Manhattan Car Crash Lawyer | 2025 Justice Guide

Why Immediate Legal Action Matters After a Manhattan Car Crash

A Manhattan car crash lawyer can help you steer New York’s complex no-fault insurance system, prove “serious injury” to bypass insurance limitations, and recover full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering—all on a contingency fee basis with no upfront costs.

Key reasons to hire a Manhattan car crash lawyer immediately:

• Steer the “serious injury” threshold required to file a lawsuit in New York
• Protect your rights within the 3-year statute of limitations (shorter for government claims)
• Maximize compensation beyond the $50,000 no-fault insurance cap
• Level the playing field against aggressive insurance company tactics
• Handle all communications so you can focus on recovery
• Investigate thoroughly to identify all liable parties and sources of compensation

Manhattan’s streets are among the most dangerous in the nation. In 2023 alone, New York City recorded 94,657 car accidents, with 53,095 resulting in injuries and 235 fatal crashes. Manhattan accounted for 17% of these collisions—averaging more than 259 motor vehicle accidents every single day across the city. The financial toll is staggering: in 2014, Manhattan vehicle accidents resulted in $37.5 million in hospitalization charges, with nearly 1 in 3 hospitalized victims diagnosed with traumatic brain injury.

The aftermath of a car crash is overwhelming, with injuries, medical bills, lost income, and insurance companies pushing for low settlements. The decisions you make in the first 72 hours can determine your financial recovery.

I’m Mark Segal, a Manhattan car crash lawyer. At Segal & Lax, our team has 75 years of combined experience helping New Yorkers secure the compensation they deserve. We fight for injury victims across all five boroughs and understand Manhattan’s unique traffic and legal challenges.

The First 72 Hours: Critical Steps After a Manhattan Car Accident

The moments after a Manhattan car crash are chaotic, but what you do in these critical first 72 hours can make or break your ability to recover fair compensation.

Let me walk you through exactly what you need to do, step by step.

First, stay put. Your instinct might be to leave, but fleeing the scene is a serious crime in New York. Whether it’s property damage, an injury, or worse, you’re legally required to remain at the accident scene. If your car is blocking traffic and it’s safe to move it, pull to the side. But don’t drive away. Leaving could result in hit-and-run charges and destroy any chance you have of getting compensation.

Call 911 immediately. Even if everyone seems fine and the damage looks minor, make that call. Police will come to secure the scene and create an official report—a document that becomes crucial evidence for your claim. Emergency medical personnel will also respond to check for injuries. Trust me, you want both on record.

You might be hurt without knowing it. Adrenaline can mask injuries like whiplash, concussions, or internal bleeding for hours or days. Seeking immediate medical care protects your health and creates an official medical record linking your injuries to the accident. This prevents insurance companies from arguing your injuries happened elsewhere. Don’t give them that opening.

If you’re able to move around safely, document everything. Pull out your smartphone and start taking photos and videos. Capture the damage to all vehicles from multiple angles. Get shots of skid marks, traffic signals, street signs, potholes, weather conditions, and anything else that tells the story of what happened. If you have visible cuts, bruises, or injuries, photograph those too. This visual evidence gives your Manhattan car crash lawyer powerful ammunition when building your case.

Exchange information with everyone involved. You’ll need names, phone numbers, addresses, insurance company details, policy numbers, and license plate numbers from all drivers. If there are witnesses standing around, ask for their contact information too. These people saw what happened, and their statements can be invaluable. The police will gather some of this information, but it’s smart to collect it yourself as well.

The police report becomes the foundation of your claim. This official document includes details about all drivers involved, the location, witness statements, insurance information, and any traffic violations the officer observed. Insurance companies treat this report as gospel when evaluating claims. You can obtain your crash report from the NYPD after the incident. If you’re not sure how to get it or what it means, we can help you understand every detail.

One of the biggest mistakes is apologizing at the scene. It feels polite, but insurance companies will twist an apology into an admission of fault. Even if you think the accident was your fault, you might be wrong; there could be factors you don’t see, like faulty signals or poor road maintenance. Stick to the facts and let your Manhattan car crash lawyer handle discussions about fault with insurance companies and other parties.

