Motor vehicle collisions are among the leading causes of serious injury and death in New York. However, even a relatively minor injury can have a significant impact on your life. In addition to the pain and physical impact the injury has caused, it may lead to frustration and confusion about the insurance or legal process. It can result in significant financial pressure in the form of lost wages and medical expenses.
However, you don’t have to go through this process alone.
At Towey Law, we have dedicated our practice to helping those who have been injured in motor vehicle collisions. Buffalo car accident lawyer Brian Towey has extensive experience helping the injured and will fight to protect your rights and ensure you have the means to put move forward after a serious injury. We proudly represent clients through Western New York, including all of Erie, Monroe, and Niagra counties.
Call (716) 300-8232 to schedule your free case evaluation.
Why Choose Towey Law’s Buffalo Car Accident Lawyer?
Car accident injuries can be devastating. That is why having a Buffalo auto accident lawyer who can help you navigate the aftermath of a traffic collision is important. At Towey Law, PLLC, injury victims choose us to represent them for a number of reasons, including:
- We offer a free, confidential consultation for all personal injury matters.
- Our clients always have direct communication with their attorneys.
- Our attorneys have secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients over the years.
- We handle all motor vehicle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost to you unless we win.
Founder Brian K. Towey has extensive experience standing up for the rights of those injured in Buffalo. Our dedicated Buffalo car accident attorney will fight to recover the compensation you need to move on with your life. Our office is centrally located in the heart of downtown Buffalo. Brian was born in Buffalo, NY, and will help you and your loved ones navigate the aftermath of an auto accident.
If you have been hurt in a preventable car accident, please contact us as soon as you are able. We will listen to your story, give you an honest assessment of your situation, and thoroughly explain your legal options, whether you decide to hire us or not. If you do decide to hire our personal injury attorneys, we will begin work immediately on your behalf.
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“These guys are the best!!!! They work with speed and accuracy on your case! I’m very happy with my outcome on my case and Im pretty sure ANYONE who needs this assistance will be as well!” – F.B.
Car Accident Resources
- Benefits of Hiring a Buffalo Car Accident Attorney
- What Damages Can a Car Accident Lawyer in Buffalo Help Me Recover?
- Statute of Limitations for Buffalo Car Accidents
- Will I Have to Go to Court After a Car Accident?
- What Steps Should You Take After a Car Accident in Buffalo?
- Common Causes of Car Accidents in Buffalo
- Common Types of Injuries From Car Accidents
- Contact the Buffalo Car Accident Lawyers At Towey Law
Benefits of Hiring a Buffalo Car Accident Lawyer
Car accidents in Buffalo are rarely simple. In many cases, determining fault and assessing injuries can prove very challenging due to New York State’s no-fault system. A skilled car accident attorney from our law firm can protect your rights and ensure you receive just compensation by:
- Conducting a thorough investigation
- Gathering critical evidence
- Preparing and filing the extensive paperwork
- Collecting medical records
- Retaining relevant medical experts and investigators
- Negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf
- Dealing with your own insurance if your injuries do not meet New York’s serious injury threshold or if you were injured by an uninsured motorist.
If a fair settlement cannot be reached, our talented Buffalo car accident attorneys will aggressively advocate for you in court to secure the compensation you need and deserve.
“Accidents happen and I was lucky that on one of my worst days, Towey Law was there to stand behind me. I can confidently recommend their services. Thank you, Brian!” – V.F.
What Damages Can a Car Accident Lawyer in Buffalo Help Me Recover?
While car accidents in Buffalo, New York have similarities, every claim is different. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a traffic collision due to a negligent driver, you are entitled to compensation.
Consult one of the dedicated Buffalo Uber and Lyft accident attorneys from Towey Law, PLLC to find out how we can help you recover financial compensation for your damages, including:
- Compensation for all medical expenses related to the accident
- Loss of income if you cannot work
- Loss of future earning potential
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of consortium damages
- Emotional distress
- Possible punitive damages when certain criteria are met
It is possible to recover both economic (tangible) and non-economic (intangible) damages in a car accident case in Western New York. If the defendant is guilty of gross negligence or recklessness, you may also qualify for punitive damages to punish the defendant for his or her wrongful acts.
