Motor Vehicle Litigation
A lawsuit is required when liability is in dispute. The defendant has the right to respond to the complaint.
New York follows pure comparative fault rules, which means that when a jury finds you responsible for an accident, your damages award will be reduced by your percentage of negligence. This rule does not apply to owners of vehicles which are rented out or leased to minors.
Duty of Care
In a negligence suit the plaintiff must show that the defendant owed them a duty to exercise reasonable care. This duty is owed to all people, however those who operate a vehicle have an even greater obligation to others in their field. This includes not causing accidents in motor vehicle accidents vehicles.
In courtrooms the standard of care is established by comparing an individual’s conduct against what a normal individual would do under similar circumstances. This is why expert witnesses are frequently required in cases involving medical malpractice. Experts who have a greater understanding of particular fields may be held to a higher standard of care.
A breach of a person’s duty of care can cause harm to the victim or their property. The victim is then required to demonstrate that the defendant’s violation of duty caused the damage and injury they sustained. The proof of causation is an essential part of any negligence case and involves considering both the actual cause of the injury or damages as well as the reason for the injury or damage.
For instance, if someone runs a red light there is a good chance that they will be hit by a vehicle. If their car is damaged they’ll be accountable for repairs. The real cause of an accident could be a brick cut that causes an infection.
Breach of Duty
The second element of negligence is the breach of duty by a defendant. This must be proved in order to be awarded compensation for a personal injury claim. A breach of duty is when the actions of the at-fault person are not in line with what an ordinary person would do in similar circumstances.
For instance, a doctor has a variety of professional obligations to his patients based on the law of the state and licensing boards. Drivers are obliged to protect other motorists as well as pedestrians, and to obey traffic laws. Any driver who fails to adhere to this duty and causes an accident is responsible for the victim’s injuries.
Lawyers can rely on the «reasonable person» standard to establish the existence of the duty of care, and then show that the defendant failed to comply with the standard in his actions. It is a question of fact for Motor Vehicle Accident Law Firm the jury to decide if the defendant fulfilled the standard or not.
The plaintiff must also prove that the breach of duty by the defendant was the direct cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. It can be more difficult to prove this than a breach of duty. A defendant may have run through a red light but that’s not what caused the bicycle accident. The issue of causation is often challenged in a crash case by defendants.
Causation
In motor vehicle accident law firm vehicle-related cases, the plaintiff must establish a causal link between defendant’s breach and motor vehicle Accident law firm their injuries. For example, if the plaintiff suffered an injury to his neck in a rear-end collision and his or her lawyer will claim that the collision caused the injury. Other factors that are essential in causing the collision like being in a stationary car, are not culpable and will not affect the jury’s decision of the liability.
It can be difficult to establish a causal relationship between an act of negligence and the psychological symptoms of the plaintiff. It could be that the plaintiff has a turbulent past, has a bad relationship with their parents, or is a user of alcohol or drugs.
If you have been in a serious Motor Vehicle accident law firm vehicle accident, it is important to speak with an experienced attorney. The lawyers at Arnold & Clifford, LLP, have extensive experience in representing clients in personal injury as well as commercial and business litigation, and motor vehicle accident cases. Our lawyers have formed working relationships with independent physicians in various specialties, as well as experts in computer simulations as well as reconstruction of accidents.
Damages
In motor vehicle litigation, a person can get both economic and non-economic damages. The first type of damages includes all costs that can easily be summed up and calculated into a total, for example, medical treatment or lost wages, repair to property, and even financial loss, for instance a diminished earning capacity.
New York law also recognizes the right to recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, which cannot be reduced to a monetary amount. However the damages must be proved to exist through extensive evidence, such as deposition testimony of the plaintiff’s close family members and friends, medical records, and other expert witness testimony.
In cases involving multiple defendants, Courts will often use the rules of comparative negligence to determine how much of the damages awarded should be divided between them. The jury must decide the percentage of fault each defendant is accountable for the incident and then divide the total amount of damages awarded by the same percentage. However, New York law 1602 disqualifies vehicle owners from the rule of comparative negligence in cases where injuries are sustained by drivers of cars or trucks. The process to determine if the presumption of permissiveness is complicated. Most of the time it is only a clear evidence that the owner refused permission for the driver to operate the vehicle can be sufficient to overturn the presumption.