Blog
What to Do if You’re Hit by a Car in NYC
In a busy city like New York City, pedestrian accidents are all too common. During the first six months of 2025, there have been 87 pedestrian fatalities and many more injured. Vulnerable road users can suffer catastrophic injuries, especially if high speeds are involved in the accident.
Knowing what to do after being hit by a car in NYC is vital if you live in or plan to visit the area. These steps can help protect both your well-being and any future claims you choose to pursue.
Ensure Your Safety
Being hit by a car can leave you in shock, making it difficult to take action in the immediate aftermath. It’s essential, however, to get out of the way of other cars if you can manage to do so. New York’s crowded streets can make it difficult for other drivers to spot accidents, potentially leading to further collisions and injuries.
If you can safely move, step onto the sidewalk to wait for medical care. If you’re in too much pain, however, stay where you are.
Call Emergency Services
Ensure that you contact emergency services. Do this even if you don’t feel that you were hurt. Shock and adrenaline can dull pain, which may keep you from getting the medical care that you need.
Getting paramedics to the scene serves two purposes. First, it ensures that you receive assistance immediately. Additionally, it helps you begin a record of the injuries you sustained. You will need a significant amount of medical information to demonstrate your losses, so establishing a record from the start aids your claim.
Speak With the Police
When you contact emergency services, law enforcement may also come to the site of the accident. This is not only important for your safety, but also for your legal rights.
To be able to file a claim, you will need a police report. New York requires that you file a report within 10 days of the accident if there are injuries, deaths, or property damage over $1,000.
These reports often contain a wealth of information, including details of how the accident occurred. Your statements, as well as those of the driver and any witnesses, may be included. Your attorney and insurers can use this report to begin their investigations.
Exchange Details With the Other Party
It can be difficult to keep emotion out of this conversation, but you need to obtain all of the driver’s information without speaking of fault. Don’t get into an argument or try to prove to the other person that they’re to blame. Keep the conversation short and to the point.
Gather Evidence
If you’re safe and don’t need to go to the hospital, gather evidence from the scene. Take pictures of any visible injuries you have, as well as the position of the car. Document the location of the accident and take photos of crosswalks, stop signs, or traffic lights that could be related to the crash.
If there are skid marks on the road, that can be helpful to document as well. You’ll also want to take note of any traffic cameras nearby that could offer footage.
Eyewitness statements can be crucial in these cases. Get contact information for anyone who remains on the scene. It’s also helpful to write down or record your own thoughts on the accident. This can keep you from forgetting key details as time passes.
Contact an Attorney
As soon as you can after the accident, contact a pedestrian accident lawyer in New York to help you. Although the statute of limitations for these accidents is three years, you should never wait anywhere near that long to begin a claim. You could easily lose track of evidence and witnesses during that time.
Hurt in a Crash? Ask4Sam to Fight for Compensation
A pedestrian accident can leave you with serious injuries and extensive financial losses. If the other party was negligent or wrongful, you may be entitled to begin legal action against them.
At Silberstein & Miklos, we have a long-standing track record of recovering million- and multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts for our clients. We know every dollar counts when you’re hurt, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.
The last thing you should worry about as you recover from your injuries is legal paperwork. Let us handle those details for you. Contact our team to schedule a free case assessment with one of our pedestrian accident attorneys today.