Of course, the value of your case depends on several factors, including the amount of insurance policy coverage available, the extent and nature of your injuries, and who is legally responsible, among many other factors.
Statute of Limitations for Buffalo Car Accidents
If you need to file a personal injury or property damage lawsuit after an auto accident in New York, you must do so within a specific timeframe. New York’s statute of limitations for car accidents (Consolidated Laws of New York Section 214) gives crash victims a maximum of three years from the date of the accident to file a civil claim.
If you miss your statute of limitations, the courts will most likely refuse to hear the case. Even if the courts permit you to file a claim after the statute of limitations has expired, the defense will use it as a reason to have the liability claim dismissed. Statutes of limitations are in place to keep the civil justice system just for both parties.
Will I Have to Go to Court After a Car Accident?
As the victim of a car accident someone else caused, most of the time, you will not have to go to court. Many times, plaintiffs do not want to step into a courtroom because they feel it would be overwhelming. It can be. However, as your car accident attorney in Buffalo, we do all we can to limit that need. Here are several factors to keep in mind.
We Will Seek an Accident Settlement First
Most of the time, our Buffalo sideswipe accident attorneys will build your case with verifiable information after a car accident. We document everything we can about your losses. Then, we seek to negotiate the claim with the insurance company. This is done by filing a demand for your losses.
This often leads to some negotiations with the insurance company. They may ask questions and may refute some of the claims. Most of the time, we can work through this process with them and you to provide more information or otherwise negotiate the value of the claim. If that works well, we settle the case. You do not have to go to court.
Filing a Buffalo Car Accident Lawsuit When Necessary
There are times when we must take additional steps to push the insurance company to take your claims seriously and provide you with fair compensation. If they simply do not want to pay you fairly, we will file a lawsuit in a court of law.
This process opens the door for more questioning and some additional research work. The insurance company is likely to ask you some questions, though you do not necessarily need to go to court to do this. Rather, we will set up a time with you to navigate this process. Because court action is costly to insurance companies, most will settle the claim at this point.
There May Be Times When You Need to Go to Court
Though rare by comparison, it may be necessary to go to court to prove your case. Our Buffalo car accident attorney will not give up and will go to court when necessary. Some examples of when this may be necessary include:
- There are disputes over the accident or the cause of the accident.
- The insurance company believes you have pre-existing conditions.
- The damages you are requesting are well above what the insurance company believes is fair.
- There are inaccuracies in some components of the claim or case.
- The insurance company does not believe they have any obligation to pay for your claim for some other reason.
Note that there are risks that insurance companies will act in bad faith, meaning they do not meet their legal requirements. This is very rare and not likely to happen in most car accident cases. However, if you believe for any reason that you are being abused or treated in an unjust way, we will go to court to fight for you in these situations.
In all situations, if you believe you are not getting fair compensation owed to you, there may be a need to go to court. That means a judge or jury will decide who should pay the losses you have and their value. Though this takes some time, our Buffalo automobile collision attorneys are proven trial lawyers, meaning we know how to make sure your case is heard in a fair manner.
Steps To Take After a Car Accident in Buffalo
Car accidents happen every day, and in the event that one occurs, one of the most important measures you can take for your and your family’s safety is to be prepared. Whether you are involved in a minor auto accident or are a victim of a severe collision, make sure you take the necessary steps to protect yourself from insurance companies that don’t want to pay what you are owed:
- Check yourself for injuries: Seek medical attention as soon as possible—call 911 if you are able to do so. If you cannot, ask someone else to call 911.
- Check on others involved in the accident: Make sure to keep your calm and help others stay calm, especially if anyone has suffered major injuries. Do not move anyone if they may have sustained a back, neck, or other serious injuries. Wait for emergency personnel.
- Get to safety: If your car is safe to drive, pull off to the side of the road.
- Exchange information: Share information with the other party and make sure to include:
- Full names, addresses, and contact numbers
- Insurance company and policy number
- Driver’s license and license plate number
- Type, model, and color of the vehicle
- Location of the accident
- Document evidence: Take pictures of the car accident at different angles and distances, and pay attention to details. Is there paint transfer on your car? What damage has been done to both cars? Also, take a picture of the license plates. Talk to witnesses. What did they see?
