You do not have to go to New York court to recover from a car accident. You can work with insurance providers to secure post-accident compensation or even negotiate for a fair settlement out-of-court. That said, you can bring your losses to a judge’s attention if you want to fight for compensation in a New York courtroom.
Do you have questions about what your post-car accident recovery might look like? Let Richmond Vona break the process down for you. Our car accident lawyers in New York have years of experience helping survivors like you recover damages for their losses. You can contact us today to schedule a free civil case evaluation.
What to Expect After a New York Car Accident
In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, you can expect to connect with medical professionals and begin addressing your financial losses. You do not have to immediately go to court following a crash, even if the state assumes criminal action against the offending party.
The legal process tends to be lengthy on the best of days. If New York’s criminal court is going to summon you to testify against an offending party, you may not receive that summons for several months. You, in turn, get to dictate what timeline your action in civil court, should you choose to take it, operates on.
In the meantime, you can focus on:
Working With Emergency Responders
The first thing you need to do after a car accident is work with emergency responders. It’s essential that you have a medical professional look you over, even if you’re not visibly injured. Some car accident injuries, like whiplash, can appear over time or otherwise end up obscured due to shock.
Communicating With Insurance Providers
So long as the offending party doesn’t flee the scene of your accident, you should get that party’s car insurance information. New York requires all of its drivers to carry its minimum liability insurance, meaning that the offending driver should have the coverage needed to address at least some of your expenses.
That said, some drivers operate vehicles while uninsured or underinsured. If you move to file a car insurance claim and find that you haven’t received enough support to address your losses, you can discuss going to civil court with New York’s car accident lawyers.
It’s a good idea to have an attorney on call when interacting with an insurance provider, to begin with. Some insurance providers engage in bad faith behaviors in an effort to deny you the car accident compensation you need to recover. If you have an attorney on hand, you can cut those behaviors off before.
Our team can appeal denied car accident claims and even sue bad faith insurers, should the need to do so arise.
The State May Call You to Testify in a Criminal Case
You cannot initiate criminal action against the party liable for your car accident, even if that party engaged in criminal behavior prior to your accident. That said, the state can take legal action against an offending party in criminal court. You, in turn, may have to testify as to the liable party’s negligent roadway behavior.
That said, New York’s criminal courts must first investigate the nature of the liable party’s misconduct before they can bring a case against these parties. If you’re going to be called forward in court, you may not receive that summons for months or, in some cases, years.
You Control How a Civil Case Progresses
As mentioned, you do not have to go to court after a car accident if you want to receive accident-related damages. You can work with an insurance provider to secure post-accident support. You can even file a personal injury claim with the sole intention of entering into settlement negotiations with a liable party.
That said, you do retain the option to go to civil court. If a liable party refuses to acknowledge the role they played in your accident, you may have the right to bring your case before a judge and jury. You can discuss this option with a New York car accident attorney to determine whether or not it suits your circumstances.
Going before a civil judge can secure you the compensation you need to recover from an accident should a liable party refuse to offer you support. Our team can prepare you for this process and make sure that your interactions with both the liable party and the court system are as stress-free as possible.
You Can Turn to Richmond Vona for Comprehensive Legal Representation
Are you struggling to find a path forward after a dangerous car accident? Let Richmond Vona guide you toward recovery. Our team can work with you to bring your losses to a judge’s attention or arrange out-of-court settlement negotiations. We make every effort to prioritize your comfort as you get your life back on track.
If you want to learn more about the legal services that you and your loved ones might benefit from, you can contact our team. We offer car accident survivors like you free legal consultations. You can use these consultations to decide whether or not you want to proceed with a civil lawsuit.
At Richmond Vona, New York car accident lawyers fight for you. Reach out to our team today.
