The Long Island Expressway, Northern State Parkway, and Southern State Parkway are among the most congested corridors in the country, and the toll in serious crashes, involving passenger cars, motorcycles, and commercial trucks, is significant. Whether the collision happened near an interchange in Nassau County or on a stretch of I-495 in Suffolk County, New York's unique insurance framework governs every claim from the moment of impact.

Why Gold & Gold in New York

Gold & Gold's New York office is located at 900 Walt Whitman Road, Suite 310, in Melville, at the heart of Long Island's legal and commercial corridor. Partner Jonathan E. Gold leads the office and brings years of insurance-defense experience to the plaintiff side, giving our team an inside view of how carriers evaluate and contest claims across Nassau and Suffolk counties and into New York City.

New York courts, deadlines & rules

New York operates under a No-Fault insurance system (Insurance Law Article 51). Regardless of fault, your own insurer covers initial medical bills and lost wages, but to sue for pain and suffering you must cross the serious injury threshold defined in Insurance Law Section 5102(d), which includes significant disfigurement, fracture, or a medically determined impairment that limits daily activities for at least 90 of the 180 days following the accident. New York's pure comparative negligence rule (CPLR 1411) means your recovery is reduced in proportion to your own fault but is never barred entirely, a meaningful distinction from states that cut off recovery at 50 or 51 percent. The personal-injury statute of limitations is 3 years (CPLR 214). Long Island cases are venued in New York Supreme Court, Nassau County (Mineola) or Suffolk County (Riverhead), depending on where the accident occurred or where the defendant resides.

Common auto, motorcycle & trucking cases we see in New York

  • Multi-vehicle pile-ups on the LIE (I-495) between exits 40 and 70 in Nassau and western Suffolk
  • Motorcycle crashes on the Southern State Parkway caused by aggressive lane changes
  • Commercial-truck accidents at distribution centers and interchanges in central Suffolk County
  • Rear-end collisions during rush-hour congestion on the Northern State Parkway
  • Hit-and-run accidents in Nassau County where UM/SUM coverage becomes critical
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still have a case if New York's No-Fault insurance already paid my medical bills?
Yes, No-Fault covers your immediate economic losses, but a separate personal-injury lawsuit for pain, suffering, and excess economic damages is still available if your injuries meet the Section 5102(d) serious-injury threshold. The two claims run on parallel tracks.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit in New York after a car accident?
Three years from the date of the accident under CPLR 214. However, your No-Fault application must be filed within 30 days of the accident, and failure to do so can jeopardize those benefits. Contact us promptly to protect both tracks of your claim.
What if the truck driver who hit me was working for a carrier based outside New York?
Federal motor-carrier regulations apply nationwide, so out-of-state carriers must still comply with hours-of-service, weight, and maintenance rules. We pursue the driver, the carrier, and any broker or shipper whose negligence contributed to the crash, whether they are based in New York or elsewhere.