Long Island Traffic Collision Lawyer

The roads across Long Island move millions of drivers every day, from the congested stretches of the Long Island Expressway to the local intersections along Sunrise Highway, Merrick Road, and Northern Boulevard. When a crash happens on these roads, the consequences can be immediate and severe: broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and losses that no insurance check adequately addresses. A Long Island traffic collision lawyer from Mark David Shirian P.C. represents people who have been hurt through someone else’s negligence and helps them pursue the full compensation their injuries demand.

Long Island’s traffic environment creates its own distinct collision risks. High-speed commuter corridors like the LIE and the Southern State Parkway sit alongside dense suburban intersections, railroad crossings, and commercial delivery routes that run through Nassau and Suffolk counties. The sheer volume of vehicles, combined with distracted driving, impaired drivers, and aggressive merging behavior, puts even careful drivers at constant risk. When a collision is someone else’s fault, that person’s insurance company will move quickly to protect its own interests. The injured party needs representation that moves just as quickly.

Mark David Shirian P.C. represents victims of serious injury and catastrophic accidents across New York City and New York State, including Long Island. Attorneys Mark D. Shirian and Shawn D. Shirian understand how to build collision cases that hold negligent drivers, government entities, and other responsible parties accountable under New York law.

What Sets Mark David Shirian P.C. Apart in Traffic Collision Cases

Founded in 2016 by Attorney Mark D. Shirian, the firm was built on a single principle: helping those who have been wronged. That mission applies directly to collision victims on Long Island who are left dealing with medical bills, lost income, and ongoing physical limitations while insurance adjusters work to minimize their claims. The firm has recovered millions on behalf of clients across New York, demonstrating a track record that goes beyond theoretical legal knowledge.

Clients who have worked with the firm describe Attorney Mark D. Shirian as someone who pays close attention to details that matter, fights hard, and keeps clients informed throughout the process. That kind of attentiveness is critical in collision cases, where critical evidence like skid marks, traffic camera footage, cell phone records, and witness statements can disappear quickly. The firm offers the resources and analytical approach of a larger practice alongside the personalized attention that a boutique firm provides. When you work with Mark David Shirian P.C., your case is handled directly by attorneys who are invested in its outcome, not handed off to paralegals or case managers.

Common Traffic Collision Situations Handled on Long Island

• Rear-end collisions on major expressways: The Long Island Expressway is one of the most heavily traveled roads in the country, and sudden braking, distracted driving, and tailgating regularly produce rear-end crashes that cause serious whiplash, back injuries, and traumatic brain injuries even at moderate speeds.
• Intersection crashes in Nassau and Suffolk counties: High-traffic intersections along Hempstead Turnpike, Jericho Turnpike, and Montauk Highway generate a significant number of T-bone and angle collisions, where fault turns on traffic signal data, witness accounts, and physical evidence.
• Distracted and cell phone-related crashes: New York law prohibits handheld device use while driving, but violations remain common. Subpoenaing phone records is often a key strategy in cases where a driver ran a red light or drifted into another lane.
• Commercial truck and delivery vehicle crashes: Long Island’s dense retail corridors and industrial zones along Route 110 and the Sunrise Highway corridor attract heavy commercial traffic. When a commercial vehicle is involved, liability can extend beyond the driver to the employer, cargo loader, or vehicle maintenance company.
• Drunk and impaired driving collisions: Crashes caused by impaired drivers can support both a personal injury claim against the driver and, in some circumstances, a Dram Shop claim against a bar or restaurant that overserved an already intoxicated patron.
• Pedestrian and cyclist collisions: Long Island’s limited sidewalk infrastructure and mixed-use areas around towns like Freeport, Hempstead, and Bay Shore put pedestrians and cyclists in frequent conflict with vehicle traffic, often producing catastrophic injuries.
• Defective road conditions and municipal liability: Poorly maintained roads, missing signage, and malfunctioning traffic signals fall under government responsibility. Bringing a claim against a municipality requires strict compliance with New York’s notice of claim requirements and tight filing deadlines.

