White Plains is a rather quaint inner suburb of New York City, with its downtown being 25 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. It is a part of Westchester County and has some businesses supporting its comparatively modest economy and a population of around 250,000, with 57,500 of those being locals. It contains an extensive network of Roadways and other transportation infrastructure to aid that economic activity.
All those roads have a steady stream of vehicles running on them, and sometimes two or more of them collide. The New York Health Department pegs the annual hospitalizations due to motor vehicle accidents at 12000, with 1000 dying. If you are a driver in such a situation or are concerned about it, you need to contact a White Plains Car Accident Attorney. They will help you get the right compensation and assist in protecting your rights.
First Things First
An accident is a shock-inducing event, and depending upon the severity, it can render you in a debilitated state both physically and mentally. Medical help should be sought at the earliest. This can be done by yourself or with the help of the police.
It is not advised to proceed with anything related to compensation at that moment. New York State Vehicle and Traffic law ask that you inform the police asap about persons injured or killed. It is then advised to contact a White Plains Car Accident Attorney to assess the situation and extent of the injury, sometimes taking days.
Determining and Detailing the Cause
New York State places negligence in various forms as the root cause of car accidents. It recognizes the duty of a driver to pay attention to the road and signs. Accidents are breaches of this duty; damages must be present to count it as a breach and sue for compensation.
This applies to partial responsibility from your side as well. Under section 1411 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, you will be entitled to compensation minus your portion of the money. That deduction will be the percentage of your involvement, called “culpable conduct”.
It is best to contact a car accident attorney to get the correct assessment.
Categories You Can Be Compensated For
Car accident injuries vary in severity from minor to major to catastrophic. The last one involves fatalities or near-death conditions of the victim(s). Gaining compensation for non-financial loss requires proving pain and suffering. New York Law recognizes serious injury as personal injury leading to:
- Fracture
- Dismemberment
- Serious disfigurement
- Reduction or Permanent loss of sense, organ, member, system, or a function
- 90/180 rule: Injury or impairment lasting 90 of 180 days since the accident
- Death, including that of a fetus
Besides these, you can get compensated for recent and future medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and general pain and suffering. Your White Plains car accident lawyer can help you recover maximum from the law for serious injuries.
Laws and Procedures to Procure Compensation
New York State Vehicle and Traffic laws require you to file an accident report when damages are over $1000. You will get three years to pursue your case from the date of your accident. Details of your case will be based on the investigation carried out by the police and the evidence they collect primarily.
It is advised not to sign anything put forward by the insurance company as they will be looking to pay the least amount before the details come out. This could also jeopardize your case in court. An independent investigation by a personal injury lawyer helps prove your case for the severity of the injury and get maximum compensation.
Hence, the sooner you contact a White Plains Car Accident Attorney, the greater your chances of getting compensated.
Injuries or deaths from car accidents in White Plains might leave you for the worse. A car accident lawyer there can bring some comfort with the compensation you’re owed.
