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Staten Island is a fantastic place to live and work, especially if your job is in New York City and you don’t want to deal with high Manhattan real estate prices. But commuting to and from New York City means handling the infamous New York traffic.

Every year, thousands of people are involved in Staten Island car accidents. Fortunately, Staten Island car accident lawyers like Schwartzapfel Lawyers are well-equipped and ready to assist with car accident lawsuits and other legal matters.

Let’s explore why car accident lawyers are important for Staten Island residents.

Frequency of Car Accidents in Staten Island

Staten Island is a big place, with almost 500,000 people crowded onto its landmass. Many of these people frequently commute to the Big Apple or surrounding metro areas/cities. Because of this, it’s no surprise that car accidents are very frequent in and around Staten Island.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for all New York State residents. But Staten Island, in particular, has an issue with ongoing traffic accidents.

For example, data from between 2012 and 2014 shows that motor vehicle traffic injuries are the fourth highest cause of injury-related deaths for Richmond County, which is Staten Island’s home county. Furthermore, this data indicates that:

  • 3 Richmond County residents die each month
  • 92 Richmond County residents are hospitalized each month
  • 677 Richmond County residents are treated in an emergency department each month

More recent data backs these troubling statistics. According to the official city of New York Police Department, February 2022 alone saw 338 motor vehicle collisions just in Staten Island. In these accidents, 25 pedestrians were involved – and car accidents are often more dangerous and deadly for pedestrians.

Car accidents have even been getting worse over time. Some news reports indicate that Staten Island’s traffic accident fatalities have doubled over the last couple of years. All this means that Staten Island drivers need to know what to expect and how to contact knowledgeable car accident lawyers if they are ever involved in an incident.

Call 1-516-342-2200 to speak with Schwartzapfel Lawyers about securing your financial future in the event you or a loved one is involved in a car accident in Staten Island, NYC, or beyond. Your consultation will be free and the advice provided to you invaluable.

Don’t wait! Choose today to save your tomorrow.

Causes of Staten Island Car Accidents

Car accidents in Staten Island are caused by many of the same root issues as car accidents elsewhere, such as:

  • Driving while distracted, such as while on the phone or while texting
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Driving in inclement weather, such as during a rainstorm or snowstorm
  • Driving at night and/or while tired

Furthermore, many Staten Island intersections and freeway entrances are improperly designed or poorly planned. Thus, these places are frequent accident sites as drivers attempt to navigate crowded roadways during rush hour.

However, some Staten Island car accidents are not purely accidents at all. They are directly caused due to the negligence of one or more other drivers.

Car Accident Negligence

Car accident negligence proves who is “at fault” for an auto accident. To be negligent, someone has to:

  • Have an implied or stated duty to another person or party
  • Deliberately ignore or avoid that duty
  • Cause injury and/or harm to another party as a result

All drivers on legal roadways have a direct duty to drive safely. This prevents them from injuring other drivers or themselves. But if a driver is texting while driving, for example, they are being deliberately negligent and could be found at fault for a Staten Island car accident.

New York and No-Fault Insurance

As you may know, New York is a no-fault car accident state. That means each driver is legally obligated to have no-fault car insurance before they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

However, no-fault car insurance only covers you up to a certain amount, usually some thousands of dollars for personal and property damages. This is intended to prevent drivers from suing each other for fender benders or other minor accidents.

But you may be able to sue another driver in New York if:

  • Your injuries are sufficiently severe. Such injuries are usually disfiguring, debilitating, or excessively expensive.
  • Your property damages are also excessively expensive, usually in the tens of thousands of dollars or if your car is completely totaled.

In general, serious accidents caused directly by someone else’s negligence are exempt from the no-fault, no lawsuit rule. In these cases, you may sue another driver or their insurance company to recover compensation to pay for:

  • Past and future medical bills
  • Ongoing loss of income, if your injuries prevent you from working
  • Loss of ability, if your injuries were debilitating in some way
  • Pain and suffering
  • And much more!

Not sure whether your car accident qualifies you to sue another driver? Schwartzapfel Lawyers can help if you reach out to us at 1-516-342-2200.

