Princeton Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents aren’t “accidents”. They happen because someone made a negligent decision. The use of the term “accident” is common in the Northeast. However, in other parts of the country, they refer to it as automobile collisions or car wrecks. Either way, collisions, wrecks, and crashes are usually caused by careless, reckless or negligent driving. If you’ve been injured in a Princeton vehicle accident that was someone else’s fault, don’t be surprised to learn that it is your obligation to prove that the other driver was negligent, so for that reason, you deserve an experienced Princeton car accident lawyer on your side fighting for the results you deserve.

Car accidents in Princeton are common on roads like Nassau Street, Washington Road, Harrison Street, Route 206, Route 1, and Bayard Lane. After a car accident in Princeton, you need a lawyer who knows the area, has experience helping the locals, and understands how the New Jersey justice system works. If you’re looking for legal help after a Princeton car accident, you’ve come to the right place. 

For personalized attention and robust legal support, contact Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. today to get started with a free consultation.

Why Choose Our Firm?

We do not back down. Over our 40 years of experience, we’ve built a reputation for aggressive representation to get our clients the money they deserve. We are not afraid to take your case to trial if we cannot reach an out-of-court settlement. We refuse to let insurance companies get away with offering less than you deserve. 

Our firm has more than 25 skilled personal injury attorneys, many of whom are certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as Civil Trial Attorneys, and we stand ready to investigate and build your case. Our proven track record of success earned case by case over the past 35 years speaks for itself. We have earned more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for more than 35,000 families, so you can trust that we’ll fight the good fight for you and your family. 

We will make it easy for you to meet with us, so we’re happy to do so in whatever way works best for you. We have many offices across New Jersey, or we could instantly provide you with a free no-obligation confidential consultation via FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype. We also have Spanish-speaking partners; and translators available for 11 other languages, including Korean, Polish, Albanian, and Portuguese, to bring you the help you need when you need it. But you need to know this… It’s never too soon to consult with a qualified Princeton car accident lawyer who has experience representing injured people and trying cases before judges and juries of Mercer County.

What To Do After a New Jersey Car Crash

Knowing what to do after a car accident is vital for healing and moving forward with your life. It also makes a difference if you decide to pursue legal action against another party.

While the most important thing after a car accident is to seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries, this is just the beginning. You must also:

• Keep Up with Treatment — Doctors and other medical professionals will prescribe a comprehensive treatment plan after providing emergency care. This treatment may include medications, surgery, rehab, physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, and more. You must follow your treatment plan to improve your chances of recovering from your injuries and to preserve your legal rights.

• Protect Yourself — The actions you take and the things you say following a car crash can have severe repercussions on your ability to take legal action and recover money. Avoid posting about the accident on social media, and be mindful of what you say to others, especially the authorities, insurance adjusters, and other parties. Be honest, but avoid saying anything that could jeopardize your claim. Keeping a clear head and being mindful of your words and actions will help protect you from doing things that make it harder—and, in some cases, impossible—to pursue the money you deserve.

• Contact an Attorney — Reach out to an experienced and knowledgeable Princeton car accident attorney immediately to learn more about your options. Not all personal injury lawyers are the same. You should expect your lawyer to guide you through every step of the legal process and provide critical support that allows you to focus on your health. Our 25 personal injury lawyers are available to answer your questions and will only earn a legal fee if you receive a financial settlement. Your best bet is to hire a personal injury attorney who is part of a law firm known to reject low or unfair insurance company offers and is willing to take your case to trial. Insurance company adjusters know that lawyers who are certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey have that knowledge and experience. Often, that knowledge and experience will cause an insurance company to enter into a generous settlement offer rather than risk a jury trial. 

Do I Have an Auto Accident Case?

Whether you have an auto accident case depends on your attorney’s ability to prove the other driver’s fault; or that another party is responsible for your injuries. Proving liability hinges on whether the other driver drove their car or truck negligently which caused the crash that caused you to suffer accident-related injuries. All drivers have a responsibility to everyone sharing the road with them to drive their motor vehicles in a safe and reasonably prudent manner with due regard to other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians that share the roadway. Other drivers must also obey all of the motor vehicle laws and not be guilty of careless driving or reckless driving. 

