Queens Car Crash Lawyer: Secure 2025 Recovery

Why a Queens Car Crash Lawyer Is Your First Call After a Collision

If you’re injured in a car crash in Queens, the right Queens car crash lawyer can mean the difference between a denied claim and full compensation. The aftermath is overwhelming, but knowing when to call for legal help is critical.

You should contact a Queens car crash lawyer if:

• You have suffered serious injuries requiring medical treatment.
• The other driver is disputing who is at fault.
• You are dealing with an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
• Your medical bills are substantial or you meet New York’s “serious injury threshold.”
• An insurance company is offering a low settlement or denying your claim.
• Your case involves complex factors like rideshares, taxis, or commercial trucks.

Queens is New York City’s largest borough, and its size brings significant traffic. In 2021, the NYPD documented 19,542 traffic accidents on Queens streets—about 53 collisions every day. These numbers represent thousands of New Yorkers facing injuries, medical bills, and lost wages.

New York’s no-fault insurance system adds complexity. You must file with your own insurer first, but for serious injuries, you can pursue additional compensation from the at-fault driver. This is where a lawyer becomes essential.

I’m Mark Segal. My firm, Segal & Lax, has a combined 75+ years of experience protecting New Yorkers injured through no fault of their own. We secure the compensation our clients deserve while they focus on healing.

Navigating the Chaos: Your First Steps After a Queens Car Crash

The moments after a car crash are chaotic, but the steps you take can protect your health and your right to fair compensation. With 53 collisions happening daily in Queens, knowing what to do is crucial.

What to Do Immediately at the Scene

Your safety is the top priority. Focus on these essential steps:

1. Stay Calm and Contact Police: Try to remain calm. Call 911 immediately to get the NYPD on the scene. An official police report is a vital piece of evidence. If officers cannot respond, you must file a Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (MV-104) with the DMV within 10 days for any injury or if property damage exceeds $1,000.
2. Check for Injuries: Check yourself and your passengers. Some serious injuries like whiplash or concussions may not be immediately apparent. Request paramedics if anyone is hurt.
3. Exchange Information, Not Blame: You are required by New York law to exchange your name, contact details, driver’s license, and insurance information with the other driver. However, do not discuss fault. A simple “I’m sorry” can be used by an insurance company as an admission of guilt. Save your explanation for the police and your lawyer.
4. Move to Safety: If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road. If it’s too damaged, get yourself to a safe location away from traffic.

For a complete guide, see our page on what to do after an accident.

The Critical Role of Evidence

Strong evidence is the foundation of your claim. The more you document, the harder it is for an insurer to deny your case.

• Take Photos: Use your smartphone to document everything. Photograph vehicle damage, skid marks, traffic signs, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Take pictures from multiple angles.
• Get the Police Report: This official document contains diagrams, statements, and often an initial assessment of fault, carrying significant weight with insurance companies.
• Find Witnesses: If anyone saw the accident, get their name and phone number. A neutral third-party account can be invaluable, especially if the other driver’s story changes.
• Seek Immediate Medical Attention: See a doctor right away, even if you feel fine. This creates a medical record linking your injuries directly to the crash. Delaying treatment gives insurance companies an excuse to argue your injuries aren’t related to the accident.
• Keep All Records: Save every medical bill, doctor’s note, and prescription receipt. This documentation proves the extent of your injuries and financial losses.

When Should You Contact a Queens Car Crash Lawyer?

You should bring in a Queens car crash lawyer to protect your rights, especially in certain situations.

• Serious Injuries: If you’ve suffered broken bones, spinal cord damage, or a traumatic brain injury, you need legal representation to fight for the substantial compensation you deserve.
• Disputed Fault: If the other driver blames you, their insurer will work to shift responsibility. We investigate the crash to prove what really happened.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Drivers: These cases are complex and often involve filing a claim with your own insurance company, which will still try to pay as little as possible.
• Complex Claims: Accidents involving rideshares (Uber/Lyft), taxis, or commercial trucks have complicated insurance rules that require a knowledgeable attorney.

Crucially, contact us before speaking with any insurance adjuster. They are trained to use your words against you to devalue your claim. Once we represent you, we handle all communication, protecting you from their tactics.

At Segal & Lax, we work on a “no win, no fee” basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn more on our Why Hire Us page.

Understanding Your Legal Rights: New York’s Car Accident Laws

After a car accident in Queens, you’re thrust into New York’s unique and complex legal system. Understanding the basics of these laws is essential to protecting your rights and securing fair compensation.

Navigating New York’s No-Fault Insurance System

New York is a “no-fault” state, which means you first file a claim with your own insurance company, regardless of who caused the crash. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage provides up to $50,000 for “basic economic losses,” including:

• Necessary medical expenses
• 80% of lost wages (up to $2,000/month)
• $25 per day for other reasonable expenses

You must file your no-fault application within 30 days of the accident to avoid losing these benefits.

