Cortland Personal Injury Lawyer

No-Fault / PIP Insurance

N.Y. Ins. Law § 5102–5108

New York is a no-fault state — your own insurer pays first $50,000 in medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. To sue for pain and suffering, you must meet the 'serious injury' threshold (Insurance Law § 5102(d)): death, dismemberment, significant disfigurement, fracture, permanent loss of use, permanent consequential limitation, or significant limitation of use of a body function or system. Understanding this threshold is critical to your case.

Scaffold Law (Labor Law §§ 240, 241)

N.Y. Lab. Law §§ 240(1), 241(6)

New York's 'Scaffold Law' (Labor Law § 240) imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors for gravity-related injuries (falls from heights, falling objects) at construction sites — one of the strongest worker protections in the nation. Labor Law § 241(6) requires compliance with specific Industrial Code safety regulations. These laws make New York uniquely favorable for construction accident claims.

NY Child Victims Act

N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214-g

Created a lookback window for childhood sexual abuse claims regardless of when the abuse occurred. Extended the statute of limitations for future claims to age 55 or 5 years from discovery.

DWI / Driving While Intoxicated

N.Y. V&T Law § 1192

New York's DWI statute sets the BAC limit at .08 for adults (DWAI at .05), .02 for those under 21 (Zero Tolerance). Leandra's Law (V&T Law § 1192-a, 2009) makes it an automatic Class E felony to drive while intoxicated with a child passenger under 16. Implied consent applies — refusal results in automatic 1-year license revocation and a $500 civil penalty. A DWI conviction creates strong evidence of negligence in civil claims.

Mandatory Auto Insurance

N.Y. V&T Law § 311; Ins. Law § 3420

New York requires minimum liability coverage of 25/50/10 ($25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident BI, $10,000 PD) plus $50,000 PIP (no-fault) and mandatory SUM (Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage at minimum BI limits. New York's mandatory SUM coverage provides better baseline protection than most states.

Municipal Notice of Claim (90 Days)

N.Y. Gen. Mun. Law § 50-e

Claims against New York City and other municipalities require a Notice of Claim filed within just 90 days of the incident — far shorter than the standard 3-year SOL. Failure to file timely notice generally bars the claim entirely. Late notice petitions require court permission and are not guaranteed. This makes immediate legal consultation critical for any accident involving a government entity, city bus, or dangerous road condition.

Wrongful Death & Survival Actions

N.Y. E.P.T.L. § 5-4.1 / E.P.T.L. § 11-3.2

New York's wrongful death statute allows recovery of pecuniary losses (lost financial support, funeral expenses) but traditionally does not allow recovery for grief or loss of companionship by the estate. The survival action (EPTL § 11-3.2) allows recovery for the decedent's conscious pain and suffering before death. There is no cap on wrongful death damages.

Dram Shop Liability

N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 11-101; ABC Law § 65

New York's Dram Shop Act (GOL § 11-101) allows injured persons to sue any person who unlawfully sold or assisted in procuring alcohol for an intoxicated person or a minor who subsequently causes injury. ABC Law § 65 prohibits serving visibly intoxicated persons. New York courts have also recognized common-law negligence theories against commercial alcohol servers.

Attorney Advertising Rules

22 NYCRR Part 1200, Rule 7.1–7.5

New York has some of the strictest attorney advertising rules in the nation. All advertisements must include 'Attorney Advertising' labels and 'Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome' disclaimers. Direct solicitation within 30 days of an accident is prohibited.