A car accident in Hackensack can suddenly change your life for the worse. You may face a long recovery or develop a permanent disability resulting from your injuries. Mounting medical bills and lost wages can send your finances into a tailspin. You may wonder how you will support your family.
A Hackensack car accident lawyer at The Rothenberg Law Firm can help you during this difficult time and fight so that you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. We have helped thousands of car accident victims recover maximum compensation for the injuries and losses they suffered due to another driver’s carelessness or recklessness, and we can help you too.
Contact us today for a free consultation about your Hackensack car accident claim and learn how we can help you obtain financial compensation.
Types of Car Accidents We Handle
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Rear-End Collisions: These occur when one vehicle strikes the back of another. Common causes include distracted driving, following too closely, or sudden stops.
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Head-On Collisions: These accidents happen when two vehicles collide front to front. Causes may include wrong-way driving, overtaking in a no-passing zone, or impaired driving.
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T-Bone (Side-Impact) Collisions: These occur when the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another, forming a “T” shape. Intersections are common locations for T-bone collisions.
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Sideswipe Accidents: This happens when the sides of two parallel vehicles come into contact. Lane changes without proper signaling or misjudging the distance can lead to sideswipes.
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Single-Vehicle Accidents: These involve only one vehicle. Causes can include loss of control, hitting an obstacle, or road conditions.
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Multi-Vehicle Pileups: Involving three or more vehicles, pileups often occur on highways and can result from one initial collision triggering a chain reaction.
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Intersection Accidents: Accidents at intersections can involve various scenarios, including red-light running, failure to yield, or confusion about right-of-way.
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Parking Lot Accidents: Low-speed collisions can occur in parking lots due to issues like backing out without checking, failing to yield, or distracted driving.
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Hit and Run Accidents: When a driver leaves the scene of an accident without stopping to provide information or render aid, it’s considered a hit and run.
New Jersey is the nation’s most densely populated state, and its car accident statistics reflect that. In a recent year, there were 547 fatal crashes resulting in 584 deaths. Not surprisingly, 89 percent of these fatalities occurred in urban rather than rural areas.
Common Cause of Car Accidents
Car accidents can occur due to various factors, often involving a combination of elements. Some common causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted Driving: One of the leading causes of accidents is drivers being distracted by activities such as texting, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, or eating while driving.
- Speeding: Driving at speeds higher than the posted limits or too fast for road conditions can lead to accidents, reducing reaction time and increasing the severity of collisions.
- Drunk or Impaired Driving: Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs significantly impairs a driver’s ability to react, make decisions, and control the vehicle.
- Reckless Driving: Aggressive behaviors such as road rage, weaving in and out of traffic, and disregarding traffic laws contribute to accidents.
- Running Red Lights/Stop Signs: Failing to obey traffic signals and signs can result in intersection collisions and T-bone accidents.
- Fatigue: Drowsy driving impairs reaction times and decision-making abilities, increasing the risk of accidents.
- Inexperienced Drivers: Novice drivers may lack the skills and experience to handle certain situations on the road, increasing the likelihood of accidents.
- Tailgating: Following too closely behind another vehicle reduces reaction time and increases the risk of rear-end collisions.
- Failure to Yield: Drivers not yielding the right of way when required can cause accidents at intersections or when merging.
- Improper Lane Changes: Failing to signal, blind spot issues, or misjudging the distance when changing lanes can lead to accidents.
Along with negligent drivers, other factors can cause auto accidents in Hackensack as well, including:
- Poor Road Conditions: Potholes, uneven surfaces, lack of proper signage, and poorly designed roads can contribute to accidents.
- Defective Vehicles: Mechanical failures or defects in a vehicle, such as faulty brakes or tires, can lead to accidents.
- Weather Conditions: Adverse weather, including rain, snow, ice, fog, or strong winds, can make roads slippery and reduce visibility, leading to accidents.
If you sustained injuries or lost a loved one in a Hackensack car accident that was someone else’ fault, contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away to discuss your options for recovering monetary compensation.
What Damages Are Available in a Hackensack Car Accident Claim?
When you’re involved in a car accident, you may suffer various damages, which can be broadly categorized into economic and non-economic damages. Here’s an overview:
Economic Damages:
- Medical Expenses: Includes costs for emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, doctor visits, medications, rehabilitation, and any necessary medical equipment.
