Long Island Car Accident Lawyer

Car Accident Lawyer Long Island, NY

If you’ve been in a car crash on Long Island, the days and weeks that follow can feel overwhelming. There’s the pain itself. Then the calls from adjusters, the paperwork from your insurer, and the growing stack of bills from doctors you didn’t plan on seeing. All of it happening while you’re trying to figure out how you’re going to get back to work.

Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP has been representing car accident victims in Nassau County, Suffolk County, and across New York for more than 75 years. Our attorneys handle the insurance companies, build the evidence, and pursue the compensation our clients are owed. We take every car accident case on contingency, which means you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. Our car accident lawyer Long Island, NY clients rely on is ready to review your case at no cost.

Why Choose Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson for Car Accident Cases in Long Island, NY?

Proven Track Record in Car Crash Cases

Car accident claims make up a significant portion of our caseload, and the results reflect that. Our firm has helped clients recover millions of dollars in car accident verdicts and settlements alone, with individual outcomes reaching into the multimillion-dollar range. Across all practice areas, the firm’s total recoveries exceed $200 million. Every case is different, but insurers and defense counsel know we prepare each one as if it’s going to trial.

Attorneys Who Know Long Island Roads and Long Island Courts

Martin Schiowitz, our Founding Partner, co-founded this firm in 1978. He’s spent over 50 years litigating personal injury and car accident cases in New York and has tried claims in courtrooms throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Martin graduated from New York Law School and has been recognized as a peer-selected Super Lawyer, a designation given to the top 5% of practicing attorneys. He is also a member of the NYSTLA and the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Partner Jeremy Schiowitz brings over 16 years of litigation experience to every car accident case. He is licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey, graduated from Brooklyn Law School, and has been named a Super Lawyer every year from 2014 to 2025. Jeremy was also selected for the Top One Percent by the NADC and named one of the 10 Best Attorneys in New York by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. His background includes defense-side litigation, which gives him a clear understanding of the strategies insurance companies use to minimize payouts in car accident claims.

Both attorneys handle car accident cases from initial investigation through trial, and our Long Island injury lawyers are available for a free case evaluation.

You Don’t Pay Unless We Win

We work on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront costs, no retainers, and no hourly billing. Our fee comes from the recovery we obtain. If there’s no recovery, there’s no fee. That structure allows anyone who’s been injured in a car wreck on Long Island to get serious legal representation without financial risk.

What Our Clients Say

★★★★★

“In the beginning I dealt with a firm in Queens. It was a nightmare. In the end, when I saw that I was going nowhere with them I wanted to take my case somewhere else. And I was lucky. Although the previous lawyer provided very negative information about me and my case, Jeremy Schiowitz took his time to know me, to understand the details of my case and eventually he decided to take me as a client. And it was a blessing. He handled all the details of my case very diligently and professionally and we got to the best resolution I could hope for.” — Norbert K

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Long Island

We represent drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in all types of motor vehicle collision claims across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Some of the most common car accident cases our Long Island attorneys handle include:

