New Jersey Car Accident Laws, Lawsuits and Lawyers Overview

For fans of East Coast gambling, blue-collar Americans, and The Boss, there is no place in the world quite like New Jersey. While it may not boast the attractive allure of its neighbor to the north (New York City), for those who were born and raised in New Jersey the Garden State will always be first in their hearts. Princeton, Camden, and Atlantic City are just a few of the more well-known cities in New Jersey. Approximately 8.8 million people call the small state home, meaning that there are quite a number of people residing and driving in a confined geographical space.

New Jersey car accidents are not a rarity – they happen with surprising regularity. When they do occur, they can leave drivers and motorists alike with serious, even life-threatening injuries like spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and brain injuries. Any of these can result in thousands of dollars in medical expenses, weeks or months missed from work, and considerable pain, suffering, anxiety, and worry. A car accident lawsuit may be available to help injury victims deal with some of these costs and expenses.

Statistics About New Jersey Car Crashes

Statistics maintained by the New Jersey Department of Transportation provide a more detailed picture of how dangerous New Jersey roads can be. In 2014, there were over 250,000 crashes of all types reported to the state. Of these, almost 60,000 were crashes that resulted in injury to at least one person, and another 521 resulted in the death of at least one person. That means that every month in New Jersey there were 500 crashes that injured someone, and nearly 50 that resulted in someone’s death. This, unfortunately, is a tragic situation.

What makes these statistics particularly tragic is that many of these accidents could be avoided if New Jersey drivers simply exercised a greater amount of care in traveling on the road. Texting while driving contributes to a shocking number car accidents in New Jersey and throughout the nation. While drinking and driving rates are on the decline throughout the United States, it still contributes to a number of injury and fatal car crashes each year. Finally, simply adhering to the rules of the road, yielding the right of way when it is appropriate to do so, and obeying speed limits would reduce the number of car crashes considerably.

New Jersey May Be a “No Fault” Insurance State

New Jersey requires its drivers to obtain and carry an auto insurance policy, but the policy may either be a “no fault” policy (which pays compensation to the policy holder and/or injured family members after a collision, regardless of who is at fault) or a “fault-based” policy (which will pay compensation to those injured because of the fault of the insured). There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of insurance, so it is wise for drivers to speak with their insurance agent and/or a car crash lawyer to learn about the differences between these two types of policies so they can decide which is most appropriate for their situation.

In the event an injured party is not fully compensated by the payment of an insurance company, a car crash lawsuit may be able to be filed to seek additional compensation. In New Jersey, an injury victim may be able to obtain compensation through such a lawsuit so long as the injury victim is found to be 50 percent or less responsible for causing the accident. Otherwise, the injury victim will not be entitled to recover any compensation whatsoever. In the event the victim is entitled to a damages award, that award is to be reduced in proportion to the amount of fault the victim bears for causing the crash.

Do Not Delay in Filing Your New Jersey Car Accident Lawsuit

New Jersey law gives injury victims two years after the date of their accident to file a lawsuit for compensation, if they wish to do so and are legally able to do so. This does not give injury victims much time to explore their legal rights. Because of this, injury victims should consult with an experienced car crash lawyer as soon as possible following their accident to learn what rights they may have and how they can best preserve those rights.

Stern Law, PLLC Represents Injured Motorists and Passengers

If you or a loved one have been injured in a New Jersey car crash, Stern Law, PLLC is available to assist you with your next steps. Call our firm at (844) 808-7529 and discuss your case with us. We will help you understand your legal situation and what steps you can (and should) take in order to best be able to achieve a desirable and helpful outcome. We want to help you move beyond your injury and get back to living.