Car Accident Injuries

Car accident injuries can range from minor to severe depending on who is involved. Generally, injuries are more severe for pedestrians or motorcyclists. Injuries can include but are not limited to:

  • Broken bones
  • Lacerations or serious cuts
  • Severe bruising
  • Internal bleeding
  • Strains, sprains, and ligament tears
  • Spinal injuries, including paralysis
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Depending on their severity, car accident injuries can incur very exorbitant medical bills. These medical bills often rise into the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars. As such, victims cannot always pay for their medical bills, even if they have insurance.

There’s another route to financial stability, however: filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party and recovering damages for their negligence.

What To Do After a Car Accident

If you’re involved in a car accident, first get yourself to safety. Then, you need to make sure your injuries are looked at by medical professionals. Not only is it important to ensure you receive care for your health, but records of any injuries can come in handy during a potential lawsuit.

After that, call emergency services before considering legal recourse. If you are well enough, try to get contact information from any first responders and emergency personnel on the scene, as well as any potential witnesses. Once you are safe and have received medical care, you will want to write down your own testimony of the event.

Only after you are safe and taken care of should you then contact a car accident lawyer in Staten Island. These legal professionals will be able to advise you during your negotiations with your insurance company and tell you whether you have grounds for a Staten Island car accident lawsuit.

Of course, calling the right car accident lawyers is key. That’s why you should contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers today at 1-516-342-2200. We offer a free case evaluation for all new clients, so you’ll know what to expect from your upcoming lawsuit or arbitration.

How Car Accident Lawyers Assist

Staten Island car accident lawyers can assist with your upcoming lawsuit in a variety of ways. For example, they can:

  • Help you collect key evidence to prove negligence on behalf of another party. They may collect police reports, eyewitness accounts, and forensic evidence to prove that the person responsible for the accident was being deliberately negligent.
  • Negotiate with your insurance company or the lawyers of the negligent party. That way, you don’t have to deal with this stressful work while recovering from your injuries.
  • Provide sound legal counsel. Auto accident attorneys can help you determine who you should sue, whether a lawsuit is wise, and make sure you file all the appropriate paperwork on time.

Key Things To Look for in a Staten Island Car Accident Lawyer

That said, you should not settle for just any Staten Island car accident lawyer. Instead, you should look for knowledgeable legal professionals who:

  • Won’t charge you money unless they win your case. Here at Schwartzapfel Lawyers, we won’t charge you a single penny unless we win your car accident lawsuit, so you don’t need to worry about affording assistance if you are still struggling to pay for your medical bills.
  • Fight for you nonstop. Each of our clients is an important partner, so we treat each case as absolutely vital. Your car accident lawsuit will never be treated as secondary or unimportant.
  • Have a good history of case success. Schwartzapfel Lawyers’ testimonials page shows that we know what we are doing and can secure excellent results for our clients. Over the years, we’ve helped our car accident lawsuit clients recover millions of dollars against at-fault parties, including automobile manufacturers, negligent drivers, and more.

These benefits will go a long way toward ensuring your car accident lawsuit is successful and that you recover as much compensation as possible.

Summary

Car accidents can be scary, and car accident lawsuits can be difficult to win alone. But you don’t have to bear both burdens simultaneously. Instead, secure legal representation to fight for you no matter what so that you can get the compensation needed to recover physically, mentally, and financially.

Schwartzapfel Lawyers is ready to assist with your Staten Island car accident lawsuit or arbitration case. To get started, you can reach out to us at 1-516-342-2200 or contact us online. We’ll begin with a free case evaluation and explore all of your legal options.

Don’t wait, as your window to file a claim may soon be closed forever. Call now and allow Schwartzapfel Lawyers the honor and privilege of fighting – and winning – for you!

Sources:

Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. | Fighting For You™™

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Statistics: New York State Residents | NY Department of Health

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Statistics: New York State Residents | NY Department of Health

Motor Vehicle Accidents | Police Department City of New York

Staten Island traffic deaths have more than doubled in 2021; how can our streets be made safer? | silive.com

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