Buffalo Car Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a Buffalo car crash, New York No-Fault pays your first bills, but you can sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering once your injury crosses the serious-injury threshold. You generally have three years to file in Erie County. Call for a free review.

Buffalo car wrecks cluster where the traffic does: the I-190 through downtown, the merges on and off the I-90 Thruway, and the surface streets that glaze over first once lake-effect snow rolls in off Lake Erie. If you were hurt in Erie County, your case will most likely move through the Erie County courts, and your first bills probably came from ECMC or Buffalo General. Our office sits downtown at 50 Fountain Plaza, so this is our home turf.

Do you have a car accident case in Buffalo?

New York is a No-Fault state. Your own insurer pays the first round of medical bills and lost wages no matter who caused the crash. To go after the other driver for pain and suffering, your injury has to clear the “serious injury” threshold under Insurance Law §5102(d) — think a fracture, significant disfigurement, or a significant limitation of use of a body part. The 90/180-day category was eliminated in May 2026. You usually have three years from the crash date to file. Modified comparative negligence applies to motor vehicle claims, so if you were partly at fault you can still recover, reduced by your share, as long as your share is not greater than the other driver’s.

Where Buffalo crashes turn serious

Winter is the difference-maker in this county. Lake-effect storms can drop a foot of snow on one neighborhood while the next stays clear, and the whiteout conditions on the Thruway and the 190 turn routine rear-end taps into pileups. Speed on the elevated stretches of the I-190 leaves little room to react. When a crash puts someone in the hospital, we pull the ECMC and Buffalo General records early, get the vehicles inspected before they’re scrapped, and lock down any traffic-camera or dashcam footage before it’s overwritten.

What your Buffalo car accident case may be worth

No honest lawyer can quote you a number on day one. Value turns on how badly you were hurt, whether you’ll need future care, your lost income, and how clear the other driver’s fault is. A soft-tissue case that heals looks nothing like a case with surgery and permanent limits. For how the pieces come together, read our car accident settlement value guide.

Why choose Sullivan & Brill

We’ve represented injured drivers and passengers for more than 20 years, and we treat each client as one of our own rather than a file to close fast. We recovered $4 million for a client hurt in a car accident. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Learn more about our car accident practice, see our Buffalo office, or contact us for a free review.

Buffalo car accident questions

How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Buffalo?

Generally three years from the date of the crash under New York’s statute of limitations. Claims against a public entity, like a city or transit vehicle, run on a much shorter clock and start with a Notice of Claim within 90 days.

The crash happened in a snowstorm. Can I still recover?

Yes. Weather doesn’t erase a driver’s duty to slow down and keep a safe distance. Under New York’s modified comparative negligence rule for motor vehicle cases, if you share some fault your recovery is reduced by your percentage; it is barred only if your share is greater than the other driver’s.

My own insurance is paying my bills. Why would I need a lawyer?

No-Fault covers your initial medical costs and some lost wages, but it does not pay for pain and suffering. Once your injury meets the serious-injury threshold, a claim against the at-fault driver is how you recover for that.

What does it cost to hire you?

Nothing up front. We handle car accident cases on contingency, so the consultation is free and you owe a fee only if we recover for you.