Jersey City Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a car accident in New Jersey, you may face challenges in determining the damages. In such a situation, an experienced Jersey City car accident lawyer at Omni Injury & Accident Law helps people injured in car crashes fight for the compensation they deserve. We’ve seen the impact these injuries can have on people’s lives, and we are dedicated to fighting for justice.

If you need help with your claim, contact us now for a free consultation at  516-962-6018. We can help you get started on your insurance claim. Our lawyers represent auto accident victims in Jersey City and throughout New Jersey.

Car crash victims can find themselves trapped under hefty medical bills and auto repair costs, all while being unable to work. Seeking damages in these scenarios can be critical to rebuilding your life. A lawyer will provide crucial traffic accident legal advice, insights, and guidance on managing insurance claims.

How Can A Jersey City Car Accident Lawyer Help You?

Our car accident lawyer may help you understand your legal options and take you step-by-step through your claim. Contact Jersey City accident lawyers for assistance with:

• Free Case Evaluation: Every consultation comes absolutely free along with one of our experienced lawyers who will analyze your case and walk you through your legal steps towards seeking compensation.
• Claim Management: We take care of lodging your claim and all communication with the insurance. This also covers answering questions for supporting documents and any other requests that may need answering.
• Evidence Gathering: We as a legal team will collect all necessary evidence and other information concerning the accident and your wounds. It is important for filing claims as well as receiving considerable compensation.
• Negotiations: Well-experienced negotiators are important in increasing your compensation, understanding your claim, the losses involved, and how to use their negotiation skills to help you pursue a fair settlement.
• Filing a Lawsuit: In cases where no agreement is reached, our litigation team is ready to step in and take over the work on your behalf to file a lawsuit. 
• Pre-Trial and Trial Representation: For all the pre-trial proceedings and during the trial, we can represent you. Our attorneys will ensure your case details are put across to the judge and jury in the most compelling way.

If you need assistance with your car accident claim, contact us for your free case evaluation. We can help identify your needs and create a plan to recover just compensation.

Common Types of Car Accidents in New Jersey

A car accident occurs whenever a car collides with an object. These accidents may involve one or more other vehicles or crashing into an object, animal, pedestrian, or bicyclist. Some common types of car accidents include:

• Head-On Collisions: A head-on crash occurs when the front of two vehicles collide with each other. This may occur when one vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction.
• Rear-End Collisions: A rear-end accident occurs when the front of one vehicle hits the back of another. Following too closely or sudden stopping may cause these accidents.
• Side-Impact Accidents: Also called a T-bone accident, these crashes occur when the front of a vehicle hits the side of another creating a “T.” These types of collisions often occur at intersections.
• Sideswipe Accidents: A sideswipe happens when the sides of two vehicles hit along each other. Failing to check blindspots or driving too closely to a parked vehicle may cause a sideswipe.
• Rollover Accidents: If a vehicle flips onto its top, this is known as a rollover. SUVs and pickup trucks are more prone to rolling over.
• Single-Vehicle Accidents: If only one vehicle is involved this is known as a single vehicle crash. These may occur if a vehicle runs off the road, or collides with an animal or object.
• Multi-Vehicle Collisions: A multi-car collision or pileup occurs when a chain reaction accident causes multiple vehicles to be involved in a crash. These are more likely to occur in heavily trafficked areas like interstates and highways.

Common Causes of Car Accidents In New Jersey

While often referred to as “accidents,” the fact is that recklessness and negligence are some of the more common reasons car crashes occur. Different behaviors and environmental factors can contribute to these incidents.

Inexperienced drivers and negligent drivers are among the top causes of New Jersey accidents. Some other common causes include:

• Reckless driving, like speeding, tailgating, running stop signs, or failing to yield.
• Distracted driving is like texting, tuning the radio, or eating while driving.
• Drunk driving includes driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
• Bad weather that reduces visibility or causes slippery conditions like ice, snow, and fog.

A Jersey City car accident lawyer will help you in the investigation of the cause of your crash and determine fault, if necessary. Understanding how an accident happened and if another party is to blame can help you recover full and fair damages.

Common Injuries After Car Accident In Jersey City

Car crashes are traumatic events. These collisions can cause physical, emotional, and mental trauma to vehicle occupants. Depending on the severity of these accidents, victims may suffer for weeks, months, or years after. 

Some common car accident injuries are:

• Broken bones: Fractures can result from the impact and trauma of a crash.
• Soft tissue injuries: Sprains and strains to ligaments, tendons, and muscles throughout the body may result from a car accident.
• Whiplash: The impact of a car accident can cause the head to move back and forth in a whip-like motion, causing strain to the ligaments and tendons in the neck and back.
• Traumatic brain injury: A TBI is caused by the brain bouncing inside of the skull causing issues with cognition, memory, and motor skills.
• Spinal cord injury: Fractures, severing, and damage to the bones, muscles, and nerves can lead to muscle weakness or paralysis.
• Loss of Limb: Amputations may result from the crash or become medically necessary if the injury is severe or there is an infection.
• PTSD, Anxiety, or Depression: Mental health conditions can commonly occur from the trauma and distress of an accident. The duration of symptoms can vary.

A car accident attorney can assist with a personal injury or wrongful death claim. They can evaluate the impact of your injury on your life, secure evidence and expert witnesses to attest to the extent of your injury, and fight for the compensation you are owed.

What To Do After A Car Crash In New Jersey?