However, the no-fault system has limits. To recover damages for pain and suffering, you must step outside this system by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. This is only possible if your injuries meet the “serious injury threshold” as defined in New York Insurance Law §5102(d). This includes conditions like fractures, significant disfigurement, or an injury preventing you from performing daily activities for 90 of the first 180 days post-accident. A Queens car crash lawyer can evaluate your medical records to determine if your injuries qualify.

How New York’s Comparative Negligence Law Affects Your Claim

What if you were partially at fault? In New York, you can still recover compensation. The state’s “pure comparative negligence” rule acknowledges that fault is rarely all or nothing. Under this rule, your total compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.

For example, if your damages are $100,000 but you are found 20% responsible, you can still receive $80,000. Even if you were 90% at fault, you could recover 10% of your damages.

Insurance companies will exploit this rule, working hard to assign you a higher percentage of fault to reduce their payout. This is why having a Queens car crash lawyer is so important. We gather evidence, consult with accident reconstruction professionals when needed, and build a strong case to accurately reflect the other party’s responsibility and maximize your recovery.

Critical Deadlines: The Statute of Limitations

Time is not on your side after an accident. New York imposes strict deadlines, and missing them means losing your right to seek compensation forever.

• Personal Injury: You generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit.
• Wrongful Death: If a crash is fatal, the victim’s family has two years from the date of death to file a Wrongful Death lawsuit.
• Government Claims: This is the most critical deadline. If your accident involved a government entity (like a city bus or poor road maintenance), you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days. This is a technical process with no room for error.

These deadlines pass quickly while you’re focused on recovery. At Segal & Lax, we manage every deadline to ensure your rights are protected from day one.

Why You Need a Queens Car Crash Lawyer to Steer Your Claim

After a car accident, you might wonder if you really need a lawyer. The insurance company may seem helpful, perhaps even offering a quick settlement. But the system is designed to protect insurers, not you. A dedicated Queens car crash lawyer is your advocate, fighting for the maximum compensation you deserve.

What Types of Compensation Can Be Recovered?

An accident’s true cost goes far beyond the initial medical bills. We work to ensure every loss is accounted for. Compensation, or “damages,” falls into two main categories:

• Economic Damages: These are your measurable financial losses. This includes all past and future medical expenses, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, property damage to your vehicle, and other out-of-pocket costs.
• Non-Economic Damages: These compensate you for the profound, personal impact on your quality of life. This includes pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and permanent disfigurement or disability.

In cases of severe injury or wrongful death, a spouse may also recover for loss of consortium. As research from Northwestern University confirms, severe injuries can significantly increase the settlement value due to the high costs of lifelong care.

Recoverable damages can include:

• Medical Expenses (past and future)
• Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
• Pain and Suffering
• Emotional Distress
• Property Damage
• Rehabilitation Costs
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life
• Disfigurement and Scarring
• Loss of Consortium
• Funeral Expenses (in wrongful death cases)

Countering Insurance Company Tactics

Insurance companies are businesses focused on minimizing payouts. They use proven tactics to reduce your claim’s value:

• Lowball Settlement Offers: They may offer a quick, small settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries, hoping you’ll accept out of desperation.
• Recorded Statements: An adjuster may ask for a recorded statement, aiming to get you to say something they can use to deny or devalue your claim. We advise against giving one without legal counsel.
• Disputing Your Injuries: They may argue your injuries pre-existed the accident or weren’t as severe as you claim, especially if you delayed seeking medical care.
• Delaying the Process: By dragging out your claim, they hope you’ll become frustrated and accept a lower offer just to be done with it.

As your lawyer, we act as a shield. We handle all communications, build a case backed by strong evidence, and negotiate forcefully for the full compensation you are owed. This lets you focus on your recovery, not on fighting with adjusters.

Handling Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Cases

What happens if the at-fault driver has little or no insurance? This complicates your claim, but you have options.

• Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage: Required in New York, this part of your own policy covers your injuries if the at-fault driver is uninsured or in a hit-and-run.
• Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (SUM) Coverage: This optional but highly recommended coverage protects you if the at-fault driver’s policy limits are too low to cover your damages. New York’s minimum bodily injury coverage is just $25,000, which is often insufficient for serious injuries. Your SUM coverage makes up the difference up to your own policy’s limits.

Navigating these claims requires a deep understanding of New York insurance law. For more details, visit our page on uninsured motorist claims. We have successfully recovered compensation for countless clients in these exact situations.

The Unique Challenges of Car Accidents in Queens

Queens is a sprawling, diverse borough where busy expressways meet dense residential streets. This unique environment creates specific traffic challenges and accident scenarios that demand local knowledge.

Common Causes of Collisions in the Borough

Many dangerous behaviors are common on Queens roads, leading to preventable accidents.

