New Jersey Car Accident Lawyers
Proudly serving all of New Jersey
What to Do If You’ve Been Injured in a Vehicle Crash
A wreck can happen in the blink of an eye, but the consequences can last a lifetime. Victims are often left with significant injuries, high recovery costs, and mental trauma. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, do not settle for less than you deserve. The driver who caused this pain should be held accountable for your damages. With the right legal help, you may obtain compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- And more
Contact the NJ accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., for a FREE consultation. Our firm partners handle the cases themselves and provide unparalleled personalized service for our clients. We have gotten clients tens of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, and we’ll be happy to review your case for free and let you know if we can help. To learn more about your rights and legal options with us, call (609) 240-0040.
Motor Vehicle Accident Verdicts and Settlements
- $2.5 Million Settlement – Truck Crash Case
- Arbitrator Awards $1.2 Million – Neck and Back Injuries in Car Crash
- $1,000,000 Settlement – Man Suffers Internal Injuries After Being Crushed by Box Truck
- $960,000 Settlement – Van Accident Resulting in Injuries
- $900,000 Settlement – Tow Truck Operator Receives Injuries
Click here for more verdicts and settlements.
Request Your Free Police Report
Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., is happy to assist you with getting your crash report at no cost. Visit our police report request page and fill out our form. We’ll take care of the rest.
After a Car Accident in NJ
What you do and don’t do after an auto accident can make or break your claim. We recommend following these guidelines to ensure that your case will be a strong one, supported by plenty of evidence:
- Get personal information from the liable party. Name, address, contact info, insurance and vehicle info, license identification number – the more information you can collect, the better.
- If there are any witnesses, get their contact information. Witness testimony is an invaluable asset for any claim case, because witnesses are thought to be unbiased.
- Seek medical attention immediately. Even if your injuries seem minor, get checked out by medical personnel at the scene of the accident. Doing so will not only make sure your condition is stable, but also strengthen your case, if any injuries are documented right away.
- Records are vital. Call the police to the scene, and request a copy of your police accident report. After, go see a doctor for a thorough examination. If he or she finds injuries, they’ll go in your official medical record.
- Document everything you can and preserve all evidence. Write up a detailed account of what led to the accident. Take photos of the scene of the accident, your injuries, your vehicle, the other party’s vehicle, and other damages. If possible, preserve all evidence in the state it was in immediately after the crash occurred. (For example, do not take your damaged vehicle to the repair shop before getting the ball rolling on your auto accident claim against the other driver.)
Any information you volunteer can be used by the other driver or their insurance company to escape accountability or to minimize your claim. Always consult with your attorney before speaking with anybody else or signing anything.
What About Van Accidents?
It’s a common misconception that vans are safer than cars just because they’re larger. In truth, research done by government regulators points to the fact that there’s a significant risk of rollovers when it comes to vans, particularly when they’re loaded with 10 or more passengers. The 12- to 15-passenger vans are much more likely to flip over. The higher the number of passengers in these vans, the higher the center of gravity. This creates instability.
Many schools, universities, church groups, and nonprofits still use these passenger vans to transport people to events. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has discouraged pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools from using 15-passenger vans to transport children because these buses don’t provide the same level of safety as school buses. It’s now against federal law for schools to buy 15-passenger vans for school transportation purposes.
THE DANGERS OF ROLLOVERS
When vans roll over, we routinely see passenger ejections because they weren’t buckled up, or because the seat restraint systems failed. When occupants are ejected from a vehicle in a crash, they suffer significant blunt force trauma and have the risk of getting run over by other vehicles. The consequences are often catastrophic or fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rollover accidents have a higher fatality rate than others kinds of crashes. In 2010, rollovers accounted for approximately 35% of all fatalities from car crashes yet only accounted for 2.1% of wrecks.
Other vehicles with a high center of gravity, such as SUVs, also have an increased chance of rolling over when involved in a crash. Some of the other factors that may put vehicle occupants at risk for rollovers include:
- Going off a curb
- Hitting a guardrail
- Operating a vehicle at unsafe speeds
- Defective automotive parts
- Using emergency maneuvers to steer out of a collision
If You Were a Pedestrian Injured by a Car
Get medical attention immediately. Even if you appear to have no visible injuries, you may be in shock, which can mask subtle symptoms of a serious injury like internal bleeding. Pedestrians hit by motor vehicles are likely to sustain these injuries, whether just one or all of them:
- Head trauma. A violent blow or jolt to the head may result in brain bruising, torn tissue, bleeding, or other physical damage to the brain.
- Internal bleeding. Blood vessels inside the body can be torn or crushed by the force of blunt trauma. Left untreated, internal bleeding can result organ failure or hemorrhagic shock due to loss of blood, which can lead to brain damage and death.
- Broken bones. Common yet serious injuries. If left untreated, complications such as compartment syndrome can arise, which may require amputation of the broken limb.
- Spinal injuries. Damage to the spinal cord can cause serious pain, loss of mobility, or paralysis below the place of injury. Depending on the injury to the spine, these symptoms may be temporary or permanent.
Once all your injuries have been addressed, you should seek professional legal representation. Our NJ pedestrian accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., offer a free consultation to explain your rights and options for obtaining compensation after being hit by a car.
How to Protect Your Rights After an Accident
Insurance companies do not like paying out on claims. They’ve been known to intimidate, manipulate, or even lie in order to sabotage a valid claim. Don’t give them any excuse to do so. After being involved in a collision, be sure that you do the following:
- Do not admit fault in any way.
- Cooperate with your insurance company, but do not offer any theories about how the crash occurred.
- Do not discuss the accident with the other driver’s insurance company.
- Do not sign any statements from either insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
Any information you volunteer can be used by the other driver and insurance company to escape accountability. Always consult with your attorney before speaking with anybody else or signing anything.
Obtaining Compensation After a NJ Car Crash
A knowledgeable vehicle accident lawyer will be able to guide you through the confusing and frustrating legal process required to secure the financial compensation you deserve. You may have to support your claims to both the insurance companies involved and the court system, if the insurance company refuses to give you the money you need.
Our attorneys may be able to help you build a successful case and seek damages, which may include the following:
- The cost of repairs or replacement of your vehicle.
- Lost wages, if you were unable to work because of the accident.
- Medical expenses for any doctor visits, surgery, physical therapy, or medication required for injuries you sustained in the accident.
- Pain and suffering associated with your emotional or physical damages, such as chronic anxiety, scarring, or disfigurement.
- Future losses that may arise if you cannot return to work or must find a new line of work.
- Punitive damages, if the at-fault party was under the influence of drugs or alcohol or failed to maintain the vehicle that caused the crash.
NJ Car Accident Lawyers Dedicated to Your Case
For more than 25 years, Gabriel Lependorf and David Silverstein have been protecting the rights of injured victims and their families, helping them obtain just compensation after an accident. At our law firm, we bring big-firm resources with small-firm personalized attention to each client. If you want Princeton attorneys who take care of their people, fill out an online contact form or call us at (609) 240-0040 today.
Additional Information
The firm’s principals, Gabriel R. Lependorf and David E. Silverstein, have each been representing injured victims in the State of New Jersey for over thirty years.
Call Our Office At (609) 240-0040 Today for Help
