Frequently Asked Questions
Representing the Injured in New York
I’ve Just Been in a New York Auto Accident, Help!
- How do I get my medical bills paid?
- Can I get paid for time missed from work?
- I was a pedestrian, who do I contact?
- I was a passenger, who do I contact?
- It was a hit-and-run, what do I do?
- Do I need an attorney?
- When should I contact an attorney?
- How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
- The insurance company offered a settlement.
- What if the accident is partly my fault?
- What about property damage?
How do I get my medical bills paid?
When you are injured in a New York state auto accident (hurt in a car), state law provides for certain expenses to be paid by your or someone else's insurance company. Medical bills including all doctors, hospital, and other health service expenses such as X-rays, prescriptions, braces, or crutches that are medically necessary and related to the motor vehicle accident can be paid from available No-Fault benefits. Also, up to $25 per day can be paid or reimbursed for other expenses, such as the cost of hiring a housekeeper for housework that you are unable to do or mileage to and from the doctor. Depending upon the specific coverage you have, additional benefits may be available to you.
Your No-Fault benefit application must be filed as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the accident. If you haven't already applied for No-Fault benefits, CLICK HERE.
Under certain circumstances, there may be additional time to apply or you may be able to apply late for No-Fault benefits. However, we strongly recommend that you file your No-Fault application within 30 days of the day of the accident. If you have missed the time limit to file for No-Fault benefits, you should contact a New York lawyer at 1-800-7-MATTAR and we will try to help you. Our focus is auto injury, so we understand New York No-Fault.
Can I get paid for time missed from work?
Yes. Under the basic New York state No-Fault, when you are injured in an automobile accident, you are entitled to up to 80% of your lost earnings or $2000 per month - whichever is a lesser amount.
To obtain lost wages, you must file your No-Fault benefit application as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the accident. You must also file for disability benefits, if you have such coverage. Many employers provide disability benefits or you may have your own private policy. If you are forced to miss work because of a motor vehicle accident in New York state, contact a New York state auto accident lawyer from the William Mattar Law Firm by filling out a Free Online Contact Request Form or better yet, call us. If you haven't already applied for No-Fault benefits, CLICK HERE.
Under certain circumstances, there may be additional time to apply, additional benefits available, or you may be able to apply late. However, we strongly recommend that you file your No-Fault application within 30 days of the day of the accident. If you have missed the time limit to file for No-Fault benefits, you should contact the William Mattar Law Firm immediately and we will try to help. To get your lost wages paid after a car accident, you should fill your No-Fault and disability benefits applications as soon as possible. Do not wait.
I was a pedestrian or bicyclist, who do I contact?
Pedestrians and bicyclists are eligible for No-Fault benefits after a car accident. These benefits are usually paid by the insurance company of the car that hit you, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. You therefore must file a No-Fault claim with that insurance company within 30 days of the date of the accident. If you haven't already applied for No-Fault benefits, CLICK HERE. If you have missed the time limit to file for benefits, you should contact a New York state lawyer from the William Mattar Law Firm at 1-800-7-MATTAR for assistance or fill out a Free Online Contact Request Form. We are ready to help after a motor vehicle accident when you are injured. A car accident with a bike or a pedestrian can be even more confusing than a car accident with another motor vehicle. Hurt, injured, have questions, need help. Call us 24 hours.
I was a passenger, who do I contact?
Passengers are eligible for No-Fault benefits. These No-Fault benefits for passengers are usually paid by the insurance company of the car you were riding in, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. You therefore must file a No-Fault claim with that insurance company as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after the date of the accident. If you haven't already applied for No-Fault benefits, CLICK HERE. If you have missed the time limit to file for benefits, you should contact the William Mattar Law Firm. Call 1-800-7-MATTAR for assistance or fill out a Free Online Contact Request Form. Passenger in a car accident? Hurt in a car as a passenger? We are ready to help passengers. When you are injured and have sought medical treatment, you should not wait. If you have questions, then call us right now.
If you are an injured passenger, besides the No-Fault benefits from the vehicle that you were riding in, you may also be eligible for additional No-Fault benefits from a different insurance policy. You should place on notice, pursuant to the policy, any insurance that may provide additional No-Fault insurance benefits. Passengers may have insurance policies to protect them besides the insurance for the vehicle they were riding in. These insurance companies would usually be those of any family member with which the injured person resides or their own car insurance policy, if it is different than the primary No-Fault policy.
We know that Passenger No-Fault Benefits can be confusing, so feel free to call us to help you with your questions.
It was a hit-and-run. What do I do?
In most instances, there are safety nets in place either through the insurance policy of the car that you were in, your own car insurance policy, or through the New York state Motor Vehicle Indemnification Accident Corporation (MVIAC), which will provide No-Fault benefits. Also, they may compensate you for your injuries if the accident was not your fault. Filing for these benefits can be very complicated if you do not know the process. You can therefore contact us; we are New York state lawyers and are ready to assist you.
Do I need an attorney?
Auto injury cases (motor vehicle or car accidents with injuries) can be complex with special notice requirements, deadlines, and time limits. We believe your absolute best choice is a firm that focuses on New York auto accident injury cases. So, contact an attorney at the William Mattar Law Firm. If you have any question as to whether you need an attorney, we will be happy to speak with you and talk about your case absolutely FREE. It will cost you nothing to speak to us, but you could be throwing money and benefits away if you don't. If you are hurt in a car or injured as a result of motor vehicle accident, call us now. We are ready to help 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Filing for No-Fault benefits can be very confusing. In some cases, the insurance company that you need to apply to for benefits may not be the company that you expect. In other cases, you may be entitled to No-Fault benefits from more than one insurance company. If you don't file for No-Fault benefits with the right company in time, you may lose your benefits. No Fault benefits may have conditions or restrictions. Call us right now and let us help you. Hurt in a car, call William Mattar at 1-800-7-MATTAR.