• Driver Distractions: Texting, talking on the phone, or adjusting a GPS takes a driver’s attention off the road, with potentially devastating results.
• Speeding: On expressways like the LIE and Van Wyck, speeding dramatically reduces reaction time and increases the severity of a crash.
• Aggressive Driving: Tailgating, weaving through traffic, and running red lights are common on congested Queens streets.
• Failure to Yield: With 1,286 pedestrian and 703 cyclist accidents in 2021, it’s clear that drivers failing to yield the right-of-way pose a major threat.
• Drunk Driving Accidents: Impaired drivers remain a serious danger, especially during evenings and weekends.
• Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, and ice reduce traction and visibility, but many drivers fail to adjust their speed, leading to collisions.

Navigating Queens-Specific Accident Scenarios

Beyond common causes, Queens presents unique situations that can complicate a car accident case.

• Traffic Density: The sheer volume of cars on the Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, and Queens Boulevard leads to frequent rear-end collisions and accidents caused by speeding in suddenly clear traffic.
• Dangerous Intersections & Road Design: Many intersections are poorly designed, and aging infrastructure like potholes or faded lane markings can contribute to crashes. These cases may involve government liability, which has a strict 90-day notice deadline.
• Rideshare Accidents: Crashes involving Uber or Lyft are complex. Insurance coverage depends on whether the driver was waiting for a ride, en route to a pickup, or transporting a passenger.
• Taxi and Public Transportation Accidents: Collisions with taxis or MTA buses involve commercial insurance policies and government entities, each with its own set of rules and deadlines.
• Construction Zone Crashes: Altered traffic patterns and frustrated drivers make construction zones hotspots for accidents. The construction company or a government agency may be liable if the zone was not properly marked or secured.

A Queens car crash lawyer who knows these roads and understands these specific challenges is better equipped to build a strong case on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions about Queens Car Accident Claims

After a car accident in Queens, it’s normal to have questions. Here are answers to some of the most common concerns we hear from our clients.

How much is my car accident case worth in Queens?

Every case is unique, so there’s no simple formula to determine its value. However, several key factors are considered:

• The Severity of Your Injuries: A traumatic brain injury requiring lifelong care will have a much higher value than a minor sprain that heals in a few weeks.
• Economic Losses: This includes all your calculable financial damages, such as medical bills, lost wages (both past and future), and property damage.
• Insurance Policy Limits: The amount of coverage held by the at-fault driver (and your own underinsured motorist coverage) can cap the potential recovery.
• Your Percentage of Fault: Under New York law, your recovery will be reduced by any percentage of fault assigned to you.
• The Quality of Your Legal Representation: An experienced Queens car crash lawyer who knows how to build a strong case and negotiate effectively can significantly impact the final settlement amount.

Can I still file a claim if I was partially at fault for the accident?

Yes. New York’s pure comparative negligence rule allows you to recover damages even if you share some of the blame for the accident. Your total compensation will simply be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 10% at fault, you can still recover 90% of your damages.

Because of this rule, the other driver’s insurance company will work hard to shift as much blame as possible onto you to reduce their payout. This is why gathering strong evidence—like police reports, photos, and witness statements—is absolutely critical to protect your claim.

How long does it take to settle a car accident claim in Queens?

The timeline for a car accident claim can range from a few months to several years. It depends heavily on the complexity of your case.

• Simple cases with clear fault and minor injuries may settle in three to six months.
• Complex cases involving serious injuries, disputed fault, or multiple parties take longer. It is often wise to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). This is the point where your doctors have a clear understanding of your long-term prognosis and future medical needs. Settling before you reach MMI could mean you accept an amount that doesn’t cover your future care.

If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will file a lawsuit. While litigation can add time to the process, it is sometimes the only way to secure the full compensation you deserve. We will always be transparent with you about the realistic timeline for your case.

Secure Your Rights and Recovery with Segal & Lax

The aftermath of a car accident in Queens can be an isolating and overwhelming experience. You’re in pain, bills are piling up, and insurance companies are not on your side. This is when you need an advocate who is committed to your recovery and your future.

At Segal & Lax, we have 75+ years of combined experience helping New Yorkers through the most challenging times of their lives. We provide personalized representation, treating you as a person, not a case number. We take the time to understand your situation and what matters most to you and your family.

We stand by our “no win, no fee” promise. You pay no upfront costs, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. This allows you to seek justice without the added stress of legal bills.

While you focus on healing, we handle everything else. We deal with the insurance adjusters, gather evidence, build your case, and fight for the settlement you deserve. Our goal is simple: let you focus on your recovery while we focus on securing your financial future.

If you’ve been injured in a car crash in Queens, you don’t have to face this alone. Contact us for a free consultation about your Queens car crash today. We’ll listen to your story and provide straightforward guidance from a Queens car crash lawyer who cares about your outcome.