Rochester, New York, Car Accident Concerns For Seniors

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Is Recognized as A Best Lawyer of America and An American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of The Year. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is Committed to Defending the Rights of Senior Citizens Who Have Sustained Serious Injuries in Rochester Car Accidents.

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For many older adults, driving is a means to remain independent, allowing seniors to work, volunteer, and continue serving their communities. In fact, there are more senior citizens on the road today than ever before. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Americans aged 65 or over make up 18 percent of all licensed drivers—a cohort of more than 40 million motorists, the size of which is only expected to rise in the coming years.

While the number of senior drivers suggests that Americans are living longer, healthier, and more productive lives, older motorists face unique risks. Studies have shown that older drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents than their younger counterparts, despite the latter spending less time on the road. Similarly, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that retirement-age drivers suffer higher-than-average crash death rates, which are largely attributable to seniors’ increased vulnerability to physical injury.

Although senior citizens today are less likely to be involved in fatal traffic collisions than in years past, accidents still happen with alarming regularity. Unfortunately, even minor fender-benders can inflict serious injuries. When senior citizens are hurt in automobile accidents, the costs of recovery can be immense, exacting an excruciating physical and financial toll on victims.

Jed Dietrich, Esq., and his team of highly experienced attorneys understand that senior citizens may need additional assistance in the aftermath of a traumatic automobile accident. Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients across Rochester and Western New York secure more than $175 million in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 585-939-3939 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.

Senior Citizens Are More Likely To Be Involved In Certain Types Of Collisions

Senior citizens usually have years of driving experience. However, advancing age can compromise older adults’ ability to navigate traffic safely. For example:

1. Senior drivers might have medical conditions that could make it more difficult to retain control over a moving vehicle;
2. Older motorists are more likely to suffer from physical, cognitive, and visual impairments that affect driving ability; and
3. Senior citizens might have slower reaction times, making it more difficult to respond to unexpected obstacles and difficult road conditions.

Compared to younger drivers, senior citizens are significantly more likely to be involved in certain types of collisions, including but not limited to:

1. Angle Accidents: An angle crash occurs when two motor vehicles collide at an angle. The federal government has found that senior citizens are at high risk for a variety of angle crashes, including left-turn accidents and angle collisions resulting from right-of-way infringement.
2. Overtaking or Merging Crashes: An overtaking or merging crash could happen when a motorist does not notice or fails to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle when switching or merging lanes. Older drivers might suffer from visual impairments that affect their depth perception and ability to accurately gauge speed and distance.
3. Intersection Collisions: An intersection collision could happen at a traffic control signal, stop sign, or roundabout. Researchers have found that senior citizens are involved in intersection collisions at rates far higher than other age groups.

While age-related impairments and disabilities raise senior citizens’ risk of being involved in certain types of traffic collisions, older drivers are usually aware of their limitations and likely to take proactive measures to keep themselves and other motorists safe. So, even though senior citizens face unique challenges behind the wheel, they are not necessarily more likely to be found at fault after an accident. In fact, motorists over the age of 65 cause proportionately fewer accidents than their younger counterparts.

Unfortunately, even responsible motorists cannot avoid every accident—and when a senior citizen is involved in a car crash, they could sustain serious and even life-altering injuries. If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a Rochester car crash that was not your fault, you could be entitled to significant compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. However, you have to act fast: New York has a strict statute of limitations that could prevent you from recovering damages if you wait too long to take action. Please call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. at 585-939-3939 to schedule a consultation and discuss your options for legal relief.

How Older Drivers Could Protect Themselves After An Accident

Senior citizens may be more likely to suffer severe, accident-related injuries than younger drivers. However, insurance companies do not always provide older motorists with the resources they need for recovery. After all: insurance companies are for-profit enterprises, and they do not make money by offering car crash victims the maximum amount of compensation. The adjuster could try to reduce an older motorist’s deserved settlement by:

1. Suggesting that the senior’s age or negligence contributed to the collision;
2. Blaming an accident-related injury on a pre-existing medical condition; or
3. Using life expectancy calculations to challenge an older adult’s assessed long-term care expenses.

Since insurance companies could look for any excuse to reduce a settlement, senior citizens who have been involved in serious traffic collisions should protect their rights to a legal recovery by:

1. Calling 9-1-1: New York law requires that motorists report an accident that results in bodily injury, death, or significant property damage. The police could also help determine who caused the accident.
2. Seeking Immediate Medical Attention: Older motorists should always seek medical attention after an accident, even if they do not believe they have been seriously injured.
3. Collecting Evidence: If an accident victim does not require urgent medical treatment, they could take pictures of the crash site, document any visible injuries, and note the location of any nearby road signs and traffic control signals.
4. Speaking to Eyewitnesses: If a bystander witnessed the accident, ask them for their full name, phone number, and contact information.
5. Contacting a Rochester Car Accident Lawyer: The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is committed to providing the highest level of personal injury service available. Our experienced attorneys help accident victims file insurance claims, handle correspondence, and construct compelling, evidence-based cases for compensation.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. believes that nobody should have to pay the price for another motorist’s wrongdoing. If another motorist’s negligence caused your Rochester car accident injuries, you should not be forced to pay out-of-pocket for your own recovery. Please send us a message online or call us today at 585-939-3939 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 585-939-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Rochester, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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