Hamburg Car Accident Lawyer

A car accident can change your life and that of your loved ones in a second – one moment you’re OK, and the next, your world is turned upside down. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, there are many things you need to reclaim your life. From getting the best medical treatment that you need to recuperate from your injuries to repairing your car, it can all be overwhelming.

Whether you were injured in a tailgating crash or as a result of a motorist who received a DUI charge, the consequences can be equally devastating. When you’ve been hurt in a car accident – whether you were a vehicle occupant or a driver – you may think all is lost and no one is on your side. But you’re not!

The experienced Hamburg car accident lawyers at Cellino Law Firm can guide you through the legal process and help you with your car accident claim, even if you were underinsured/uninsured or contributed to the crash. Regardless of the injuries you suffered, financial compensation may be available to help you get your life back. Call Cellino Law Firm at (888) 888-8888 to schedule a free no-risk initial consultation to evaluate your legal options with a personal injury attorney.

How Much Does A Hamburg, NY, Car Accident Lawyer Cost?

How can car accident victims and their families afford to hire a car accident lawyer in New York to pursue and recover the compensation owed to them for injuries suffered? It’s pretty simple – hiring our Hamburg car accident lawyer will cost you nothing out of pocket or upfront.

At Cellino Law Firm, we handle auto accident cases on a contingency fee basis, and we don’t get paid unless you do! If no money is recovered, you don’t pay us any attorney fees.

Our contingency fee agreement makes quality legal representation by experienced and skilled car accident lawyers accessible to people injured in auto accidents.

What Should I Do After A Car Accident?

In the moments after a car crash, it’s hard to think clearly. What steps can you take to protect yourself, your passengers, and, more importantly, your right to pursue compensation?

Because of the trauma and emotions associated with an auto accident, many drivers don’t know what to do and often make mistakes that bar them from recovering compensation from insurance companies and other motorists after a crash.

File your claim with our Hamburg car accident lawyers.

Immediately after your auto accident in NY, there are steps you can take that can go a long way in helping you down the line if you should decide to pursue compensation. Learn what to do to protect your rights:

Call 911

You’ll want to contact the police to document the accident right away! Even if the crash was relatively minor, you might still want to call law enforcement officers to get a police report. Stay at the scene until the police arrive.

Check On Others

Your safety and that of others trump any financial consideration, so check on others and immediately take the necessary safety precautions. Make sure everyone is physically safe.

Exchange Info

Next, you’ll want to exchange contact and insurance information with the other motorists at the scene. This will be crucial later if there are claims or lawsuits relating to the accident. If the driver of the other vehicle is uninsured or is not the owner of the car, make sure you get valid contact information from them as well as the contact information of the vehicle’s owner.

You’ll want to get the following info:

  • The other driver’s full contact information (name, address, and phone number)
  • The other motorist’s insurance information, including their policy number
  • The other motorist’s driver’s license number
  • Eyewitness contact information

Take Pictures & Notes

Once you’ve exchanged information, it’s time to start taking inventory (if practicable) of what happened. Take pictures of the accident scene, including debris at the location and the position of the vehicles. Take photos from as many angles as you can. If the crash happened at an intersection, get pictures of signage and signal lights in the area.

Never Admit Fault

Limit your conversation with other drivers and eyewitnesses and never apologize for what happened or admit that you were at fault. This may seem impolite, but admitting fault could hurt your chances if you decide to pursue compensation.

Seek Medical Attention

You will want to seek medical attention by visiting the ER or your primary physician to ensure that a doctor discovers all injuries. Ensure that you seek medical attention within 72 hours of the accident, even if it’s just a basic medical check.

Call Your Insurance Carrier

Be the first to call on your accident, rather than to allow the other motorist or their insurance carrier to report the claim before you call. Let your auto insurer know the details of the crash, so they start building a claim for you.

Call A Reputable Car Accident Lawyer

The next step is to contact a qualified car accident lawyer. Even if you think you won’t have to pursue compensation, you never know what repercussions could crop up, and you need to be certain your rights are protected. In addition, you will need a car accident lawyer on your side, even if you think that your insurance provider will pay for the damages.

When Should I Get A Lawyer For My Car Accident Case?

It’s usually best to get a lawyer quickly, preferably the day of the accident or after contacting your insurance company and getting medical attention. A lawyer will help ensure that your interests and rights are well protected from start to finish.

Remember, you need an attorney, even if you aren’t considering pursuing compensation.

