The size and weight of an SUV often lead to serious injuries and create complicated questions about your rights. A Queens SUV accident lawyer helps you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
At the Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler, our attorneys advocate for auto accident victims against insurance companies and negligent drivers. Call us at (914) 220-1088 for a free, no-obligation review of your case.
Table of Contents
- Why Choose Us for Your SUV Injury Case
- Holding Negligent SUV Drivers Accountable
- Unique Dangers of SUV Collisions
- What Types of Compensation Are Available After an SUV Accident in Queens?
- Identifying All Liable Parties in Your Crash
- FAQ for Queens SUV Accident Lawyer
- Take a Stand for Your Future
Why Choose Us for Your SUV Injury Case
After a serious collision, your choice of legal representation matters. The Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler is committed to providing strong advocacy for victims of SUV crashes throughout Queens. Our team has the local knowledge and legal insight to handle these challenging cases.
Our Firm Knows Queens
Our deep connection to the borough provides a powerful advantage for your case. We know the high-traffic expressways like the Long Island Expressway and the Van Wyck, where high-speed SUV accidents are common.
We also understand the dangers present on busy local roads, from Northern Boulevard in Flushing to Jamaica Avenue. Our familiarity with the specific roads, intersections, and traffic patterns across Queens helps us build a stronger case for you.
A skilled SUV crash attorney from our firm investigates the scene, understands the local context, and uses that knowledge to hold the at-fault driver accountable.
Experience With SUV Claims
SUV accidents present unique challenges. Their higher center of gravity makes them more likely to roll over, and their large blind spots often lead to devastating lane-change and merge accidents.
A dedicated Queens SUV accident lawyer from our firm understands the physics and dynamics of these specific types of collisions. We know how to investigate rollover accidents to determine if a vehicle defect played a role.
Our experience helps us anticipate insurance adjusters' tactics to minimize your claim. We know how to build a case to overcome these challenges from the start.
Focused on Your Recovery
The Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler pursues the maximum compensation for all of your injuries and losses. We work diligently to document every aspect of your damages to show the complete picture of how the crash affected you.
For a free case evaluation, contact the Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler at (914) 220-1088.
Holding Negligent SUV Drivers Accountable
Proving the other driver was at fault is the cornerstone of a successful personal injury claim. Your Queens SUV accident attorney conducts a thorough investigation to establish the negligence that caused your crash.
Many factors contribute to these accidents. We focus on driver behavior, vehicle dynamics, and road conditions to create a comprehensive account of the event. Our goal is to gather undeniable proof that the SUV driver’s careless actions led directly to your harm.
Proving Fault in Distracted Driving Crashes
Distracted driving is a menace on Queens roads. When the driver of a two-ton SUV takes their eyes off the road, the results are frequently catastrophic.
Our firm uses legal tools to uncover evidence of distraction, such as texting, talking on the phone, or using a navigation system at the moment of impact. Your SUV crash attorney can subpoena cellphone records to check for call logs and data usage around the time of the collision.
We locate and interview witnesses who may have seen the other driver looking at their phone or talking with a passenger instead of the road. In some cases, we obtain data from the vehicle’s event data recorder, which shows the driver's actions in the seconds before the crash.
Investigating Blind Spot and Lane-Change Accidents
The large size of most SUVs creates massive blind spots on both sides and at the rear of the vehicle. Drivers are responsible for checking these blind spots before changing lanes or merging. When they fail to do so, they put everyone around them, especially those in smaller cars, at risk.
A knowledgeable Queens SUV crash lawyer knows how to counter the "You were in my blind spot" defense. We gather physical evidence from the vehicles to show the point of impact.
We work with accident reconstructionists to create diagrams and animations demonstrating to a jury how a careful driver would have prevented the collision.
Addressing Speed and Aggressive Driving
The combination of an SUV’s weight and high speed is a lethal formula. Aggressive driving behaviors like tailgating, weaving through traffic, and running red lights are even more dangerous when the driver is behind the wheel of a large vehicle.
We work to prove that the driver’s recklessness caused your injuries. Our investigation looks for evidence of speeding, such as statements from witnesses or data from the vehicle's event data recorder.
We analyze the extent of the vehicle damage and the crash scene, as the physics often indicates the speed at impact. An experienced SUV crash attorney uses this evidence to show negligence.
Unique Dangers of SUV Collisions
When a heavy, high-riding vehicle collides with a smaller, lighter one, the occupants of the smaller car suffer the most serious consequences. Our firm focuses on the specific factors that make these crashes so damaging.
We highlight these elements when negotiating with insurance companies and when presenting a case in court. Acknowledging these unique dangers helps secure a fair outcome for our clients.
Catastrophic Damage to Smaller Vehicles
When an SUV strikes a standard sedan, the height and weight difference often leads to a mismatched collision. The front of the SUV may ride up over the bumper and safety features of the smaller car, causing devastating damage and severe injuries to the occupants.
