Westchester County Car Accident Lawyer
Car crashes, whether fatal or minor, or anywhere in between, can significantly impact a victim and the victim’s family. Dealing with physical injuries or even lost wages or transportation is detrimental to everyone involved. At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our car accident attorneys specialize in helping auto accident victims in Westchester County recover what was lost due to another driver’s negligence.
Table of Contents
- Why Choose Lever & Ecker to Represent You after a Car Crash in Westchester?
- What Will Lever & Ecker’s Lawyers Do To help Your Westchester County Car Accident Case?
- What Is New York’s Serious Injury Threshold in Car Accident Cases?
- What Damages Can You Recover after a Car Accident in Westchester County?
- Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents We Handle in the Westchester County Area
- How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Claim for a Car Accident in Westchester County?
- What Happens At Lever & Ecker After You Schedule a Free Consultation?
- Call an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Westchester County, NY for a Free Consultation
Why Choose Lever & Ecker to Represent You after a Car Crash in Westchester?
Our legal team at Lever & Ecker, PLLC has fought for thousands of motor vehicle accident victims and their families in Westchester County and across New York State. We pride ourselves on giving clients:
- Over 70 years of combined legal experience, we have successfully helped thousands of New York car accident victims obtain the compensation they deserve.
- Prioritizing compassionate, prompt responses to clients, guiding them through each step on a contingency basis so they only pay if we successfully recover their deserved compensation.
- Serving clients all across Westchester County from our office in White Plains no matter where their accident occurred.
Hear From One Of Our Past Car Accident Clients in Westchester County
Our personalized, unique approach to automobile accident claims has proven results. We have seen great success with our style of approach and are grateful to say that our reputation in Westchester County speaks for itself. Countless clients have been referred to us by previous clients and their families and friends, and we still feel honored every time it happens.
Client Testimonial
Jorge
We represent car accident victims in the following cities across Westchester County:
- White Plains
- Yonkers
- Greenburgh
- New Rochelle
- Mount Vernon
- Ossining
- Port Chester
- Peekskill
- Rye
What Will Lever & Ecker’s Lawyers Do To help Your Westchester County Car Accident Case?
At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, your Westchester car accident lawyer will provide you with a variety of services that are geared towards recovering the maximum amount of compensation for you and your family, including, but not limited to:
- An independent and thorough investigation of your motor vehicle accident and collection of critical evidence to prove liability.
- Consultations with experts in fields such as accident reconstruction, medical care and life-care planning.
- Assurance that all documents will be filed correctly and in a timely manner so as to avoid any mishaps during your case.
- A comprehensive review of your losses to determine the proper value of your claim.
Partner
The evidence we rely on to build our car accident cases includes the police report, photographs of the accident scene and your injuries, and any available video footage of the incident. We also place great importance on your medical evidence, so it’s critical to visit the doctor and document your complaints and injuries. Additionally, we use experts—both for determining liability and assessing your damages. By leveraging these experts, we can maximize the information and evidence we gather to secure the best possible recovery on your behalf.
After compiling enough evidence to establish a solid car accident claim, your attorney will aggressively negotiate with the auto insurance company representatives. If a full and fair settlement is unable to be agreed upon, then you will have a legal advocate to present a persuasive case on your behalf in court.
What Is New York’s Serious Injury Threshold in Car Accident Cases?
Unfortunately, in New York, not every car accident victim is entitled to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. This is due to the state’s “serious injury” threshold.
Founding Partner
In New York, the serious injury threshold applies to car accident cases, imposing specific requirements for pursuing a claim. Under New York’s insurance law, a claimant must demonstrate that they suffered a qualifying injury as defined by law to have a viable claim. There are several categories of qualifying injuries, some of which are straightforward while others are more nuanced, making the threshold complex and sometimes confusing. This complexity underscores the importance of consulting a lawyer who understands these issues and can help you determine whether your injuries meet New York’s serious injury threshold for filing a lawsuit after a car accident.
In order for a victim to pursue compensation beyond what is covered through No-Fault, your injury must qualify as a “serious injury” and be objectively verified by diagnostic testing. Under New York State Insurance Law Section 5102(d), the following categories qualify as “serious injury”:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Significant disfigurement
- Bone fracture
- The loss of a fetus
- Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function, or system
- Permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
- Injuries that prevent the victim from performing significant daily activities for at least 90 days out of the first 180 days after the accident (the “90/180 Day Rule”)
During your free consultation at Lever & Ecker, PLLC, a Westchester County car accident attorney will evaluate the circumstances surrounding your car accident and determine whether or not you have the ability to file a claim for your injuries.
