Who Is Liable In a Weather-Related Accident in New York?

When rain and snow start to fall, there’s more chances for car accidents to occur. In New York, where we experience some of the most dangerous weather, it’s vital to recognize what rights you have if you suffer a crash involving bad weather conditions.

In many situations, injured individuals don’t even recognize what rights they have because they feel that the cause of the accident was the weather. However, liability can still play a role, and we’ll explain how you may move forward with pursuing compensation.

Proving Negligence in Weather-Related Crashes

Even in a crash involving bad weather, one driver can still be negligent. While New York operates on no-fault laws, a severe injury threshold exists to help individuals hold someone else accountable for causing some of the most catastrophic injuries. Here are some of the situations that can lead to you filing a car accident lawsuit against someone else in a crash involving terrible weather:

• Failure to maintain: If a driver fails to maintain their vehicle, any crash resulting because of it can make a driver liable. For instance, if the driver who caused the accident is unable to see because he or she has worn windshield wipers.
• Driving unsafe for conditions: Sometimes in snow and rain, even the speed limit is too fast. Drivers must consider weather conditions when determining how fast to drive and how much space to give other drivers on the road.
• Tailgating too closely: You should give the driver in front of you enough time to brake when approaching traffic. In terrible weather, you must give even more space because the slippery roads make it more difficult to stop.

If you can show that the other driver was responsible for your severe and catastrophic injuries, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Our Long Island car accident lawyers at The Odierno Law Firm, P.C. are here for you every step of the way. Your rights will be our top priority, and we do everything we can to give you peace of mind throughout the process.

Contact our firm today at (631) 752-8580.