The New York State Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul have enacted tort reform legislation affecting motor vehicle claims and lawsuits commenced on or after April 26, 2026. The new law changes comparative negligence rules, alters the definition of “serious injury” for No-Fault purposes, imposes a damages cap for those convicted of certain unlawful conduct, and modifies the sequence for determining serious injury and fault.

Hurwitz Fine attorneys Dan D. Kohane, Esq. and James J. Crowley, Esq. recently discussed the potential liability surrounding defective Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). These systems promise safer roads, but defective design, faulty software, and inadequate warnings are creating a new frontier of product liability risk for automakers, suppliers, and even fleet operators. As responsibility shifts from human drivers to embedded technology, questions of who is at fault after a crash—driver, manufacturer, or both—are becoming more complex and data driven. This article explores emerging theories of liability for defective ADAS, including design and manufacturing defects and failure-to-warn claims, and offers practical steps companies can take in determining whether ADAS was at fault for an accident. 

Attorney Brian M. Webb provides a short Automobile Liability primer, which highlights several of the key issues to keep in mind when analyzing motor vehicle claims that are venued in New York State.