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Our community has been struck by yet another heartbreaking tragedy. On Thursday afternoon, a two-vehicle collision on Route 25A in Wading River resulted in the death of one driver and injuries to another. At approximately 2:40 p.m., a 2015 Chevrolet traveling eastbound on Middle Country Road collided with a 2010 Toyota traveling westbound. Emergency crews from the Wading River Fire Department responded swiftly, working to extract both drivers from their vehicles. Both were transported to the hospital. Sadly, the driver of the Chevrolet succumbed to her injuries. This devastating incident is a painful reminder of the dangers present on our roadways every day. A recent investigation revealed that over the past decade, more than 2,100 people have died as a result of motor vehicle collisions on Long Island. More than 16,000 individuals sustained serious injuries during that same period. Common causes of these tragic crashes include speeding, running red lights, distracted driving, impaired driving, vehicle defects, and poorly maintained roadways. Why Car Accident Victims Need an Experienced Lawyer After a serious accident, victims and their families are often left overwhelmed — dealing with physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial burdens. Insurance companies may attempt to minimize claims, delay payouts, or even deny rightful compensation. This is why working with an experienced car accident lawyer is so important. A skilled car accident attorney can help by: Investigating the crash and gathering critical evidence Communicating with insurance companies on your behalf Calculating the full extent of your damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering Negotiating a fair settlement or taking your case to trial if necessary Helping you navigate complex legal procedures so you can focus on healing Having knowledgeable legal support can make a major difference in the outcome of your case. How Miller, Montiel & Strano, P.C. Can Help At Miller, Montiel & Strano, P.C., we have decades of experience representing car accident victims throughout Long Island and the surrounding areas. We are committed to fighting for the maximum compensation our clients deserve and holding negligent parties accountable. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you don't have to face the aftermath alone. Let our experienced team stand by your side, guide you through the process, and work tirelessly to protect your future. Contact Miller, Montiel & Strano, P.C. today for a free consultation and learn how we can help you seek justice.

Within just a few hours on Monday, six serious crashes across Long Island left three people dead and several others injured. Each of these incidents highlights how quickly tragedy can strike on local roadways. As personal injury lawyers serving Long Island and Nassau County, our team at Miller, Montiel & Strano understands the life-changing impact of these collisions and the need for answers, accountability, and fair compensation. For a free consultation, contact us online or call 516-363-5003 today. Intersection Collisions and Motorcycle Accidents In Lindenhurst, a police officer on a Harley Davidson motorcycle was escorting a funeral procession when struck by a Toyota Tundra. Intersection collisions like this are often caused by drivers who run red lights, fail to yield, or ignore emergency vehicles. Speeding, distraction, or limited visibility can turn an ordinary drive into a devastating crash. Victims of these incidents deserve help from a motorcycle accident lawyer who can investigate the cause and fight for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For a free consultation, contact us online or call 516-363-5003 today. Hit-and-Run Accidents and Pedestrian Injuries In Southampton, a driver struck and killed a pedestrian before fleeing the scene. Police later arrested the driver, but the damage was already done. Hit-and-run accidents often involve intoxication, inattention, or reckless indifference to human life. When pedestrians are injured or killed, their families deserve justice. Speaking with a Long Island pedestrian accident attorney can help victims hold negligent drivers accountable and recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and emotional trauma. Speeding and Mechanical Failures in Car and Truck Crashes In Yaphank, a speeding vehicle crossed into oncoming lanes and crashed into trees, leaving one passenger dead. Speed is one of the most common factors in fatal car and truck accidents across Long Island. Sometimes, mechanical failures such as defective brakes or steering systems are also to blame. A thorough investigation by a car accident lawyer can determine if a defective part or negligent maintenance contributed to the collision and identify all liable parties. Health Emergencies Behind the Wheel In Carle Place, not far from our Garden City office, a driver died after veering off the Northern State Parkway. While some crashes stem from driver error, others result from sudden medical emergencies like heart attacks or strokes. Passengers and other motorists injured in such crashes may still be able to pursue a personal injury claim if another party’s negligence contributed. A Nassau County injury attorney can help evaluate the circumstances and determine your rights. For a free consultation, contact us online or call 516-363-5003 today. Driveway and Right-of-Way Collisions In St. James, a driver was critically injured while pulling out of a driveway. These incidents often occur when drivers fail to yield or when their view is obstructed by trees, parked cars, or shrubbery. Common causes include distraction, impatience, or poor judgment of distance. If you’ve been injured in a right-of-way crash or driveway accident, a Garden City personal injury lawyer can help you seek fair compensation for your injuries and property damage. Pedestrian Knockdowns at Night In Shirley, a pedestrian was struck while crossing William Floyd Parkway late at night and was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital. Collisions in darkness are frequently linked to poor visibility, defective headlights, or driver inattention. Pedestrian victims often face long recoveries and financial strain. A Long Island accident lawyer can help injured pedestrians recover compensation for medical care, lost wages, and long-term effects. How Miller, Montiel & Strano Help Accident Victims For over 40 years, our firm has represented clients throughout Long Island in car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accident cases. When you hire us, we immediately begin investigating to determine what happened, who is at fault, and what insurance coverages apply. We file No-Fault applications quickly so clients receive benefits for hospital and medical expenses without delay. From start to finish, we handle every aspect of the case so our clients can focus on recovery. If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash in Nassau County, Suffolk County, or Garden City, contact us online or call 516-363-5003 today. We’re ready to help you pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.

