Syracuse, New York, Limousine Accidents

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Providing Peerless Personal Injury Service. If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured in an Onondaga County Limousine Accident That Was Not Your Fault, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Investigate Your Accident and Assert Your Rights to a Fair Recovery.

Limousines can help make special occasions all the more memorable.

In Syracuse and across Onondaga County, multiple companies offer limousine rental services. For the most part, these rental services excel in providing high-quality experiences. However, limousines are still motor vehicles, and every motor vehicle is only as safe as its driver, and even the best-trained drivers can still make mistakes.

If a limousine driver takes inappropriate risks, they expose their guests to unnecessary danger. In a worst-case scenario, an accident can have life-altering consequences, leaving passengers and, potentially, other motorists with serious injuries.

You do not have to pay the price for a limousine company’s mistake. Jed Dietrich, Esq., is a recognized Super Lawyer who has spent decades helping accident victims fight for their rights. Since founding the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. in 2005, Jed Dietrich, Esq., has secured more than $250 million in damages for his clients in Syracuse and across Upstate New York.

We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a limousine accident lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Limousine accidents almost always involve an element of driver negligence, but they are often supported by irresponsible business practices and a poor approach to customer safety.

Here is what you need to know about limousine accidents, liability, and causation:

Every limousine company in New York is required to abide by certain rules and regulations.

Since conventional “stretch limousines” have high seating capacities, they are typically categorized as commercial vehicles. To legally operate a limousine in New York, most companies must:

1. Ensure that all of their stretch limousine drivers have commercial driver’s licenses;
2. Obtain an operating authority permit, which must be valid at the time of a journey; and
3. Undergo regular safety inspections and perform routine maintenance as required.

Limousine companies must also purchase high-limit liability insurance policies that provide coverage in the event that the vehicle is involved in an accident.

If a limousine company or operator lets any of these obligations lapse, they could be found responsible for the costs of any accident-related injuries.

Limousine drivers are also bound by their own set of obligations, intended to guide practical decision-making both on the road and during lengthy halts. In general, limousine drivers must:

1. Drive safely and in accordance with the law;
2. Report suspected mechanical faults to their employer or the vehicle’s owner;
3. Abstain from drinking alcohol or consuming other mind-altering substances, even if offered by a guest;
4. Refrain from using their cell phone while driving; and
5. Actively anticipate the possibility that some guests could be intoxicated or otherwise distracting.

Oftentimes, errors on the part of an individual limousine driver reflect their employer’s approach to routine operations. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, it is possible that both the limousine company and the limousine driver will be found at-fault or otherwise liable.

Most companies make a good-faith effort to protect themselves and their customers from the possibility of serious injury.

However, if and when disaster strikes, the consequences can be severe.

In 2018, one of the worst limousine accidents in American history occurred near Schoharie, New York, just two hours east of Syracuse. The crash left 20 people dead, with investigators later determining that poorly-maintained brakes had caused it. Later, law enforcement reported that the limousine operator had a history of using vehicles that had failed state safety inspections.

Limousine accidents can be complex, and they often have multiple causes, not all of which may be obvious. Some of the most common factors in limousine accidents include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Poor vehicle maintenance;
2. Operating vehicles that have failed safety inspections or have known mechanical defects;
3. Allowing drivers with poor safety records, or who have failed drug and alcohol tests, to operate vehicles with passengers inside;
4. Acts of driver negligence, including distracted driving and the consumption of drugs or alcohol while on the clock; and
5. Other motorists, whose negligence could cause or worsen a limousine accident.

Limousine accidents have many potential causes, all of which can leave passengers with serious physical injuries and unaffordable medical bills. However, you do not have to accept excuses in place of compensation. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Syracuse limousine accident that was not your fault, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you investigate the causes of your collision and recover damages for your losses. Please send us a message online today to schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

In New York, most limousine accident survivors who have sustained serious injuries have a legal right to file a lawsuit against the person or party who caused their accident.

Depending on the circumstances of your collision and the severity of your injuries, you could be entitled to compensation for damages, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Your outstanding medical bills;
2. The costs of anticipated and long-term care;
3. Physical rehabilitation;
4. Mental health counseling;
5. Lost income from work;
6. Diminished earning potential;
7. Emotional pain and suffering;
8. Physical pain and suffering;
9. Disfigurement; and
10. Wrongful death.

Although New York does not cap damages in most limousine accident claims, filing, fighting, and winning a lawsuit can take a lot of work, work that is not easy to perform when you are injured and being bombarded with phone calls from insurance adjusters and defense lawyers.

You do not have to fight for your rights alone. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has decades of experience litigating high-stakes accident lawsuits. We know what it takes to conduct a thorough investigation, assess liability, and negotiate a fair settlement, and we have the results to prove it.

Do not take chances with your right to a fair recovery: call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. today at 1-866-529-5334 to schedule your 100% free consultation.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!