What Damages Can You Recover after a Car Accident in Westchester County?
One of the biggest questions you may have when it comes to your car accident claim is how much can you sue for after a car accident? What is your car accident case worth? If you have the ability to file a third-party claim (i.e., a claim against the negligent driver), the three most common types of damages that can be pursued are:
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is often the most substantial component of damages in a car accident case. These are non-economic damages that cannot be precisely calculated, including physical pain, mental distress, and anguish caused by the accident. When motor vehicle accidents involve egregious misconduct, such as drunk driving, punitive damages may be awarded as a form of punishment for the at-fault party. The amount of total damages awarded to a victim reflects the estimated cost of the pain and suffering that has occurred. Experienced auto accident attorneys can review the facts of your claim to give you an estimate of its value.
Medical Expenses
This amount of reimbursement you can receive for your medical expenses will depend on a few factors. The severity of your injuries and the amount of accumulated hospitalization fees, surgery costs, doctor visit bills, and medical accessory expenses will help determine the amount you are owed. Medical expense compensation will also include any future medical expenses a victim is expected to incur.
Loss of Income
Any injuries you have sustained in an accident could prevent you from working and may diminish your ability to return to your occupation in the future. When that is the case, you may be able to recover compensation for your loss of income. The value of this component will depend on several elements, including your age, occupation, time missed from work, experience, and life expectancy.
Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents We Handle in the Westchester County Area
Our auto accident injury lawyers have handled a diverse number of traffic accident and motor vehicle accident and injury cases, such as:
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Multiple-vehicle accidents
No matter what type of motor vehicle accident you were injured in, we urge you to seek legal counsel with Lever & Ecker, PLLC, for any damages you have suffered.
How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Claim for a Car Accident in Westchester County?
Partner
In New York, you have three years to file a car accident lawsuit. However, certain circumstances can shorten this deadline.
In Westchester County, a person has just three years to file a lawsuit after a car accident, as stated by the New York personal injury statute of limitations, when the wrongdoer is a private citizen or corporation. If the negligent party works for a municipality or other public entity, the time to start the action is much shorter, and may be as little as one year, with the additional requirement that a document called a notice of claim must be filed within 90 days of the accident.
Further, the victim has only 30 days to file a No-Fault insurance claim. An employer must be notified within 30 days of the accident for a person to qualify for Worker’s Compensation. There are some exceptions to this statute of limitations. It is always best to speak with one of our Westchester County personal injury lawyers as soon as possible to see if your case could still be valid.
What Happens At Lever & Ecker After You Schedule a Free Consultation?
Associate Attorney
After someone has scheduled a free consultation with our office, they will speak with one of our very experienced and friendly intake paralegals. The paralegal will ask a lot of questions, including details about how the accident happened, when and where it occurred, what your injuries are, who the at-fault parties are, and whether there is documentation of the accident. We will also inquire about your injuries and medical treatment, including any surgeries. All this information will help us best assist you with your case moving forward. After that initial intake call, an attorney will reach out to introduce themselves on behalf of the firm, inform you of the next steps in your particular case, and from there, we will get right to work on your case.
Call an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Westchester County, NY for a Free Consultation
There may come a time when a person’s insurance is not enough to cover the damages that they have incurred after a car accident. Not all insurance companies are willing to give their policyholders everything they deserve. They may negotiate in bad faith. When this happens, it is time to seek legal remedies.
At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our legal team of experienced Westchester County car accident lawyers is dedicated to helping you recover damages from an automobile accident. We understand that a serious car, truck, bike, motorcycle, or pedestrian accident can leave a victim with severe injuries, extensive medical bills, lost wages, permanent disabilities, and chronic pain. Our team aggressively pursues car accident cases to the fullest extent necessary to get victims the compensation they deserve for their losses.
Though we often settle cases out of court in order to minimize the additional trauma that you and your family may suffer, our experienced, confident accident attorneys are always prepared to go to trial when necessary. To schedule a free consultation with our experienced auto accident attorneys in Westchester County, contact us via our online form, or by phone, at (914) 288-9191. We offer our Spanish-speaking clients bilingual legal representation. We never collect a fee unless you successfully win compensation for your injury.
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