After a construction site accident in Long Island, NY, there are things a personal injury attorney can do to help you recover compensation. How a Personal Injury Attorney in Long Island, NY Can Help You Recover Compensation After a Construction Accident Investigating Everything Your attorney will look at the full circumstances of the incident and identify every party whose actions or omissions contributed to the harm you suffered. That way, your lawyer will be able to see whether New York labor law provisions apply and what options there might be for bringing a personal injury claim. Because construction sites often have multiple contractors, subcontractors, property owners, and equipment suppliers involved, it's important to map out the relationships among them so that no potential source of recovery is overlooked.Workers' compensation may already be providing you with some limited medical coverage and partial wage replacement, but your attorney can evaluate whether a separate third-party claim can proceed against other entities besides your direct employer. Negligence by another contractor, a property owner, or a manufacturer of defective equipment can all be causes for bringing a claim, and a third-party claim like that can get you more than workers' comp allows, including full lost earnings and compensation for your pain and suffering. Managing Communications Insurers like to contact victims directly and ask questions or request statements that are designed to get you to make a mistake and say something they can use against you. Your lawyer protects you throughout the process by managing all communications with insurance carriers and opposing counsel. When settlement discussions stall, your attorney can also prepare and file a lawsuit if necessary and represent you in court. Collecting and Preserving Important Evidence Your lawyer will direct the collection and preservation of all evidence that could otherwise disappear once the work resumes. If you contact a lawyer quickly, they can arrange for photographs, measurements, and expert inspections of scaffolding, ladders, and machinery. They'll also collect any witness statements quickly and secure any OSHA investigation reports or citations. Assessing the Full Impact Another important way your attorney maximizes your claim is by calculating the full economic impact of the injury. This requires assembling all your medical records, projecting the cost of any future treatments, and calculating both your past wage loss and any permanent reduction in earning capacity you might suffer due to the injuries. Then they'll develop your non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life through detailed documentation of how the injury has affected you and all the relevant medical evidence. Talk to an Experienced Attorney Today Visit Miller, Montiel & Strano today to set up a free, no-obligation consultation, or call us at 516-363-5003. Partners at our firm handle every matter personally rather than delegating to junior staff, so you can be confident that an experienced attorney will be protecting your right to the full compensation the law allows you. We serve victims across Long Island and throughout New York City.

