John Richmond, Co-Founder and CEO
- October 6, 2026
After a car accident, you need a legal team that knows what happened, understands what your injuries are costing you, and stays involved from the first call through the resolution of your claim. Richmond Vona handles car accident cases throughout Rochester and across New York State. Richmond Vona is a local, veteran-owned firm that handles car accident cases throughout Rochester and across New York State. When you work with us, you’ll have a dedicated two- to three-person team, direct access to your Rochester lawyers, and updates before you have to ask.
Call us today with questions about your car accident or to learn how our team can help.
- Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Rochester?
- How Richmond Vona Is Here to Help You After a Car Accident
- What Damages Can I Recover from a Car Accident Claim?
- What’s Needed to Prove Liability in a Rochester Car Accident Claim
- What Are Some Common Types of Car Accidents and Common Causes in Rochester?
- Richmond Vona Will Help You Understand How Long You Have to File a Car Accident Claim
- How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take?
- Who Can File a Rochester Car Accident Claim?
- Richmond Vona Is Here to Help You After a Rochester Car Accident
Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Rochester?
It’s a good idea to speak with a lawyer after a crash, preferably before giving an insurance company a recorded statement or accepting a settlement offer. An insurer’s goal is to resolve the claim while controlling how much it pays. That remains true even when you’re dealing with your own insurance company.
A free consultation with a Rochester personal injury lawyer can give you a better sense of whether you have a case and what to consider before making decisions you cannot easily reverse.
Is Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer Expensive?
We handle car accident cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means we receive a fee only if we recover compensation for you. You can also contact us for your first consultation to discuss your accident and whether Richmond Vona is the right fit for your case.
How Richmond Vona Is Here to Help You After a Car Accident
A car accident lawyer should take work off your plate. That means communicating with the insurance company, finding evidence and insurance policies you may not know exist, and documenting what the crash has cost you before settlement discussions begin.
Richmond Vona has the resources to investigate complicated accidents and bring in outside professionals when a case calls for them. Just as important, we make time for our clients. Our team knows the case, will keep it moving, and will provide updates before clients have to ask. You’ll know who to call, and your questions won’t disappear into a crowded inbox.
That sense of responsibility is deeply connected to who we are. Richmond Vona is a local, veteran-owned firm founded by Western New Yorkers, including former Marine Keith Vona. His military service helped shape a culture built around preparation, accountability, and following through on commitments. Those values guide how we prepare cases and serve the communities that have supported us.
Meet John Richmond, Our Co-Founder and CEO
Rochester was John Richmond’s home long before he opened a law office here. John grew up in Greece, just west of downtown Rochester. His family taught him that being part of a community means showing up for the people around you, a principle that now shapes how he represents injured clients and leads Richmond Vona.
The firm’s Western New York roots also extend to co-founder Keith Vona. A Lovejoy native, Keith served in the U.S. Marine Corps and later worked as a Buffalo police officer before becoming a personal injury attorney. Protecting and advocating for his neighbors has remained a constant throughout his career.
John and Keith founded Richmond Vona in 2019. As the firm grew, they built the resources to take on powerful insurance companies without sacrificing personal attention. Opening the Rochester office brought that approach back to John’s hometown. Today, the local team represents injured people throughout the city, Monroe County, and the surrounding suburbs.
What Damages Can I Recover from a Car Accident Claim?
Medical bills are only one part of a car accident claim. Depending on the circumstances, a Rochester claim can also account for other accident-related costs and the ways an injury has affected your daily life. In New York, recoverable damages generally fall into two categories:
| Types of damages | What they can include |
|---|---|
| Economic damages |
|
| Non-economic damages |
|
New York’s no-fault insurance generally pays certain economic losses regardless of who caused the crash. If those losses exceed the available coverage, a claim can be filed against the at-fault party to seek additional compensation. That claim can also include non-economic damages, but only if the injury meets New York’s legal definition of a “serious injury.”
Our Rochester Car Accident Case Results
Car accident claims can take very different paths, whether the collision happens within Monroe County or on a highway connecting Rochester and Buffalo. The injuries and available insurance coverage shape the claim and the resulting settlements and verdicts, as does the work needed to establish liability and document the full extent of the losses.
2026 Changes to Auto Accident Damages in New York State
New York’s 2026 “Money in Your Pockets” reforms changed how some car accident claims are evaluated. For covered cases started on or after May 26, 2026, the key changes include:
- Comparative fault: If you are found more than 50% responsible for the crash, you cannot recover compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. Evidence of what happened now carries even greater weight.
