New Jersey Highway Accidents
Getting into an accident on I-95 or one of the many other major highways that run through New Jersey can leave you severely injured, in pain and confused about your legal rights. With assistance from a highly experienced car accident lawyer in New Jersey, you can piece your life back together and seek fair financial compensation for your bills and losses.
What Is a Highway Accident?
Highway accidents are motor vehicle collisions that take place on interstate highways in New Jersey, such as I-95, I-80, I-78, I-278 and I-295. These are major routes with multiple lanes of traffic traveling in both directions. A highway accident can involve one, two, or three or more drivers. It can take the form of a sideswipe accident, rear-end collision, lane-change accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, head-on collision or multi-vehicle pileup.
What Causes Most Highway Accidents
Highway accidents that are reported in New Jersey each year are often caused by driver errors. Drivers can make many mistakes behind the wheel that fall short of the expected duty of care and lead to highway accidents, such as driving while drunk, drowsy or distracted. These mistakes are known as negligence in personal injury law.
Speeding, reckless driving, following too closely, making unsafe lane changes, texting and driving, and driving vehicles that are in a state of disrepair are all examples of dangerous driver negligence. In other cases, however, highway accidents are caused by road conditions, such as potholes or poor road maintenance.
Common Injuries From Highway Accidents
Highway accidents can be catastrophic, meaning they inflict life-altering or fatal injuries on those involved. Catastrophic injuries that may arise from a highway accident include:
- Bone fractures
- Head trauma and brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Permanent paralysis
- Internal injuries
- Burn injuries
- Severe lacerations
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Losses of limb
Sadly, many victims do not survive highway accidents in New Jersey. Filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim can give the victim justice.
Who Pays for a Highway Accident in New Jersey?
New Jersey has unique insurance laws. It is one of only 12 states in the country that abide by a no-fault insurance rule, which states that regardless of who is at fault for an accident, a driver can only seek financial compensation from his or her own carrier. All drivers are required to purchase personal injury protection (PIP) insurance to cover their own medical bills after a car accident.
However, some highway accident cases in New Jersey are permitted to proceed outside of the state’s no-fault law. Drivers have the option of paying extra for standard rather than basic policies, which come with limited or unlimited right to sue coverage. This type of insurance can allow an injured accident victim to hold another driver responsible for causing a highway accident.
How Can a Highway Accident Lawyer Help?
Do not get taken advantage of by a car insurance company after a highway accident in New Jersey. Whether you file a claim with your own insurer or have the right to hold someone else responsible for your crash, an attorney can help you negotiate for a fair and full settlement.
You can trust your lawyer to advocate for your best interests while you focus on healing from your injuries. Contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C., today to learn more about your case during a free consultation.