Albany Car Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a car accident that someone else caused in Albany, NY?

At Buttafuoco & Associates, we build car accident claims on proof of fault, not on the insurance company’s first offer.

If you were injured in a car accident that another driver caused in Albany, our Albany, NY car accident lawyer can establish liability and pursue the compensation you are owed. At Buttafuoco & Associates, we work to identify the driver or drivers at fault and to document the full extent of your injuries, so that the claim reflects everything the crash has cost you, from medical care to lost income. Much of that work begins soon after the crash, while the evidence needed to prove fault is still available.

Car Accident Lawyer Albany, NY

A car accident case rests on two questions: who was at fault, and what the injuries are worth. Fault is established through the evidence of how the crash occurred, including the police report, statements from independent witnesses, photographs of the vehicles and the scene, and any traffic citation issued. Because that evidence can be lost quickly, gathering it soon after the crash is important to building an accurate account of what happened. The value of the claim depends on the nature of the injuries and their lasting effects. A full medical picture is needed before the claim can be assessed accurately, since some injuries develop or worsen in the weeks that follow.

Nationwide, there were about 6.1 million police-reported traffic crashes in 2023, and more than 2.4 million people were injured, according to national crash data. Albany County residents are injured on the Northway, on I-90, and on local roads every year; the state publishes Albany County traffic data documenting these crashes. When another driver’s negligence caused the harm, our Albany car accident attorneys work to prove both fault and the full extent of the injuries.

Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Albany

Car crashes take many forms and cause many kinds of injury. We handle Albany car accident claims that include:

• Rear-end and intersection collisions. These are among the most common crashes, and fault often comes down to which driver had the right of way or was following too closely.
• Head-on, wrong-way, and hit-and-run crashes. These crashes tend to cause the most serious injuries, and a hit-and-run may require identifying the driver or turning to your own uninsured-motorist coverage.
• Truck accidents. A crash between a passenger car and a commercial truck involves greater force and, often, more than one responsible party.
• Motorcycle accidents. Drivers who fail to see a motorcyclist can cause severe harm, and riders are often unfairly blamed for the crash.
• Bus accidents. Passengers and other drivers injured in a bus crash may have a claim against a private company or a public transit authority.
• Back injuries. The force of a collision often damages the discs and vertebrae of the spine.
• Neck injuries. Whiplash and cervical disc injuries are common even in lower-speed crashes.
• Brain injuries. A blow or jolt to the head in a crash can cause a concussion or a more serious traumatic brain injury.

Why Choose Buttafuoco & Associates as Your Car Accident Lawyer in Albany, NY?

Preparation That Insurers Take Seriously

Mark Freeley has spent more than twenty years on the firm’s motor vehicle cases and has taken nearly 1,000 depositions and negotiated hundreds of six- and seven-figure settlements. He prepares each case as though it will be tried, an approach that matters because an insurer weighs the odds of trial when it decides what a claim is worth. Mr. Freeley is a member of the New York Trial Attorneys Association. Our personal injury lawyer in Albany, NY can pursue every source of recovery in complicated car accident claims.

Car Accident Verdicts and Settlements

The firm’s attorneys have recovered millions of dollars in motor vehicle cases. Past car accident results include:

• A $1,425,000 settlement for a driver whose car was rear-ended at a red light, resulting in a herniated disc and surgery.
• A $1,220,000 verdict for a passenger injured when another driver ran a red light.
• A $650,000 settlement for a driver struck by a vehicle that crossed two lanes of traffic, requiring cervical fusion surgery.
• A $240,000 settlement for a driver whose parked car was struck by a driver who lost control, causing herniated cervical discs.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What Is Important to Understand About a Car Accident Case?

What Is the Timeline of a Car Accident Case?

The path of a car accident case is fairly consistent. In the days after the crash, we obtain the police report, identify witnesses, and preserve photographs and vehicle evidence before they are lost. We also advise you to document your treatment from the outset, because gaps in care give the insurer an argument. We then present the claim to the insurer. Many cases settle at this stage, but only once the injuries and their long-term effects are clear. If the insurer will not offer fair value, we file suit and move through discovery and depositions. Most claims resolve before a verdict, though the readiness to try the case is often what produces a fair settlement.

What Are Important Aspects of a Car Accident Case?

The central issue in most car accident cases is fault, and it is proven with evidence gathered close to the crash. The record that establishes who was responsible usually includes:

• The police accident report and any citation issued at the scene.
• Statements from independent witnesses who saw the collision.
• Photographs of the vehicles, the damage, and the roadway.
• The physical evidence of the crash, such as skid marks and the point of impact.

When that evidence is preserved early, an adjuster has far less room to argue that you were at fault. Insurers also tend to make a low first offer, sometimes before the full extent of an injury is known. Accepting it usually forecloses any further recovery, which is why the value of a claim should be assessed only after the medical picture is clear. An offer that seems generous early can fall short once surgery, lost income, or a lasting limitation is accounted for.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation in a Car Accident Case

Liability in a car accident follows ordinary negligence: a driver who fails to use reasonable care and causes a crash is responsible for the resulting harm. Compensation can cover medical bills, both past and future, lost earnings and lost earning capacity, the cost of vehicle repair, and pain and suffering. If you are found partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share, but you are not barred from recovering. Most car accident claims must be filed within New York’s three-year limit for personal injury actions, and missing that deadline usually ends the case. Suits arising from Albany crashes are generally brought in Albany’s Supreme Court.

What Should You Bring to a Consultation?

A first meeting is most productive when you bring what you already have: the police report or its reference number, the names and insurers of the other drivers, any photographs from the scene, and your medical records or bills. If you have received letters or calls from an insurance company, bring those as well, and it is usually best not to give a recorded statement before you have spoken with a lawyer. You do not need to have everything in order to call. The first consultation is free, and if the insurer’s offer is already fair, we will say so.

Reach Out to Buttafuoco & Associates to Schedule a Consultation

A car accident claim is worth what the evidence can prove, not what an adjuster first offers. At Buttafuoco & Associates, we build that proof and pursue the full value of the claim. Contact us to speak with our Albany car accident lawyer about the crash and your options. The first consultation is free.