Long Island, Manhattan Accident Attorney Blog

These Mistakes Can Cause Serious Injuries to Children in a New York Car Accident

We all make mistakes.  After all, no one is perfect.  However, making a mistake when it comes to child safety seats can be deadly.  Below are some tips to help keep your child safe in an auto accident.

1.    Always use a child safety restraint.  Child safety seats significantly reduce the risk of fatal injury.  According to AAA, safety seats can lower the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers.
2.    Read the instructions that come with the safety seat.  Did you know that eight out of ten car seats are not installed correctly? 
3.    Ensure that the car seat is tight.  A properly installed car seat should not move more than one inch in any direction.
4.    The safety seat harness should be snug.  The harness should be snug and should lie flat.  Harnesses should be at or below your child’s shoulders when rear-facing and at or above the shoulders when forward facing.
5.    Secure loose items in the car.  A loose item in the car, such as a diaper bag, laptop bag or hard object, can cause serious injuries in a crash.  Make sure to secure these items.

If you or your child has been injured in a car accident in Long Island, New York City, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island or other area in New York, contact the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 for a free legal consultation. 

Things You Should NEVER Do After a New York Auto Accident

Have you been injured in a New York auto accident?  If so, be careful that you don’t do something that will wreck your chances of receiving compensation for your injuries.

The first thing you must never do after a car accident in New York, is leave the accident scene.  You are required to stop, even if you think there is no damage or injuries.

The insurance company will contact you following a collision and may ask you to give a recorded statement.  Insurers have been known to call accident victims within days after the crash.  It is hard to know the full extent of your injuries right away and you could end up saying something that will hurt your chances of recovering a fair settlement.  Don’t give a recorded statement until you talk with a New York auto accident lawyer.

If you are offered a settlement by the insurance company right away or if the insurance company is asking you to sign papers pretty soon after the accident, that should tell you something.  The insurer is out to protect its own interests, not yours.  Talk to a New York auto accident attorney before signing anything.

Don’t wait to seek medical attention following a crash.  You may think your injuries are minor, but the symptoms of a serious injury can take a while to surface.  Medical records may also be needed to obtain compensation.

What you should do after a serious New York car accident is contact a New York accident attorney who can help you.  Call the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.