Sustaining serious injuries in an auto accident is a life-changing experience.
Regardless of how it happened, accident victims have many new concerns that you didn’t have to think about before the accident.
For example, how are you going to pay your medical expenses when you can’t work as you recover? What if you can’t return to work at all? Should you hire a car accident lawyer?
It’s stressful to have these financial concerns, and possible medical bills at a time when you’re also dealing with the pain and suffering of your physical injuries and emotional consequences of the accident.
Perhaps you feel upset at the person who caused the crash and wonder if you can hold the at-fault driver financially responsible for your expenses and diminished quality of life.
This is a normal and fair reaction.
Most car accident victims also wonder about the time limit for filing a personal injury claim, particularly if the extent of your injuries doesn’t appear obvious right away.
It is common to be sore after a car accident, however, serious symptoms or injuries may not appear for days or even weeks.
Understanding how long after an accident you can file a car accident case is the first step towards recovering compensation.
In this article, you’ll learn how long after a car accident you can claim injury and what exceptions exist that could impact the amount of time you have.
If you have questions about filing a car accident lawsuit in New York, or would like to speak with an experienced New York City car accident lawyer at our firm, call 212-268-3222 or contact us online for a free consultation.
Important deadlines after a car accident in New York
The question, "How long after a car accident can I claim injury?" seems like a simple question. The general answer is that the personal injury statutes of limitations in New York provide you three years from the date of the accident to file a car insurance claim for compensation against the other party.
A person under age 18 at the time of the car accident may have a longer amount of time while certain other situations call for a shorter filing time.
With current New York’s no-fault laws, you must initially file an auto insurance or damage claim with your own car insurance company.
The law only allows you to step outside of the no-fault system in case of serious injury, which it defines as the following:
- Bone fracture
- Full disability for 90 days or longer
- A permanent or significant limitation on the use of an organ, body system, body member, or bodily function
- Significant disfigurement
What is the statute of limitations for car accident claims in NY?
The statute of limitations for personal injury in New York requires you to file your car accident case within three years of the date of the car accident.
If you meet the definition of serious injury under New York state’s statute or you feel dissatisfied with the initial settlement offer from your car insurance company meeting this deadline is critical.
The court will refuse to hear your case now and at any point in the future if you miss this deadline.
Since a bodily injury, such as whiplash, concussion, and soft tissue injuries don’t show up right away, we strongly encourage you to seek immediate medical attention even if you don’t seem injured. The attorney for the other party will challenge the legitimacy of your injuries otherwise.
However, there are special circumstances that are exceptions to the amount of time after a car accident you can claim injury.
Exception: Car insurance injury claims against the government
The car accident claim time limits change when you intend to file a claim for compensation for injuries against the state government.
Unlike an accident claim against a private individual where you have three years to make a claim, the government allows just one year from the date of the accident when you intend to sue a city or county.
Additionally, you have 90 days to file a formal complaint in both instances.
When your claim is against the state of New York you have only 90 days to file a personal injury claim, or lawsuit.
The one exception to this is when you haven’t completed medical treatment and therefore don’t have the final figure for your lawsuit against the state. In this case, you have 90 days to file an intent to file a lawsuit.
State law doesn’t indicate a specific timeline for notifying the other party of your intent to file a claim. However, we recommend that you do so as soon as possible for three important reasons.
- Prompt notification allows you to process as well as negotiate the claim according to your own schedule.
- The other party can’t claim ignorance by stating that he or she didn’t have enough time to respond to your claim when you provided plenty of notice. It preserves your right to collect damages by eliminating this defense altogether.
- Notifying the other party doesn’t mean you must follow through with your personal injury lawsuit. It only solidifies your right to do so and potentially bolsters your claim when or if it goes to court.
Additional timing considerations & filing deadlines after a car accident
Several other filing deadlines exist within the general three-year timeline.
For example, an injured person must file the initial report of the accident with the Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days.
This is state law if anyone was killed in the accident, sustained an injury, or one or both drivers incurred more than $1,000 in damages.
Here are several other deadlines that you need to know:
- 30 days to file a claim with your insurance provider under New York’s no-fault laws
- 30 days to file for disability payments in New York
- 90 days to file a notice of claim, if applicable
- 90 days to file a claim with the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC). This agency processes no-fault claims in addition to claims of serious injury by a driver without an auto insurance policy.
Multiple deadlines exist for you to initiate an insurance claim for lost wages. Wether you've been involved in a truck accident, motorcycle accident, or other type of vehicle collision our personal injury attorneys will advise you on how to recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
If you plan to file a claim against the other driver who you feel caused the accident, we recommend doing so as soon as possible with your insurance agent. We also recommend this for supplementary uninsured or underinsured motorist claims.
Learn more about filing a personal injury claim
When filing a personal injury claim it is important to hire an experienced New York City personal injury attorney that has a solid understanding of local, state, and federal requirements for how long do you have to start the claims process.
At Raphaelson & Levine Law Firm, we know a car crash is a challenging time and we want to make things easier for you in any way we can.
Our attorneys pay close attention to all the details of each individual case and will make sure all time limits and deadlines are observed to preserve your rights with the statute of limitations.
If you have questions about New York's car accident claim time limits, property damage, accident report, the adjuster, or are wondering if you can still file a claim, contact an attorney at our firm today for a free consultation.
One of our injury attorneys can give you a good idea of whether you have a personal injury case worth pursuing after listening to the details of your car accident and the time period of the accident.
Please bring as much information as you have available to this initial consultation, including the police report, your medical records, proof of lost income, and the contact information for any witnesses to the accident.
Remember, never leave the scene of the accident and always call Raphaelson & Levine right after a crash of any kind, even a fender bender.
Call 212-268-3222 today for a free lawyer consultation.