After being involved in a car accident, you may be wondering what steps need to be taken. If you need help, these steps can guide you:

• Seek medical help: As with any accident, the first step is to identify any possible injuries. If there are any, make sure to call 911 for emergency assistance. 
• Move to a safe place: In the event that there are no visible signs of injuries for everyone involved, especially for the passengers, then make sure to shift the vehicle off the road so that it does not hinder traffic.
• Exchange information: At this stage, you have to make sure to collect personal details of the other driver, such as name, phone number, insurance company, and number plate, so that it is easy to handle and manage all details later.
• Call the police: It is critical to call the police and make sure that an official report has been issued, even in cases where there are minor damages to the vehicle.
• Take Pictures: Make sure to take pictures of the entire scene, focusing on the damaged vehicles and the injuries that any passengers might have sustained as well.
• Speak to eyewitnesses: If there are any independent eyewitnesses to the entire incident, make sure that you get their details so that they can contact either the police or your insurance company.
• Contact an attorney – There are many reasons for hiring an experienced car accident lawyer in Jersey City, and one of them is that they will walk you through the entire claims process.

After you contact a New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer, they can get to work on your claim.  Car wreck lawyers may review the evidence and documentation and gather necessary information to file a comprehensive insurance claim. 

Statute Of Limitations For Car Accident Victims In New Jersey

The New Jersey statute of limitations for personal injury cases is just two years from the date of the accident. Failing to file a lawsuit before this deadline may mean forfeiting the right to seek damages. 

There are limited exceptions to the statute of limitations. A lawyer may review your claim and the facts to determine the deadline to sue for a car accident and whether any exceptions apply. Moreover, they can assist with making a timely filing, and securing your right to recovery.

What Damages Can I Recover After a Car Accident in New Jersey

After a motor vehicle crash, drivers may pursue several different types of damages. Categorically these are referred to as economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

• Economic Damages 

These are the costs you have paid or will pay as a direct consequence of the accident. It is money that is meant to pay for your financial losses. For instance, economic damages cover the following:

• Medical expenses: Costs for medical treatment, which include payment for hospital stays, doctor consultations, rehabilitation sessions, buying medicine, and any required medical appliances, as well as disability-enduring injuries.
• Lost income: If you cannot work because of your injuries, you may also claim lost income and even future income if your injury has a long-term impact on your capacity to work. 
• Property damage: It includes car repair or replacement costs as well as other property damages. These damages are easier to prove because their supporting documents are receipts, bills, and pay stubs.
• Non-Economic Damages 

These damages assess the impact of an accident on one’s life as a whole, focusing on the psychological effects and pain it has caused. Unlike economic damages, there’s no specific dollar amount tied to them. These damages are more about how the accident affected your mental and emotional well-being. In New Jersey, the amount of damages possible may depend on your policy. Recovery may be limited to claiming such damages if a person has a more serious injury. 

• Punitive Damages 

Unlike compensatory damages, which aim to reimburse you for losses incurred, punitive damages are awarded to punish the other driver for acting recklessly and dangerously and to set an example for others who might consider doing the same. This is rare and done when there are extreme circumstances such as alleged intoxication, street racing, or some form of explicit or intentional harm. 

Car Accident Statistics in New Jersey

In 2024, New Jersey saw 652 fatal crashes resulting in 689 fatalities according to preliminary data from the New Jersey State Police. This number increased significantly from 2023, up from 574 crashes and 606 fatalities. 

In 2022, the New Jersey Department of Transportation reported 52,240 injury crashes across New Jersey, up from 48,962 in 2021 and 42,791 in 2020. Pre-covid, numbers of injury crashes were over 60,000 annually. Furthermore, over 1,000 car accidents involved handheld devices, and 365 involved hands-free. These numbers appear to remain greatly unchanged from year to year.

How Much Is My New Jersey Car Accident Claim Worth?

The value of your claim will depend on the extent of your injuries and whether you can pursue the at-fault party for damages. When considering the type of compensation you can pursue and the amount you can recover, it is critical to understand how New Jersey car insurance policies work. 

New Jersey is a choice no-fault state, this means drivers can choose between fault and no-fault insurance.

• If a driver has a limited tort policy, they can seek compensation for their losses through their own insurance policy. 
• Personal injury protection, or PIP benefits are included in all auto insurance policies. PIP typically covers damages like medical expenses and lost wages. Property damage, however, may not be covered.
• Liability insurance is required for all New Jersey drivers. It includes bodily injury coverage and property damage coverage in the event the driver is found legally responsible for an accident. 
• Uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage are encouraged in the event you sustain damages that exceed liability limits or the responsible driver does not have coverage.
• With full-tort coverage, drivers have the right to seek damages from the responsible party. In some cases, drivers with limited tort coverage may have the right to sue for pain and suffering, depending on whether their injuries are significant enough to exceed the “verbal threshold.”

Identifying your damages and paths to recovery is crucial. A New Jersey car accident lawyer may explain your insurance policy and options for recovering fair compensation. 

Contact A Jersey City Car Accident Attorney For Legal Help Today

A Jersey City car accident attorney at Omni Injury and Accident Law, P.C., is ready to assist you. Whether you are just getting started on your claim or are in the midst of insurance company negotiations, we can step in to help.  We will guide you throughout your legal journey from start to end. As this will be a difficult time for you, you can be assured of legal representation.

Our lawyer works on a contingency fee basis, which means we won’t charge you legal fees unless we win. Call us now to schedule a free consultation by calling 516-962-6018.