Suffolk County Personal Injury Lawyer

When you are recovering from a serious injury, you are probably dealing with substantial expenses in addition to physical and emotional pain. If someone else was responsible for your injury, you may be able to file a lawsuit. A Suffolk County personal injury lawyer could help you determine the best course of action for your situation. The attorneys at Duffy & Duffy are ready to handle the legal work while you focus on recovery.

Receiving Compensation for an Injury

If someone else's negligence caused an injury, a person may be able to sue. Negligence happens when someone has a duty to act in a certain way and fails to do so. In some cases, an injury also needs to meet a minimum level of seriousness for a claim to be valid. Damages are usually at least partially based on financial losses. For example, having medical bills or other expenses could support the claim.

Can a Person Receive Compensation if They Were Partially Responsible?

In many cases, multiple people share some responsibility for an accident. State law allows an injured person to receive compensation even if they were partially at fault. However, their compensation would be reduced by their portion of responsibility. For example, if a person was not wearing a seatbelt and another driver was texting and hit their car, they might be considered 20% responsible, while the other driver is 80% responsible. If they were awarded $150,000 in damages, this would be reduced to $120,000.

New York uses a pure comparative negligence law, which means it's possible to receive compensation even if a person was primarily at fault. For instance, if a person was 90% responsible, they could receive 10% of the awarded damages. A personal injury attorney in Suffolk County could provide guidance on the best approach if a person is partially responsible for an accident.

What Laws Might Affect a Personal Injury Case?

Auto accidents are a common type of personal injury case. New York's no-fault insurance system means injured drivers need to file a claim with their own insurance company first. To sue the other driver, the injured person needs to meet the serious injury threshold. Injuries that meet this standard include broken bones, loss of or permanent damage to an organ, and inability to do regular daily activities for at least 90 days. A personal injury lawyer in Suffolk County could help you determine whether your situation fits these requirements.

Personal injury lawsuits need to follow the time limit set by the state's statute of limitations. Injured people have three years from the date of their accident to file their claim. However, the time limits can be different for different types of cases. For example, surviving family members have two years to file a wrongful death claim, and injured patients have two and a half years to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Discuss Your Case With a Suffolk County Personal Injury Attorney

Regardless of your level of fault, navigating the legal system after a serious injury can be overwhelming. Working with a Suffolk County personal injury lawyer can reduce uncertainty and help you get the best possible outcome. Duffy & Duffy is here to help. Schedule a consultation with our dedicated team today.