Located just 18 miles from Manhatten, Westbury is a small village of just over 15,000 residents. Even in this small city, car accidents occur on the Northern State Parkway, Route 25, and surface streets. According to the New York State Department of Health, traffic accidents are the second leading cause of injury-related emergencies and hospitalizations in Nassau County.
A car accident can turn your life upside down. After an accident, you might deal with severe injuries, prolonged medical treatments, chronic pain, and even permanent disability—to say nothing of the hefty hospital bills.
At Silverstein & Kahn P.C., we can’t turn back time or make your pain disappear. However, a Westbury car accident lawyer from our law firm can help you seek compensation for your suffering.
Schedule a free consultation with our attorneys to explore your options. If you’re eligible to pursue compensation, we’ll guide you every step of the way.
New York car crash law is complex. Unlike some other states, New York law combines three legal principles—no-fault liability, pure comparative negligence, and joint and several liability—in a way that confuses even some attorneys.
At Silverstein & Kahn P.C., we focus solely on personal injury and car accident cases. Our team has 70 years of combined experience in these practice areas and has recovered over $50 million for our clients since 1988. We understand New York law and know how to protect your interests from other drivers, their lawyers, and insurance companies.
New York law requires all drivers to buy personal injury protection (PIP) insurance with $50,000 minimum bodily injury coverage.
Under the state’s no-fault liability rules, after an accident, you must use your PIP insurance first to cover your medical bills, lost income, and other expenses—regardless of who was at fault.
Unfortunately, this amount often won’t be enough to cover your costs. You’ll likely need to pursue compensation from the other driver, which can be difficult without legal help.
The principle of pure comparative negligence further complicates things. Under these rules, all drivers involved in a car accident are responsible for a percentage of the liability.
Your compensation will reflect your degree of responsibility. For example, if the total damages are $200,000 and your liability is 40%, the highest amount you could recover would be $80,000.
If you want to recover more, you need to show that you weren’t at fault or were responsible for a lesser liability percentage. A Westbury car accident lawyer from our team can seek to minimize your assigned fault so you can pursue a bigger award.
Joint and several liability is a controversial principle. Under this rule, every driver in a car crash is liable for the total damages. Anyone involved in the accident can claim the total damages from all drivers or just one.
For instance, if three drivers contributed to an accident, each can seek full compensation from everyone else, jointly or individually.
As you can imagine, this rule can create complex situations. At Silverstein & Kahn P.C., we know how to navigate joint and several liability and protect your interests.
Overall, there were six auto-accident-related deaths per 100,000 people in Nassau County between 2014-2020. Many more suffered injuries.
Pursuing an insurance claim or a lawsuit on your own can be stressful, costly, and time-consuming. You also risk making mistakes that could jeopardize your chances of recovery, such as forgetting to file paperwork or missing deadlines.
When you hire a Westbury auto accident lawyer from Silverstein & Kahn P.C., we help you avoid common mistakes and assist with:
A big part of our work involves advising you on what to do and not do to maximize your chances of recovery.
Here’s why you should choose us if you need a car accident and personal injury lawyer in Westbury, NY:
We don’t take on many clients, which allows us to spend more time on your case and deliver a truly personal service.
Each time you call our office, you’ll speak with an attorney, not a paralegal or secretary, who can answer your questions about car accident claims.
If we don’t win your case, you don’t pay.
Long Island has the state’s most dangerous roads. State Routes 25 and 27, which cross Nassau County and Westbury, are the deadliest, with 62 and 61 fatalities, respectively, in 2016-2020.
No matter where your accident occurred, our lawyers put our years of experience dedicated to personal injury law and car accident cases to give you the support you need to navigate the legal process and focus on your recovery.
To learn more, read what to do after a no-fault car accident.
If you’re one of the many Westbury residents who get injured on the road, call us at (631) 424-6850. At Silverstein & Kahn P.C., we’ve won over $50 million for our clients. Schedule a free consultation today.
© 2023 Silverstein & Kahn P.C. All Rights Reserved.
Content, including images, displayed on this website is protected by copyright laws. Downloading, republication, retransmission or reproduction of content on this website is strictly prohibited. Privacy Policy