• Rear-end collisions. These are the most frequent type of crash on Long Island, particularly during rush hour on the LIE and Southern State Parkway. Distracted driving and tailgating are primary causes. Even a low-speed rear-end impact can cause whiplash, herniated discs, and other head and neck injuries that don’t always show symptoms right away.
• Intersection and T-bone crashes. Running red lights, failing to yield, and making unsafe left turns lead to broadside collisions that tend to cause severe injuries. Long Island intersections like Hempstead Turnpike at Merrick Avenue and Jericho Turnpike at Route 110 are among the most dangerous in the region.
• Head-on collisions. Wrong-way driving, lane departures, and impaired driving cause some of the most catastrophic crashes on Long Island. The impact forces in a frontal collision are enormous, and they frequently result in fatal or life-threatening injuries.
• Hit-and-run accidents. Drivers who flee the scene leave victims without immediate recourse. We help clients pursue uninsured motorist claims and work with law enforcement to identify responsible parties.
• Highway and expressway crashes. High-speed accidents on the Long Island Expressway, Southern State Parkway, Sunrise Highway, and Northern State Parkway often involve multiple vehicles and produce severe injuries. We investigate these cases thoroughly, including reviewing traffic camera footage and crash reconstruction data.
• Drunk and impaired driving accidents. If you were hit by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to both compensatory and punitive damages. One-in-three fatal crashes in New York involve a driver above the legal alcohol limit.
• Distracted driving crashes. Texting, phone calls, and in-car distractions are a leading cause of accidents across Long Island. We pursue these claims aggressively, often using cell phone records and witness testimony to prove the other driver wasn’t paying attention.
• Rideshare and taxi accidents. Collisions involving Uber, Lyft, and taxi vehicles involve layered insurance policies. Whether you were the passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian, we identify the correct coverage and pursue maximum compensation.
• Multi-vehicle pileups. Chain-reaction crashes on Long Island highways can involve a dozen or more vehicles. Multiple vehicles can be involved, making fault determination complex.
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims. When the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough coverage, you may still recover through your own policy. We handle these claims and fight for a fair payout from your carrier.

New York Legal Requirements for Car Accident Cases

New York’s car accident laws are different from most states, and those differences matter to your claim.

New York operates under a no-fault insurance system. After a crash, your own insurer pays for initial medical expenses and a portion of lost wages through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, regardless of who caused the collision. PIP covers up to $50,000 in basic economic loss, including medical treatment, up to $2,000 per month in lost earnings, and $25 per day in other necessary expenses, as defined by Insurance Law § 5102.

To file a lawsuit against the driver who caused your accident, your injuries must meet the “serious injury” threshold under that same statute. Qualifying conditions include fractures, permanent loss of use of a body organ or member, significant disfigurement, and injuries that prevent you from performing your normal daily activities for at least 90 of the 180 days after the crash. If your injuries qualify, you can step outside no-fault and pursue a full claim for all damages, including pain and suffering.

The statute of limitations for filing a car accident lawsuit in New York is three years from the date of the crash under CPLR § 214. Claims against a government entity, such as a crash involving a county vehicle or a claim based on dangerous road conditions maintained by a municipality, require a notice of claim within 90 days.

New York also follows a pure comparative fault rule under CPLR § 1411. You can recover damages even if you were partly at fault, but your award is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. A car accident attorney in Long Island can help you present the strongest case for minimizing any fault attributed to you.

What Damages Are Recoverable in Long Island Car Accident Cases?

The damages available in a Long Island car accident claim depend on the severity of your injuries, the impact on your ability to work, and whether the other driver’s conduct was particularly reckless. New York law recognizes three main categories.

Economic damages are the quantifiable financial losses. Medical expenses typically form the bulk of this category: emergency room bills, hospital stays, surgery costs, physical therapy, imaging and diagnostics, prescription medication, and any future treatment your doctors say you’ll need. Lost wages count too, both past and projected. If your injuries prevent you from returning to the same job or working at the same capacity, future earning losses can be substantial. Other economic damages include vehicle repair or replacement costs, transportation expenses for medical visits, and the cost of household help you need during recovery.

Non-economic damages compensate for the things that don’t have a price tag. Physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, loss of sleep, the inability to enjoy activities you used to do. These damages are real, and they’re often the most significant part of a car crash settlement or verdict. There’s no fixed formula, but a Long Island auto accident attorney with trial experience knows how to present these losses persuasively to insurance adjusters and juries.

Punitive damages may apply in limited circumstances. If the at-fault driver was intoxicated, racing, or engaged in conduct that goes well beyond simple negligence, New York courts can award punitive damages designed to punish that behavior and discourage it in others. According to the New York CPLR, these awards are reserved for cases involving willful or wanton misconduct.

What Steps Should I Take After a Car Accident on Long Island?

