New York has traffic and road safety laws on the books for a reason–to limit the number of motor vehicle accidents that happen across the state’s roads and highways. Unfortunately, many drivers ignore these important regulations and cause severe accidents in which others are injured and killed.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident because of a negligent driver in New York City, New York, don’t hesitate to call Levine & Slavit PLLC. Our New York road safety lawyers want to help you fight for the financial accountability you need and deserve.
For almost seven decades, Levine & Slavit PLLC has helped crash victims and families take on negligent motorists, insurance companies, and government agencies. Backed by over 115 years of combined legal experience, we’ve helped our clients secure tens of millions in jury awards and settlement agreements.
Trust our award-winning New York trial attorneys to fight to get you top results after a road safety violation in NYC, too. Contact our law office or call (212) 687 2777 to arrange a time for a free consultation now.
How Levine & Slavit PLLC Can Help After a Car Accident in New York
When a driver violates New York road safety laws, it’s important to force them to take responsibility for the harm they cause. Not only does filing a lawsuit help you recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and more subjective pain and suffering, but it also helps to encourage the defendant and other parties to abide by the law.
Navigating a car accident claim can be tough, especially when you’re also dealing with debilitating physical injuries. That’s where our New York personal injury lawyers can help.
At Levine & Slavit PLLC, we are recognized for excellence in personal injury litigation by The New York Law Journal, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Nassau County Bar Association, and other respected legal organizations. We’re known for our comprehensive knowledge of New York road safety laws and unrivaled passion for helping injury victims make the most of their fights for compensation when those laws are broken.
When you ask for our help after an auto accident in New York, you’ll be able to rely on us to:
- Carefully evaluate the unique details of your car accident
- Determine which traffic laws were broken and how those safety violations contributed to your collision
- Gather compelling evidence to support your legal claim for damages
- Enlist experts in forensics, accident reconstruction, medicine, rehabilitation, and other specialties to consult with our legal team throughout the claims process.
- Calculate the damages in your car accident lawsuit
- File a claim with your car insurance company and, if appropriate, your local New York court clerk and the at-fault party’s insurance carrier
- Work to recover the best possible terms in a settlement agreement during negotiations with the defense
- Represent you at trial if the defense refuses to extend a reasonable settlement offer to you
You got hurt because someone else ignored important road safety regulations. Hold them accountable by trusting our experienced New York personal injury attorneys to fight for you. Our contingency fee representation means you will pay absolutely nothing to hire our law firm unless we win compensation for you.
Contact our New York law office to schedule a free consultation. Our staff is available 24 hours a day.
How Does New York Rank For Road Safety?
In 2022, New York ranked 11th in the nation for car accident fatalities. That year, there were 1,175 traffic accident deaths recorded in the Empire State. This represented 2.7 percent of the nation’s total.
However, when you adjust crash data for vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and population, New York ranks much more favorably. In New York, there were 5.97 deaths for every 100,000 people in the state in 2022. In turn, New York ranked third for population-adjusted fatalities in the United States that year.
Considering that New York is home to New York City–which is the most populated city in the country and ranks for the worst traffic in the world–the state has a pretty good track record when it comes to road safety.
This is highlighted by the fact that New York ranks first in the nation for teen driver safety, a major victory for lawmakers and traffic safety advocates since teenagers are among the most accident-prone drivers.
Helping Victims of Road Safety Violations in New York
While New York, as a whole, demonstrates a good track record for road safety, thousands of car accidents are still reported across the state every year. In 2023, there were 94,657 car accidents reported in New York City alone. That’s an average of 259.3 auto accidents every single day in one of New York City’s boroughs.
Many of these car accidents happen because drivers ignore or fail to follow important traffic laws. Common road safety violations that contribute to New York traffic accidents include:
- Speeding: New York has speed limits for its roads and highways, including a 65 MPH limit on interstates. Speeding is a factor in about 30 percent of all fatal auto accidents. For every 10 MPH increase in speed, the risk of dying in a car accident doubles.
- Texting and driving: New York state law prohibits motorists from using a handheld device while driving. Texting, playing games, and scrolling social media while holding a phone or tablet are all prohibited, as they significantly increase the risk of causing a collision.
- Drunk driving: It’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher. Drivers can also be considered legally impaired if they operate a vehicle with a BAC between .05 and .07 percent. Unfortunately, drunk driving contributes to nearly one-third of car accident fatalities every year.
- Tailgating: Tailgating, which is illegal in New York, occurs when a driver fails to leave a safe distance between them and the vehicle in front of them. Statistically, about one-third of all auto accidents are caused by tailgating drivers.
If you’ve been injured in a New York City car accident because another driver broke the law, don’t hesitate to contact Levine & Slavit PLLC to discuss your legal options. Members of our experienced legal team are available to take your call 24 hours a day.
How Can a Road Safety Lawyer Help Me Get Compensation After a Car Accident?
When drivers break the law, they can be liable if their actions cause another person’s injury or death. Why? Their actions are considered negligent. Once you’ve exhausted the insurance benefits available through your no-fault insurance policy, you may have the right to sue the at-fault driver for additional compensation if their negligence caused you to be injured.
Your personal injury lawsuit would argue that you got hurt in a car accident because this other driver violated a road safety law. Road safety violations are considered negligence per se. When you file a claim for damages, you must simply demonstrate that the other driver broke a traffic law that was designed to prevent the kind of accident that happened. This can often be achieved by supplying citations, video footage of the violation, or eyewitness testimony.
Negligence per se, in and of itself, is enough to help you hold them accountable for your medical bills, loss of income, and harder-to-value pain and suffering.
What If I’m Accused of Violating a New York Road Safety Law?
Sharing responsibility for a car accident in New York can complicate matters. Not only will you be liable for a degree of other victims’ damages, but your ability to recover compensation will be jeopardized if you’re accused of violating a New York road safety law.
The more of an impact your road safety violation has on causing an accident, the more it’ll affect your ability to recover compensation from another at-fault party.
In New York, damages are reduced proportionately to fault under a pure comparative fault regime. For example, if you’re assigned 25 percent of the blame for a recent car accident because you were speeding, your financial recovery will be limited to 75 percent of its value.
Our road safety attorneys in New York will help you challenge claims of shared fault and work to protect your ability to recover full compensation for your crash-related damages. You’ll have a limited time to pursue compensation, so don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced car accident attorneys in New York for help right away.
How Long Do I Have To Bring A Personal Injury Claim In New York?
The statute of limitations for New York personal injury cases is generally three years from the date of the accident or injury. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, the statute of limitations for wrongful death cases is only two years. Talk to an attorney today to make sure you don’t miss your chance to secure compensation.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced New York Road Safety Lawyer
Have you been injured in a car accident in New York because another driver broke the law? Call Levine & Slavit PLLC for help. Our New York road safety lawyers are here to help you emphasize the importance of driving safely by holding the other driver responsible for your damages.
Choose our law firm to represent you, and you’ll benefit from over 115 years of experience and a proven ability to win top results. We offer a free consultation, so contact our law office in New York to speak with a member of our legal team today.