Car Accident Lawyer in Newark

If you have sustained injuries in an auto collision caused by someone else, you should contact a Newark car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Car accidents can result in thousands of dollars in medical bills, and your injuries might make you unable to work. A car accident attorney can issue a demand letter to the at-fault party’s insurer to recover compensation for your losses.

Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers has several decades of collective experience working with car accident victims and has recovered over $535 million for injury clients. Our list of successful cases consists of several multi-million dollar auto accident settlements and verdicts — a testament to our effectiveness in dealing with auto insurance claims. We understand the enormous pain and stress an injury can cause and will work tirelessly to recover compensation for your losses.

Call (973) 364-8300 or contact us online today to speak to a Newark car accident attorney in a free consultation.

Common Injuries from Car Accidents in Newark

According to data from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Essex County has the most car accidents in the state annually, and most of them are in Newark. Crashes in Newark are most common among major arterial roads and streets, like Raymond Boulevard, Market Street, and McCarter Highways (Route 21), in addition to the I-78 airport interchange and I-95 New Jersey turnpike.

The high forces and masses involved in car accidents mean that even low-speed collisions can cause a range of injuries, including:

• Whiplash and neck injuries
• Bruises
• Muscle strains and tears
• Concussions and TBIs
• Fractures and broken bones
• Lacerations
• Spinal cord injuries
• Burns or abrasions
• Internal injuries
• Vision or hearing damage
• Crushing injuries
• Death

How Do New Jersey’s No-Fault Car Insurance Rules Work?

New Jersey is one of 12 states with no-fault car insurance laws requiring every driver to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. When you get into a car wreck in New Jersey, each driver first files a claim through their PIP coverage, regardless of who was at fault — hence the label “no-fault.” PIP coverage pays for medical bills, lost income, and other injury expenses after an accident up to policy limits. PIP coverage will also pay a death benefit in the event the policyholder dies in an accident.

Every driver in Newark must carry at least $15,000 in PIP coverage, though many drivers choose to carry the maximum allowable coverage of $250,000. Drivers also must have at least $5,000 in property liability coverage, but the law does not require bodily injury liability coverage. Note that PIP coverage only covers specific economic losses, like medical bills and lost wages, and won’t cover noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Basic vs. Standard Coverage in Newark

When buying insurance, drivers in New Jersey can choose between basic and standard auto coverage. Basic coverage includes the bare minimum of PIP coverage and property liability coverage but does not include bodily injury liability coverage. This means that if you cause an accident, basic auto insurance coverage will not pay for the victim’s expenses that exceed their PIP coverage. Instead, you might be directly financially responsible for them.

Standard auto coverage includes basic PIP and property liability coverage, as well as bodily injury coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. This type of coverage will pay for the injured’s expenses that exceed their PIP coverage up to the liability policy’s limit. Minimum liability coverage on a standard policy in New Jersey is $25,000 per injury per person and $50,000 per accident.

Can I Sue the Other Driver in New Jersey?

When you purchase standard auto coverage in New Jersey, you also choose between having a limited right to sue and an unlimited right to sue. With a limited right-to-sue policy, the policyholder limits their ability to recover compensation after a car accident. They can only sue the other driver if their injury reaches a specific threshold as defined in NJRS 39:6A-8:

• Death
• Dismemberment
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Displaced fractures
• Loss of a fetus
• Permanent injury

If your injury involves any of the above six criteria, you can step outside of New Jersey’s no-fault system and file a lawsuit against the other driver for your economic and noneconomic losses. Note that basic auto policies automatically give you a limited right to sue.

You can also choose an unlimited right-to-sue policy, which allows you to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver, regardless of the severity of your injuries. This type of policy does not limit your options to recovering compensation after a car accident — everything is on the table. You can file a claim against the other driver for any type of injuries and losses you suffered in the accident they caused.

How Much Compensation Could I Recover in a Car Accident Claim in Newark?

It is impossible to determine beforehand how much you can recover from a personal injury claim. The amount of your compensation ultimately depends on the specifics of the accident and your injuries. However, our Newark car accident lawyers are skilled at assessing the total value of our clients’ claims. You may be entitled to compensation for your:

• Medical expenses
• Lost work income
• Diminished lifetime earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of life enjoyment
• Out-of-pocket injury expenses
• Property damage

Why You Need an Attorney for a Car Accident Claim in Newark

New Jersey’s car insurance laws are particularly complex and full of requirements, conditions, and exemptions. Depending on the case, it could take anywhere from a few months to more than a year to resolve your case. A seasoned attorney can engage with the at-fault party’s insurer in your stead and increase your chances of receiving the maximum compensation possible for your injuries and losses.

The last thing a person wants to deal with when recovering from an injury is insurance paperwork and potential lawsuits. An attorney from Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers can handle all the legal intricacies for you, meeting all legal deadlines, collecting all necessary evidence, building a compelling case, and letting you focus on recovery and rebuilding.

In New Jersey, you have an absolute time limit of two years for filing a lawsuit for injuries from a car accident. Once two years from the date of the accident pass, you can no longer seek compensation for your losses through legal channels. If you can no longer threaten an insurer with filing a lawsuit or taking your case to trial, you have very little leverage to encourage them to settle your case for a reasonable amount. As such, it’s in your best interest to contact an attorney as soon as possible to start building a case.

Newark Car Accident FAQs

Below is a list of answers to some of the most common questions we receive about car accident claims and lawsuits. If you have any more specific questions about car insurance or accident injury compensation, contact Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers to speak with one of our car crash attorneys.

How Can a Newark Car Accident Lawyer Help Me if the Other Driver Is at Fault But Won’t Take Responsibility?

If the other driver is at fault, but their insurance company denies your claim, one option is to file a formal lawsuit. In a formal lawsuit, you will present your case before a judge or jury, who will decide on an appropriate verdict amount, if any. An attorney can help you initiate the formal lawsuit process if negotiations do not work or the insurance company operates in bad faith.

What Compensation Can I Get for Medical Bills and Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Newark?

Compensation for your medical bills can include the costs of both emergency and continuing medical expenses, such as emergency stabilizing care, surgery, post-surgical monitoring, prescription drugs, rehabilitative services, and any other one-time or recurring medical expenses. Lost income refers to all types of employment compensation, ranging from hourly pay or salaries to bonuses, commissions, tips, and perks.

Can I Still Pursue a Claim If the Accident in Newark Happened During Bad Weather?

Bad weather in itself is not grounds to bar you from a car accident claim. Drivers are expected to modify their driving behavior according to the weather, such as reducing speed, and they can be negligent if they do not. For instance, if someone takes a turn too fast in the rain, hydroplanes, and slams into another car, they could be liable because they did not reduce their speed enough for safety. In other words, drivers could bear liability for any accidents they cause if they don’t appropriately modify their driving behavior for the weather.

Contact Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers Today to Speak to an Auto Accident Attorney in Newark

A single car accident can change your life forever, but there are options for relief and support in your difficult times. Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers prides itself on our devotion to justice and will fight to balance the scales on your behalf. We have a duty to protect our client’s interests and well-being and will use every strategy and resource to achieve a satisfactory resolution.

Contact us online today or call (973) 364-8300 to set up a free case consultation with a Newark motor vehicle accident attorney.