Car Crashes, Defective Products
& Serious Accidents

Nothing is more devastating than a preventable injury caused by someone else’s carelessness. Serious injuries due to car and truck wrecks, pedestrian accidents, defective products, Uber and Lyft collisions, and other accidents can cause lifelong damage. When you have costly medical bills, loss of income, and mental health issues because of an injury through no fault of your own, you deserve justice and compensation.

The attorneys at Santana Law Firm are devoted to fighting for victims. We approach every personal injury case as if it will go to trial, thoroughly investigating your case and crafting an air-tight argument. This better positions us to negotiate with defendants and insurance companies even in cases that are settled. We seek the best possible outcome and maximum damages for every client, and you pay nothing until we win your case.

Don’t try to battle insurance companies or navigate a lawsuit on your own. The experienced New York personal injury lawyers at Santana Law Firm can take on your fight so you can focus on your recovery.

When Can You Sue for Personal Injury?

Personal injury lawsuits are commonly associated with car crashes and slip and fall accidents. However, you can file suit for any type of injury, physical or mental, that was the fault of someone else. If you have proof that another person’s negligence caused you or your loved one’s injury, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Additionally, you can sue even if you are partially at fault for causing your injury. Under New York’s comparative negligence law, injured parties can recover monetary damages if they share some responsibility for the accident. However, their damages may be reduced in proportion to their amount of responsibility. Even if you think you share some fault for your injuries, it is always worthwhile to speak to a lawyer to determine your legal standing. The right lawyer can help minimize your fault, therefore maximizing your damages.

Personal Injury Lawsuit Damages

Although a lawsuit can’t heal your injuries, it can help you recover monetary damages to cover the cost of your losses. Personal injury damages are divided into two categories:

Economic damages can be calculated based on specific costs and estimations, such as medical bills, lost income, and property damage.

Noneconomic damages are more subjective and based on mental/emotional harm. This includes damages for emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and scarring and disfigurement. These damages can sometimes be increased with the help of a persuasive lawyer.

In cases of extreme negligence, the court may also impose punitive damages, which are designed to punish the defendant and deter them from engaging in the same behavior in the future.

The amount of damages you receive is based on the severity of your injury, how long your recovery will take, and any insurance coverage you may have. New York State has no cap on the amount of damages a personal injury plaintiff may receive, so you may be entitled to damages in the thousands or even millions of dollars.

Types of Personal Injury Lawsuits

Personal injury is a broad category of law that encompasses many types of injuries. At Santana Law Firm, we have extensive experience handling auto and truck crashes, pedestrian injuries, Uber and Lyft accidents, defective products, and other serious injury cases.

Auto & Truck Crashes

A vehicle accident can change your life in a split second. Almost 45,000 people in New York City are injured in car and truck collisions each year, and many of these people become permanently disabled or face lifelong mental trauma. Common vehicle accident injuries include:

Whiplash
Paralysis
Neck and spinal injuries
Eye injuries
Concussions and head injuries
Burns
Broken and fractured bones
Amputations

Every NY driver is required to carry auto insurance in case of a crash. Even if you were not responsible for the accident, under New York’s no-fault insurance law, you must seek compensation from your own insurance company first. At this point, many insurance companies do everything they can to avoid paying out a claim. They may force you into accepting a lowball offer or even wrongfully deny your claim.

This is why having a skilled personal injury lawyer on your side is crucial. Santana Law Firm has taken on numerous insurance companies—and their armies of lawyers—and fought to get clients the insurance payout they deserve. Working with our firm can help level the playing field and reduce the stress of dealing with your insurance after an accident.

We can also help you determine who else may be at fault for your injuries. New York’s comparative fault rule allows you to recover damages from anyone who contributes to a car or truck accident. This may include:

Trucking companies
Public transit authorities
Pedestrians
Other car or truck drivers
Motorcyclists
Government agencies responsible for road maintenance
Companies that produced defective auto or truck parts
Bicyclists

Pedestrian Injuries

New York is one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians. Although pedestrian deaths and injuries are on the decline thanks to reduced speed limits and extended traffic signal timing, serious injuries still happen at an alarming rate.

With no seatbelts, helmets, or car bodies to protect them, pedestrians often suffer debilitating, lifelong injuries after being hit, not to mention the trauma of being involved in a potentially deadly accident. The more serious your or your loved one’s injuries, the more damages you are entitled to receive.

Defendants and insurance companies often try to blame pedestrians for their own injuries to avoid paying compensation, arguing that they didn’t follow traffic signals or were distracted by their cell phone. Even if you are partially at fault for the accident, you are still entitled to compensation under New York’s comparative negligence rule. Do not let other parties convince you that you can’t recover money to pay for your medical bills or other injuries.