Your vehicle might be totaled, creating an immediate financial and logistical crisis for you and your family. Your SUV crash attorney works to get you compensation not just for your injuries but also for your property damage.
While your own collision coverage may pay for repairs or replacement, the personal injury claim against the at-fault driver covers all other losses. We make sure the insurance company understands the full scope of what was taken from you.
The High Risk of Rollover Accidents
SUVs have a higher center of gravity than most other vehicles, which makes them more susceptible to tipping and rolling over, especially during sharp turns or side-impact collisions.
Rollover accidents are among the most violent types of crashes. They often lead to catastrophic head, neck, and spinal cord injuries.
In some rollover cases, a defect in the vehicle’s design or its tires may have contributed to the accident. A Queens SUV accident lawyer from our firm investigates this possibility.
If a manufacturing or design flaw played a part, we may pursue a product liability claim against the automaker in addition to the negligence claim against the driver.
What Types of Compensation Are Available After an SUV Accident in Queens?
Following an SUV wreck, you may seek compensation for all of the ways the crash has impacted your life. These damages cover both your economic losses and your non-economic suffering.
A dedicated Queens SUV injury lawyer from the Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler carefully documents all of your losses to build a comprehensive demand for payment. Our objective is to secure a financial recovery that provides for your past bills and your future needs.
The specific damages we pursue on your behalf include:
- Medical Expenses: These are the direct financial costs for all of your medical care, including current hospital bills, co-pays, physical therapy, and any treatment you will need in the future.
- Lost Income and Earning Potential: This is compensation for the wages you lost while unable to work and also for any reduction in your future earning ability if your injuries are permanent.
- Property Damage: This covers the cost to repair or replace your vehicle and any other personal property that was destroyed in the collision.
- Non-Economic Damages: This compensation addresses the personal suffering you've experienced, such as the physical pain of your injuries, the emotional distress and trauma from the event, any permanent scarring or disfigurement, and your loss of enjoyment of life.
Identifying All Liable Parties in Your Crash
While the other driver is usually the main at-fault party, they aren’t always the only one responsible for your accident. A thorough investigation by a Queens SUV accident lawyer may uncover other individuals or entities whose negligence contributed to the crash.
Identifying every liable party is key to maximizing your financial recovery. We explore every angle to determine who shares the blame for what happened.
Possible at-fault parties we may pursue a claim against include:
- The Driver’s Employer: If the person driving the SUV was working during the accident, their employer might be liable for their employee’s negligence.
- The Vehicle Manufacturer: If a defect in the SUV, such as faulty brakes, defective tires, or a design flaw that made it prone to rolling over, contributed to the crash, the manufacturer may be a defendant.
- A Government Entity: If a dangerous road condition, like a poorly designed intersection, a broken traffic signal, or a large pothole, caused the accident, the city or state agency responsible for maintaining the road may be liable.
FAQ for Queens SUV Accident Lawyer
What if the SUV Driver’s Insurance Company Blames Me for the Crash?
Insurance companies often try to shift the blame to reduce the amount they pay. Don’t argue with them or give a recorded statement. Instead, contact a Queens SUV accident lawyer immediately.
Your attorney will handle all communication with the insurer, present evidence that proves the other driver’s fault, and protect you from unfair blame.
I Was a Passenger in an SUV That Crashed; What Are My Rights?
As an injured passenger, you may seek compensation for your injuries. You may file a claim against the SUV driver, the driver of another vehicle involved in the crash, or both.
Your attorney helps you navigate this process without you having to choose sides between friends or family members involved.
Does New York’s No-Fault Law Prevent Me From Suing the SUV Driver?
New York’s no-fault system covers your initial medical bills and some lost wages through your own car insurance, regardless of who was at fault. However, you step outside the no-fault system if your injuries are serious.
You have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit directly against the negligent SUV driver to recover the full scope of your damages, including pain and suffering.
How Does a Queens SUV Accident Lawyer Prove the Other Driver Was Negligent?
A Queens SUV accident lawyer proves negligence by conducting a complete investigation. This involves gathering the police report, interviewing eyewitnesses, obtaining photos and videos of the scene and vehicle damage, and subpoenaing cellphone records.
Your attorney may even hire an accident reconstruction expert to analyze the crash dynamics and provide testimony.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Was Partially to Blame?
New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means you may recover damages even if you share some fault for the accident. The court reduces your final compensation award by your percentage of fault.
Your attorney's job is to present evidence that minimizes your assigned fault to maximize your recovery.
Take a Stand for Your Future
You have the power to seek justice and secure the resources you need to move forward after an SUV crash. The choice you make now may define your recovery. Let our firm provide the strength and legal advocacy you need to stand up to the insurance companies.
Contact the Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler to schedule your free, confidential case evaluation. Call us at (914) 220-1088 today.