What you do in the first hours after a car accident can make or break your claim. Our car accident lawyers in Long Island, NY recommend these steps:

1. Get to safety. If you can move, get yourself and your passengers out of traffic. Turn on hazard lights. If the vehicle is blocking traffic and can still be driven, move it to the shoulder.
2. Call 911 immediately. A police report is one of the most important pieces of evidence in any car crash case. Request both police and an ambulance, even if injuries don’t seem severe at first. You’ll need that police report later.
3. Seek medical treatment. Go to the emergency room or urgent care the same day. Adrenaline can mask serious injuries for hours. Getting evaluated immediately creates the medical documentation linking your injuries to the crash.
4. Document everything at the scene. Photographs of damage, skid marks, traffic signals, weather conditions, road defects, and your injuries. Take video if you can. These details fade quickly.
5. Exchange information. Names, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, insurance information, license plates. Get this from every driver involved.
6. Talk to witnesses. If anyone saw the collision, get their name and contact information. Independent witness accounts carry significant weight in disputed liability cases.
7. Do not admit fault. Don’t apologize. Don’t speculate about what happened. Cooperate with police, provide factual answers, and leave the fault determination to investigators and your attorney.
8. Notify your insurance company. New York’s no-fault system requires timely reporting. File your claim, but don’t provide a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer. Adjusters are trained to get statements they can use against you later.
9. Track your losses. Save every medical bill, pharmacy receipt, repair estimate, and record of missed work. Keep a daily journal of your pain levels and limitations. This documentation matters when calculating the full value of your claim.
10. Contact a car accident lawyer. The sooner you have an attorney, the better. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Insurance adjusters will try to settle your claim fast and cheap. An experienced Long Island car accident attorney protects your interests from day one.

Car Accident Statistics on Long Island

The numbers on Long Island are sobering. According to a 2024 report from the NYS Comptroller’s office, motor vehicle fatalities in New York rose 25.8% from 2019 to 2022, reaching 1,175 deaths statewide. That was the highest figure in a decade. Long Island accounted for a disproportionate share: Suffolk County recorded 164 traffic fatalities and Nassau County had 81, making them the two deadliest counties in the entire state.

The increase occurred even as total vehicle miles traveled dropped 7% and the overall number of reported crashes declined 12.5% during the same period. When accidents happen now, they tend to be more severe. The NHTSA attributes this partly to riskier driving behavior that took hold during the pandemic: speeding, impaired driving, and failure to wear seatbelts. Nationally, about one-in-three fatal crashes involve speeding. In New York, NHTSA crash data shows a 45% increase in fatalities involving drivers above the legal blood alcohol limit between 2019 and 2022.

On a typical day, Long Island experiences approximately 83 motor vehicle crashes that result in death or injury. That translates to more than 30,000 reportable collisions per year across Nassau and Suffolk Counties combined. According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes remain among the leading causes of injury-related death in the United States, and Long Island’s fatality rate exceeds the statewide average.

Young drivers are an increasingly significant factor. In 2023, Long Island recorded a record number of traffic deaths among drivers between 16 and 20 years old. Several contributing factors have been identified, including pandemic-era driver training conducted largely online and a general increase in aggressive driving behavior. The New York DMV and Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee continue to focus enforcement resources on the highways and intersections that generate the most crashes.

Long Island Car Accident Lawyer FAQs

How much does a car accident lawyer on Long Island charge?

We charge nothing upfront. Our fee is a percentage of whatever we recover for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. A free consultation is the first step to understanding your options.

What is no-fault insurance and how does it affect my car accident claim?

New York’s no-fault law means your own insurer covers your initial medical bills and lost wages up to $50,000, regardless of who caused the crash. But to sue the at-fault driver for full damages, your injuries have to meet the “serious injury” threshold under state law. An experienced Long Island car crash attorney can evaluate whether your injuries qualify.

How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in New York?

Three years from the date of the accident for most cases. If a government vehicle or roadway defect was involved, you may need to file a notice of claim within 90 days. Missing these deadlines can end your case before it starts.

