What You Don't Know May Hurt You

You may have heard the saying before – “What you don’t know may hurt you” and that is true when it comes to accidents and personal injuries. Did you know:

  • You have to file a No Fault application within 30 days of an accident with the insurance company for the car you were travelling in to preserve your rights to recover medical bills and lost wages?
  • You will not be “automatically” compensated by an insurance company or other carriers  without taking the necessary steps to preserve your rights within the requisite time limits?
  • Many times the shock and trauma of an accident will mask your symptoms of injuries?
  • If you delay seeking medical attention your injuries may get worse?
  • In some cases, injuries from an accident do not show up right away but you may still be compensated for your loss from the accident if you take the necessary steps to preserve your legal rights?
  • If it looks too good to be true it probably is? Many employers, property owners and drivers will not want you to report an accident and will try to settle with you before you fully assess the extent of your damages and some insurance companies will even tell you "that you don't need a lawyer" . 

You need to know your rights fully in the event of a personal injury and you need to know that what you don’t know immediately may hurt you unless you protect your rights. What’s the best way to protect yourself in an accident? First, seek medical attention – even if you don’t think you need it. You never know what may be happening internally in your body or brain that could cause serious damage in the future. Next, contact us or another attorney to fully protect your rights. Our motto is – Know Your Rights Just in Case.   

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New York's "No Fault" Insurance Laws Do Not Mean "No Rights" for Compensation

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by filing a No Fault claim if you are in a motor vehicle accident. Many people in states that have “No Fault” insurance laws are confused by the laws and may think that they do not have the right to recover for medical bills or loss of wages incurred because of injuries sustained in an accident because of injuries sustained in an accident when they are the driver of the car. “No Fault” insurance laws do not mean that victims of motor vehicle accidents do not have rights. 

“No Fault” means that the insurance company covering the car in which the injured party was travelling in is the insurance company that covers the medical bills or loss wages of the injured party – irrespective if they are at fault.  However, protecting your rights to have medical or economic coverage if you are in a motor vehicle accident is very important and requires that you take legal action by filing a No Fault Application WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE ACCDIENT and a Notice of Intent to make claim against the Supplement Underinsured/Uninsured coverage provisions of the policy covering the host vehicle as well as any policy covering any household vechicles within 90 days of the accident. 

We recommend that you contact an attorney after an accident and have the proper notices and applications served to protect your rights for payment of medical bills and economic recovery in the future. If it turns out that you do not suffer financially, protecting your rights – just in case – is important. It is not the Insurance Company’s responsibility to make you aware of your rights in the event of an accident.   It's your resposibility to know what your rights are and what you have to do to protect them.

If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your economic losses such as medical expenses and/or lost wages.   Consult with us to find out for sure.

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