Drivers on our roadways in Albany and throughout the Capital District constantly face the possibility of being injured in a car accident. Severe and often life-altering injuries happen daily. It can happen anywhere—driving on the New York State Thruway, the Interstate, taking the scenic route along the Hudson, or in a residential neighborhood. In the blink of an eye, a motorist can become the victim of someone else’s negligence. If you or a loved one suffered a car accident injury, you need an Albany car accident lawyer on your side.
Motor vehicle accidents constantly threaten the safety and health of our family, friends, and neighbors traveling on our highways and secondary streets. Unfortunately, many will suffer an injury that affects their lives and finances. Our Albany car accident lawyers help motor vehicle accident victims recover the compensation they need and deserve.
Table of Contents
- How Can a Car Accident Can Affect Your Life?
- Causes and Consequences of Car Accidents in Albany
- Each Car Crash Is Unique
- Estimating the Value of a Car Accident Claim
- Remember These Things after a Car Accident
Call Our Team of Albany Car Accident Lawyers
If you need help after a car accident, call our team. Our results speak for themselves. When you choose Finkelstein & Partners for help with a personal injury claim, you have an advocate—someone who can negotiate for you, explain complex legal issues, and take your case to trial if necessary. We connect the dots, follow the facts, and dig deep for available evidence. We are a team of over 300 professionals working collectively toward a singular goal: helping our clients win car accident claims.
How Can a Car Accident Affect Your Life?
Our safety depends on others making safe and reasonable choices while driving. When other drivers make poor decisions, there is frequently a steep price. These losses are compensable if a person’s negligence or wrongdoing causes a crash.
Financial damages in a car crash claim can include:
- All medical expenses, current and projected
- The cost to replace or repair personal property
- Loss of income and related benefits
- The projected loss of future income and benefits
Although it is difficult to assign an absolute dollar value to non-economic losses, they are also compensable.
These may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduction of quality of life
- Changes in personal relationships, like loss of consortium
When Is the Right Time to Contact an Albany Car Accident Lawyer?
reach out to an Albany auto accident attorney as soon as possible. While it is possible to file a car accident claim without an Albany personal injury lawyer, doing so is far from beneficial. Dealing with an insurance company on your own will likely result in unfair delay tactics, intimidation, and unrealistic settlement offers.
Having a car accident attorney on your side makes the process more efficient and helps protect you from tricky insurance company tactics.
It takes time and financial resources for a lawyer to support your claim by:
- Gathering evidence
- Securing expert testimony
- Interviewing potential witnesses
- Establishing negligence
- Preparing and filing documents
An Albany car accident attorney at Finkelstein & Partners will take the time to understand the facts of your case to estimate the damages you deserve. We offer a free case evaluation to determine how we can help you seek compensation and justice.
Timing Is Everything
You may miss your opportunity to pursue compensation for your injuries if you wait weeks or months after the accident to file a claim. In most Albany cases, state law allows injured parties three years from the date of the incident to file a claim for damages. However, there is a caveat: if the crash results in a fatality, you must file a wrongful death claim within two years of the death. Keep in mind that it takes time to build strong car accident cases. The sooner you retain legal representation, the stronger your case and the better your chances of recovering maximum compensation for your accident-related expenses.
Causes and Consequences of Car Accidents in Albany
Driver negligence causes most major car crashes. In addition to human error, a lack of signage or unsafe road conditions also contributes to collisions.
Specific causes of motor vehicle crashes include:
- Distractions
- Driving while impaired
- Excess speed
- Reckless driving
- Road rage
- Fatigue
Catastrophic injuries
Many injuries are self-limiting and will resolve over time. Unfortunately, car accident injuries lead to chronic conditions and lifelong challenges for some. Certain factors in a car accident can increase the risk of very serious injuries.
These include:
- The speed and type of vehicles involved
- The point of impact
- The age and health of the victims
- Whether passengers used safety restraints
- Whether the airbags deployed
- The position of the injured passengers
Some catastrophic injuries are life-altering for the crash victim and their entire support system.
For example:
- Traumatic brain injury: A head injury can cause cognitive impairment, memory loss, sensory problems, and severe emotional distress. Over 176 Americans die every day from a head injury. At its worst, a brain injury can lead to coma and death. Even mild to moderate brain injuries can cause seizures, headaches, sleep disturbance, and vomiting.
