North Bergen Car Accident Attorney
A report from a leading auto insurance company found that more than three-quarters of drivers have been involved in at least one motor vehicle accident in their lifetime. And your chance of being in a crash during a 1,000-mile trip is 1 in 366.
Fortunately, most of these accidents are minor fender benders that don’t result in severe injuries. But if you have been in a serious crash, you know they can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating.
Why You Need to Hire a Lawyer After a Car Accident in North Bergen, NJ
North Bergen personal injury lawyers with Harrell Law Firm have seen firsthand the impact an auto accident can have on survivors and their loved ones. Between physical injuries, mounting medical bills, and emotional trauma, these types of crashes can be life-changing.
As your attorney, we cannot turn back time and undo the damage that has been caused. Yet we can use every available legal remedy to hold negligent drivers accountable and recover damages. Our goal is to ease your burden so you can focus on moving forward with your healing and your life.
From that very first no-cost consultation after your accident until the time your case is resolved, we advocate for you every step of the way. We conduct an exhaustive investigation to determine how and why the accident happened, who is responsible, and how to seek justice.
We gather all the evidence available to build a compelling case for compensation for your losses. We communicate with the insurance companies and other attorneys on your behalf—so you don’t have to.
What Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents in North Bergen?
Across New Jersey, there were more than 42,000 traffic accidents involving injuries in a single year. Let’s look at some of the top causes of car accidents in New Jersey and across the nation.
Distracted Driving
More than 1,000 of New Jersey accidents reported in 2020 involved hand-held and hands-free cell phone usage. But cell phones are not the only dangerous distractions contributing to vehicle accidents.
Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off the task of driving is a deadly distraction. It only takes 2-3 seconds of inattention to cause a catastrophic accident.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving is deliberate, unsafe driving behavior that occurs with no regard for the safety of others. Typical aggressive driving behaviors include:
- Brake-checking
- Speeding
- Running red lights
- Tailgating
- Turning or changing lanes without signaling
- Weaving in and out of traffic
Aggressive driving can potentially escalate to road rage, which involves cursing, threatening, following, ramming, or sideswiping other drivers or pedestrians. Never engage with an irate driver. If you tend to get stressed in traffic, be mindful of your emotions, take a few deep breaths, and regain your composure.
Impaired Driving
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited in New Jersey. These substances affect the brain and body in ways that make it unsafe to operate a motor vehicle. Depending on the substance involved, the driver’s coordination, vision, reaction time, and decision-making can all be negatively impacted.
Drowsy Driving
Driving while sleepy is just as dangerous as drunk driving because fatigue affects the body in much the same way that alcohol and certain legal and illegal drugs do. Drowsiness slows a driver’s reactions and decision-making, giving them less time and space to respond to oncoming hazards.
If a driver drifts off for even a few seconds (microsleeps), they can lose complete control of their vehicle and increase the risk of a tragic crash.
Common Car Accident Injuries
The severity of car accident injuries depends on many variables, including the angle of impact, the speed the vehicles involved were traveling at, and if the occupants were wearing seatbelts during the crash.
Common auto accident injuries include:
- Bone fractures
- Sprains and strains
- Soft tissue damage
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Cuts, bruises, and punctures
- Chemical burns (from airbag deployment)
- Limb damage and amputations
- Spinal cord injuries
These injuries are not just physically painful. Many require hospitalization, surgery, and extensive physical therapy to recover. Some catastrophic injuries are permanently disabling.
The cost for this medical care can create an incredible financial burden for survivors who are already dealing with the challenges of their physical condition.
Car accident lawsuits are a legal remedy to recover the costs of medical bills, lost income, property damage, and mental anguish often associated with a serious crash.
Proving Negligence in a Car Accident
Because New Jersey is a no-fault insurance state, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) typically covers accident-related losses for minor accidents.
If your accident caused more extensive physical injuries, you may have cause to sue the third party (the careless driver) for damages. In a personal injury lawsuit, the plaintiff bears the burden of proof to show the defendant was negligent, and that negligence directly caused their injuries.
But just what does it mean to be negligent?
To prove negligence in the context of civil law, four elements must exist. We will explain these using the example of a drowsy driver who ran a red light, T-boning the plaintiff’s vehicle.
- Duty of care: The defendant had a duty of reasonable care to drive safely, be alert, and pay attention to road signs and signals.
- Breach of duty: The defendant worked an all-nighter and suspected they might be too tired to drive home, but decided to anyway, thus breaching that duty to drive safely.
- Causation: That act of drowsy driving directly caused the crash involving the plaintiff.
- Damages: As a result of the crash, the plaintiff suffered significant damages: physical injuries, medical expenses, auto repairs, lost wages, and mental anguish.
Proving negligence is no simple task, but with skilled legal counsel and a comprehensive investigation of the accident, it can be done. We work diligently to build a strong case and recover the maximum compensation allowable based on the damages mentioned above.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle
Car crash attorneys with Harrell Law Firm have experience handling a wide range of different New Jersey car accident claims, including:
- Distracted driving accidents
- Drowsy driving crashes
- DUI and DWI crashes
- Head-on accidents
- High-speed collisions
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Rear-end crashes
- Rideshare accidents
- Rollover accidents
- T-bone collisions
- Under- and uninsured motorist accidents
Car Accident Cases: How Long Does It Take?
That depends. There are multiple steps involved in every car accident claim, regardless of whether it settles out of court or involves a lawsuit. Prompt medical care should always be your first priority. That may be emergency care at the scene, or a follow-up appointment with your healthcare provider.
Once the accident is reported to the police, we gather all of the evidence from the scene, including photos, camera footage, and eyewitness accounts. We use this evidence to calculate how much your claim is worth, send a request for that amount to the insurance company, and negotiate with them on your behalf.
If we negotiate an auto accident settlement with the insurance company, the process can move fairly quickly. But that should never be a reason to accept less than you deserve. We will explain all of your options and recommend the wisest course of action to pursue a fair and just outcome for your individual circumstances.
If it makes sense to sue, those proceedings will understandably take a bit longer. Ultimately, your case could take weeks, months, or even years to settle. However, the majority of cases are resolved within 9-18 months.
Harrell Injury Law Seeks Justice for You
Harrell Injury Law North Bergen car accident attorneys gather critical evidence to build a strong case for compensation. In fact, the majority of claims are effectively settled out of court, saving you time, money, and stress. If your case goes to trial, we are ready to rigorously protect your interests and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Call or inquire online to schedule a free case review with an auto crash lawyer today. With the rise of rideshare use in our region, more people are in need of an Uber accident lawyer or Lyft accident lawyer. We have locations in Wall Township and North Bergen to assist clients across the state of New Jersey.