- Obtain a Police Report: When the authorities arrive, be specific and detailed. Also, ask for a copy of the report for your records. It can be very helpful to get the officers’ names and badge numbers when filing a claim.
- Contact a Buffalo car accident attorney: Do this as soon as possible after an accident, even if the driver was uninsured, you can still win compensation with the help of our Buffalo uninsured accident lawyer. You are entitled to legal representation and are not required to speak to anyone without legal counsel. Exercise your rights. Protect your rights. Schedule a free consultation with Towey Law, PLLC, as soon as possible.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Buffalo
The city of Buffalo is no stranger to traffic collisions. At Towey Law, PLLC, our Buffalo truck accident attorneys will talk to witnesses, investigate the police reports, and gather critical evidence to establish liability.
The most common car accidents in Buffalo typically involve:
- Distracted driving: Any activity that takes your attention from driving is classified as distracted driving. This includes using a phone, eating, or changing the radio. Our Buffalo distracted driving accident attorney can help recover damages for you if you have been injured by a distracted driver.
- Excessive speeding
- Failure to yield
- Driving recklessly in hazardous conditions
- Poor weather conditions
- Driving under the influence
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, as anything can result in a crash, ranging from a fender-bender or intersection-related accident to a chain-reaction collision. Yet, regardless of the cause, it’s crucial that you have a Buffalo car accident lawyer on your side to make sure that you are fairly represented.
Common Types of Injuries From Car Accidents
At Towey Law, PLLC, we are passionate about helping clients with all types of car accident injuries recover fair compensation and rebuild their lives. We have what it takes to help you with any of the following injuries:
- Scrapes and cuts: Shattered glass and jagged metal caused by a car accident can result in superficial scrapes and cuts as well as deeper lacerations.
- Soft-tissue injuries: This describes damage to the body’s connective tissues, including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Soft-tissue injuries can take many forms, with whiplash being one of the most common. Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck from the rapid back-and-forth motion of the head and neck in a crash. This is common in rear-end accidents.
- Broken bones: Bone fractures are painful and can cause serious complications, such as a broken rib puncturing a lung or a crushed limb requiring a medical amputation.
- Spinal cord injuries: If the spinal cord gets injured in a car accident – such as a spinal concussion, fracture, or severed spine – it can cause irreparable nerve damage or paralysis. This is the loss of function and feeling in the body below the point of injury. Less severe back injuries, such as disk herniation, can still be painful and debilitating.
- Head and brain injuries: All head injuries are serious and can run the risk of permanent brain damage. A brain injury can manifest in many ways and include concussions, bleeding (hemorrhage), and swelling (edema).
- Lower extremity injuries: The lower half of the body, including the legs, knees, ankles, and pelvis, can suffer serious injuries in a car crash. Lower-body injuries are especially common in motorcycle, bicycle, trucking and pedestrian collisions.
- Internal injuries: The internal organs are not safe from harm in a car accident. They can move around within the body and collide with other organs or the skeletal system, resulting in organ damage or internal bleeding.
- Wrongful death: If a car accident victim does not survive his or her injuries, it may constitute wrongful death according to New York law. This means that the negligence or fault of another party caused a victim’s fatal injury. In this scenario, surviving family members may be eligible for compensation. Contact our Buffalo wrongful death attorneys if your family member has suffered wrongful death.
Some injuries are immediately obvious after a vehicle collision, while others may take hours or even days for symptoms to appear. It is important to always visit a hospital after a car accident, even if you do not think you are injured. A physician can conduct tests and X-rays to detect injuries that have hidden or delayed symptoms. Do not answer any questions about your injuries when speaking to an insurance claims adjuster until you’ve seen a doctor and consulted with our Buffalo motorcycle accident lawyer.
Contact the Buffalo Car Accident Attorneys At Towey Law
We believe everyone is entitled to skilled representation. When you are injured by the careless acts of another, our car accident attorneys in Buffalo will aggressively advocate for your best interests while providing you with compassionate and responsive service.
Our success is strongly rooted in the community. Founding attorney Brian Towey was born and raised in Buffalo. After opening his own practice, he is focused on serving clients with dedication and a commitment to protecting the rights of injured parties.
Schedule a free consultation with Towey Law, PLLC today by clicking here or calling (716) 300-8232.