Bureau of Law and Adjustment

New York City eClaim
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Pursuant to an update to New York State General Municipal Law, Section 50(e), the New York City Comptroller’s Office must now provide for the electronic filing of claims against the City of New York. This on-line application (the eClaim system) will allow you to file an electronic notice of claim.

In the event of a technical failure, a party may file documents in hard copy form, have them signed and notarized and mail them by certified or registered mail, or hand deliver them to:

What is the eClaim system?

The New York City Comptroller’s eClaim system is a means for filing claims against New York City electronically. The system is accessible through the New York City Comptroller’s website located at the following address:
http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/bla/
What should I do if the eClaim system is unavailable for filings due to a technical failure?

In the event of a technical failure, a party may obtain forms for manual filing here:
http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/bla/claim_forms.shtm
The form should be printed, completed in ink, and be signed and notarized. The form must then be sent by certified or registered mail, or hand delivered to:

Office of the New York City Comptroller
1 Centre Street, Room 1225
New York, New York 10007
Can I make corrections to the claim form before it is electronically filed?

If the filer submits the wrong form or attaches the wrong documents, and if he or she has not finalized the filing by hitting the send key, the user will have the opportunity to cancel the transaction and restart, attaching the correct documents. If the claim form has an error that the user wants to correct and if the user has not finalized filing the claim, the user can cancel out of the filing process and edit the claim form residing on the user’s computer. The user can then restart the filing of the notice of claim process and upload the corrected notice of claim.

NOTE: If the claim has already been filed, you can amend your claim within 90 days of the date of the incident by certified or registered mail or in person. The only way to amend a notice of claim after 90 days from the date of the incident is to go to court and file a motion to amend your notice of claim.
What are the benefits of electronic filing?

Electronic filing offers more flexibility in filing options to both attorneys and self-represented parties. Anyone with access to an internet connection can file a claim at any time using the eClaim system. It allows for a quick filing of a notice of claim, with no postage expenses or handling costs.
What types of claims can be filed electronically using the eClaim system?

Only Personal Injury and Property Damage claims can be filed electronically using the eClaim system.
Who do I contact if I have questions about the eClaim filing process?

Community Action Center
1 Centre Street, Room 835
New York, NY 10007
Tel: (212) 669-3916
(800) 800-6385 - Outside of NEW YORK CITY
(212) 669-3450 - TTY
Fax: (212) 669-2707
E-mail:action@comptroller.nyc.gov
If I need assistance can I call at anytime?

The Comptroller’s Office helpline is available Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. If assistance is required outside of these hours you can call the helpdesk number indicated above to leave a voice message and contact telephone number. These voice messages will receive a response the following business day.
Where can I obtain the necessary forms to use the eClaim system?

Forms can be found on the Claims forms section of the New York City Comptroller’s website:
http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/bla/
When can claims be filed?

By law, claims generally must be filed within ninety (90) days of the incident and eClaim will allow you to file at any time of the day.
How do I know if my filing has been received?

After submitting a claim using the eClaim system, a message confirming receipt will appear on screen that the filer should print for their records.
How do I download claim forms?

Browse to the New York City Comptroller’s website and locate “Bureaus” and click on the Bureau of Law and Adjustment’s homepage. Locate the option on the left hand side of the window titled “Filing Claims Electronically” and click on this option. Your browser will take you to a page hosting the electronic claim forms - select the appropriate form.

The form will download to your computer for you to save to your hard drive. Fill out the form, save it to your hard drive and when you are ready to upload your claim, browse back to the same webpage where you obtained the claim form and click the blue button on the bottom of the page reading “Begin eClaim Filing Process.” Please refer to the eClaim forms section of the NYC Comptroller’s website for additional information.
What do I need to access and use the claim forms?

You will need access to either an Apple or Microsoft Windows-operated personal computer using a web browser and the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Some information you should be aware of when filing a notice of claim.

You can only file a tort claim. A tort claim is a personal injury claim arising from negligence on the part of the City or a city employee or involves property damage as a result of the reckless behavior of a city employee in the course of that employee’s work, e.g., while driving a city vehicle and causing damage to a pedestrian or a citizen’s motor vehicle. Other claims, such as contract disputes, assessment protests, etc. cannot be filed electronically at this time.
You should not file the same claim both electronically and using a paper form.
You should not attempt to file the same claim more than once electronically.
Please do not digitally sign the eClaim claim form, digitally signing the claim form alters the PDF form structure adding an unknown value that is unacceptable to the PDF parsing library and it will not allow you to upload the claim form.