Nassau County Personal Injury Lawyer

A serious injury can be both traumatic and expensive. If someone else was responsible for your injuries, hiring a Nassau County personal injury lawyer could help you get the compensation you deserve. Money cannot fix your pain and suffering, but it can ease your financial stress and provide a sense that justice has been served. Reach out to Duffy & Duffy to learn more about your legal options.

Grounds for Filing a Personal Injury Claim

Generally, personal injury lawsuits are based on negligence. To be considered negligent, a person needs to have a duty to behave in a certain way, fail to uphold that duty, and cause an injury to someone else. For example, store owners have a duty to keep their stores safe for customers. If an employee mops the floor, leaves it wet, and does not put up a warning sign, they could be negligent if a customer slips and falls.

Some common personal injury cases include car accidents, slip and falls, and medical malpractice, though a person could receive compensation for many types of injuries as long as it was caused by someone else's negligence. New York also allows injured people to receive damages even if they were partially responsible for their accidents. For example, both drivers involved in a car accident often have some responsibility for the crash, even if one person was primarily at fault.

New York uses a no-fault car insurance system, which means a person has to be seriously injured to file a lawsuit after a car accident. With no-fault insurance, a person’s policy pays for their expenses. However, if the accident causes serious injuries, which include broken bones, disfigurement, miscarriage, or inability to perform regular activities for 90 days, a person could file a lawsuit and seek compensation for pain and suffering. An attorney in Nassau County could help a person determine their eligibility for a personal injury claim.

What Compensation Is Available in a Personal Injury Case?

Compensation usually falls into two categories: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are based on the injured person's expenses, like medical bills and lost wages. This makes them relatively easy to calculate. Non-economic damages are designed to compensate for intangible losses like pain and suffering or emotional distress.

Most personal injury cases settle before going to trial. Settlements can include both types of damages. If a case does go to trial, a jury might also award punitive damages if the person responsible was acting maliciously or recklessly.

If the injured person was partially responsible for the accident, the pure comparative negligence rule still allows them to receive damages. In these cases, the court assigns responsibility as a percentage for each party. For example, if a person was speeding and the other driver ran a red light and hit their car, they might be considered 10% responsible, while the other driver was considered 90% responsible. Their damages would be reduced by the percentage of responsibility. For example, if they were awarded $100,000 in damages, the would receive $90,000. A Nassau County lawyer could work to prevent allegations of shared fault and help secure the full amount of damages for a personal injury.

Meet With a Nassau County Personal Injury Attorney Today

Dealing with the aftermath of a serious injury can be overwhelming, and you are less likely to get the best outcome if you go through the legal process on your own. A Nassau County personal injury lawyer will help you understand your options and choose the best path forward. Schedule a consultation with Duffy & Duffy today.