Staten Island Auto Accident Lawyers

No-fault pays eligible medical bills and part of lost earnings, up to $50,000 of basic economic loss per person, without first proving who caused the crash. A driver or passenger claims against the insurer of the vehicle they were in; a pedestrian against the insurer of the vehicle that struck them. Unknown or uninsured vehicles follow household-policy and MVAIC rules. No-fault does not pay pain and suffering. A crash in New Jersey can follow different rules.

Staten Island is crossed by the Staten Island Expressway and linked to Brooklyn by the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and to New Jersey by three bridges, so a crash can involve a bridge authority, an out-of-state driver or a New Jersey location. Most crashes on Hylan Boulevard, Richmond Avenue or local streets are ordinary claims against a driver. A Staten Island case can be brought in Richmond County when a party lives there or a substantial part of the events happened there.

You can sue the at-fault driver, and in some cases the owner, for economic loss beyond basic no-fault benefits and for property damage. For pain and suffering you generally need a 'serious injury' under Insurance Law 5102(d). For actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, the former 90/180 category no longer applies; the date the lawsuit is commenced, not the crash date, decides which rules apply. An injury lawsuit against a private driver generally must be started within three years.

Move to safety and call 911. Only if you can do it from a safe place, photograph the vehicles, plates and damage and note the lane and nearest exit or sign; never walk into or back into traffic. Get witness contacts, and do not argue about fault. Get medical care, for example at Staten Island University Hospital or Richmond University Medical Center, and keep every record. Give written notice to the applicable no-fault insurer within 30 days, then call us.

For actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, a serious injury means death; dismemberment; significant disfigurement; a fracture; loss of a fetus; permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system; permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member; or significant limitation of use of a body function or system (Insurance Law 5102(d)). The former 90/180 category is historical context for actions commenced before that date.

It depends on fault, the injuries and their proof, and the insurance available; we do not quote ranges. A claim against the at-fault driver can add excess economic loss, property damage and, with a serious injury, pain and suffering. In personal-injury actions under the no-fault law (Insurance Law article 51) commenced on or after May 26, 2026, a claimant more at fault than the defendants is barred, and specified at-fault claimants face a $100,000 non-economic cap, with statutory exceptions including death.

You can file a no-fault claim yourself. A lawyer helps when injuries are serious, fault is disputed, the crash was on a bridge or in New Jersey, or a public body may be responsible and a notice is due. We gather the police report and video, track every deadline, assess the serious-injury question and file suit in the right county. Staten Island is served from our Brooklyn office. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless there is a recovery.

No-fault benefits move on their own claim process. A claim against the at-fault driver usually cannot be valued until treatment shows the long-term picture; if a lawsuit is needed in Richmond County, discovery and court conferences add time. Disputed fault, several defendants or surgery make a case longer. Timing is decided case by case; settling before future care and lost earnings can be estimated can leave costs uncovered, and we do not promise a timetable.

A crash between drivers on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge follows the usual rules: no-fault from the applicable insurer, and any claim against the at-fault driver and, depending on the facts, the owner. The bridge is operated by MTA Bridges and Tunnels. For an injury claim against the authority itself, its statute requires presenting the claim, a notice of claim, and suit within one year and 90 days (Public Authorities Law 569-a); death claims follow separate provisions.

We do not rank roads without data. New York City publishes crash and injury maps through Vision Zero View, which show where crashes are reported. For your case, the road matters for evidence and for who may be responsible: the Staten Island Expressway and the bridges have different records and operators than Hylan Boulevard, Richmond Avenue or Victory Boulevard. We try to request footage and records early, because they can be overwritten.