How Much Can I Sue For, After a Car Accident in New York State?

A  question that clients sometimes ask after a car accident is:  How much are we suing for?

In New York State, lawyers are not required to put limits on lawsuits. Often times, the media will hype up lawsuit news pieces by wanting to attach a giant number to a story.  The personal injury lawyers who put these astronomical numbers onto lawsuits are doing their client a disservice.  When a lawyer claims he is suing for $100 million dollars it creates a false expectation in the client’s mind that they will actually get that amount.  It accomplishes nothing.

On the other side, lawyers are not required to limit themselves  in the the Summons and Complaint to a fixed dollar amount as this could prejudice the client’s case. Lawsuits can often take years to resolve and during that time, the injury could get worse, a client could end up needing a serious surgery or may never be able to work again.  All of these factors could end up affecting the value of the case.