A serious two-vehicle collision took place on October 23, 2025, at the busy intersection of Grand Concourse and East 187th Street in Fordham Manor, Bronx. One person was hospitalized, and both vehicles sustained major damage. This intersection—like many in the Bronx—sees constant congestion, quick turns, and split-second driver decisions that often lead to devastating accidents. For anyone injured in a crash like this, understanding how New York law determines fault, handles insurance, and protects your right to compensation is essential.
New York law governing two-vehicle collisions works through a connected system of traffic regulations, comparative fault principles, and mandatory insurance coverage. Each of these layers influences who pays, how much, and when.
At the heart of every intersection case are right-of-way rules. Under New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law, if one vehicle has already entered an intersection, the other must yield. When two vehicles arrive at the same time, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right. If a driver runs a red light, rolls through a stop sign, or makes an unsafe left turn, that’s clear evidence of negligence. For left turns, the law adds an extra layer of responsibility: a driver turning left must wait until there’s no oncoming traffic that poses an immediate hazard. In short, the left-turning driver almost always carries a heightened duty of care.
Traffic lights and lane changes also matter. Green lights allow you to proceed, but only if the intersection is clear—you must still yield to cars already inside. When changing lanes, drivers must stay in their lane and move only when it’s safe. These laws exist to create predictable movement through intersections. Violating them doesn’t just cause crashes—it establishes fault.
When an accident happens, police and insurance investigators examine whether a driver failed to yield, ignored a traffic control, or made an unsafe maneuver. But fault is rarely black and white. New York uses pure comparative negligence, meaning each driver’s share of fault is weighed as a percentage. Even if you were partly to blame, you can still recover money—your compensation is just reduced by your share of fault. For example, if you’re 30% responsible and the other driver 70%, you can still recover 70% of your total damages. This system keeps things fair: you don’t lose your rights entirely just because you might have made a small mistake.
Under CPLR § 1411, comparative fault doesn’t bar recovery—it only reduces damages. The burden is on the defendant to prove you shared blame. This principle was highlighted in cases like Rodriguez v. City of New York and Moon v. Plymouth Rock Corp., where the courts confirmed that injured parties can win liability even when there’s some fault on both sides. That means your lawyer doesn’t need to prove perfection—only that the other driver’s actions caused the crash.
Insurance plays a major role after any Bronx car accident. Every driver in New York must carry No-Fault insurance, also known as Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which provides up to $50,000 per person for medical bills, lost wages, and related expenses—no matter who was at fault. This ensures quick medical coverage and income protection while the case unfolds. But PIP has limits: it doesn’t cover pain and suffering or emotional trauma. To seek those damages, you must meet New York’s “serious injury” threshold.
The serious injury threshold under Insurance Law § 5102(d) defines when you can sue for pain and suffering. It covers nine categories of significant injuries: death, dismemberment, disfigurement, fractures, loss of a fetus, permanent loss of use of a body part, permanent limitation of use, significant limitation of a function, or a medically verified injury that keeps you from normal activities for 90 of the first 180 days after the crash. Courts require objective proof—x-rays, MRIs, physical exams, or diagnostic reports. If you meet even one of these criteria, you can pursue a full personal injury claim for all damages.
Proving a serious injury isn’t just about showing medical records; it’s about connecting those records to how the crash affected your life. Courts, as seen in Coughman v. Garcia and Brosh v. Torres, require detailed, specific doctor statements showing how your daily activities were limited compared to before the accident. General or vague reports are not enough. That’s why getting prompt, thorough medical documentation—and keeping up with all appointments—is vital.
Beyond PIP, another critical protection in New York is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UM/SUM). This coverage steps in when the other driver doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough of it. By law, all auto policies must include basic UM coverage. You can also opt for Supplementary Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (SUM) coverage, which can match your own liability limits. That means if you have $250,000 in liability coverage, you can have $250,000 in SUM protection.
Recent changes in New York law make SUM even stronger. For policies issued after 2017 and before June 30, 2026, insurers must automatically provide SUM coverage equal to your liability limits—unless you sign a waiver lowering it. This temporary rule was created to close coverage gaps and protect injured people from underinsured drivers.
If you have a policy issued after that date, it’s worth reviewing your declarations page to see what your SUM limits are. Your lawyer can help you file a SUM claim once the at-fault driver’s insurance is exhausted. Filing for SUM benefits requires following strict steps. The other driver’s policy must be “exhausted” first—meaning all their available limits are paid out—before your SUM kicks in. If you sign a settlement without preserving your SUM rights, you could lose that extra protection. The best practice is to consult a car accident lawyer before signing any releases or settlements.
When it comes to evidence, the law is just as strict. Once a crash causes injury, both sides have a duty to preserve evidence. Destroying or altering critical evidence like dash-cam video, vehicle black-box data, or photos can lead to sanctions in court. Your lawyer can send preservation letters to the other driver, their insurer, and nearby businesses to ensure no footage or records are deleted.
Accident reporting is another legal requirement. Any driver involved in a crash that causes injury must stop, provide identification and insurance information, and notify police. The police report creates the official record of what happened—listing vehicles, witnesses, injuries, and often noting traffic violations. This report becomes essential for insurance claims and lawsuits. Under Insurance Law § 5105, when multiple insurers are involved—say, a rideshare or commercial truck versus a personal vehicle—there are arbitration procedures to resolve who pays first. This avoids delays in your benefits. Insurance Law § 5106 ensures that once you submit proof of loss, insurers must pay No-Fault benefits promptly or face interest and penalties.
For injured victims, the process can feel overwhelming. Between fault arguments, medical appointments, claim forms, and insurer delays, it’s easy to make costly mistakes. A skilled Bronx car accident lawyer helps with every part of this: collecting evidence, filing No-Fault paperwork, proving a serious injury, coordinating with doctors, and navigating SUM coverage. In the end, New York law gives victims multiple layers of protection—but you must use them correctly. The right-of-way rules establish fault. Comparative fault ensures you can still recover even if you share some blame. No-Fault insurance pays your bills upfront.
The serious injury threshold opens the door to full compensation. And SUM coverage fills the gap when the other driver’s insurance falls short. If you or someone you know was injured in the October 23, 2025 crash at Grand Concourse and East 187th Street, or in any intersection collision in the Bronx, contact The Platta Law Firm. Our attorneys understand how to prove fault, document serious injuries, and unlock every layer of insurance coverage available. Don’t let insurance companies minimize your claim or delay your recovery. Get the representation you deserve—strong, strategic, and experienced in New York’s car accident laws.
Call us 24/7 or contact us through our website or live chat to speak directly with an experienced attorney at The Platta Law Firm. We fight for injury victims across New York and will help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.