Automobile Accidents

IF I AM IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHAT TYPE OF INJURIES ENTITLE ME TO MONETARY COMPENSATION?

According to Article 51 of the New York Insurance Law, in order to receive compensation for a physical injury from an automobile accident you must prove that your injury is "serious". If the Court finds that your injury does not meet this Serious Injury Threshold, your case will be dismissed and will never get to the jury. Section 5102 (d) defines a serious personal injury as any of the following:

1. Death 

2. Dismemberment 

3. Significant Disfigurement 

4. Fracture 

5. Loss of a Fetus 

6. Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system 

7. Permanent consequential limitation of a body organ or member 

8. Significant limitation of use of a body function or system 

9. Medically determined injury or impairment of a non — permanent nature which prevents the injured person from performing substantially all of the material acts which constitute such a person's usual and customary daily activities for not less than 90 days during the 180 days immediately following the occurrence of the injury or impairment.

Categories 1 through 6 and 9 are fairly clear, however most personal injury claims involving injuries to the neck, back, shoulder or knee fall within category 7 or 8. In order to prove that your injury is "serious" under these categories, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney who knows how to properly present the evidence in order to meet the legal requirements.

If possible, your attorney must submit diagnostic test reports which reveal an injury as well as physical examination reports which indicate that the injury results in a significant limitation affecting the claimant's life. In addition, these tests and initial examinations must be performed shortly after the accident.

The diagnostic test is usually in the form of an MRI. This test is able to detect among other things, a disc injury of the neck or back, a torn ligament or meniscus of the knee, a torn tendon in the ankle , and a torn rotator cuff or labrum of the shoulder.

The physical examination report should be performed by a physician and must either show a significantly decreased range of motion , or positive results of an objective medical test.

Another hurdle that car accident victim faces in Court is the need to explain either a gap in or cessation of medical treatment.

Not only must an injured person meet the above described legal requirements but there are many more requirements depending on the specific facts of each case.

Clearly, without an experienced personal injury attorney such as Barry Feldman, a car accident victim would have little chance of obtaining just compensation from an insurance company.

PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER DISCLAIMER: Please note that the above general legal information is not legal advice, and the above information does not create an attorney/client relationship between the The Law Offices of Barry Richard Feldman LLC and the reader. For legal advice regarding your specific case, please schedule a free consultation with attorney Barry Feldman.