These first 72 hours set the stage for everything that follows. Missing a step or making the wrong move can cost you thousands of dollars in compensation you deserve. For a complete guide on protecting yourself after a crash, visit our page on steps to take after an accident.

The good news? You don’t have to figure this out alone. We’re here to help you steer every step of the process.

Navigating New York’s Complex Car Accident Laws

New York’s unique car accident laws can determine whether you receive fair compensation or are left with the bills. If you’ve been in a Manhattan collision, here’s what you need to know.

New York operates under a “no-fault” insurance system, which sounds straightforward but can be surprisingly complicated. After a car crash, you turn to your own insurance company first. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays for your initial medical bills and a portion of your lost wages, regardless of who caused the accident. New York requires every driver to carry at least $50,000 in no-fault coverage per person. This coverage typically handles reasonable and necessary medical expenses up to that limit, plus lost wages up to $2,000 per month for up to three years.

The catch is that no-fault restricts your ability to sue. To file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver, you must prove you have a “serious injury” as defined by New York law.

What counts as a serious injury? The definition includes death, dismemberment, significant disfigurement, fractures, loss of a fetus, permanent loss of use of a body organ or function, or a non-permanent injury that prevents you from performing substantially all of your usual daily activities for at least 90 days within the first 180 days after the accident. This threshold exists to prevent minor injury claims from clogging the courts, but it also means proving the severity of your injuries becomes critical. As your Manhattan car crash lawyer, we know exactly how to document and demonstrate that your injuries meet this legal standard.

When your injuries do meet the serious injury threshold—or when your medical bills and lost wages exceed your $50,000 no-fault coverage—you can file a lawsuit against the negligent driver. This allows you to seek full compensation for everything: medical expenses, lost income, future medical needs, property damage, and importantly, pain and suffering and other non-economic damages that no-fault insurance doesn’t cover.

New York also follows what’s called a pure comparative fault rule, governed by New York’s pure comparative fault statute. This means that even if you were partially responsible for the accident, you can still recover damages—your compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re found 20% at fault for an accident and your total damages are $100,000, you’d recover $80,000. This rule is more generous than in some states. Our team knows how to counter unfair fault allegations and protect your right to maximum compensation.

Time limits matter enormously in New York car accident cases. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims is three years from the date of the accident, as outlined in the three-year statute of limitations law. This is your deadline to file a lawsuit in court. Miss it, and you almost certainly lose your right to seek any compensation.

Even more urgent are claims involving government entities. If your accident involved a city bus, a vehicle owned by the City of New York, or any other government employee or entity, the timeline shrinks dramatically. You must provide written notice of your intent to sue within just 90 days of the accident, and you must file your formal claim within one year and 90 days. These compressed deadlines catch many accident victims off guard, which is why contacting a Manhattan car crash lawyer immediately after any accident is so important.

We’ve spent years navigating these complex laws for Manhattan residents. We understand how to work within the no-fault system, when and how to step outside it, and how to meet every critical deadline to protect your rights.

Why You Need a Manhattan Car Crash Lawyer After a Collision

After a car crash, you might wonder if you need a lawyer, especially if fault seems clear or you hope the insurance company will be fair.

Here’s what we’ve learned after decades of helping Manhattan accident victims: insurance companies are not on your side.

Despite friendly commercials, insurance companies are businesses focused on protecting their bottom line. Their teams of adjusters and lawyers work to pay you as little as possible. They’ll call you while you’re still recovering, pushing for a recorded statement to use against you. They’ll offer a quick settlement that sounds good at first but doesn’t come close to covering your actual damages.

Without a Manhattan car crash lawyer by your side, you’re facing these professionals alone. And that’s exactly how they want it.

A skilled attorney levels the playing field. We know their tactics because we’ve seen them hundreds of times. When insurance companies realize you have serious legal representation, their approach changes immediately. Suddenly, those lowball offers disappear and real negotiations begin.

