Having a car accident can be devastating to all of the parties involved. If you are injured in an accident, you may face horrible pain and you may have to go to many doctor’s appointments. Physical therapy may also be required and that can be time-consuming and stressful and you may miss time off of work because of it.
If you are responsible for an accident, you may face criminal charges. You may get your license suspended and you may have to pay fees. If you were driving recklessly, you might even have to serve jail time. There are a few things that you should know if you are responsible for injuring someone in an accident.
1. New York is a No-Fault State
There are two different insurance rules in the U.S, fault and no-fault. In a fault state, the insurance company of the person who’s responsible for the accident is responsible for paying all of their accident-related bills. In a no-fault state, a person’s own insurance company is responsible for paying for their injuries and damage to their property no matter who caused the collision. New York is a no-fault state, which means that even if you were responsible for an accident, the insurance company of the injured party should pay for their medical bills.
2. There are Exceptions to the Rule
Even though The Empire State adheres to the no-fault rule, there are some situations in which you may be sued for causing injury to another person.
If you hit a pedestrian or a bicyclist and they were following all the rules of the road, your insurance company will have to pay for their medical bills. When a car hits a person, there is a good chance that they will not survive. If you kill someone in a car accident, their family can sue you for wrongful death. This may be financially devastating to you.
If a person’s injuries are very serious, such as a bone fracture or permanent disfigurement, they may sue you for medical expenses as well as pain and suffering or they may file a claim with your insurance company.
If they have suffered damage to a limb or an organ, they may also sue you. If the accident has left him disabled, it is also considered an exception to the no-fault rule. You can find more information about these exceptions here: personalinjurylawyersbronx.com.
3. Silence is Golden
When you are in an accident with injuries, you should always call the police and wait for them to arrive. You should be very polite to the officer and ask for a copy of the accident report. You should never admit to guilt even if you think you probably caused the accident.
When you contact your insurance company, they will ask you many questions about the accident. Don’t let them pressure you into giving any answers about things that you don’t recall. They will ask to record your answers but you do not have to let them.
Everyone makes mistakes when they drive and that is why we have insurance. If you are at fault in an accident, you should remember that there’s a system in place for getting everyone’s medical bills paid.
Comments