- Spinal Cord Injury: A spinal cord injury interrupts signals that the brain sends to nerves throughout the rest of the body. Damage to this sensitive area impairs movement and sensory function, causing total or partial paralysis.
- Broken bones, crush injuries, and lacerations: These injuries frequently happen simultaneously in car accidents. Even worse, open wounds expose accident victims to infection. If bacteria from dirt and debris enter the bloodstream through cuts, it can cause infection and lead to a medical emergency.
Each Car Crash Is Unique
Over 320,000 car accidents occur in New York annually, and 7,500 accidents occur within Albany County. Our Albany car crash lawyers bring the skills, resources, and experience of dealing with large and small insurance carriers to the negotiation table.
We stand ready to help car accident victims with the complex issues stemming from:
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end accidents
- T-Bone crashes
- Rollover accidents
Roadblocks to Compensation After a Car Accident
Impatience prevents many people from getting the compensation they deserve after an accident. After a car accident, many people see their ballooning medical bills and fear they will be unable to pay their regular bills while losing income. An insurance company may offer compensation to quickly settle your claim. We understand that it may look attractive. We strongly recommend you do not accept it.
We know life could not be more stressful than in the wake of an unexpected accident. But, the car accident attorneys at Finkelstein & Partners, know that you probably deserve a lot more for your losses than what the insurance company is offering. We strive to help our clients look down the road regarding compensation. This is your one chance to protect your future, and we will not stop until we get the answers we need to help you get the compensation you need and deserve.
Estimating the Value of a Car Accident Claim
There are many factors to consider when estimating the fair value for compensation in a car accident case.
We gather evidence and supporting documentation to account for:
- The details and subsequent physical consequences of each injury
- The particulars of all past, present, and future medical treatment
- A comprehensive list of all injury-related medical expenses
- The actual dollar amount of lost wages or salary
- How the accident impacts the ability to work in the client’s chosen profession
- How the accident affects personal relationships
- How the accident affects the client’s quality of life
- The client’s anticipated medical prognosis
- The extent of any disability
Factors that can increase the value of a personal injury claim include:
- The wrongful death of a person
- Traumatic and catastrophic injuries
- Long-term prognosis
- Permanent impairments and disabilities
- Significant disfigurement and scarring
- Testimony from medical and mental health professionals
- A victim’s impact statement
Calculating the monetary value of non-economic damages in a personal injury claim is subjective and can be complicated. A person’s suffering is unique to that person and based on numerous factors. Therefore, a fair settlement would include compensation for all damages.
New York does not limit personal injury settlements or verdicts. Do not leave anything to chance or leave anything on the table. Working with a car accident lawyer will help you ensure that no stone is left unturned.
Remember These Things after a Car Accident
- Keeping an accident journal can help when proving pain and suffering.
- Not all injuries will be apparent immediately following a crash; therefore, undergo a medical exam.
- No matter the severity of the crash, do not overlook your legal rights—talk to a lawyer to learn about your options.
- Social media is not your friend during insurance claim negotiations; a poorly worded post can ruin your chances of getting compensation.
How We Can Help Car Accident Victims
Our experienced car accident lawyers can:
- Thoroughly investigate your case
- Gather and preserve evidence
- Interview witnesses
- Secure expert testimony
- Pursue fair and just compensation
- Negotiate with insurers
- Be a support system for your family
Contact an Albany Car Accident Attorney with Finkelstein & Partners Today
Finkelstein & Partners personal injury law firm has helped New Yorkers find their way after motor vehicle accidents for over six decades. When negligence or recklessness causes an accident, victims deserve to have all damages recognized, validated, and reimbursed. Our Mission Statement shows our commitment to excellence, personal service, and transparency. We are proud and humbled by our client testimonials.
Finkelstein & Partners provides comprehensive negotiation and litigation skills. We are right here in Albany and can help you fight for your rights. Contact us online or reach us by phone at (518) 452-2813 to discuss the details of your accident. Our first consultation is always free.
12 Corporate Woods Blvd. Suite 206
Albany, NY 12211
518-452-2813
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Finkelstein & Partners, LLP – Winning Serious Injury Lawsuits Since 1959