After an accident leaves you hurt, you can bring a personal injury claim here in Nassau County, but there are deadlines. Talk to a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can to make sure you know what your rights are and protect them. From a Nassau County Personal Injury Lawyer: Deadlines and Other Issues What's a Statute of Limitations? This is a law that places a time limit on when you can bring a civil action in court. Once that period ends, you typically lose any right to sue for damages, no matter how strong your case might be. In New York, you have three years from the date of the accident itself to bring a claim in most cases of personal injury. The clock starts on the day the event occurs. For medical malpractice, you must begin the action within two years and six months of the act, omission, or failure that caused the harm or from the end of continuous treatment for the same condition. Wrongful-death actions must be filed within two years of the date of death. When the Defendant Is Government When the potential defendant is a city, county, town, village, school district, or similar public entity, you have to give notice of your intent to bring a claim within ninety days. That notice is a condition precedent, which means that if you don't get it done, you can't bring a lawsuit later. After the notice is properly served, the lawsuit itself must be started within one year and ninety days. Exceptions for Minors and Similar Minors and those with a qualifying legal disability at the time they are injured have more time to bring their claim. For as long as a person is legally disqualified from bringing an action (because of being under 18, for example, or because they are disabled), the clock on the statute of limitations is paused. It starts running only when the person becomes legally capable. For a child injured before age eighteen, the three-year period starts on their 18th birthday. For someone in a coma, the clock would begin as soon as they wake up and have the mental capacity to make decisions again. Other Exceptions If a defendant leaves the state to avoid the issue and can't be reached, the clock effectively stops until they can be reached. If it's discovered that the defendant fraudulently concealed their culpability, this can also sometimes extend the time. Exceptions are narrow, however, and it's never wise to assume that you will qualify for one. It's always best to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. If you have been injured, the safest course of action is to get a review of the facts while the records are still fresh. Contact us now at Miller, Montiel & Strano in Garden City, NY for a free consultation on your case. Our firm is one of just 5% across New York to have been named Super Lawyers, and we've been protecting victims here in New York City for over 50 years.

Public property injuries are a type of premises liability issue, but they come with extra steps because the government is involved. You need to act fast, talk to a lawyer, and gather solid evidence right away. Local and state governments have a duty to maintain sidewalks, parks, roads, transit stations, and public buildings, and if a dangerous condition like a broken sidewalk, icy patch, pothole, or poor lighting causes your injury—and the government entity responsible for it either knew or should have known about the condition—you may have a valid claim. You must show the public entity owed you a duty of care, breached it by failing to fix or warn about the hazard, and that this breach directly caused your injuries. Unlike with certain private property cases, you cannot assume liability just because you fell. In many cases, the key will be proving there was notice of the hazard. This can be actual (someone told the government about the issue, and there's a record of that report) or constructive (the government should have known about it in the ordinary course of regular inspections). Special Rules When Suing Government Entities Under New York General Municipal Law, you typically must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the injury. This written notice must explain the details of what happened, where and when the incident occurred, the nature of your injuries, and the damages you are seeking. If you don't file this notice within the required timeframe, you may lose your right to pursue compensation. A typical Notice of Claim includes information such as: The date, time, and exact location of the incident A description of the dangerous condition that caused the injury How the accident occurred The injuries sustained The name of the injured person A general description of the damages being claimed Although the Notice of Claim does not need to include every piece of evidence or every legal argument, it should be accurate and complete. Missing information or errors can create unnecessary obstacles later in the claims process. After the Notice of Claim is filed, the government entity generally has 30 days to request a hearing under General Municipal Law § 50-h, where the injured person may be asked questions about the incident before a lawsuit can proceed. In most cases, you then have one year and 90 days from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit against a city, county, town, or village. This deadline is significantly shorter than the three-year statute of limitations that typically applies to personal injury claims against private property owners. Different Government Agencies Have Different Rules One of the biggest mistakes injured individuals make is assuming every government agency follows the same procedures. In reality, filing requirements can vary depending on who owns or maintains the property where the injury occurred. For example, claims involving the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) generally require a Notice of Claim within 90 days, but the Transit Authority has its own procedures and requirements that differ from those of the City of New York. Similarly, counties, towns, villages, school districts, and other public authorities may each have their own rules governing where and how a Notice of Claim must be served. Determining the correct government entity is critical. A sidewalk, roadway, park, or transit station may be