Legal Advocates for Brooklyn Car Accident Victims
Car accidents are a common occurrence in Brooklyn. Collisions occurred at numerous Brooklyn intersections in February 2023, as reported by the NYPD. Some intersections, such as Avenue Y and Ocean Parkway, Mermaid Avenue and West 21st Street, and Avenue L and East 53rd Street, had multiple collisions in a single month.
A severe traffic crash can have devastating consequences for accident victims. If you have been seriously injured in a Brooklyn car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced Brooklyn personal injury attorney at (212) 986-7353 to find out about your options for compensation under the law.
How Do Brooklyn Car Accidents Occur?
Many different factors can contribute to traffic crashes, most of which involve some type of driver error. Common causes of car accidents in Brooklyn include:
- Distracted driving: Most drivers today have cell phones, and far too many use them while driving to text, talk, or check social media or email. Any activity that takes the driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or attention away from driving can lead to a serious crash.
- Following too closely: Tailgating is risk driving behavior that contributes to many rear-end collisions. Drivers who follow too closely behind the vehicle ahead may not be able to stop in time to avoid a crash.
- Failure to yield the right of way: The rules of the road require drivers to yield the right of way to other motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians in various situations, such as four-way stops, merging into traffic, or executing turns at intersections. When they fail to do so, it can cause deadly accidents.
- Speeding: For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities in the U.S., as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The faster a vehicle is traveling, the more likely it is to crash and the greater the impact of a collision.
- Unsafe lane changes: All enclosed vehicles have blind spots. Drivers who fail to carefully perform a head check before switching lanes can collide with other vehicles in their blind spots, causing serious injuries.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Impaired drivers are a menace to everyone on the roadways. Alcohol, marijuana, controlled substances, certain prescription medications, and some over-the-counter drugs can significantly impair reaction time, judgment, and a driver’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
What Types of Injuries Can Car Accidents Cause?
Car accidents can cause many different types of injuries, ranging in severity from minor to fatal. Motor vehicle occupants can be injured in a crash when a body part strikes a surface inside the vehicle. They can also sustain penetrating injuries from broken glass, sheared metal, or loose items in the vehicle that become projectiles in a collision. Common car accident injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Head trauma
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord damage
- Bone fractures
- Dislocations
- Internal organ damage
- Lacerations and contusions
What Forms of Compensation Are Available for Car Accident Injuries?
New York is a no-fault state for car accidents. Lawsuits can only be brought for economic losses that exceed no-fault insurance benefits, and for non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering, if the victim has sustained serious injury, as defined under New York insurance law. Also known as personal injury protection (PIP), no-fault insurance benefits will cover medical expenses, lost earnings, and certain other related expenses up to $50,000 per person.
After a car accident with serious injuries that was someone else’s fault, contact Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP at (212) 986-7353. Our experienced Brooklyn car accident lawyers can tell you if you have a case and what damages you may be entitled to claim.