As a passenger, you can usually let your guard down. You are no longer in control of the car, and you can finally relax and enjoy the ride. However, sometimes, passengers are injured in car accidents if they are either sharing a car with a negligent driver, or his or her car has been struck by another negligent motorist. Whatever the case may be, these accidents are jarring, and the injuries passengers sustain can be quite severe. If you were injured in a car accident as a passenger, here are some of the questions you may have regarding your legal options going forward:
How do car accidents happen?
Cars are complex machines, and when additional variables get thrown into the mix, disaster can strike. One of the most common causes of car accidents is extreme weather conditions, where ice or even something as simple as fallen, slippery leaves can cause a motorist to go sliding off the road, or into another motor vehicle.
Unfortunately, car accidents are not solely due to outside forces–they most commonly occur as a result of a negligent driver. The most prominent examples of negligent driving in today鈥檚 world are distracted driving, drunk or drugged driving, driving while fatigued, and speeding. If you believe you were injured at the hands of another motorist doing any of the aforementioned things, you may have a shot at financial compensation.
What are the most common injuries passengers sustain in car accidents?
- Broken bones
- Psychological injuries
- Back trauma
- Spinal injuries
- Facial disfiguration
- Lacerations
- Concussions
How do I recover compensation as an injured passenger?
For a passenger to recover compensation after he or she was injured in an accident, an experienced attorney must first prove that he or she was injured due to another motorist鈥檚 negligence. To do so, an attorney will obtain photographic or video evidence of the accident or its aftermath, witness statements, police reports, medical documents, and more.
What is the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in New York State?
The statute of limitations is the legally acceptable timeframe you have from the date of your accident to sue another party. The statute of limitations in New York is three years, so if you wait and do not pursue legal action within three years, you will lose your right to sue.
Contact our experienced New York firm
At Mark L. Bodner, P.C., we are committed to guiding clients through each step of the medical malpractice and personal injury claims process. Our firm understands how traumatic it can be when you become a victim of negligence. We are prepared to fight on your behalf to help you recover a maximum compensation award.聽Contact our firm today.