New York’s No-Fault System and When You Can Step Outside It

New York operates under a no-fault auto insurance system, which means that after a collision, each driver’s own insurance typically covers initial medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, regardless of who caused the crash. This system is designed to speed up basic compensation, but it also limits a victim’s initial ability to sue the at-fault driver directly. To bring a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party, a collision victim in New York must meet what is called the serious injury threshold.

Under New York Insurance Law, a serious injury includes conditions such as significant disfigurement, fracture, permanent loss of use of a body organ or limb, permanent consequential limitation of use of a body function, significant limitation of use of a body function, and a medically determined injury that prevents the person from performing substantially all daily activities for at least 90 of the 180 days following the crash. Many significant injuries meet this threshold, but establishing it requires proper medical documentation, consistent treatment, and in many cases, expert testimony.

This is where legal representation becomes decisive. Insurance companies scrutinize no-fault claims aggressively and often cut off benefits by scheduling independent medical examinations designed to minimize the severity of the claimant’s injuries. An attorney who understands New York’s no-fault framework can help protect your benefits while simultaneously building the case for a tort claim against the at-fault driver if your injuries meet the threshold.

What to Do After a Traffic Collision on Long Island

The hours and days following a collision shape how the case ultimately resolves. If you are able to do so at the scene, document everything: photograph the vehicles, the road conditions, any visible injuries, traffic signals, and signage. Get the names and contact information of every witness. Request a copy of the police report from the responding agency, whether that is Nassau County Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department, the New York State Police, or a local municipal department depending on where the crash occurred.

Seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel only mild discomfort. Adrenaline frequently masks pain after a collision, and conditions like traumatic brain injuries, soft tissue damage, and internal injuries may not present obvious symptoms for hours or days. Gaps in medical care are one of the primary tools insurance companies use to argue that injuries were not caused by the collision or were not serious. Consistent documentation of your treatment at hospitals or clinics, whether through the major facilities in Nassau County or the various medical centers across Suffolk, creates the medical record that any injury claim depends on.

Report the collision to your own insurance carrier as required by your policy, but be cautious about giving recorded statements or accepting any settlement offer before speaking with an attorney. Early settlement offers are almost always calibrated to close your claim before the full extent of your injuries is known. New York’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally three years from the date of the collision, but if a government entity is involved, the deadline to file a notice of claim can be as short as 90 days. Do not wait to get legal advice, especially if road conditions, a traffic signal failure, or a government vehicle played any role in what happened.

Personal injury cases arising from traffic collisions on Long Island are handled in the New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County, located in Mineola, or in the Suffolk County Supreme Court, located in Riverhead, depending on where the collision occurred and where the parties reside. Knowing which venue applies and understanding local court procedures are practical matters that can affect case strategy and timeline.

Questions Long Island Collision Victims Ask

How does New York’s no-fault insurance affect my right to sue?

No-fault coverage pays for your initial medical costs and a portion of lost wages through your own insurer regardless of fault. To bring a lawsuit directly against the driver who caused your crash, you must demonstrate that your injuries meet New York’s serious injury threshold. Most significant collisions involving fractures, surgeries, or lasting functional limitations will qualify, but proper documentation is essential to establishing that threshold.

What if the other driver was uninsured or fled the scene?

New York requires drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage. If the at-fault driver was uninsured or left the scene, you can make a claim under your own uninsured motorist policy. The process involves its own procedural requirements and timelines, and disputes over the value of these claims are common. An attorney can help you navigate that process and advocate for a fair recovery from your own carrier.

How is fault determined in a Long Island collision case?

New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means that even if you were partially at fault for the crash, you can still recover damages. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if a jury finds you were 20 percent responsible and your total damages are $200,000, you would recover $160,000. Evidence used to determine fault includes the police report, traffic camera footage, cell phone records, witness statements, accident reconstruction analysis, and physical evidence from the vehicles.

What damages can I recover after a Long Island traffic collision?

Recoverable damages in a New York personal injury case can include past and future medical expenses, lost earnings and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and costs associated with ongoing care or rehabilitation. In cases involving extreme recklessness, such as a drunk driving crash, courts may also award punitive damages, which are designed to punish the wrongdoer rather than simply compensate the victim.

How long does a traffic collision case take to resolve in Long Island courts?

