Long Island Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Long Island has traffic and pedestrian laws to protect pedestrians. Following these laws should reduce pedestrians’ risk of getting hit by reckless or negligent drivers, but drivers who violate these laws continue to seriously injure many pedestrians.
If a pedestrian accident injured you, talk to our Long Island pedestrian accident lawyers at William Mattar Law Offices to find out if you have a case.
Long Island Pedestrian Accident Guide
- How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Strengthen Your Case After a Long Island Incident
- Steps to Take After a Long Island Pedestrian Accident
- New York State Laws That Protect Pedestrians
- Why Long Island Pedestrian Accidents Happen
- Determining Liability in Long Island Pedestrian Accidents
- Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
- Understanding Your Right to Compensation After a Long Island Pedestrian Accident
- Hurt in a Pedestrian Accident? Call William Mattar Law Offices
Why Choose William Mattar Law Offices for Your Long Island Pedestrian Accident Case?
William Mattar Law Offices has been helping injured pedestrians receive maximum compensation for over 30 years and can advocate for your rights if you have been struck by a car or truck while walking the streets of Long Island.
We have legal staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, who understand what you are going through and can help you.
Here’s what sets us apart:
- We Understand Your Rights: Since 1990, we’ve been protecting the rights of accident victims across New York. You can have confidence that we have the know-how to pursue the compensation you need.
- Risk-Free Representation: We believe in putting your recovery first. That’s why we offer free initial consultations and operate on a No Fee Until We Win basis. You’ll only pay legal fees if we successfully settle your case or win in court.
- Dedicated Support: Our team becomes an extension of your support system. From our Long Island pedestrian accident attorneys to our investigators, we’ll handle every aspect of your case so you can concentrate on healing.
- History of Success: We’ve helped countless clients achieve favorable outcomes. Our track record speaks for itself, with numerous testimonials from satisfied clients who’ve received substantial settlements.
Choose William Mattar Law Offices, and let us put our skills to work for you. We’re committed to securing the compensation you need to move forward after your pedestrian accident in Long Island.
How a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Can Strengthen Your Case After a Long Island Incident
Following a pedestrian accident, partnering with an experienced lawyer can significantly impact the outcome of your case.
Here’s how the right legal representation can make a difference:
- Case Management: Your Long Island pedestrian accident attorney will oversee all aspects of your claim, from evidence collection to case evaluation.
- Evidence Gathering: We’ll meticulously compile and analyze all relevant evidence, including accident reports, witness statements, and surveillance footage.
- Insurance Negotiation: Let us handle the often frustrating interactions with insurance companies, ensuring your rights are protected.
- Case Valuation: Our skills allow us to accurately assess your case and estimate a fair compensation amount, considering all current and future damages.
- Legal Guidance: We’ll handle the legal process on your behalf, explaining each step in clear, understandable terms.
- Ongoing Communication: Count on us to keep you informed about your case’s progress with regular, timely updates.
In other words, we’re here to alleviate the burden of pursuing compensation, allowing you to concentrate on healing.
Steps to Take After a Long Island Pedestrian Accident
When you’re in a pedestrian accident, taking the right actions immediately afterward can significantly help your health and potential legal claim.
- Seek Immediate Medical Attention: No pedestrian collision is truly minor. Even seemingly small injuries can develop into serious conditions if left untreated. Always get a thorough medical evaluation.
- Follow Your Treatment Plan: Adhere strictly to your doctor’s recommendations, whether attending physical therapy sessions or taking prescribed medications.
- Be Cautious with Communication: Limit discussions with insurance adjusters and avoid posting about your accident on social media
- Preserve Evidence: Retain all documents, photos, and records related to your accident and injuries.
- Get Legal Help: An experienced Long Island pedestrian accident attorney can protect your rights and handle complex legal procedures on your behalf.
Remember, the steps you take immediately after your accident can have long-lasting effects on your recovery and potential compensation. You shouldn’t try to handle this challenging time alone.
New York State Laws That Protect Pedestrians
New York State has laws to protect pedestrians and ensure they share the road safely with vehicles. Here’s a breakdown of some key points:
Pedestrian Right-of-Way:
- Crosswalks: Pedestrians generally have the right-of-way in marked crosswalks, even unmarked ones at intersections. Drivers must yield to pedestrians who are already crossing or about to enter the crosswalk.
- Sidewalks: Drivers entering or exiting an alley, driveway, building entrance, or private road must yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk.
- Intersections without Signals: Even without traffic signals or stop signs, pedestrians already in the crosswalk or about to enter have the right-of-way, and drivers must yield.
Pedestrian Responsibilities:
- Walk Signals: Pedestrians must obey pedestrian signals like “Walk” and “Don’t Walk” signs.
- Mid-Block Crossing: Outside marked crosswalks, pedestrians must yield to vehicles.
- Sidewalks: Pedestrians should use sidewalks when available and safe to avoid walking on the roadway.
- Visibility: When sidewalks aren’t available, pedestrians walking on the road should walk facing traffic for better visibility.
Driver Responsibility:
- General Care: Drivers must always be aware of pedestrians and exercise caution around them.
- Following Traffic Laws: This includes obeying speed limits, avoiding distracted driving, and yielding to pedestrians as signs and signals require.
Why Long Island Pedestrian Accidents Happen
A significant number of pedestrian accidents involve driver negligence. Here’s a closer look at some common causes of pedestrian accident:
- Distracted Driving: Using cellphones, texting, eating, or adjusting in-car entertainment can divert a driver’s attention from pedestrians.
- Speeding: Speeding reduces a driver’s reaction time and increases the severity of a collision with a pedestrian.
- Disobeying Traffic Laws: Ignoring traffic signals, failing to yield at crosswalks, or making improper turns can put pedestrians at risk.
