Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) are the top cause of Personal Injury claims in Long Island.

According to the New York State Department of Health, there were 91,428 motor vehicle accidents in Nassau County and 78,582 accidents in Suffolk County in 2014. These don’t all go on to become Personal Injury claims, though. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, about 10 million or more crashes go unreported nation-wide each year.

Absolutely not. Auto accidents are one of the most recognizable claims, but personal injury cases can stem from a number of accident types.

At TonaLaw, we provide experience that is backed by 20 plus years of trial and pre-trial settlements. Our understanding of how to create positive results at trial has helped secure millions of dollars in damages for our clients.

In our experience, some common personal injury cases that arise in Nassau and Suffolk county are, but not limited to:

• Dangerous and Defective Products
• Truck, Bus, Motorcycle, or Pedestrian Accidents
• Slips and Falls
• Trip and Falls
• Construction Accidents
• Dog or Animal bites
• Negligent Security
• Insufficient or Negligent Property Maintenance
• Others

In general, the only reason the insurance adjuster for the other insurance company wants your statement is to attempt to to build a defense against your claim or to minimize the payment of the claim.

While speaking with the insurance adjusters – both your own and the other parties – is fine, it is best to do so under the guidance of an experienced Long Island Personal Injury attorney. If you speak with the insurance adjusters before consulting with an attorney, you could reduce or negate the compensation you deserve.

NYS Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury claims is 3 years

A statute of limitations is a deadline by which a personal injury claim must be made. These limits are set by state and legal case type, but the New York SOL for claims of reckless negligence resulting in personal injury must be made within three years of the date of accident.

Long Island Personal Injury claims require the plaintiff to establish that he or she has suffered “serious injury”

According to NY State Insurance Law, a personal injury lawsuit requires the victim to establish that they have incurred basic economic loss of over $50,000 or ‘serious injury’. The types of physical damage that constitute ‘serious injury’ include, but are not limited to:

• Dismemberment
• Disfigurement
• Fracture
• Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
• Severe, traumatic, and permanent injury or impairment

An experience Long Island Personal Injury Attorney can help to identify whether or not a client’s injuries fall under the legal classification of ‘serious injury’ in any free consultation.