Properly valuing your case is another area where most people underestimate what they’re facing. It’s not just about your current medical bills. What about the physical therapy you’ll need for the next six months? The wages you’re losing while you can’t work? The reduced earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job? What about the pain you’re experiencing every single day?

These calculations require experience and a deep understanding of New York law. We work with medical professionals, economists, and other professionals to build a complete picture of how this accident has affected your life—and will continue to affect it in the future.

While you’re trying to heal, there’s an overwhelming burden of paperwork and legal procedures. We handle every detail—gathering police reports, interviewing witnesses, reviewing footage, and filing documents before deadlines pass—so you can focus on your recovery.

Finally, there’s the matter of trial readiness. Most cases do settle before trial, but insurance companies only offer fair settlements when they know you’re prepared to go to court if necessary. Our firm has a reputation for being fully prepared to take cases to trial, and insurance adjusters know it. That reputation alone often leads to better settlement offers. You can learn more about our approach and commitment to clients on our Why Hire Us page.

What Can a Manhattan Car Crash Lawyer Do for My Case?

When you hire us as your Manhattan car crash lawyer, we take over the entire legal process so you can concentrate on healing. Here’s how we help:

We investigate the crash thoroughly, going far beyond the basic police report. We examine every piece of evidence—photos, videos, witness statements, surveillance footage from nearby businesses, traffic camera data, and medical records. Sometimes we bring in accident reconstructionists who can recreate exactly how the collision occurred, using physics and engineering to prove fault.

We identify all liable parties, because sometimes more than one party shares responsibility. Yes, the other driver might be primarily at fault, but what if the city failed to fix a dangerous pothole that contributed to the accident? What if a defective tire or faulty brake system played a role? We investigate every angle to identify everyone who should be held accountable, which can significantly increase your potential compensation.

We handle all communications with insurance companies, the other driver’s attorneys, and anyone else involved in your case. You won’t receive harassing phone calls from adjusters trying to trick you into saying something that hurts your claim. Everything goes through us.

We calculate your total damages with precision, accounting for every economic loss and every way this accident has diminished your quality of life. This includes current and future medical expenses, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Manhattan’s streets present unique dangers. Distracted driving is the leading cause, playing a role in nearly one out of every three car accidents in New York City. Speeding remains a constant problem, as drivers rush to beat lights or weave through traffic. Failure to yield causes numerous collisions at busy intersections, especially involving pedestrians and cyclists. Drunk driving still occurs roughly seven or eight times per day across the city. Other common causes include reckless driving, road defects, and defective auto parts. For more information about these dangers, visit our page on Driver Distractions.

Understanding the Costs: How a Manhattan Car Crash Lawyer Gets Paid

You may worry about affording a lawyer while facing medical bills.

Here’s the good news: you don’t pay us anything upfront. Not a single dollar.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee comes only from the compensation we recover for you. If we win your case, we take a pre-agreed percentage of that recovery. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. Zero. That’s our “no win, no fee” promise.

This arrangement provides two key benefits: it gives everyone access to quality legal representation regardless of financial status, and it aligns our interests with yours. We only succeed when you do, so we are motivated to fight for every dollar you deserve.

We also offer a free initial consultation with no obligation. This is your opportunity to sit down with an experienced Manhattan car crash lawyer, tell us what happened, and get honest answers about your case. We’ll explain your legal options and the potential value of your claim. It’s a risk-free way to understand your rights and make an informed decision.

Maximizing Your Compensation: Damages You Can Recover

After a car accident turns your life upside down, you deserve compensation for every loss you’ve suffered, both tangible and intangible. As your Manhattan car crash lawyer, our mission is to identify and fight for every dollar you’re owed.

The law recognizes two main categories of damages, and understanding both is essential to building a complete picture of what you’ve lost.

Economic damages are the tangible, calculable costs that hit your wallet directly. Medical expenses top this list, covering everything from the ambulance ride to ongoing physical therapy. We’re talking about emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, diagnostic tests, rehabilitation, and any future medical care your doctors say you’ll need. The costs can be staggering. We track every penny of your medical expenses, from prescriptions to complex surgical procedures.