maintained by a city, county, state agency, or public authority. Filing your claim with the wrong agency can result in delays—or worse, dismissal of your claim. Federal property, such as a United States Post Office or other federally owned buildings, is governed by the Federal Tort Claims Act, which follows an entirely different administrative claims process and deadlines. Because identifying the proper defendant is not always straightforward, consulting an experienced attorney as soon as possible can help ensure your claim is directed to the correct agency from the start. Common Mistakes That Can Prevent a Successful Claim Government claims are highly procedural, and even otherwise valid cases can be dismissed because of technical errors. Some of the most common pitfalls include: Missing the 90-day Notice of Claim deadline Filing the Notice of Claim with the wrong government agency Naming the wrong defendant in the claim or lawsuit Providing inaccurate or incomplete information about the accident Failing to preserve evidence such as photographs, witness information, or medical records Waiting too long to speak with an attorney While courts may, in limited circumstances, allow a late Notice of Claim, these requests are discretionary and far from guaranteed. It is always safest to assume the 90-day deadline is firm and act immediately after an accident. From a New York Accident Lawyer: Building a Strong Claim To improve your chances of recovering compensation: Work with experienced counsel who has handled claims against cities, counties, and other government entities. Report the dangerous condition as soon as possible if it has not already been documented. Photograph the accident scene before the condition changes or is repaired. Save every piece of evidence, including medical records, receipts, and correspondence. Keep a daily journal documenting your pain levels, limitations, and how the injury affects your daily life. Attend all medical appointments and follow your treatment plan. Avoid discussing your case with insurance representatives or government investigators before consulting your attorney. Taking these steps early can help preserve important evidence and strengthen your claim. Don't Wait to Protect Your Rights You have real rights when you're injured on public property, but the process is time-sensitive, and the procedural requirements are far more complex than in a typical premises liability case. Missing a deadline or filing against the wrong government entity can jeopardize an otherwise valid claim. If you've been injured on public property, contact Miller, Montiel & Strano, PC at 516-363-5003 as soon as possible. Our attorneys have decades of experience representing injury victims throughout New York and understand the unique rules governing claims against government entities. Not sure whether your Notice of Claim has been prepared correctly or whether you've identified the proper government agency? Contact us today for a free Notice-of-Claim review. We'll evaluate your situation, answer your questions, and help you take the next steps to protect your rights before critical deadlines expire.

Having to deal with an insurance adjuster after an accident can be frustrating and leave you feeling vulnerable. The adjuster usually cares about the insurance company's bottom line more than your needs, and they're trained to ask questions in ways that will get you to say things they can use to deny or devalue your claim. Talk to an accident lawyer in New York right away so you have someone on your side to handle those conversations and protect what you deserve. The Role of the Insurance Adjuster Insurance adjusters work for the company that pays the claim, and their main job is to investigate what happened and settle the claim for as little as possible (ideally, nothing, if they can deny it altogether). They review police reports, talk to witnesses, check your medical records, and overall just look for ways to reduce their company's liability. You might think the adjuster wants to help you get fair payment, and they talk a good talk sometimes. But in reality, they answer to their employer, whose goal is to pay as little as possible. The Role of Your Accident Lawyer in New York Having a lawyer levels the playing field. A lawyer who has been down this road before knows the patterns and what these companies are up to, and won't let quick pressure tactics influence your decisions. Common Tactics Adjusters Use "Can I Record You?" Adjusters love to record calls, either asking quickly in passing or sometimes even without clear notice at all. They do this so they can ask questions that encourage you to say something that hurts your case. With the call recorded, they can then review it endlessly to evaluate whether there's something they can use, and anything you say later can be compared against the call to see if "your story has changed." When you hire a lawyer, they take over all communication. You no longer have to worry about what to say or avoid saying, as your attorney will review every request and respond in writing. If the insurer calls, you just say, "Please speak with my lawyer, goodbye." "Did You Contribute?" In New York, pure comparative negligence rules mean that you can recover damages even if you share some fault, but the amount you can recover decreases by your percentage of blame for the incident. Adjusters love to shift as much blame onto you as possible to cut the payout for their company. Your lawyer will push back with evidence and make sure you don't get blamed a single percentage point more than you should. "We've Calculated Your Losses At..." The insurance company will often undervalue your losses, and the only way to counter this is with a good lawyer who knows how to properly calculate everything, including current and future medical costs, lost earnings, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Your attorney will gather documentation from doctors, economists, and life-care planners when needed and present a demand package that shows the true long-term impact of what you've suffered. Dealing with adjusters alone puts you at a disadvantage. Level the playing field and contact us now at Miller, Montiel & Strano in Garden City, NY for help anywhere in Nassau County.