What is the average car accident settlement on Long Island?

There’s no reliable “average.” Settlement amounts depend on the severity of your injuries, available insurance coverage, liability strength, and whether the case goes to trial. Our firm has recovered individual car accident settlements well into the millions.

Should I talk to the other driver’s insurance company?

No. Anything you say can and will be used to reduce or deny your claim. Let your attorney handle all communication with the at-fault driver’s insurer. That’s what we’re here for.

What if the other driver was uninsured?

You may still have a claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage. New York requires insurers to offer this coverage, and most policies include it. We handle these claims regularly.

Can I recover damages if I was partially at fault?

Yes. New York uses pure comparative negligence, so even if you bear some responsibility, you can still recover. Your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, but you’re not barred from making a claim.

What qualifies as a “serious injury” under New York law?

The statutory definition includes death, dismemberment, significant disfigurement, a fracture, permanent loss of use of a body organ or member, significant limitation of a body function, and a medically determined injury that prevents you from performing your usual activities for at least 90 out of 180 days after the accident.

How long does a car accident case take to resolve?

Some cases settle in a matter of months. Others, particularly those involving severe injuries, disputed liability, or uncooperative insurers, take one to three years. We push every case forward as efficiently as possible while making sure we don’t leave money on the table.

What if my car is totaled but still drivable?

A car is considered totaled when the cost of repairs exceeds its market value. You’re entitled to the vehicle’s fair market value, not the repair cost. If you disagree with the insurer’s valuation, you can challenge it. We help clients cases from other firms and worked them to successful outcomes.

Most Dangerous Locations for Car Accidents on Long Island

Certain roads on Long Island account for a disproportionate number of crashes and fatalities year after year. Knowing these locations won’t prevent every accident, but it helps explain why Long Island’s crash numbers remain so high.

The Southern State Parkway was built in 1927 and carries over 200,000 vehicles daily. It was never designed for that kind of volume. The stretch between exits 13 and 19, known locally as “Blood Alley,” is one of the most dangerous corridors on the island. Low overpasses near exit 18 cause recurring crashes with oversized commercial vehicles. The Long Island Expressway (I-495) sees clusters of fatal collisions near the Sunken Meadow interchange and around Holtsville. Sunrise Highway, particularly through Bay Shore and West Islip, is another high-incident corridor.

At the intersection level, Hempstead Turnpike and Merrick Avenue in East Meadow records over 40 crashes per year. Jericho Turnpike and Route 110 in Huntington Station averages over 200 annual accidents. Deer Park Avenue at Jericho Turnpike in Deer Park has been the site of multiple serious and fatal collisions. The towns of Hempstead and Brookhaven consistently lead Long Island in total traffic fatalities, averaging about 35 and 34 fatal crashes per year respectively.

What Are Important Local Resources for Long Island Car Accidents?

The following resources may be helpful if you’ve been injured in a car accident on Long Island. Inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement by Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson, LLP.

• Nassau County Police Department — (516) 573-7000
• Suffolk County Police Department — (631) 852-6000
• NYU Langone Hospital–Long Island (Level 1 Trauma Center, Mineola) — (516) 663-0333
• Stony Brook University Hospital (Level 1 Trauma Center, Stony Brook) — (631) 444-4000
• Good Samaritan University Hospital (Level 1 Trauma Center, West Islip) — (631) 376-3000
• NYS Department of Health — Directory of designated trauma centers across New York
• New York State Courts — Information on Nassau and Suffolk County Supreme Courts
• NYS DMV Accident Report — MV-104 form for self-reporting crashes to the DMV

Contact Isaacson, Schiowitz & Korson

If you or someone close to you has been hurt in a car accident on Long Island, we want to hear from you. Our car accident lawyers in Long Island, NY offer free consultations, and we only collect a fee if we recover compensation on your behalf. We respond promptly and make ourselves available throughout the process because we know how stressful this time can be. Contact our firm to discuss your case.