Why Do I Need A Lawyer For My Car Accident?

There are many reasons for that, including:

Case Investigation, Preparation, And Filing A Lawsuit

Evidence might not last long after a collision. Your lawyer will investigate your case and work to preserve evidence. Besides, several time limits apply to filing a car accident lawsuit; a lawyer can make sure you meet them.

Settlement Negotiation

Is your insurance company using tricks to delay your claim? Your lawyer can help. A car accident lawyer can handle settlement negotiations with your insurer and make sure you get fair compensation. Often, insurance companies will want to pay as little as possible, and sometimes they don’t want to pay anything at all! A Hamburg car accident lawyer’s job is to see that settlement negotiations end in your favor.

Trial Preparation And Representation

If settling the claim or injury lawsuit out of court does not work. Your lawyer can get the ball rolling and prepare to represent your interest and fight for your compensation in court.

What Damages Can I Recover With Car Accident Claim In Hamburg?

There are several types of potentially recoverable damages for a car accident case, which includes medical expenses, therapies, lost income from missed days of work, and so on. The best way to get an idea of the damages you can recover and how much your claim or lawsuit could be worth it to call a qualified car accident lawyer. You can reach Cellino Law Firm at (888) 888-8888 to get your questions answered.

Typically, recoverable damages for a car accident in New York fall into three primary categories:

Economic Damages

These are compensatory damages for any financial cost/losses linked to injuries resulting from the accident. Can include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage, and out-of-pocket costs such as travel expenses.

Non-Economic Damages

These are compensatory damages for non-financial or intangible losses. These may include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of activities, and worsening of prior medical conditions or injuries.

A person taking photos of damage to their car after an accident.

Punitive Damages

Unlike compensatory damages, these are awarded as a legal recompense when the defendant is found guilty of committing an offense and are paid on top of economic and non-economic damages. They are awarded to punish defendants whose conduct is deemed grossly intentional or negligent.

Is New York A No-Fault State For Car Accidents?

Yes, New York handles car accident cases under the no-fault insurance system. Under this system, victims of an auto accident must turn to their own insurance carriers to recover damages.

A no-fault system differs from a fault state in that with the latter, car accident victims recover compensation for damages from the at-fault party’s insurance company rather than their own. That means:

  • You can recover compensation after a car accident in Hamburg, NY, regardless of fault
  • A no-fault system reduces the burden of car accident personal injury lawsuits on local courts. It allows victims to recover compensation faster than they would through a typical at-fault car accident settlement.

How Is Fault Determined For Car Accident Cases In New York?

In New York, car accident lawsuits are considered personal injury cases, and New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule when tackling personal injury cases. Under the pure comparative negligence rule, car accident victims who file a personal injury lawsuit can recover compensation from a negligent party regardless of their degree of fault.

In other words, you can recover compensation even if you were 80% at fault for the crash; however, your recovery will be reduced by 80%. Call us at (888) 888-8888 to speak to a car accident lawyer and learn more about New York’s no-fault insurance law, minimum insurance requirements for drivers, and the pure comparative negligence rule.

How Long Do You Have To File A Car Accident Claim In New York?

Strict time limits apply before lodging a car accident claim or lawsuit in New York.

Suppose you’ve been in a car accident in NY, and any party incurred $1,001 or more in property damage because of the accident. In that case, all motorists involved must file a Report of Motor Vehicle Accident form with the DMV within 10 days from the accident date. Failure to do so could lead to the suspension of your driver’s license.

In addition to a strict reporting deadline, car accident victims have three years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. However, if a person dies after a car accident, the decedent’s representatives have two years to lodge their lawsuit per NY’s wrongful death statute of limitations.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Hamburg Car Accident Lawyers

A car accident can have long-lasting effects that follow after the initial crash. Take the right measures to protect your right to compensation to help you get back on your feet. Call Cellino Law Firm at (888) 888-8888 to schedule a free consultation with a qualified Hamburg car accident lawyer. We can answer all your questions about the claim process and start making moves to get you the compensation you deserve.

