Car accidents can be caused by numerous factors. Not every accident that results in an injury, however, presents grounds for a lawsuit by our NYC car accident lawyers. Individuals may have grounds for an auto accident claim if they suffered an injury in an accident that was caused by any of the following: Driver was inattentive behind the wheel Talking on the phone or texting while driving Driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol Speeding Failure to signal while changing lanes Tailgating Failure to obey traffic signs Failure to yield The roadway had defects, such as a poor design or negligent maintenance The vehicle had a mechanical defect which led to the accident While all of the aforementioned causes are the result of negligence, they do not necessarily present the injured party with grounds for a lawsuit. In order to have a valid lawsuit, the injured individual must be able to prove that the responsible party's negligence was directly accountable for the accident. For instance, if 1 driver acted negligently, but their negligence was not the cause of the accident, they cannot be found liable. Additionally, the injured individual must have suffered either economic (monetary loss) or non-economic (pain and suffering) damages to have grounds for a case.