On Tuesday night October 13, 2015, Suffolk County police began pursuit an intoxicated driver of a 2010 Mercedes at Grand Boulevard and Carlls Straight Path around 10:00 p.m. The officer in pursuit lost sight of the Mercedes but spotted it again on the Long Island Expressway overpass at Dix Hills where it hit a 2011 Dodge Ram.
Newsday also reported that while the male driver of the Dodge Ram was okay, his son was transported to Huntington Hospital. He had minor injuries.
The Mercedes driver also suffered from minor injuries and was charged with driving while intoxicated and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.
Where does an incident like this stand in terms of your rights to compensation under New York law?
New York is a no-fault insurance state. What does this mean? It means no matter who is at fault for causing an accident, your insurance company will cover damages up to a certain limit. The limit is $50,000. For more information, please see our No Fault Insurance Claims page.
Because injuries in this accident were minor, accident victims would not have the right to pursue damages under the NY serious injury threshold established by NY statutes.
When injuries are serious, you should most definitely consult with an experienced accident lawyer as soon as possible. Palermo Tuohy Bruno offers a free consultation to accident victims. Our attorneys explain your rights and the prospects for pursuing compensation. Also, if we take your case, you owe no fees unless we recover through settlement or verdict.
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