- Property Damage: Covers the repair or replacement costs for your vehicle and any other property damaged in the accident.
- Lost Wages: If the accident causes you to miss work, you may be entitled to compensation for the income you would have earned during that time.
- Loss of Earning Capacity: If the injuries result in a long-term impact on your ability to earn a living, you may be compensated for the reduction in future earning potential.
Non-Economic Damages:
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress caused by the accident and injuries.
- Emotional Distress: Covers psychological trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues resulting from the accident.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for the diminished ability to enjoy life’s activities due to the accident-related injuries.
- Loss of Consortium: Damages for the negative impact the injuries have on the injured person’s relationship with their spouse, including loss of companionship, intimacy, or support.
- Disfigurement or Scarring: Compensation for any permanent physical disfigurement or scarring resulting from the accident.
The specific damages you can claim depend on the circumstances of the accident, the severity of injuries, and New Jersey laws. You must document all damages thoroughly, seek medical attention promptly, and consult a personal injury attorney to understand your rights and pursue appropriate compensation.
Wrongful Death after a Car Accident
If someone succumbs to their injuries, the personal representative of the estate may file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of surviving family members.
Compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit may include the following:
- Final medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of companionship, guidance, and care
- Loss of the value of household services performed by the deceased
What Steps Should I Take After a Car Accident?
After a car accident, check the extent of your injuries and those of any passengers in your vehicle. Call 911 immediately. The following are steps you should take, or if you are too badly hurt, see if someone else can:
- Exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver.;
- Start collecting evidence at the scene by taking photographs or videos of the vehicles involved. Record the road conditions, tire marks, or other features that may have contributed to the crash; and
- If there are eyewitnesses, obtain their contact information.
- Always seek prompt medical attention, even if you are unsure about the extent of your injuries. You may be too shaken up at the accident scene to realize that you may have internal injuries.
- Notify your insurance company of your accident, after speaking with an attorney.
There are also steps you should avoid. Do not speak to an insurance adjuster from the insurance company of the other driver or drivers involved in the accident without talking to a lawyer first. Also, do not post anything about the car accident on social media. Insurance company employees scour social media to find any information they can use to deny your claim.
Understanding Auto Insurance Coverage in New Jersey
New Jersey is a no-fault state when it comes to car accidents. That means your automobile insurance’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays your medical bills and a percentage of lost wages up to a certain amount, no matter who is at fault.
However, depending on the type of car insurance you have in New Jersey you may be able to sue for pain and suffering damages as well. If you have the “limitation on lawsuit” policy – also known as “lawsuit threshold” in New Jersey then you can only file a personal injury claim if you sustained one of the following serious injuries:
- Displaced fractures
- Loss of body part
- Loss of fetus
- Permanent injury
- Severe disfigurement
If you have the “No limitation on lawsuit” policy, then you can sue for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, even without the above injuries.
Statute of Limitations for Hackensack Car Accident Lawsuits
In New Jersey, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit after a car accident is two years. The statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death lawsuit is also two years but begins from the death date, not the accident. If you don’t work with an attorney to file your lawsuit within that time, the court will likely dismiss your case, and you’ll lose your right to seek compensation through the courts.
How Our Hackensack Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
Our car accident attorneys have decades of combined legal experience in personal injury law. We will thoroughly investigate every aspect of your accident and work diligently to establish liability to the at-fault driver who injured you. This may include collecting police reports and medical records, interviewing witnesses, reviewing surveillance video or cellphone data, and hiring an accident reconstruction specialist.
Although you must notify your insurance company of the accident, do not provide a detailed statement before obtaining legal counsel. Insurance companies want to settle cases quickly and cheaply. Once you agree to a settlement, you cannot change the agreement even if your injuries are more severe than you originally thought. You need an attorney to negotiate a settlement that is reasonable and full value based on your injuries and future prognosis.
While many car accident claims are settled outside of court, we will take your case to trial if the insurance company fails to offer you the compensation that you deserve. We may also take them to court if they deny your valid claim unjustly or act in bad faith regarding your claim.
Contact a Hackensack Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car accident in Hackensack because of another party’s negligence or recklessness, contact The Rothenberg Law Firm today. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation. In addition, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no legal fees unless and until you receive compensation.
Hackensack Office Location
The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP
1 University Plaza Dr #505,
Hackensack, NJ 07601
