In the winter, there are more hazards on the road that can put you at risk of being involved in a car accident. These include reduced visibility due to longer nighttime hours and winter precipitation and slippery roadways due to snow and ice. If you are a commuter who drives to and from work each day, be aware of your surroundings at all times and adjust your driving to the conditions present. Rain, snow, sleet and hail can all make your commute longer, more stressful, and more dangerous than it is during the warmer months.
Contact Jeffery Kestenbaum If You Have Experienced Any Of The Following
- Bone fractures;
- Death;
- Loss of a fetus;
- Significant disfigurement;
- Significant damage to a body system or function;
- Permanent loss of use of a body part or organ; and
- Full disability for 90 days or longer following the accident.
The injured driver can seek compensation from the other driver’s insurance provider. If a driver opts to file a personal injury claim against another party’s insurance provider, he or she has three years following the accident to file the claim.
In New York, it is possible for a driver to recover compensation for his or her damages even if he or she was partially at fault for the accident. This is true regardless of the driver’s level of fault. However, the amount of compensation he or she can recover is reduced according to his or her level of fault. For example, if a driver is determined to be 20 percent at fault for an accident, the amount of compensation he or she can recover is reduced by 20 percent.
Take Extra Care to Prevent a Car Accident this Winter
You can reduce your chance of being involved in a car accident this winter by practicing the following safety precautions:
- Understand the role inertia plays in your vehicle’s ability to move along an ice-covered roadway. When the road is covered in ice, it can be better to reduce speed to a very slow roll, rather than a complete stop, at stop signs and red lights, to keep the vehicle’s inertia;
- Do not use cruise control on wet or icy roadways. You are more susceptible to hydroplaning when your cruise control is enabled; and
Work with an Experienced New York Car Accident Attorney
If you are suffering from an injury as the result of a car accident, consider working with experienced personal injury attorney Jeffrey K. Kestenbaum to seek monetary compensation for your damages. To learn more, contact The Law Office of Jeffrey K. Kestenbaum today at 718-237-5586 to set up your initial legal consultation.