- Serious injury threshold: The 90/180-day category was removed, although other serious injury categories remain.
- Non-economic damages: A $100,000 cap may apply in certain non-death cases when the injured person seeking compensation was at fault and was operating an uninsured vehicle they were responsible for insuring, was convicted of driving while impaired, or was convicted of a felony committed during the crash or in immediate flight from it. The cap does not apply to every car accident claim.
What’s Needed to Prove Liability in a Rochester Car Accident Claim
Proving liability requires connecting another party’s actions to the collision and your injuries. That starts with evidence:
- Photos and video from the scene
- Police reports and witness statements
- Vehicle damage and electronic data
- Phone records or nearby surveillance footage
- Medical records connecting your injuries to the crash
Richmond Vona has the dedicated team and financial resources to investigate beyond the information an insurer chooses to consider. When needed, we can work with accident reconstruction professionals and other outside experts to examine disputed facts and build a clearer account of what happened.
Why Proving Liability Means You Need a Strong Legal Team
Under New York’s 2026 comparative negligence rule, fault can determine whether you recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit covered by the no-fault law. If you are found more than 50% responsible for the crash, you are barred from recovery. The same can happen below 50% percent if your fault exceeds the combined fault of the parties you sue.
That gives insurance companies a stronger reason to shift as much blame as possible onto you. A capable legal team can preserve evidence early, question an unsupported version of events, and show where responsibility belongs. At Richmond Vona, we have the resources to investigate the fault rather than accept the percentage assigned by an adjuster.
Most Car Accident Cases Don’t Go To Trial, But We’re Always Trial-Ready
Most car accident claims settle without a trial. That does not mean they should be prepared with any less care. An insurer may make an early offer before the long-term effects of your injuries are known, use a recorded statement to weaken your claim, or pressure you to settle before you understand what you are giving up. Some high-volume firms are also built to resolve cases quickly.
Richmond Vona takes a different approach. We evaluate what the accident has cost your family, prepare the evidence, and advise you based on the strength of the claim, not the speed of the settlement. If the insurer will not make a reasonable offer, our trial-ready team is prepared to take the case further.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
At Richmond Vona, we think it’s really important to approach every case as if it’s going to go to trial. We take an oath to always put the client’s best interests first, and that’s something we live every day. The best interest of the client is to go to trial and take that case to a verdict—we’re going to do it. The best way to avoid a trial is to hire real trial lawyers. The insurance companies know which law firms have real trial lawyers and which law firms don’t and are just looking to get a quick settlement and move the case along. At Richmond Vona, we pride ourselves on having a team of very experienced and highly skilled trial lawyers who learn from the best in the country and bring that skill set back to Western New York to represent our clients ultimately at trial, if need be. It’s natural to be hesitant to call a personal injury law firm after you’ve been injured, and we promise to put our best foot forward and help you in any way that we can. Let us show you that we’re the best firm to handle your case.
What Are Some Common Types of Car Accidents and Common Causes in Rochester?
Rochester traffic can change quickly at East Avenue intersections, along I-490, and on the suburban roads beyond the city. Local drivers are injured in:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on and sideswipe crashes
- Intersection accidents
- Multi-vehicle pileups
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Rideshare and commercial truck collisions
Common causes of these types of car accidents in Rochester include:
Our Rochester office is on Goodman Avenue, but our connection to the area does not stop at the city limits. Whether you were hurt near Seneca Park Zoo, on the roads around Seabreeze, in a surrounding suburb like Greece, or in Monroe County, Richmond Vona considers you part of the community we serve.
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- Following too closely
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to yield
- Driving too fast on snow or ice
Winter weather can make a collision more severe, but drivers are still responsible for slowing down and adjusting to road conditions.
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This law firm goes above and beyond to fight for you. Their entire team treats you with respect and truly cares about your well-being. Look no further if you need a personal injury lawyer.
John Richmond and the team at Richmond Vona did an incredible job with my complicated personal injury case. They made sure no stone was unturned and got me the settlement I deserved for my situation. They treat you well, explain everything you need to know and more so you are always in the loop about the status of your case. John was easy to get in touch with anytime during the process and made signing paperwork easy and understandable. Their entire staff is professional and helpful throughout the process These guys are fair, trustworthy, and will stand up for you!
