Fortunately, passenger injury victims have several avenues to pursue compensation for their injuries.
New York is a no-fault state, which means that if you are injured in a car accident, you can receive reimbursement for the cost of your injuries, regardless of who is at-fault for the collision. All automobile insurance policies in New York State must have personal injury insurance that covers medical costs, economic losses, and death benefits.
If you are an injured passenger, you can file a no-fault claim against the insurance policy of the vehicle in which you were a passenger, even if the driver of that vehicle was not at fault for the accident. This claim can help you recover for medical expenses, loss of income, and other incidental non-medical expenses arising from the accident.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the car accident, you may be able to bring a lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle you were riding in, and/or the other driver(s) of other vehicles involved in the collision. Some injuries that qualify as serious injuries under New York Law include the following:
If you have your own auto insurance policy, you may be able to file a supplemental underinsured/uninsured motorist (SUM) claim in certain instances. This can apply even where you were injured as a passenger in another person’s vehicle, and your own vehicle was not involved in the accident. SUM coverage is a type of auto insurance coverage that protects you if you were hurt by a driver who is underinsured or uninsured. To be eligible for SUM coverage, there must be evidence that the at-fault driver was at fault, that they were uninsured or underinsured, and that the accident caused your damages.
If you are insured in New York State, you are required to have SUM coverage. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may be able to file a claim with your own insurance company to receive compensation beyond the at-fault driver’s limits.
At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our attorneys have more than 65 years of combined experience pursuing justice on behalf of passenger injury victims in the Bronx. When we take your case, our attorneys will investigate every detail of your accident to determine the best path forward to recover compensation for the full extent of your injuries and other losses.
If the negligence of your driver, or another driver, caused the car accident and your injuries, you have grounds to file a lawsuit against them for the damages you suffered. In particular, your Bronx passenger injury attorney must demonstrate the following legal elements to establish your case:
Our skilled attorneys are committed to taking a personalized approach to every case to tailor our services to your unique needs.
Every state abides by a legal time limit for filing personal injury lawsuits known as the statute of limitations. In New York, passenger injury victims typically have three years from the date of the accident to pursue litigation, although that deadline will be far shorter if any of the wrongdoers is a municipality, or is an individual employed by a municipality.
While three years may seem like plenty of time to seek justice for your accident-related losses, it is in your best interests to contact an attorney as soon as possible following the accident. Unfortunately, critical evidence may be lost or destroyed over time, and eyewitnesses may forget the details of what they saw. A seasoned car accident attorney can review your case and work to timely obtain the necessary evidence to support your case and commence your lawsuit.
If you were injured as a passenger in a car accident, you deserve full compensation for your injuries and other losses. With over 65 years of combined experience, we at Lever & Ecker, PLLC, understand the complexities of New York’s personal injury laws and have the knowledge and skills necessary to fight for justice on your behalf. We are prepared to go to trial, though we hope your case can be resolved before that point.
Our Bronx passenger injury lawyers understand how stressful the aftermath of an accident is and aim to make the legal process as straightforward as possible as we pursue the maximum compensation available for you. To schedule a free consultation and discuss your case with an award-winning legal professional, call us at (718) 933-3632 or complete our contact form today.
