New Jersey Auto Accident Attorney

Car accidents are a major cause of preventable injury and death across the United States and New Jersey. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “In 2021, 43,230 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes, of which 7,388 were people walking. Millions more were injured – sometimes permanently – each year. This was the highest number of fatalities since 2005.” In that same year, there were 667 fatal collisions within New Jersey.

Those that survive auto accidents within the state are often left with serious trauma and life-changing injuries. It is therefore crucial that accident victims seek legal support as early as possible. Our team of highly experienced New Jersey auto accident attorneys at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. can help you if you’ve been injured. Our attorneys have decades of experience handling all sorts of auto accident cases. No case is too complex or large for us to handle. If you’ve been injured in a New Jersey auto accident, call us today for a risk-free case evaluation. You can reach our office anytime at (800) 529-9997.

Why You Need a New Jersey Auto Accident Lawyer

New Jersey has some of the most complex auto accident laws in the United States. Navigating all the complexities of an injury claim is prohibitively difficult, timely, and expensive for the average person. There are a number of reasons that you should hire a New Jersey auto accident attorney if you have been injured.

• Risks: There are a number of risks associated with handling a personal injury case on your own. Insurance companies will try to use your own words against you to undermine your claim. They will put forth delay after delay in the hopes that victims will eventually settle for a small amount.
• Maximize Compensation: One of the most important reasons to hire a New Jersey auto accident attorney is that they can maximize compensation for your claim. They can do this by identifying all of the ways that you’ve been impacted by an accident, including all of your medical bills, future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
• No Up-Front Costs: There are absolutely no upfront costs to hire an attorney to represent you in an auto accident claim. They work entirely off of a contingency fee basis and only get paid if they’re able to successfully resolve your case.

There is a tremendous peace of mind that comes with having an experienced attorney work on your behalf. They can focus on all of the court proceedings and negotiations with insurance providers. You can focus on healing and getting better.

Common Causes of Auto Accidents in New Jersey

Auto accidents are often highly complex events. There could be a variety of different factors that contribute to any collision. What follows are just a few of the most common causes of auto accidents in New Jersey.

• Distracted Driving: Thousands of people die in collisions involving distracted drivers every year. Distractions include any activity that diverts the attention of a driver, such as texting, messing with the radio, eating food, or putting on makeup. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,308 lives in 2022.”
• Speeding: Drivers are much more likely to lose control of their vehicle at higher speeds. Speeding leads to many serious injuries and fatal collisions each year. According to the National Safety Council, “Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2022, killing 12,151, or an average of over 33 people on a typical day. The total number of fatal motor vehicle crashes attributable to speeding was 10,922.”
• Drunk Driving: Even moderate amounts of alcohol below the legal limit can substantially impair a driver’s ability to operate their vehicle safely. But what many drivers don’t understand is that a variety of substances could potentially intoxicate them, including over-the-counter medications and prescriptions.
• Inclement Weather: Auto accidents are much more likely to take place during periods of inclement weather. This includes situations when it is raining or snowing outside. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “On average, there are over 5,891,000 vehicle crashes each year. Approximately 21% of these crashes – nearly 1,235,000 – are weather-related.”
• Failure to Obey Traffic Signals: Operating a vehicle safely requires people to obey all of the rules of the road and traffic signals. It is estimated that in 2022 alone, 1,149 people died in collisions where a driver went through a red light.

Types of Auto Accident Cases Our Law Firm Handles

Our law firm can handle a wide variety of different auto accident claims within New Jersey. Here are just a few of the accident types that we have experienced handling.

