Car accidents are responsible for over 5.5 million car accidents every year, and more than 3 million injuries and 40,000 deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). If you get injured in such an accident, you can turn to the law for financial compensation.
New Jersey is a no-fault car insurance state, which means that you will be required to first file a claim with your own insurer after a car accident. Nonetheless, you can work with an auto law group to seek compensation from the other driver if your claim meets certain prerequisites.
If you need help pursuing compensation for your injury-related losses, talk to a Hudson County Personal Injury Attorney today to learn about your legal options.
Reporting Car Accidents in New Jersey
New Jersey Statutes section 39:4-130. sets out some rules on the reporting of car accidents in the state. According to the statute, drivers involved in a car accident within New Jersey must report the accident to the local police department, the New Jersey State Police, or the nearest county police office. This rule applies to all accidents that result in injury, death, or property damage of at least $500.
After reporting the accident to the authorities, the driver must also file an accident report through an official form that can be downloaded from the New Jersey Department of Transportation. This written report must be filled out and forwarded within 10 days of the accident.
Reporting a car accident is just as important to the state as it is to your injury claim. The police report prepared at the scene of the accident often acts as crucial evidence.
No-Fault Car Insurance Laws
As already mentioned, New Jersey is one of around 12 states in the United States that follows a no-fault car insurance system. Drivers and passengers involved in crashes must first turn to their PIP insurance, which every driver must carry, for compensation. PIP insurance covers medical costs, lost income, and other accident-related costs, regardless of who caused the accident.
That said, there are scenarios where you may be able to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver in your car accident. A knowledgeable attorney will help determine if your case qualifies for such consideration and what you can do about it.
Comparative Negligence in New Jersey
If your case goes to court and the other driver is entirely at fault for your accident, they will have to compensate you for all your losses. However, if you are found to share blame for the accident, your compensation will be calculated as a percentage of fault. You don’t receive anything if you were 50 percent to blame for the accident.
Talk to a Hudson County Personal Injury Attorney
Auto accidents are responsible for a significant number of personal injuries and deaths in the United States every year. If you or your loved ones get injured in a car, truck, bicycle, or motorcycle accident through no fault of your own, you can work with an auto law group to pursue damages.
Anthony Carbone, a passionate Hudson County Personal Injury Attorney, has been protecting the rights of injury victims in New Jersey for over three decades. If you have sustained injuries through another person’s negligence, contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone at 201-829-3805 to discuss your case.