When should I contact an attorney?
You should contact a New York state lawyer experienced in auto accidents (car accidents) as soon as possible after an accident. Generally, more information can be learned about your case if an investigation is started soon after the accident or crash. Also, there are often short filing deadlines that must be met to protect your rights. However, please remember that the most important thing is your health and wellbeing. NEVER PUT OFF MEDICAL ATTENTION TO CONTACT A LAWYER. If you cannot contact a New York state lawyer experienced in auto accidents because of your medical condition, you can always have a family member contact us. To ensure your rights are protected, you may want to hire a lawyer right away. Fill out a Free Online Contact Request Form or call 1-800-7-MATTAR for a FREE consultation. We have attorneys and/or staff on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Let us help you right now. After a serious accident with injuries, you may need serious help.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
In New York state, in order to bring a personal injury lawsuit for a motor vehicle negligence claim, you generally must file a lawsuit within three years from the date you are injured or your right to sue may be lost. This deadline is known as the "statute of limitation" (SOL). However, in some circumstances, the statute of limitations is much shorter (i.e. one year) and other rules can limit time periods even more (90 days to file a Notice of Claim in some instances). Also, if the injured person was under the age of 18 years on the date of the accident, then the statute of limitation may be extended. To ensure you do not miss any statute of limitation filing deadlines, you may want to hire a lawyer right away. Fill out a Free Online Contact Request Form or better yet, call 1-800-7-MATTAR for a FREE consultation. You will then be able to discuss your situation with a New York state lawyer experienced with car accidents who may be able to help you. Injured, hurt in a car, call William Mattar. We are ready to help right now.
It is important to know that there may be different types of possible claims after you have been injured and it may be wise to talk to an attorney to discuss your possible claims and the time limits.
The insurance company offered a settlement.
Often, you won't know what is fair or how much money you are entitled to. We can help you figure out what you deserve. We may be able to obtain a greater result then you expect. Working with the William Mattar Law Firm may benefit you. We are a New York state law firm that focuses on motor vehicle and car accident cases.
Some insurance companies will come to a victim and offer a relatively small settlement in the hope that the victim will sign a general release and give up their rights. DON'T BE FOOLED. If an insurance company is offering you money shortly after an accident, you should be careful. The insurance company’s quick offer may not be fair and you may be entitled to much more! Call us for a free case evaluation. Our firm’s focus is auto injury, which means that we know what to do if you are injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident or car accident. If you are injured as a result of an accident, please call us.
What if the accident is partly my fault?
Even if an accident was partially your fault, you still may have a claim. You may also think you are in the wrong and then learn that the other driver is as much or more to blame than you are. Fill out a Free Online Contact Request Form or better yet call 1-800-7-MATTAR to discuss your case with one of the William Mattar Law Firm’s New York state lawyers experienced in auto injury cases. Car crashes can be complex and fault for an accident at first may be difficult to determine. That is why we are available 24 hours to answer your questions. So call us right now if you have been injured or hurt in a car accident.
What about property damage?
If you have collision coverage on your insurance policy, you may file a claim with your insurance company to pay for the repairs of your vehicle or, if the car is totaled, to pay you the value of the car. You, of course, will be responsible for any deductible. If the accident is not your fault, your car or motor vehicle insurance company will generally try to get reimbursement from the at-fault driver's car or motor vehicle’s insurance company. If this occurs, you may get some or all of your deductible back from your motor vehicle’s insurance company.
If you do not have collision coverage and the car accident or motor vehicle accident is not your fault, you are entitled to be compensated for the repairs to your vehicle or, if the car is totaled, for the value of the vehicle. Typically, in these instances, the insurance company of the at-fault driver will contact you to attempt to settle the property claim. If you are not contacted in a timely fashion, you should take it upon yourself to contact them.
When you settle with the at-fault driver's insurance company, the insurance company usually asks you to sign a release stating that the property claim has been resolved. CAUTION: You must make sure this is only for the settlement of your property claim. You should not sign a release regarding your personal injuries without first consulting a New York state lawyer.
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If you’ve been injured in New York state, contact the William Mattar Law Firm, with lawyers who focus on car injury accidents (auto injury). This includes car collisions that involve crashes or accidents with another car, bus, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, or motorcycle. The attorneys at the William Mattar Law Firm have advocated for hurt and injured clients across New York state. Our attorneys are ready to help those in a car crash or injury accident. We service the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Binghamton, Corning, Elmira, Lockport, Niagara Falls, Plattsburgh, Schenectady, Troy, Utica, Watertown, and surrounding areas. Our lawyers who focus on car accident injury cases are available now. Fill out a Free Online Contact Form or better yet, call us at 1-800-7-MATTAR or 1-800-317-2424 for a free accident consultation today! Call us anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are on call right now. We have multiple locations in New York state to better serve you. Do not worry where you are located. After a serious accident or collision, we may be able to come to your home or hospital. Call us right now, we are ready to help. After an accident, common questions for our lawyers (attorneys) concern injuries, car accident insurance coverage, No-Fault, accident reports, MV-104 Forms, collision coverage, disability, lost wages, and medical bills.
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