If you suffered harm because of a reckless driver on Long Island, our lawyers are ready to pursue what you need.
Speeding, tailgating, ignoring traffic signs, or weaving in and out of traffic is a recipe for a reckless driving accident on Long Island. Not only is this behavior illegal, but it also puts every road user’s life at risk. A Long Island car accident lawyer at Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP can build a case to cover your damages if you or a loved one were hurt in a car collision due to reckless driving.
While you heal from your injuries, we can investigate how the crash occurred, identify the responsible parties, and seek compensation for you via a claim or lawsuit. Our attorneys offer their services on contingency basis, which means we don’t take payment unless we obtain a financial award for you. To learn more, call Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP today for a free consultation.
Table of Contents
- What Our Car Collision Attorneys on Long Island Can Do to Help You
- Damages You Can Seek in a Long Island Reckless Driving Accident Case
- How New York State Defines Reckless Driving
- Common Forms of Evidence in Reckless Driving Crash Cases
- Common Injuries After a Reckless Driving Accident on Long Island
What Our Car Collision Attorneys on Long Island Can Do to Help You
Figuring out how to calculate your damages and who you should seek compensation from can require a complex and frustrating investigation. To save yourself this stress, consider hiring one of our car accident lawyers on Long Island.
Our attorneys can offer you a full array of services, such as:
- Compiling evidence
- Interviewing witnesses
- Getting a copy of the crash report
- Establishing the negligent party (or parties)
- Handling all communication with the insurance company and other parties
- Assessing your damages
- Settling your claim via negotiations
- Arguing your case in a trial if we do not receive a fair settlement offer
Our assistance doesn’t stop at handling the legal aspects of your case. At Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP, we want to ensure that you’re as much a part of the process as we are. Your attorney can update you on any progress and make themselves available whenever you have questions or concerns about your case or the claims process.
For a free legal consultation with a reckless driving accidents lawyer serving Long Island, call 516-451-7900
How Previous Clients Felt After Putting Their Accident Cases in Our Hands
The attorneys at Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP take a personalized approach to each case that comes our way while fighting for the compensation our clients are entitled to collect. In our testimonials from past clients, one said that even when she felt like giving up on her case, we didn’t. Our team was always there to offer her compassion and encouragement.
We believe that client care goes hand-in-hand with client success.
Some of our past case results include:
- $25.4 million for a 17-year-old injured in a drunk driving crash
- $2.39 million for a 51-year-old who suffered a torn meniscus and a bulged disc in his lower back in a rear-end collision
- $850,000 for an 83-year-old who sustained a hip injury and leg fractures after a teenage driver hit her
- $370,000 for a 69-year-old who needed surgery after getting a herniated disc in a rear-end collision
We cannot promise a specific outcome for your case, but you can rely on our team to seek damages that cover your unique needs.
Damages You Can Seek in a Long Island Reckless Driving Accident Case
New York requires drivers to purchase no-fault insurance policies. So if you’re in an accident, you can recover medical expenses, relevant transportation costs, and lost income to a certain point via your own insurance policy. However, your damages may exceed your coverage limits. In that case, you may have grounds to file a third-party claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Additionally, a third-party claim allows you to seek damages for pain and suffering, which no-fault insurance does not cover.
Long Island Reckless Driving Accidents Lawyer Near Me 516-451-7900
Recovering Damages from the Other Party
No two reckless driving accident cases share the same circumstances. Still, there are common factors that car accident attorneys review to determine how much and what kind of compensation you can seek.
These include:
- The type and severity of your injuries
- Your prognosis and medical bills
- The nature of the reckless driving collision
- Your physical and mental struggles
- Your working status
From there, your lawyer may conclude that you are entitled to recoup compensation via a third-party claim or lawsuit for:
- Past and future medical bills – Damages for this loss could include the costs of emergency care and transportation, pain medications, assistive equipment, diagnostic exams, and ongoing care.
- Lost income – While healing from your injuries, you may have missed out on paid vacation time, tips, bonuses, commissions, regular wages, promotional and business opportunities, and other benefits.
- Future loss of earning capacity – Your injuries may force you to miss work for an extended time or accept a lower-paying position. Damages for this loss in earning power could help make up the difference.
- Pain and suffering – Many accident victims suffer severe injuries in a reckless driving collision, causing pain, discomfort, and other inconveniences. Pain and suffering compensation can give you the means to make coping with your injuries more manageable.
- Disfigurement and scarring – Your injuries could change how you move, look, and feel. Compensation allows you to access the tools you need to help with your limitations.
- Wrongful death damages – Sometimes, reckless driving crashes are so violent that they take a victim’s life. Surviving family members may be able to recover their late loved one’s funeral and burial expenses, as well as their end-of-life medical care. Our Long Island wrongful death attorneys can help guide you through this very difficult situation.
Seeking compensation can help you rebuild your life after suffering financially, physically, and emotionally.
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How Do I Pay for a Long Island Reckless Driving Accident Lawyer?
