In New York State, in order to make a claim against another driver, one of the elements that you will need to prove is that you have met the serious injury threshold. New York Insurance Law Section 5102(d) defines serious injury in nine categories. Therefore, you must satisfy at least one of the nine serious injury standards before you can pursue a lawsuit. Accordingly, you will have met the serious injury standard if you sustain a personal injury that results in:

• Death;
• Dismemberment;
• Significant disfigurement;
• Fracture;
• Loss of a fetus;
• Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system;
• Permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member;
• Significant limitation of use of a body function or system; or
• A medically determined injury or impairment of a non-permanent nature which prevents the injured person from performing substantially all of the material acts which constitute such person’s usual and customary daily activities for not less than ninety days during the one hundred eighty days immediately following the occurrence of the injury or impairment.

Consequently, the serious injury threshold makes it more difficult for you to file a claim for additional damages beyond No-Fault. It is obvious that Legislature intended to keep what they consider to be minor personal injury cases out of Court. Therefore, it is important for you to have an attorney that will fight hard to protect your right to be compensated for your injuries.

Heather La Dieu

Email: hladieu@mcvlaw.com

Phone: 315-471-1664

Heather R. La Dieu has been an associate in Meggesto, Crossett & Valerino, LLP’s Litigation Department since 2001.  Ms. La Dieu focuses her practice primarily in personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, construction accidents, municipal liability, wrongful death and products liability.  Ms. La Dieu also practices in the area of insurance law, contract law and criminal defense.

Ms. La Dieu is a graduate of Syracuse University where she earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering and received her J.D. at Syracuse University College of Law.

Ms. La Dieu is admitted to the New York State Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District and the Supreme Court of the United States of America.  Ms. La Dieu is a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association, New York Bar Association and Central New York State Women’s Bar Association.  Ms. La Dieu also has arbitrated for the Syracuse City Court Arbitration Program.