If you've been hurt because of someone else's carelessness, a free consultation with an injury lawyer in Long Island can give you a lot of clarity about where you stand and how to move forward. But for that consultation to be useful, you should know what kind of questions to ask so you come away with a clear picture of what comes next. What to Ask Your Injury Lawyer in Long Island Questions About the Lawyer's Experience Start by asking exactly how much hands-on experience the lawyer has with injury cases like yours. This matters because every case will turn on specific facts, and having a familiarity with the patterns that show up in different personal injury case types can make a real difference in how smoothly things move forward. Follow up by asking for examples of past results they've gotten in similar situations, but don't expect your lawyer to offer specific names or confidential details (just as you wouldn't want your lawyer revealing your details to future potential clients). The answers you get here will tell you whether the lawyer knows the local courts, the insurance companies that operate in Nassau County, and the kinds of evidence that strengthen a claim of your type under New York law. Questions About Who Will Handle Your Case Ask who will actually work on your file from day to day. You deserve to know whether the person you're meeting with will stay involved or if your case will get passed along. It's fine if it is, and it's common for lawyers to pass on some of the day-to-day work to other staff to free up their time for what they alone can do, but you need to know what to expect. Straightforward answers show that you can trust a law firm. Questions About the Process and Timeline Find out exactly what steps the lawyer will take after you sign on and ask for a realistic timeline so you know when to expect updates. Most cases move through an investigation phase, then your lawyer will send a demand letter, there will likely be negotiations, and, if necessary, you may move to filing suit. Use this part of the meeting to also ask how the lawyer will keep you informed. Will you get regular calls or emails? Can you reach someone after hours if questions come up? Questions About Settlement Versus Trial It's fair to ask whether the lawyer is willing to take your case to trial if the insurance company refuses a fair offer. Most of these cases settle outside of court, but it's still important that your lawyer have trial experience. Not only might any case potentially go to trial, but when your lawyer has experience in the courtroom, this gives you more leverage during negotiations. Schedule your free consultation with Miller, Montiel & Strano in Garden City, NY today. One of our partners personally handles every case from the first call through the final resolution. We serve clients in Long Island and throughout Nassau County.

Every personal injury case is unique, and how long a case will take will always depend on the specifics of that situation. Your Long Island, NY personal injury attorney will be able to give you a better estimate based on your specific circumstances, but the following is general information on how long these lawsuits usually take to resolve. How Long Personal Injury Lawsuits Usually Take National Averages The Department of Justice does studies of legal cases prosecuted in the United States, and in their study of personal injury cases in the largest 75 counties in the United States, they found that the median time from filing the lawsuit to final disposition was 13.7 months. About 44% of all cases were resolved within one year, and by the two-year mark, 74% of cases were resolved. For Cases That Go to Court Most of these cases are resolved outside of court, but when they do have to go all the way to a trial before a judge and/or jury, it can significantly extend the timeline. According to the DOJ's study, tort cases that went to a jury trial or a bench trial had a median processing time of nearly two years from filing to final judgment. Overall, jury trials take the most time, at 23 months, and bench trials are slightly shorter at 17.7 months. Car accident cases tended to resolve more quickly than other types of personal injury, while medical malpractice tended to take the longest. For Cases That Don't Go to Court All of the statistics listed above are about cases where lawsuits are actually filed, but 95% of personal injury cases settle before any trial. Only 3 to 5% actually go all the way through the full trial. What Makes Trials Last So Long? There are a couple of factors that influence how long these lawsuits take, and one of the biggest is court backlogs. Once you have to start meeting in court repeatedly, the court's schedule and how far behind they are will have a big effect on how quickly your case can move through. Other important factors include: Case complexity Severity of your injuries Discovery needs Pre-lawsuit negotiations (when they're lengthy yet ultimately unsuccessful) New York-Specific Timelines The New York courts do not release information about the median disposition times for personal injury cases. However, the New York Unified Court System provides annual reports and a Caseload Trends Dashboard with overall civil caseload filings, dispositions, and pending cases. The statute of limitations for most personal injury claims in New York is three years from the date of the accident, but shorter periods apply in some cases. Our New York courts, especially in urban areas like here in NYC, are often congested, so our timeframes are often on the longer end of the national averages. Get Help From a Long Island, NY Personal Injury Attorney No matter where you are in the process, and no matter how complicated the case, things will go most smoothly when you have a qualified lawyer on your side. Call us today at Miller, Montiel & Strano in Garden City, NY at 516-363-5003 for a free consultation. We've been protecting the people of Long Island and all of NYC for over 50 years.