Some law firms work on retainers, while others ask for an upfront fee to start your case. That’s not how we operate at Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP. Our car accident lawyers take reckless driving accident cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means that our firm covers all the expenses related to your case. We do not require any out-of-pocket, upfront, or hourly fees.
Our attorneys start working on your case immediately and only take payment if we settle or win your case. This payment structure does not require you to take any financial risk and also gives you peace of mind as you recover and make your way through the legal process.
How New York State Defines Reckless Driving
New York Vehicle & Traffic Law (VAT) § 1212 states that driving behavior that unreasonably endangers users of the public highway or unreasonably interferes with other road users constitutes reckless driving.
Examples of this behavior include:
- Road rage
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Illegal passing
- Tailgating
- Running a red light
- Disregard for traffic signals (e.g., yielding to pedestrians)
- Weaving in and out of traffic
There is no excuse for reckless driving, whether the driver is running late for work or gets impatient in slow traffic. It is illegal and may result in a misdemeanor charge.
Common Forms of Evidence in Reckless Driving Crash Cases
You must include evidence to support your claim when building your compensation case.
Common types of evidence in these cases usually include:
- The police report – This document will include the date, location, and time of the crash, who was involved, any witnesses, any injuries or deaths, and a basic description of what happened.
- Relevant photographs – You, the responding officer, or anyone else at the scene might have taken pictures of your injuries, the damaged vehicles, the crash scene from different angles, or road and/or weather conditions.
- Video footage – A nearby business, highway surveillance cameras, or a witness could have taken video of the collision and its aftermath.
- Your medical records – Perhaps an ambulance took you to the hospital or an urgent care clinic, or you visited your primary care physician after the crash. Make sure you ask the staff for documentation of your visit. Keep a record of all related bills and appointments as well. Medical information can help link the collision to your injuries.
- Traffic citations – The police might have issued the other driver a citation or ticket for reckless driving. A copy of this document can help establish fault for the collision and your injuries.
- Witness accounts – Witnesses can provide objective testimony about what happened before, during, and after the collision.
If you have anything else that you think could help your case, bring it to your attorney, as it may make a difference in how much compensation you can seek.
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Reckless Driving Means Negligent Driving
Reckless driving is a form of negligence, which means:
- The driver owed you a duty of care to operate their vehicle safely.
- They drove recklessly instead (this is where negligence comes in).
- They caused a reckless driving accident, such as a rear-end, rollover, head-on, or side-impact crash.
- You suffered financial and non-financial losses as a result.
Each of these elements must be present in your case for you to have grounds to seek compensation for your losses.
New York Enforces Time Limits on Reckless Driving Accident Lawsuits
Sometimes, filing a lawsuit makes the most sense for your situation. However, the state implements deadlines by which you must file. According to CPLR § 214, you generally have three years to submit a personal injury lawsuit in New York. Those bringing a wrongful death lawsuit have even less time, as EPTL § 5-4.1 usually enforces a two-year time limit.
Exceptions may extend these deadlines, like if the other party left the state or a minor was hurt in the crash. But others could shorten them, especially if a government agency was involved. Either way, start your case right away. The court will likely refuse to hear your case if you try to file past the deadline, leaving you to cover your crash-related expenses on your own.
If you inform our team about your case early on and hire one of our attorneys to represent you, we can ensure that we submit your lawsuit before the deadline expires.
Why Should I Start My Claim As Soon As Possible?
The statute of limitations isn’t the only reason to get a head start on your case. The more time passes, the more difficult it can be to access and gather evidence. For example, witnesses may start to forget crucial details of the crash over time or move away without leaving any contact information. Businesses may destroy video footage capturing the collision after a few days or weeks.
Evidence like this can help boost the validity of your claims, and not having it can make it tougher to prove your side of the story.
Common Injuries After a Reckless Driving Accident on Long Island
Reckless driving accidents can cause victims to suffer severe injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Cuts and bruises
- Organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Road rash
- Chest and abdominal trauma
Many of these injuries don’t show symptoms for days or weeks following the collision. Therefore, have a doctor examine you as soon as possible. They may take X-rays, diagnose your injuries, prescribe medications, and refer you to specialists for further treatment.
Seeing a physician promptly can also help bolster your claim, as this visit shows the connection between the reckless driving collision and your injuries. Delaying medical attention may tell the insurance company that your injuries weren’t severe enough to get help or that the crash didn’t cause them. As a result, they could use the delay against you to deny you fair compensation for your losses.
Connect With Our Car Accident Lawyers on Long Island Today
If you were hurt in a reckless driving accident on Long Island, look no further than Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP. Our experienced injury attorneys on Long Island understand these are challenging times, so allow us to lend a helping hand.
Our team can review your case, identify the liable party (or parties), and work to hold them accountable for your damages. All you need to do is focus on what’s most important: your health.
Reach out to Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP today at (631) 451-7900 to begin your free consultation with one of our team members. We assist both English and Spanish-speaking clients.