We can help maximize your compensation by negotiating with insurance companies and identifying the drivers, government agencies, bicyclists, bus drivers, and product manufacturers that had a hand in your accident. Contact our office today to learn your options.

Uber & Lyft Lawsuits

Uber and Lyft accidents may look like any other car wreck at first glance, but recovering compensation in a rideshare lawsuit is more complex than it seems. Whether you are a passenger in an Uber, a pedestrian hit by a rideshare driver, or a driver in another vehicle involved in a Lyft accident, numerous factors will influence your ability to file an insurance claim, initiate a lawsuit, and receive compensation. As a victim, your approach may differ depending on:

Whether the rideshare driver was logged into the Uber or Lyft app at the time of the accident
If the driver was on duty but waiting for a ride request
If the driver was on their way to pick up a passenger
If the driver had a passenger in the vehicle
Whether other negligent parties were involved (ex. bus drivers, motorcyclists, other vehicles, agencies responsible for road repair, etc.)
How and where you were injured, and whether you share any responsibility for the accident

In the event of an accident, Uber and Lyft’s priority is to protect their bottom line. They will do everything they can to deny liability and avoid paying anything to you. Unfortunately, insurance companies and other negligent parties often react similarly.

Because of this complexity, it is essential that you work with a top-notch personal injury lawyer with experience handling Uber and Lyft accident cases in New York. Attempting to resolve this type of dispute on your own will usually result in lowball settlement offers or perhaps no payment at all.

If you’ve suffered injuries in an Uber or Lyft accident, you deserve compensation for your pain, suffering, and medical bills. Santana Law Firm can help you determine your next step.

Serious Injury Cases

As much as we may want to, we can’t live in a bubble. Even the most careful people may become victims of injuries due to someone else’s negligence. We all have a moral duty to watch out for our neighbors and community members, but unfortunately, not everyone takes that duty seriously.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, Santana Law Firm may be able to help you recover compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost income. Our attorneys can assist with:

Bike crashes
Birth injuries
Construction accidents
Medical malpractice
Premises liability (suffering an injury on someone else’s property)
Slip and fall injuries
Subway and train injuries
Workplace accidents

Lawsuits related to these incidents can quickly become complex due to multiple insurance companies, negligent parties, and professional liability that may be involved. Generally, in New York State, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit to recover damages and compensation. However, it’s always wise to contact a lawyer immediately after an accident to give you the best possible chance of earning maximum damages from every negligent party.

At Santana Law Firm, we are devoted to helping injury victims seek justice. Contact our office today for a free, confidential consult.

Defective Products

We purchase and use manufactured products every day, making the reasonable assumption that they will work correctly and not harm us. Yet the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that almost 30 million Americans are injured by unsafe products every year.

Defective products may include:

Household goods
Food products
Drugs and medical devices
Cosmetics
Children’s toys
Auto parts
Appliances
Any other product that injures you

If you have been injured by a defective product, you may be able to recover compensation if you can prove that:

The product had a design defect that made it inherently unsafe
There was a manufacturing defect while the product was being made or assembled
There was a marketing defect so that the product was improperly labeled or sold with inadequate safety warnings or instructions

No matter what product you used or the reason why it was defective, Santana Law Firm can review your case and help you determine the best course of legal action. Don’t suffer from costly medical expenses, disfigurement, lost income, or trauma on your own. If you were injured by a defective product, you deserve fair compensation and justice.

Our NY Personal Injury Lawsuit Process

No matter the severity of your injuries or the facts of your case, we are dedicated to helping every client find a resolution to their suffering. Here’s what sets Santana Law Firm apart from other law firms:

We listen to you. When insurance companies and negligent parties are brushing you off, we take the time to truly listen to you. We have compassion for every personal injury victim and a strong desire to seek the justice you deserve.

We carefully gather documentation. Winning a personal injury case hinges on proper documentation. Therefore, we gather all necessary medical records, medical bills, police records, and insurance policy information and review them carefully to fully understand your case.

We thoroughly investigate the facts. During discovery, we demand and perform a detailed review of all evidence during discovery, including security camera footage, dashcam footage, product packaging, and internal memos. We use this evidence to build a strong case.

We negotiate aggressively on your behalf. We stand up to defendants, insurance companies, and other involved parties to secure the maximum compensation for you. When a settlement is not possible, we are prepared to go to trial and argue on your behalf.

You’ve already faced enough challenges—don’t try to take on a personal injury case alone. The attorneys at Santana Law Firm are experienced, highly respected, and ready to help you move your case forward.

Contact our office as soon as possible after your accident for a free case evaluation. You pay nothing unless we win your case.

Car Crashes, Defective Products & Serious Accidents