Our New York City Car Accident Lawyers Will Pursue Relentless Justice.

Long Island roads see high traffic volume. Some thoroughfares, like the Long Island Expressway, host as many as 700,000 vehicles every day. When an accident happens, driver negligence is usually a factor.

Common causes of car accidents on Long Island include:

• Distracted Driving: Texting, phone use, or other acts of inattention behind the wheel.
• Speeding: Exceeding posted speed limits or driving too fast for road conditions.
• Drunk or Drug-Impaired Driving: Alcohol, illegal drugs, and even certain types of prescription medication can slow reaction time and impair judgment.
• Reckless Driving: Aggressive lane changes, tailgating, or running red lights.
• Fatigued Driving: Drowsy drivers are slower to react and more likely to lose control.
• Failure to Obey Traffic Signals: Running red lights or ignoring stop signs.
• Hazardous Road Conditions: Poorly maintained pavement, construction zones, or inadequate signage.
• Vehicle Maintenance Failures: Defective auto parts like brakes, worn tires, or malfunctioning lights.

High-traffic roadways like the Long Island Expressway (I-495), the Northern State Parkway, the Southern State Parkway, and Sunrise Highway all witness car accidents on a routine basis. Confirming what caused your crash and who’s responsible are the first steps in pursuing compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and more.

Car accidents can take place under a wide range of circumstances. Our personal injury attorneys at TonaLaw have experience handling claims involving:

• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on collisions
• T-bone crashes
• Multi-vehicle crashes
• Hit-and-run accidents
• Rideshare accidents (Uber and Lyft)
• Commercial vehicle accidents
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims

Every auto accident type is different, and we tailor our approach to each one. For drunk driving cases, that may mean proving impairment at the time of the crash. For Uber and Lyft incidents, we review the rideshare driver’s status at the moment of impact. You can trust our personal injury lawyers to be as thorough as we are dedicated.

Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, some immediately apparent and others that don’t show symptoms until days after the crash. Injuries we regularly see in these cases include:

• Whiplash and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Herniated discs
• Broken bones
• Internal bleeding
• Soft tissue injuries
• Burns
• Emotional trauma and PTSD
• Fatal injuries causing wrongful death

If you’ve been in a car accident on Long Island, getting a medical evaluation right away is critical. Some injuries, including internal bleeding and traumatic brain injuries, don’t always produce immediate symptoms. A medical record that documents your injuries from the day of the crash can not only prove their severity but also what caused them.

Auto accident victims in Long Island, New York, may be entitled to compensation for several different types of losses. These damages fall into two categories.

These types of compensation cover the financial costs tied to your accident. They’re called ‘economic’ because they can be quantified by invoices, receipts, pay stubs, and other types of documentation. They include:

• Medical bills and hospital costs
• Future medical care and rehabilitation
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Property damage (e.g., vehicle repairs)

These damages account for the personal toll of your injuries, including:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium

If your injuries meet New York’s serious injury threshold, you may be able to pursue compensation above and beyond what your basic no-fault benefits provide. Our Long Island personal injury attorneys evaluate every aspect of your case to pursue the full value of your claim.

New York is a no-fault insurance state, which means that after a car accident, your own insurance policy’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays for your initial medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, regardless of who caused the crash.

No-fault benefits have limits. PIP coverage in New York pays up to $50,000 in medical expenses and lost wages. Once those benefits are exhausted, or if your injuries are serious enough to meet the state’s legal threshold, you may have the right to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. New York law defines “serious injury” to include:

• Bone fractures
• Permanent loss or limitation of a body function or system
• Significant disfigurement
• Wrongful death

If your injuries qualify, a lawsuit opens the door to compensation for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages that no-fault benefits don’t cover. The personal injury attorneys at TonaLaw can advise you on whether we can take your claim in that direction.

After a car accident, you’re going to be shaken, confused, and likely in pain. While it can be hard to think clearly in this type of situation, staying calm and taking the steps below (asking for help if necessary) can preserve evidence for a future insurance claim.

• Call 911 and report the accident to law enforcement. The police will arrive and create an accident report that notes witness statements, collision patterns, and other particulars. Be sure to ask how you can get a copy of this police report afterward.
• Seek medical attention immediately, even if you don’t think you’ve been hurt. Adrenaline can mask pain and other symptoms, sometimes for hours. Better safe than sorry. 
• Document the scene by taking photos of the vehicles, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Check for malfunctioning traffic lights, concealed road signs, and anything else that might have contributed to the accident.
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. Be civil, but don’t assign or accept blame.
• Notify your insurance company about the accident. Most insurance policies require “prompt” or “timely” notice, which typically means within a few days of the accident.
• Contact a car accident lawyer before giving recorded statements or accepting any settlement offers. A personal injury lawyer who handles motor vehicle accident claims can speak to the insurance company on your behalf, create a demand package, and negotiate or litigate for the compensation you need.

At TonaLaw, we give every car accident case the dedicated attention it deserves. Our Long Island car accident attorneys can conduct in-depth accident investigations, work with accident reconstructionists when needed, and gather medical evidence to support the full value of your damages. We also handle all insurance communications, and when an insurance company refuses to pay fairly, we take the case to trial. Our goal is always the same: to maximize the compensation our clients recover so they can move forward after a serious accident.

In most car accident cases, New York’s statute of limitations gives you three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, the deadline is two years. Missing these deadlines bars you from recovering any compensation, so contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Don’t accept it yet. Early settlement offers from insurance companies usually run far below what a claim is worth. Once you accept and sign a release, you can’t go back and ask for more, and your medical costs may turn out to be higher than the offer accounted for. Let our attorneys review any offer before you respond.

We can get started right away. Contact us for a free consultation, and we’ll review your case, answer your questions, and take action as quickly as possible.

The value of a car accident claim depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical costs, the impact on your ability to work, and other factors tied to your individual situation. We evaluate every case to identify the full scope of recoverable damages.

No-fault insurance covers your initial medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. However, if your injuries meet New York’s serious injury threshold, you can pursue a lawsuit against the at-fault driver for additional compensation, including pain and suffering.

TonaLaw serves clients across Long Island, including Nassau County, Suffolk County, and surrounding areas.

If you’ve been hurt in a car accident on Long Island, TonaLaw is here to help you pursue the compensation you’re entitled to. We handle car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means no upfront costs and no fees unless we win. Our attorneys are ready to review your case, answer your questions, and put together a legal strategy tailored to your situation. 

Ready to get started? Call our law firm today or fill out our online form to schedule your free case evaluation with a personal injury attorney.