Then there’s lost wages—the paychecks you couldn’t earn because you were too injured to work. This includes not just your base salary, but also lost commissions, bonuses, overtime, and benefits. If your injuries are severe enough to impact your career long-term, we also calculate your future earning capacity. Maybe you can’t return to construction work after a back injury, or a traumatic brain injury prevents you from performing complex mental tasks. These projected future losses matter, and we fight to include them in your compensation.

Don’t forget about property damage—the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and any personal belongings destroyed in the crash.

Non-Economic and Catastrophic Injury Damages

The financial losses are just part of your story. Some of the deepest wounds from a car accident don’t show up on a receipt.

Pain and suffering compensation acknowledges the physical agony you’ve endured, from throbbing headaches to chronic pain that can last a lifetime. It covers both your current and future suffering.

Emotional distress is just as real. Many victims develop anxiety, depression, or PTSD after a crash. These psychological scars deserve compensation.

Then there’s loss of enjoyment of life. Maybe you used to play basketball with your kids, but your knee injury ended that. Maybe you were an avid runner, but now walking to the corner store leaves you exhausted. When injuries steal the activities that brought you joy, you’ve lost something precious, and the law allows you to seek compensation for that loss.

Some injuries demand special attention because of their life-altering impact. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are particularly devastating. In 2014, almost 1 in 3 Manhattan residents hospitalized after a vehicle collision were diagnosed with a TBI. These injuries can affect everything—your memory, personality, ability to work, and relationships. As your Manhattan car crash lawyer, we’ve seen how TBIs turn lives upside down, and we understand the complex medical and legal aspects these cases require. We work with medical professionals to document the full extent of your injury and ensure your compensation covers extensive treatment and long-term care.

Catastrophic injuries represent the most severe outcomes—spinal cord injuries that leave you paralyzed, amputations, or severe burns that cause lasting disfigurement. These cases involve not just immediate medical costs, but decades of future care, home modifications, and round-the-clock assistance. We handle Catastrophic Injury claims with the seriousness and dedication they demand, fighting for compensation that truly reflects the lifelong impact of your injuries.

In the most tragic cases, a car accident results in death. Surviving family can file a wrongful death claim for funeral costs, lost financial support, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering. Our firm handles Wrongful Death cases with deep compassion. While no money can replace a loved one, we aim to provide financial security during an impossibly difficult time.

In rare cases involving exceptionally reckless behavior—like extreme drunk driving or intentional hit-and-run incidents—courts may award punitive damages designed to punish the wrongdoer and send a message that such conduct won’t be tolerated. While uncommon, we explore every possible avenue for compensation.

Your Path to Justice Starts Here

After a Manhattan car accident, it can feel like everything is against you. You face insurance companies, mounting bills, lost income, and a complex legal system. The situation is overwhelming.

But here’s what you need to know: you don’t have to steer this alone.

Time is not on your side after an accident. Every day that passes, evidence can disappear—surveillance footage gets erased, skid marks fade, and witnesses forget crucial details. And those legal deadlines we talked about earlier? They’re absolute. New York’s three-year statute of limitations doesn’t pause because you’re recovering. If you’re dealing with a government entity, that 90-day notice requirement comes even faster. The sooner you contact a Manhattan car crash lawyer, the better we can protect your rights and build your strongest possible case.

At Segal & Lax, we’ve spent 75 years combined helping New Yorkers just like you. We know Manhattan’s streets, we know the local courts, and we know exactly how insurance companies operate in this city. More importantly, we know how to fight back. We offer serious, personalized representation across all five boroughs. Your case isn’t just a file number to us—it’s your life, your recovery, and your future.

We know you’re worried about costs. That’s why we work on a “no win, no fee” contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront. We only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for you. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. This promise ensures everyone can access quality legal representation when they need it most.

You’ve already been through enough. Let us handle the legal fight while you focus on getting better. Your path to justice starts with a simple conversation, and that conversation won’t cost you anything. Contact us for a free consultation about your car accident case today, and let’s talk about how we can help you move forward.