How Long Island Car Accident Attorneys Handle Insurance Companies?

Long Island, New York, has consistently recorded worrying motor vehicle accident statistics over the last decade.

According to a Newsday investigation, traffic crashes in Long Island have injured at least 16,000 individuals and claimed over 2,100 lives within the past decade. Statistics by the same institution further suggests that auto crashes accounted for the most accidental deaths among Long Islanders aged 5 - 19 years between 2018 and 2023.

Now, motor vehicle accidents aren’t entirely avoidable. Despite implementing road safety best practices like defensive driving, the sheer number of cars on Long Island roads makes it virtually impossible to evade traffic crashes.

But while auto accidents aren’t completely avoidable, you can mitigate their associated financial ramifications by pursuing just compensation. A great place to start chasing car accident claims in Long Island is to contact an experienced attorney.

Here’s a guide to the role of Long Island car accident lawyers in handling insurance companies.

Do I Need A Car Accident Attorney In Long Island?

If you’re an unfortunate victim of Long Island’s rising motor vehicle accident statistics, it’s natural to wonder whether you require legal assistance.

For most car accident victims, the dilemma isn’t whether to seek legal intervention or handle the claims process by themselves. It’s whether they should even press charges in the first place.

Well, experts recommend contacting a lawyer immediately after you’ve been involved in an auto crash. Notifying experienced Long Island car accident lawyers is standard procedure, despite the accident’s severity.

A Long Island motor vehicle accident attorney will rush to the crash scene and secure vital pieces of evidence. Skid marks, tire treads, and vehicle maintenance logs will be critical in apportioning maximum liability to the at-fault driver.

Other important pieces of evidence that can strengthen your case for compensation following a motor vehicle accident include witness statements, dash cam footage, medical records, and police records.

Car accident attorneys are professionally trained in evidence collection. Their expertise can also prove useful in safeguarding sensitive information, including details that the at-fault driver could exploit to evade responsibility.

But merely possessing vital evidence may not guarantee financial compensation for car accident damages.

Armed with solid proof of the other driver’s liability, your Long Island traffic collision attorney will be confident enough to confront relevant insurance companies. This is arguably the most rigorous step in any car accident claims process. 

How Long Island Car Accident Lawyers Handle Insurance Companies

1. Compute the Damages

After gathering crash scene evidence, your Long Island car accident lawyer will critically analyze every bit of information that points to the other driver’s liability. It’s also at this point that the attorney will calculate the full economic losses that you stand to incur from the accident.

A Long Island traffic collision lawyer will first review your medical reports to assess the financial implications of any physical injuries.

It doesn’t matter if the accident was so minor that it resulted in no medical treatments. Your attorney may still rely on related expenses, such as emergency evacuation and diagnostic tests, to argue for the maximum compensation.

Besides physical injuries, a Long Island car accident attorney may use the following metrics when calculating car accident compensation;

• Emotional trauma
• Ongoing medical costs
• Potential income losses
• Secondary damages such as to nearby buildings of the victim’s interest
• Secondary injuries, such as wrongful death to the victim’s loved ones 

2. Send a Demand Letter

Once your attorney has worked out the full economic losses resulting from a car accident in Long Island, they’ll proceed to send a demand letter to the at-fault driver’s insurer.

A demand letter highlights the full extent of your losses. It’s often sent alongside proof of personal injuries and vehicle damages, along with the desired payout amount.

However, your lawyer may choose to save the most compelling evidence for last. This strategy can provide more leverage if negotiations threaten to stall along the way.

3. Reply To a Counteroffer

Insurance companies are for-profit entities. Therefore, they’re unlikely to pay out the initial sum quoted in your demand letter.

Usually, motor vehicle insurers will send a counteroffer with a lower amount than requested in the demand letter. Such engagements are typically handled by insurance adjusters.

Your Long Island attorney will review the offer and determine if it’s reasonable enough.

If yes, the lawyer will advise that you accept the insurance company’s counteroffer. If not, the next round of negotiations will commence.

It’s here that your lawyer may confront the at-fault driver’s insurer with the most compelling evidence of their liability. The attorney might also refer to relevant legal precedents in a bid to push for just compensation.

4. Finalize the Negotiations

Once your Long Island car accident attorney is in agreement with the other driver’s insurer, both parties’ legal counsels will sign the necessary paperwork to finalize the negotiations.

Your lawyer will double-check critical details to ensure they’re on the same page with the insurance company. These include the agreed settlement amount and your bank account information.

Settlements are typically made in lump sum amounts and paid out instantly. However, the money may take a few days to hit your bank account.

A Long Island attorney will keenly monitor the transaction to ensure you receive every dollar from the claim.

5. Handle Lawsuits

Not all car accident claims in Long Island are solved through negotiations. If the at-fault driver’s insurance company won’t budge in the face of overwhelming evidence, your lawyer won’t hesitate to file a lawsuit.

As with a demand letter, a lawsuit must carefully articulate the scope of injuries you suffered from a motor vehicle accident and the desired compensation. Your attorney will draft a persuasive complaint using proper legal jargon and (if need be) reference relevant precedents.

A formal claim is filed with the clerk in a Long Island court of competent jurisdiction.

Upon review, the other driver will be served with a copy of the complaint, setting the stage for a full trial. 

The Bottom Line

Traffic accidents have a way of striking unannounced. And when they do, they can cause far-reaching financial implications.

Working with an experienced car accident lawyer is the surest way to recoup any economic losses resulting from an auto crash in Long Island. The attorney will leverage their experience to negotiate for the maximum compensation with insurance companies, while representing your best interests throughout the process.

A good practice is to contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Timely legal intervention is critical in documenting crucial evidence before the crash scene is potentially contaminated. Besides, it enables you to focus on your healing as your lawyer handles all communications and correspondences with the insurance companies.