• Rear-End Collisions: One of the most common types of collisions is rear-end collisions. This occurs when a vehicle strikes another vehicle from behind. These are almost always caused by one driver that is following the lead vehicle too closely or speeding.
• Head-On Collisions: Head-on collisions are among the most dangerous types of accidents that a person can be involved in. These account for roughly 2% of all car accidents but are involved in over 11% of all traffic fatalities.
• T-Bone Accidents: A T-bone accident occurs when a vehicle strikes another vehicle traveling perpendicular to it. In other words, a car hits the side of another vehicle, usually as that vehicle is traveling through an intersection. These collisions often result in devastating injuries for the vehicle that is struck.
• Hit-and-Run Accidents: A hit-and-run collision involves any crash where the driver responsible leaves the scene. These crashes are incredibly common. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, “In 2016, there were 1,980 fatal hit-and-run crashes resulting in 2,049 fatalities. This is the highest annual number of hit-and-run fatalities or crashes recorded since NHTSA began compiling statistics on fatal motor vehicle crashes in 1975.”
• Rideshare (Uber &Lyft) Accidents: Many people have chosen to forgo car ownership in favor of using rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft. According to one report by UIC Today, one-third of rideshare drivers have reported being involved in a crash on the job.
• Truck Accidents: A fully loaded semi truck can weigh 80,000 pounds. These vehicles pose an extreme danger to other drivers, even at lower speeds.
• Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcycles are substantially more likely to be overlooked than passenger vehicles due to their small size. Their riders are also substantially more likely to be seriously injured if they are involved in a crash.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: Pedestrians and cyclists lack the protection of enclosed vehicles. It is imperative that drivers keep an eye out for them and slow down appropriately. But far too often this does not take place.

No matter what kind of accident you’ve been involved in, our law firm may be able to help. Our team of compassionate and experienced New Jersey auto accident lawyers is committed to getting auto accident victims the justice and support that they are owed under the law.

Understanding New Jersey Auto Accident Laws

All drivers in New Jersey have a legal obligation to get Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”) insurance, according to N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3.2. This insurance helps cover people who are injured in collisions, even if they were functioning as a cyclist or pedestrian at the time of a crash. In addition to PIP insurance, an injured party may be able to pursue a negligence claim if they were seriously injured, according to N.J.S.A. § 39:6A-8(a). There are several injury types included within the framework of a serious injury.

• Dismemberment
• Significant scarring
• Permanent injuries
• Significant disfigurement
• Loss of a fetus
• Fractures
• Death

Victims of auto accidents should take action as soon as possible after they’ve been injured. There are statutes of limitations related to pursuing damages in an auto accident claim. Most auto accident claims in New Jersey will need to be pursued two years from the date of the accident. There are several exceptions to this general rule. If a plaintiff was a minor at the time of a New Jersey auto accident, they will typically have two years from the date of their 18th birthday in order to pursue an injury claim.

Compensation Available After a New Jersey Auto Accident

Auto accidents can have many implications for a person’s life. In the short term, they can lead to medical bills for treatments, such as medications and surgeries. They may also necessitate that a person take time away from work. In the long term, a auto accident can impair a person’s ability to live their lives the way that they used to. Accident victims in New Jersey are entitled to numerous types of damages.

• Medical Expenses: Accident victims can recover compensation for all of their medical expenses. This will include current as well as future medical bills.
• Lost Wages: Accident victims can recover compensation for all of their lost wages. They can also recover for any loss of earning capacity that is the result of an injury.
• Pain and Suffering: Accident victims can recover compensation for the psychological harm that they’ve endured. Nearly all victims of auto accidents have at least some pain and suffering.
• Property Damages: Accident victims can receive compensation for all of the damages to their property. For the most part, this will cover damaged vehicles.
• Wrongful Death: The family of any person who died in a collision is also able to recover damages. This can help cover lost wages from the deceased and compensation for funeral expenses and related costs.

Insurance companies will do everything in their power to minimize the severity of the accident that you’ve been through. A skilled New Jersey auto accident lawyer understands the tricks and tactics insurance companies use and will work around them to help ensure that you get the most compensation for your injuries.

Steps to Take After a New Jersey Auto Accident

It can be hard to know what to do in the aftermath of a serious injury collision. Many victims have reported being in a state of shock after the event. Accident victims should take the following steps in order to best preserve their health and legal rights.