Cases that settle before trial can often resolve within 12 to 24 months, depending on the complexity of the injuries, the number of defendants, and whether disputes arise over liability or insurance coverage. Cases that proceed to trial in Nassau County Supreme Court or Suffolk County Supreme Court can take considerably longer. The decision to accept a settlement versus litigate depends on the facts, the strength of the evidence, and your specific financial and personal circumstances.

What if the collision happened on a parkway maintained by New York State?

New York State parkways, including the Southern State Parkway, Meadowbrook Parkway, and Bethpage State Parkway, are maintained by state and local government authorities. If a road defect, poor signage, or malfunctioning signal on a parkway contributed to your collision, a claim against a government entity is possible. These claims require filing a notice of claim within 90 days of the incident and follow a distinct procedural path that differs significantly from a standard personal injury lawsuit against a private driver.

Can I still make a claim if I was not wearing a seatbelt?

Yes. Under New York’s comparative negligence framework, not wearing a seatbelt can be raised by the defense to reduce the damages attributed to injuries that the seatbelt would have prevented. However, it does not eliminate your right to recover, and New York courts have historically limited the seatbelt defense to those specific injuries that would have been avoided with seatbelt use. Your overall claim for the collision remains intact.

What if I was injured as a passenger in a vehicle involved in a crash?

Passengers generally have strong legal positions in collision cases because they typically bear no responsibility for causing the crash. Depending on the facts, you may have claims against the driver of the vehicle you were in, the driver of another vehicle, or both. You are also entitled to no-fault benefits through the vehicle you were riding in, and if your injuries meet the serious injury threshold, you can pursue a personal injury lawsuit regardless of which driver caused the crash.

Does it matter that the at-fault driver apologized at the scene or admitted fault?

Statements made at the scene can be relevant evidence, and they are worth noting and documenting. However, drivers sometimes recant those admissions when speaking with their insurance companies, and insurance adjusters frequently conduct their own investigation that ignores or disputes what was said. Building a case on physical evidence, witness accounts, and objective reconstruction analysis is more durable than relying on a verbal admission that the other party may later contradict.

What is the process if multiple vehicles were involved in the collision?

Multi-vehicle crashes add complexity because liability may be shared among several drivers, and each driver’s insurer will conduct its own investigation pointing blame elsewhere. These cases require methodical gathering of all insurance information, police reports, and physical evidence from every vehicle involved. Multiple defendants also means navigating multiple insurance policies and potentially multiple coverage disputes. Cases involving commercial vehicles, rideshare drivers, or government vehicles in a multi-vehicle crash can involve additional layers of liability that require careful legal analysis.

Traffic Collision Representation Across Long Island and the New York Metro Region

Mark David Shirian P.C. represents traffic collision victims throughout Long Island and the broader New York metropolitan area. In Nassau County, the firm serves clients in Hempstead, Garden City, Mineola, Great Neck, Freeport, Valley Stream, Elmont, Uniondale, Levittown, Hicksville, Westbury, and Lynbrook. Across Suffolk County, the firm handles cases arising from collisions in Brentwood, Bay Shore, Babylon, Patchogue, Commack, Hauppauge, Ronkonkoma, Smithtown, Huntington, Amityville, Massapequa, Copiague, and the East End communities stretching toward the Hamptons. The firm also represents clients throughout the five boroughs of New York City and in communities throughout Westchester, Rockland, and the broader New York State region. Wherever a collision occurred on Long Island’s roads, bridges, or parkways, the firm is prepared to evaluate your case.

Speak with a Long Island Traffic Collision Attorney About Your Case

The period immediately following a collision is the most important time to make sound decisions. Evidence deteriorates, deadlines approach, and insurance companies begin building their defense while you are still focused on recovering. A Long Island traffic collision attorney at Mark David Shirian P.C. can evaluate what happened, identify every potentially liable party, and map out a clear path toward the compensation your injuries warrant. Attorneys Mark D. Shirian and Shawn D. Shirian bring assertive, detail-focused representation to every case, backed by a genuine commitment to each client’s outcome. Contact Mark David Shirian P.C. today to schedule a confidential case evaluation and put experienced New York injury counsel to work on your side.