This firm’s attention to detail is second to none. It’s evident that they are true professionals and really care about their injured clients. This is the firm to call if you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence.
Richmond Vona Will Help You Understand How Long You Have to File a Car Accident Claim
You have time to understand your options after a crash, but that time is not unlimited. New York’s statute of limitations generally gives you three years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, depending on who caused the crash and the injured person’s age, a different deadline could apply.
Even if you’re unsure whether you want to file, speak with a lawyer as soon as you can. An attorney can request video before it is erased, contact witnesses while the accident is still fresh, and preserve other evidence that your claim could depend on.
When You May Have More or Less Time to File
Two common situations can change the usual three-year deadline:
- Claims involving a municipality: If a city, county, town, or another public entity could be liable, you may need to serve a notice of claim within 90 days. A lawsuit generally must be filed within one year and 90 days.
- Claims involving an injured minor: New York’s infancy toll can pause the filing period while a child is under 18, allowing more time in many cases. It does not automatically extend every deadline, including certain municipal notice requirements.
These rules are highly fact-specific, so it’s safer to have the deadline reviewed by a Rochester car accident attorney than to assume an exception applies.
How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take?
We can’t provide an accurate timeline until we know more about the accident, your injuries, and the insurance coverage involved. Some claims resolve through negotiation. Others need more time because medical treatment is still underway, the fault is disputed, or filing a lawsuit becomes the best path forward. We won’t push you to settle before we understand what the crash has taken from you.
While the timeline can vary, your experience with our firm shouldn’t. You’ll have a dedicated two- to three-person legal team that keeps your case moving and keeps you informed about where things stand. Have a question? You’ll know whom to call. We can meet at our Rochester office or come to your home if getting there is difficult. And whether you prefer phone calls or texts, we’ll communicate in the way that feels most comfortable to you.
What If I Have Bills and Expenses in the Meantime?
Bills don’t stop while you recover. If the accident keeps you from working, even one missed paycheck can strain the household budget. Medical appointments and other unexpected costs only add to that pressure.
We’ll look for insurance benefits that could help, keep track of your lost income and accident-related expenses, and include those losses in your claim when appropriate. If you need help that the legal process cannot provide right away, we can connect you with community resources that could offer support in the meantime.
Who Can File a Rochester Car Accident Claim?
If you were injured and are 18 or older, the claim is generally yours to bring forward. When the injured person cannot act for themselves, someone else may be able to step in:
- A parent or legal guardian can pursue a claim for an injured child. Any settlement will generally require court approval.
- A court-appointed guardian may act for an adult who cannot manage their own legal affairs.
- If the accident was fatal, the estate’s personal representative can file a wrongful death claim for the benefit of surviving family members.
Being a close relative does not automatically give someone authority to file. Richmond Vona can determine who has that authority and help your family take the right next step.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
It’s very common after an accident for an insurance company to reach out to an injured person. They will really act like they’re your friend. They will tell you that they care about you. They will ask you for information they’re not entitled to, perhaps your social security number or other information. They will try to take a recorded statement. They will make you think that this is normal. This is what you should be doing. And they may even say things to you like, “Hey, we’re willing to offer you this small amount of money. This is what’s normal in this type of case. We’re actually going to mail you the check and going to send you something via email that you’re probably not going to understand, and we just want you to sign it and to be done with this.” Unfortunately, we hear that a lot when people come to us. Once we’re hired, the insurance companies are not allowed to talk to our clients anymore. Even if you’ve made some mistakes by speaking to the insurance company, giving them information that they don’t deserve, we still want to talk to you and see if we can help because typically we can.
Richmond Vona Is Here to Help You After a Rochester Car Accident
You don’t have to make every decision today, but getting legal advice early can protect your options.
Tell us what happened. We’ll listen, answer your questions honestly, and let you know whether we believe you have a case. If we can help, our team will take on the insurance company and get to work building your claim. When you contact Richmond Vona, you’re reaching a local, veteran-owned firm with deep roots in Western New York. We’ll listen, answer your questions honestly, and let you know whether we believe you have a case.
You can meet with us at our Rochester office, speak with us by phone, or ask us to come to you if leaving home is difficult. The consultation is free, and you won’t pay an attorney’s fee unless Richmond Vona recovers compensation for you.
Contact us online today, or call 585-523-2336. Your future is worth fighting for.