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI): Alcohol and drugs impair judgment, reaction time, and coordination, significantly increasing the risk of pedestrian accidents.
- Poor Visibility: Nighttime, bad weather, or poorly lit areas can make it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians.
- Left Turns: Drivers who fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians when turning can cause accidents.
Determining Liability in Long Island Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents can occur due to many factors, and multiple parties may be held responsible for your injuries.
In New York, you may seek compensation from anyone whose negligence or wrongful actions contributed to your accident.
Liable parties may include:
- Motorists (car, truck, bus drivers)
- Cyclists
- Employers of negligent parties
- Property owners
- Government agencies
- Transit companies
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles or products
Understanding who caused your injuries plays a big part in your case. You can trust that our legal team will work diligently to uncover the cause of your accident and identify all responsible parties.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Unlike vehicle occupants protected by various safety features, pedestrians are highly vulnerable to collisions, often resulting in catastrophic injuries.
Over our years of service, we’ve successfully advocated for clients with a wide range of serious conditions, including:
- Spinal cord damage
- Head injuries
- Severe burns and scarring
- Traumatic amputation
- Bone fractures
- Crush injuries
- Internal injuries and bleeding
- Severe lacerations and abrasions
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Neck and back trauma
- Joint injuries
When pedestrians suffer serious injuries, they typically require immediate, high-level trauma care. This often involves emergency transport to a Level I trauma center. These advanced facilities offer vital services including immediate surgical intervention, round-the-clock critical care, and rehabilitation.
We understand the complexities of these severe injury cases and the extensive medical care they require. Our team is committed to securing the compensation needed to cover not just immediate medical costs, but also long-term care and rehabilitation.
Understanding Your Right to Compensation After a Long Island Pedestrian Accident
How much compensation you recover depends on the specific circumstances of your case, but may involve:
- Fault-Based Claims: If the motorist who struck you was at fault, you may have grounds to file a claim against them for damages.
- No-Fault Insurance: New York’s no-fault insurance system allows accident victims to receive compensation for injuries regardless of who caused the accident. However, these benefits may not cover all your expenses.
Depending on your case, you may recover damages for:
- Medical expenses and related costs
- Lost wages or income
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
In severe injuries, you may step outside the no-fault system and pursue additional compensation. This compensation might come from the at-fault driver’s insurance, your own insurance, or even third parties in some cases.
No matter what, you should have your situation evaluated by a skilled Long Island pedestrian accident attorney.
Proving Negligence in Your Pedestrian Accident Case
Understanding the cause of your accident is crucial in establishing negligence, which is key to holding the responsible party financially liable for your losses.
To prove negligence, we must demonstrate:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Consider this scenario: A driver fails to stop at a red light before making a right turn, striking a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The driver had a duty of care to drive safely and obey traffic laws. By not stopping, they breached this duty, directly causing the collision and injuring the pedestrian.
At our law firm, we use a variety of evidence to build a strong negligence case on your behalf.
This may include:
- Police reports
- Traffic camera footage
- Eyewitness accounts
- Photos and videos from the accident scene
- Your medical records
- Forensic evidence
By clearly establishing negligence, we strengthen your case for compensation. Our goal is to demonstrate unequivocally how the other party’s actions led to your injuries and losses. Let our team put our skills to work for you, so that all aspects of negligence are thoroughly addressed in your case.
Time Limits for Filing a Long Island Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit: What You Need to Know
In New York, you typically have three years from your injury to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit. This legal deadline is known as the statute of limitations.
Failing to file within this timeframe can result in losing your right to seek compensation entirely, so don’t risk forfeiting the money you deserve by delaying action. The best course of action is to consult with a Long Island pedestrian accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident.
This allows them to assess your case promptly, preserve critical evidence, meet all necessary deadlines, and protect your right to compensation. At William Mattar Law Offices, our compassionate lawyers are ready to start working on your case immediately.
How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Pedestrian Crash Case?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for how long a pedestrian accident case takes to resolve.
It depends on:
- Severity of Injuries: Cases with minor injuries typically settle faster than those with severe, long-term consequences. Insurance companies can assess medical bills and lost wages more easily in minor injury cases.
- Liability: Clear-cut liability cases (with strong evidence like traffic cameras) may move quicker than complex cases with disputed fault.
- Insurance Company: Some insurance companies are known to settle faster than others. Their willingness to offer a fair settlement early on can significantly impact the timeline.
- Going to Court: If a fair settlement isn’t reached with the insurance company, filing a lawsuit can add significant time to the process. Court cases can take months or even years to resolve.
Here’s a rough timeframe based on case complexity:
- Straightforward Case (Minor Injuries, Clear Liability): Weeks to a few months
- More Complex Case (Moderate Injuries, Debated Liability): Several months to a year
- Very Complex Case (Severe Injuries, Extensive Litigation): Over a year or even multiple years
Make sure you do things like:
- Gather Evidence: Police reports, witness statements, medical records, and photos from the accident scene will strengthen your case.
- Keep Records of Medical Bills and Lost Wages: Document all accident-related expenses to ensure you’re fully compensated.
- Be Patient but Persistent: While you want a resolution as soon as possible, don’t settle for an unfair offer. A good lawyer will fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Hurt in a Pedestrian Accident? Call William Mattar Law Offices
If you need emergency or long-term treatment for broken bones, head trauma, or other severe injuries due to a vehicle hitting you, contact a Long Island personal injury lawyer today.
Dial (516) 444-4444 to speak to one of our knowledgeable team members, who will explain what to do and what to expect from your initial consultation. You can also fill out our free initial consultation form and submit it online at your convenience.
William Mattar Accident Lawyers – Long Island Office
500 N Broadway Suite 161-C
Jericho, NY 11753
Phone: (516) 444-4444