Witnesses can be a great help to your personal injury case, but witnesses must be credible and honest if their testimony is going to be useful to your case. Your personal injury lawyer in Long Island, NY will be able to interview any potential witnesses and help them play a useful role in assisting your claim. What Role Do Witnesses Play in Personal Injury Cases? Third-Party Witnesses The greatest value these witnesses bring to the table is their objective viewpoint. Both insurance companies and courts will put the greatest weight on the testimony of those who have nothing to gain, and also nothing to lose, by the outcome of a case. If a third-party witness saw the accident in which you were injured and can testify that your explanation of the events is accurate, this goes a very long way towards establishing the liability of the responsible party and getting you the compensation you are owed. Things happen fast in an accident, and sometimes a witness sees something from a completely different angle than any of the parties involved. Sometimes if there's a dispute over liability or precisely what happened, someone with a different perspective may be able to clear it right up. Expert Witnesses Expert witnesses didn't see the accident, but they can help everyone understand what happened nonetheless. These are witnesses with special expertise in some area, and their job is to take complicated concepts and make them clear to laypersons. The expert witness might be an engineer, for example, who can testify about a defective product, or an accident reconstruction expert who can look at photos from a car wreck and put together the whole scene. Expert witnesses can be very persuasive, and a good lawyer will have a network of such witnesses to call upon when their help is needed for a claim and will have verified their credentials. Limitations of Witnesses Credibility The first and possibly biggest issue surrounding witness testimony is whether the witness is credible. They must be believable and come across as honest, and even people who actually saw an accident and want to help may not know how to present themselves credibly without some help. In addition, after an accident, some people just want to be involved – some so badly that they'll claim to have seen things they never did. Your lawyer will assess the credibility of every witness. Consistency Witnesses for a case are usually going to be cross-examined by a lawyer from the other side, and that lawyer will have experience in getting witnesses to "trip up" and possibly contradict themselves. Giving testimony can be nerve-wracking under the best of circumstances, and even a completely honest witness may find themselves manipulated into accidentally contradicting themselves. Your lawyer will help all the witnesses for your side be prepared for these tactics. Help From a Personal Injury Lawyer in Long Island, NY Talk to Miller, Montiel & Strano at 516-531-2817 for a free, no-obligation consultation on your claim. We've been protecting victims in New York City for over 50 years.

If you've been hurt in an accident, but your own actions did play a role, don't assume you're out of luck. A New York personal injury lawyer can help you understand and protect your rights under the state's rules for shared responsibility in a personal injury situation. Shared Fault in New York Accidents It's rare for one person to be completely to blame in an accident. Maybe you were crossing the street and were hit by a car, but you were looking at your phone at the time and are being held partially negligent. Or perhaps you slipped on a wet floor that wasn't well marked, but you were distracted and hurrying. New York law recognizes the reality that more than one person can be responsible through something called pure comparative negligence. This means you can still seek compensation for your injuries even if you're partially responsible, but any award you get will be reduced by the percentage of your fault. For example, suppose a court or insurance company decides you're 30% at fault for a slip-and-fall because you were texting while you rushed through the store instead of paying attention, but the store is 70% at fault for failing to provide a safe environment. If your total damages added up to $90,000, you'd be able to recover 70% of that, or $63,000. Some states won't allow you to collect any damages if you are 50% or 51% or more at fault, but here in New York you can collect even if you're 99% at fault (though you would only receive 1% of your total damages). Good News and Bad News The good news is that you're not barred from bringing a claim even if you were partially at fault, and you can receive at least some compensation for what you've lost. This system levels the playing field in many respects. However, it also means that insurance companies have a lot of incentive to stick you with as much blame as they can. Every one percent of blame they can push onto you is a little bit less they have to pay. A lawyer is someone in your corner, fighting to protect you from unfair blame and to make sure you get every bit of compensation you're owed. How a New York Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help If you're already dealing with pain, doctor visits, and bills that seem to just get bigger every week, it will give you enormous peace of mind to have a lawyer take over all the frustrating red tape. You can concentrate on healing while your lawyer investigates the accident, brings together all the evidence in a compelling way to make a case for you, and ensures that all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted in your filings. Insurance companies know how to negotiate in these situations. Unless you're a professional negotiator yourself, you are at a distinct disadvantage. One of the biggest jobs of your lawyer will be to negotiate fiercely with the insurance company to protect your rights. Whatever your situation after a personal injury, set up a free consultation with us at Miller, Montiel & Strano in Garden City, NY find out where you stand and how we can help. We serve clients throughout Nassau County.

