In 2014, car crashes in Manhattan sent 3,176 people to the emergency room for medical care, while 330 people required hospitalization. Forty people lost their lives in crashes that year.
Those emergency and hospital visits resulted in $36.5 million in medical bills. The emergency room patients walked out the door with a bill for almost $3,000, while the average charge for someone hospitalized was $82,974.
That only covers medical care they received shortly after the collision; it's likely that patients also had to pay for any subsequent medical care, surgeries, examinations, or physical therapies they may have needed.
And of course, medical bills aren't the only sources of financial pain that people may suffer following a serious car wreck. They may miss work during recovery or, depending on the gravity of their injuries, some may even lose their jobs or an entire career.
When examining the cause of the crashes, the state concluded that drivers who used alcohol or were speeding were more likely to cause crashes resulting in the most severe injuries.
The most expensive injury-related crashes were most frequently caused by driver distraction, failure to yield to right-of-way, or disregard for traffic control. Recently, and especially in the Upper West Side and other boroughs of NYC , there was enacted a speed reduction from 30 mph to 25mph to help curb the number of accidents and traffic fatalities .
What's particularly stunning about these findings is that, according to New York State’s Department of Health, “These crashes are not accidents! They are not random, uncontrollable acts of fate, but occur in predictable patterns, with recognizable risk factors, and among identifiable populations. A crash-related injury is a predictable and preventable event!”
In other words, in most cases, someone was clearly responsible usually due to distracted driving.
Here are some tips you should do after a car accident :
1. Call 911
New York law requires that you remain at the scene if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident. You should call the police or 911 and inform them if there are injuries involved . Don't leave the scene of the accident before the authorities arrive to investigate or they may charge you for hit and run.
2. Exchange information with the other driver or obtain information if you are a pedestrian
You are also required by the law to provide personal information to an investigating officer. You should give your:
- Name
- Address
- Driver's license information
- Vehicle registration
- License plate number
- Insurance information
3. File a car accident report
All drivers involved in the crash are required by the law to file an accident report within 10 days if there was injury, fatalities, and property damage over $1,000. You must fill out the form and make sure all the information you provide is accurate. Submit the form to the Department of Motor Vehicles. You need to send the form to:
Crash Records Center
6 Empire State Plaza
PO Box 2925
Albany, NY 12220-0925
You could be charged with a misdemeanor if you fail to file this report. Worse, your driver's license or registration could be suspended.
Also, you should obtain copies of the other driver's and the investigating officer's accident reports. Submit your petition online or by mail with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
4. Take photos of the scene and damage to the vehicles involved if you are able
Before evidence is lost or destroyed, you must secure all of them as much as you can while you're still at the scene.
- Photos and video of the scene, which includes the injuries suffered, damage to vehicles, and the conditions of the scene of the accident
- Surveillance video footage from nearby commercial buildings
- Statements from witnesses and their contact information
5. Seek medical attention right away
You should not refuse medical treatment from emergency services dispatched to the scene. If the emergency services team did not transport you to the hospital for treatment, you should still visit your doctor as soon as possible to get a thorough evaluation of your injuries. Your delay or a gap in treatment may affect your ability to recover money damages. A good defense attorney will argue you were not seriously injured because you failed to go to the emergency room or doctor immediately following an accident.
6. Report the accident to your automobile insurance company
7. File a No Fault application within thirty days to get your medical bills and lost earnings paid
8. . Call and retain a reputable experienced trial lawyer like Ed Lemmo Esq. of Lemmo Law
With a 100% success rate from 2014-2020, Ed Lemmo, Esq. is one of New York's top personal injury trial attorneys—representing plaintiffs in cases ranging from car accidents and slip-and-falls to medical malpractice. Lemmo practices in all five boroughs and upstate New York, and he serves as trial counsel for several of New York's finest law firms. Attorney Ed Lemmo has achieved numerous verdicts and settlements in excess of $1,000,000 one million dollars and has represented all classes of people, including immigrants , and working class people NYC , who needed a fighting chance at justice. Just a few years ago Mr. Lemmo achieved a 1.4 million dollar verdict in Supreme Court Bronx County, representing a taxi driver who was struck by a truck that crossed the double yellow line and hit his vehicle head on, causing the driver to sustain injuries to his hand and multiple herniated discs in his back. Mr. Lemmo has a very high rating from AVVO, the prestigious attorney rating service, and he is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association.
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in an accident, call LemmoLaw today for a free consultation. Pick up the phone and call 646-522-9082 for a free consultation or email us at [email protected] or [email protected] . Visit our website at www.lemmolaw.com for further information.