• Seek Medical Attention: Be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Many of the injuries associated with an auto accident will not be outwardly obvious, especially since a collision can fill a person with adrenaline.
• Report the Collision: By reporting a auto accident to the police, you are creating an official record of the event that can be extremely useful later on in a civil claim.
• Gather Evidence: Gather as much evidence as you possibly can. This should include photos of the accident site and all of the contact information for any potential witnesses.
• Seek Legal Counsel: Consult with an experienced New Jersey auto accident attorney. They can evaluate all the unique facts of your case and let you know if you have a claim that can be pursued.

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you may receive a settlement offer from an opposing insurance provider. It is virtually never a good idea to accept any such offer or even speak with opposing insurance providers without first consulting an experienced attorney. These preliminary offers virtually never take into consideration all of the ways that an accident could impact your life down the road.

How Our Law Firm Can Help You

Dealing with the aftermath of a auto accident can be one of the most stressful periods of a person’s life. Our attorneys can help with virtually all aspects of your injury claim and help you get a favorable outcome. What follows are just a few of the areas we can help with.

• Free Case Evaluation: You don’t have to wonder if you have a claim that can be pursued. Our attorneys can let you know if you have a claim by reviewing your case free of cost and answer any relevant questions that you have.
• Negotiations: Dealing with insurance providers is one of the most stressful parts of pursuing any injury claim. Our attorneys handle all of this on your behalf so that you don’t have to worry.
• Investigating: Building a strong personal injury claim requires gathering large amounts of evidence. Our attorneys will handle all of this on your behalf. If one or more parties do not want to turn over evidence, we can force them to hand it over through a subpoena.
• Litigation: The vast majority of cases settle out of court. But if insurance providers are not willing to offer a fair settlement, our attorneys can take your case to trial in order to get you the best outcome.
• Contingency Fee Arrangement: Most attorneys want to be paid upfront, regardless of any outcome. That is not how we operate. Our attorneys do not charge anything upfront. We only get paid from the opposing party if we are able to successfully resolve your case.

Our law firm can even help with cases where victims are partially at fault for the collision. If you are at all unsure about whether or not you have a case, don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer risk-free consultations to everyone.

Cases Our Law Firm Has Resolved

Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. is one of the oldest and most well-respected New Jersey auto accident law firms. We have successfully recovered over $1 billion for our deserving clients. This includes numerous seven-figure settlements and verdicts for many different auto accident claims.

• We recovered a $12.5 million settlement for a working mother who was seriously injured by an NYC Department of Transportation pickup truck.
• We recovered a $9.5 million settlement for a motorcyclist seriously injured by a garbage truck.
• We recovered an $8 million settlement for a pedestrian who sustained a serious brain injury after being hit by a commercial van while in a wheelchair.
• We recovered a $7.25 million settlement for a bicyclist seriously injured in a collision with a delivery truck.
• We recovered a $6.75 million settlement for a pedestrian who sustained severe injuries after being hit by an MTA bus.
• We recovered a $5 million settlement for a bicyclist seriously injured after being run over by a truck.

Our law firm is committed to compassionate legal representation that puts the needs of clients first. We understand what it is like to have an uncertain future because of the negligence of other drivers. This is why we focus on winning above all else. But you don’t have to simply take our word for it. Feel free to read any of the dozens of five-star reviews that our clients have given us.

Contact us for a Free Consultation

Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. is the reputable and results-driven law firm that you’ve been looking for to represent you in your New Jersey auto accident claim. Our law firm has a long history of achieving successful outcomes in even the most difficult cases. You can rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding the best path forward for your case.

Have you or someone you care about been injured in a New Jersey auto accident? You may be entitled to financial compensation. We take a personalized approach and work closely with clients in order to understand what best serves them. Whether you have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney, we are here to serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime for a risk-free consultation at (800) 529-9997.