Were you or a loved one injured in a dog attack? Contact the experienced Garden City dog bite lawyers at Miller, Montiel & Strano today to discuss your case and secure the compensation you deserve. Until April 17, 2025, victims of dog attacks in New York often faced major obstacles in pursuing compensation. The previous law left many injured individuals without legal recourse, even after suffering serious injuries. Fortunately, a recent change in the law now provides new options for dog bite victims. The Old Law: Strict Liability with Limitations Under the previous rules, dog owners were subject to strict liability only if they knew or should have known that their dog had aggressive tendencies. While strict liability theoretically allowed victims to recover damages without proving fault, in practice, proving the dog’s “vicious propensities”—sometimes called the “one-bite rule”—was extremely difficult. Evidence such as barking, snapping, or baring teeth was generally insufficient unless the dog had a documented history of attacks. As a result, many victims of dog attacks went uncompensated, despite facing serious injuries, medical bills, and emotional trauma. The Landmark Change: Negligence Claims Now Allowed New York State’s Court of Appeals has now confirmed that victims of dog attacks can pursue a negligence claim in addition to the traditional strict liability claim. Negligence involves a failure to exercise ordinary care. Examples of negligence that can now support a claim include: Failing to keep a dog on a leash in public, Allowing a dog to lunge at a visitor by opening a door carelessly, or Leaving a dog roaming freely on the street. This change is crucial for victims who previously had no viable case under strict liability rules. Now, injured parties can recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering when the dog owner’s carelessness contributed to the attack. How This Affects Victims in Garden City At Miller, Montiel & Strano, we have extensive experience representing victims of dog attacks, including attacks by dogs, horses, and other domestic or farm animals. The addition of negligence claims means we can now help more clients in Garden City and Long Island who previously had limited legal options. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog, it’s important to act quickly. The new law ensures victims are no longer left without recourse when injured by an owner’s careless actions. Don’t wait— contact the Garden City dog bite attorneys at Miller, Montiel & Strano today. Schedule a consultation to discuss your case and learn how we can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

Personal injury settlements can be tricky to calculate. If you've never done this before, it's easy to make a mistake and miss out on compensation you're owed, so talk to a personal injury attorney in Long Island as soon as you can to make sure your claim includes everything it should. Calculating "Economic" Damages The first type of damages that you can claim in a personal injury case is reimbursement for all the expenses you've had. These are known as your "economic damages." One of the key expenses here is usually your medical bills. If you've been injured by someone's negligence, you should be reimbursed for all treatment that's related to that injury. You should also be reimbursed for any lost income you had because you weren't able to work. If you work a salaried job and had to use your personal days or sick days, you should be reimbursed for the value of those. If you work an hourly job, you should be reimbursed the wages you lost. If any of your property was damaged, such as a mobile phone or a car, you should be reimbursed for those things. And if you had to lay out extra expenses to deal with your injury, such as hiring childcare because you weren't able to take care of your children while you recovered, this should all be included in your economic damages. Calculating "Non-Economic" Damages Next, you should be reimbursed for your pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and other things that are called in the law "non-economic damages." Most of the time, these are calculated either by multiplying the total of your economic damages by a number between one and five (depending on how bad your injuries were), or by assigning a specific dollar amount to each day you suffered and multiplying that by the number of days it took you to fully recover. Your lawyer will tell you the best method for calculating these damages and help you do it well. You'll need to be able to justify these numbers, so you will need things like therapy records, the testimony of family or workmates about your mental state, or possibly your own journal or diary entries. Calculating Punitive Damages & Comparative Negligence Most personal injury cases don't qualify for punitive damages, but your lawyer can tell you if yours might. These are designed to punish the responsible party, and they only apply in cases where someone was wildly reckless or deliberately tried to injure another person. Your lawyer will also help you calculate your degree of fault. Under New York law, your total damages will be reduced by the same percentage as your fault in the incident, so it's important to have a lawyer calculating your claim to make sure you don't miss out on anything more than necessary. For help in calculating your claim, call Miller, Montiel & Strano in Garden City, NY for a free consultation. We serve Long Island and all of Nassau County.