Unfortunately, accidents happen every day. However, as any construction accident attorney in New York will tell you, they don’t all count as personal injury cases. Successful personal injury cases must meet precise legal definitions, have strong evidence, and follow strict deadlines.
The Role of Liability
To qualify for a personal injury claim, you must show that your injury was someone else’s fault. A personal injury lawyer in New York will help you prove the following four elements:
- Duty of Care: You must show the defendant had a legal obligation to protect your safety. For example, other drivers on the road owe you a duty of care to operate their vehicles safely and legally. Supermarket owners are responsible for keeping the store reasonably safe for customers.
- Breach of Duty: Next, you must prove that the defendant did not uphold their obligation. Typically, this requires evidence of negligence or intentional misconduct. Examples include a trucker driving while intoxicated or a salon owner neglecting to clean up a spill.
- Causation: It is not enough for someone to have acted carelessly. Their carelessness must have directly caused your injury. For example, if you fell off a balcony at a hotel, you could show that your accident happened because the owner failed to repair a broken railing.
- Damages: Finally, to receive compensation for your injuries, you must prove that you suffered some kind of physical, emotional, or financial loss.
Potentially Liable Parties
You may think you know who was at fault for your accident. For example, if a speeding truck crashes into you at a stop light, the driver is one obvious liable party. However, the trucking company may be responsible if the brakes failed from a lack of maintenance.
If you suffered an injury in a truck collision, a personal injury lawyer in New York would look at the following parties for potential liability:
- The driver
- The employer
- The maintenance company
- The cargo loader
- The vehicle manufacturer
Similarly, if you consult a New York construction accident attorney, they will explore the following possibilities for liability:
- The construction company
- Subcontractors
- Heavy machinery manufacturers
- Equipment providers
- Property owners
- Site visitors
What If I Was Partially at Fault?
Not all personal injury cases are clear-cut. You may have been doing something wrong when the accident occurred. Thankfully, New York uses the pure comparative fault system for victims. This means you can still claim compensation as long as you are not entirely to blame for your injuries.
For example, imagine a judge awards you $250,000 in your case. However, the court decides you are 75% responsible for the accident. In that case, your compensation would drop in proportion to your degree of fault, qualifying you to receive $62,500.
New York is one of only about a dozen US states that use the more forgiving pure comparative negligence system. The majority of states follow modified comparative negligence laws, which prevent you from claiming compensation if you are equally or more at fault than the other party.
If you believe you were partially to blame for a construction accident, for example, tell your construction accident lawyer in New York. You may still qualify for compensation, but your attorney needs all the facts to represent you fairly.
The Role of No-Fault Auto Insurance
As a no-fault insurance state, New York limits your options for claiming compensation after a car accident. Injured parties must first file insurance claims through their own provider for medical bills, property damage, and other expenses.
You can only file a liability claim or personal injury lawsuit if you suffered a “serious injury.” Serious injuries in New York include the following (among others):
- Broken bones
- Dismemberment
- Significant disfigurement
- Loss of the use of an organ
- Loss of a fetus
- Substantial disability for at least 90 days
Statutes of Limitations
Even if you have proof that someone else’s negligence contributed to your accident, it means nothing if you don’t act quickly. The deadline for filing your personal injury claim is known as the statute of limitations.
In New York, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is three years from the date of your accident. If you miss this deadline, you will likely forever lose your right to file for compensation. There are some very limited exceptions, which a personal injury lawyer in New York can discuss with you.