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Testimonials

  • Choosing the right attorney to represent you after an accident can make all the difference. This is no cliche. I recently experienced these words to live by first hand. After a tractor trailer rear ended me at high speed in 2017 I retained Allan Silverstein to handle my case. I quickly realized that bringing a lawsuit rapidly snowballs into a mountain of details that can make or break your results. Documents, case histories, doctor visits, bills, and lots of phone calls all need to be accurately kept track of if a successful outcome it to be attained. To complicate matters I reside in New York and the incident took place in New Jersey. Luckily, Allan was licensed in multiple states. I was fortunate to find Allan to handle this matter from the New York area. Armed with an accurate account of the facts Allan went to work on the difficult job of negotiating with the defending insurance company as well as my no fault carrier in order to obtain the best possible outcome for my set of circumstances. In a lawsuit communication is key and and events can be of a timely nature. Allan never failed to return my calls - usually the same day! He fought skillfully and respectfully to get me the best possible settlement. He is easy to deal with and a likeable down to earth guy. He always listened with compassion and respect to my issues. He guided me with objective understanding as well as a realistic analysis of the merits of my case. When we finally settled Allan got me a fair agreement beyond my expectations and negotiated with my doctors to make sure all my bills were paid. It was a great experience having Allan represent me. Quality work in any aspect of life is hard to find. Quality is what I got with Allan Silverstein. I highly recommend him if you find yourself in need of a personal injury attorney.

    Theodore

  • I am writing to let you know what an outstanding job George Gridelli did for me in my personal injury lawsuit. His professionalism and expertise were evident at our first metting and he and his paralegal Diane D'Andrea took care of me as if I was a friend and not merely a client. They both went above and beyond for me in so many ways that it would be too numerous to list and I am grateful to have had such an exemplary team represent me. When working with George and watching him in court he personified to me what a lawyer is supposed to be - an honest, extremely compentent man who helped guide me through the legal system. I could not have obtained better representation anywhere else at any price. To me that says a lot abut you and your firm's integrity. Thank you again for representing me and for having such stellar individuals working for you! I will continue to recommend your firm.

    Carol

  • This letter is to thank Ms. Diane D’Andrea, assistant to Mr. George Gridelli, Attny for all the hard work, dedication, and attentiveness she showed during the representation of my case. She was always cheerful and ready to help in whatever way she could. All messages left for Mr. Gridelli were always relayed and Mr. Gridelli always promptly returned our calls. She was a very competent assistant. Cellino Law has proven to be a model of what legal representation should be. Throughout the 6 ½ years of this case, I have heard many horror stories from people with “bad lawyer stories.” We consider ourselves to be very lucky to have chosen Cellino Law and will always recommend you to those looking for good, honest representation with a personal touch.

    Joseph

  • Cellino Law and more specifically my attorney, Gregory V. Pajak, Managing Attorney, and as a whole the Cellino Law Firm and its organization. This is by far one of the most professional law firms and attorney I have ever engaged with and retained in my 35 years. The level of professionalism goes beyond words, the care and constant engagement with me as the client was touching. I was never ever just treated as simply a CASE with potentially a significant dollar number attached to my file. I was engaged regularly, Tracey (Ass’t) and Greg always made sure to remain constant, as well as consistent in overseeing that my case was handled properly and that it did matter in many ways - ensuring that the end result(s) would be fair and reasonable to my case/injury. The regular follow-up calls were very satisfying, knowing that you’re involved in your case matters significantly AND always. One of my main items to recognize Cellino Law and Gregory is that whenever I called, I was able to get through to speak directly to my Lawyer and he would answer any if not all of my questions in a very professional and genuinely caring manner. I always felt cared for and protected legally and more importantly, I was made feel as a human being that was being cared for and always keeping me abreast of all matters connected to the case. There was never a point I felt let down, on the contrary -the level of service was “STELLAR”. Greg is the consummate professional, a ‘role model’, if you will, for what other attorneys should strive to become when dealing with their clients.

    Anthony

  • This is to express our gratitude to you and your team in helping us and Stephanie navigate through the legal process following her car accident. We are very satisfied with the outcome and grateful for your hard work and attention to details. We fell confident that with this compensation, Stephanie will be able to move forward with her studies and her life with the ability to care for some of her health needs resulting from the injuries sustained following her car accident. Thank you very much and may God continue to bless your efforts.

    Jose & Rose

  • Cellino Law is an amazing firm with a great team. I worked with Greg Pajak and his assistant, Tracey Falconer. I cannot express enough how dedicated they are. The personal attention I received was excellent; they were always available to help with questions and concerns and put me at ease in the unknown territory I found myself in. I highly recommend them to anyone needing representation. A huge thank you to them for all they accomplished for me!

    Liane