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When driving on the roadways of New Jersey, residents are expected to follow the rules of the road so that every driver can reach their destination safely. Unfortunately, there are many drivers who through accidental neglect or intentional reckless cause accidents that put themselves and others in danger of personal injury. According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, over 275,000 crashes occurred in 2018 alone. Over 60,000 of these crashes resulted in injuries, with 524 costing the lives of those involved.
There are many dangerous behaviors that can lead to these accidents and, as a result, residents run the risk of being injured every time they pull onto the road. Thankfully, when a crash does occur, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries through either a no-fault insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. You could also file a wrongful death lawsuit if a loved one died as a result of another driver’s actions.
First, it’s important to understand what type of accident occurred before pursuing a lawsuit. Different laws and regulations can apply to cases based on the other drivers’ actions and types of vehicles involved. A legal professional experienced in personal injury cases involving car accidents can walk you through the process of securing relevant information, and work to ensure that you receive the necessary amount of compensation.
Types of Car Accidents
The following list offers a brief summary of nine of the most common types of injuries and links to pages offering more detailed information.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Unfortunately, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs led to the deaths of over 10,000 individuals nationwide in 2017 according to the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety. These easily preventable deaths and the lesser injuries caused by drunk driving lead to many cases involving settlements for personal injuries and wrongful deaths as the negligence of a drunk driver is often easily proven.
Distracted Driving Accidents
When New Jersey drivers allow their attention to wander from the roadway, tragedy often occurs. In 2018, behaviors such as using a cell phone, interacting with passengers, and eating and drinking led to 146 deaths, making distracted driving the number one cause of fatal accidents in New Jersey. Such negligent behavior is grounds for liability after an accident, and you and your attorney can work to discover if a driver was engaging in such action which led to the accident.
Texting While Driving Accidents
While a form of distracted driving, texting while driving and using a cell phone while driving in general is so excessively common that it is important that the danger of the behavior is highlighted. According to the National Safety Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 10% of drivers use some form of cell phone while driving, whether handheld or hands-free, and this behavior contributed to 2,600 fatal accidents in 2018. Even without an aggravating circumstance such as speeding or alcohol, these behaviors lead to serious injury and death, and if you are injured by a texting driver, you can and should seek compensation for the costs their mistake caused for you.
Speeding and Aggressive Driving Accidents
– Aggressive driving is a form of deliberate and unsafe driving behavior that puts other drivers at risk. This can include things such as tailgating and swerving erratically in and out of lanes, but the most common offense is speeding, which accounted for over 170,000 traffic tickets in New Jersey in 2018. Of course, given the deliberate nature of these acts, it is relatively easy to identify who a liable party is in any particular case.
Side-impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions are more than just the right angle “T-bone” crashes that we imagine happening at most intersections, where a car might ignore a red light and slam into the right or left side of a car going straight. They can also include same direction sideswipes where one car makes an improper turn and hits a car that was going the same way, and opposite direction sideswipes where two approaching cars collide when one crosses the centerline. Over 8,000 fatalities occur every year as a result of these intersection collisions, with serious and critical injuries numbering almost 70,000.
Head-on Collisions
These crashes occur when two vehicles approach in opposite directions and directly collide head-on. Typically, these accidents happen when one vehicle veers over a traffic line into oncoming traffic or turns into a wrong lane. These accidents usually cause front airbags to deploy, which will save lives and reduce injuries but, unfortunately, they still accounted for roughly 57% of fatalities in 2018.
Multiple Vehicle Accidents
Matters of liability and compensation can become incredibly complicated when more than two vehicles are involved in a crash. Unfortunately, these accidents often cause the most injuries because of the sheer number of vehicles involved. Take the time to carefully document and evaluate what occurred during a multi-vehicle accident before proceeding with an insurance claim or lawsuit, and seek legal advice to help determine the liable parties.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian car accidents are incredibly dangerous for the pedestrians involved as there is often little to protect a person from the impact of a several thousand pound vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 4,000 pedestrians were injured and 170 were killed in accidents in one year alone. Thankfully, auto insurance will still cover pedestrians, and victims and their loved ones can sue for personal injury compensation after an accident.
Uber & Lyft Accidents
As the usage of ridesharing services become more commonplace, cases have begun to emerge where the companies providing these services are held responsible for their drivers’ actions. Under New Jersey law, companies like Uber and Lyft must ensure the competency and professionalism of their drivers, and if an accident occurs when one of their drivers is on duty, then the companies can be held partially liable for the accident. Of course, it can be burdensome to pursue litigation against a large corporation, but an attorney can advocate for you in such negotiations.
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What Should I Do if I’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident?
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of car accident, contact Rosenblum Law for a free, no-obligation consultation today. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can analyze the situation and negotiate the best possible settlement for you. Call 888-815-3649 or email us today.
Last updated: Jan 15, 2021