It’s important to note that others may also bear some responsibility for your injuries, depending on the circumstances and causes of the accident. For example, vehicle or parts manufacturers may be responsible if a defect caused the accident. The parties responsible for road maintenance may be liable if the accident resulted from improperly cleared or poorly maintained roads.

Your attorney will review the facts of the accident to identify all responsible parties who may owe you money.

Money Available in NJ Auto Accident Cases

The car accident damages available to you following a Princeton crash depends on the unique details of the accident. You may be able to pursue money damages for:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost income and loss of future earning capacity
• Out-of-pocket costs arising from the accident
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Loss of quality of life

Determining how much money you’re entitled to in a car accident case is complex. While some of the losses you experience following an accident are relatively easy to quantify—such as medical expenses arising from hospitalization, surgery, and other treatment—others present a challenge. Placing a dollar value on the emotional losses following a crash is not as simple as tallying your bills.

Your car accident lawyer will investigate your insurance claim, gather evidence, consult experts, hear your perspective, and understand your experience as they work to determine what constitutes total and fair rewards for your injuries and other losses.

Most Common Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents have numerous potential causes. They include:

• Distraction (electronics, food and drink, conversation, etc.)
• Drunk or intoxicated driving causing 
• Impairment (drugs or alcohol)
• Fatigue
• Excessive speed
• Failure to account for road and weather conditions
• Tailgating
• Aggressive driving
• Failure to yield (at intersections, when merging, etc.)

All these causes come down to negligence on the driver’s part. They’re avoidable behaviors that increase the risk of causing an accident.

Other possible causes of car accidents have less to do with driver error and more to do with outside forces. For example, poor road conditions and inclement weather causing snow and ice to accumulate can cause or contribute to collisions, as can vehicle defects.

Sometimes, the causes of car accidents in New Jersey are immediately apparent—for example, when a driver under the influence or texting runs a stop sign at full speed and T-bones another vehicle. In other cases, the causes can be more difficult to determine. Regardless, you need an attorney to review the details of the crash and identify the responsible parties.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accident injuries range from the relatively minor to the severe. In some cases, they can be fatal. Some of the most common injuries in New Jersey car crashes include:

• Head and neck injuries, including whiplash, concussion, and traumatic brain injury
• Back injuries, including spinal cord injuries such as herniated or bulged discs
• Broken bones
• Ankles and knee injuries
• Bruising
• Soft tissue injuries
• Internal injuries, including internal bleeding and organ damage
• Paralysis
• Burns
• Limb loss
• Chronic pain
• Jaw pain such as TMJ
• Emotional distress, including post-traumatic stress

Even a minor collision can result in injuries requiring extensive medical expenses. You must seek care immediately following an accident, even if you don’t believe you suffered severe injuries. Some injuries may not immediately present symptoms, and failure to get the necessary care can compromise your ability to seek money.

Statute of Limitations for New Jersey Accident Claims

In most New Jersey collision cases, car accident victims have two years to file a car accident lawsuit and seek monetary damages for their injuries and other losses. But, if the collision involves a public entity, such as a town, the county, or the State of New Jersey, you only have 90 days to file your claim on a special form called a Tort Claim Notice. State or county vehicles include police cars, ambulances, municipal garbage trucks, and NJ Transit buses. 

While some people may think that you don’t need to take action immediately, waiting to contact an attorney and initiate the legal process can hurt your case. It takes time to gather evidence to build a strong personal injury claim, and your attorney needs to be able to start gathering evidence as soon as possible. Some evidence from the crash site may be more challenging or even impossible to access and evaluate if you wait too long.

New Jersey Car Accident Statistics

According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the state saw 221,259 vehicle accidents in a recent year. Of these, 8,287 occurred in Princeton and other communities in Mercer County. Here are some additional facts about local car accidents in the same time frame:

• Injury crashes accounted for 1,818 collisions in Mercer County.
• Mercer County saw 35 fatal collisions, its highest total in over 20 years.
• Cell phone use was an identified factor in 61 crashes, which injured 31 people.

In the same year, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 699 people died in New Jersey vehicle accidents. Of these fatalities, 178 resulted from alcohol-impaired driving.

Between severe injuries and fatalities, Princeton car accidents affect countless individuals and families each year. The sense of devastation following a crash is hard to deal with when the accident results from someone else’s negligence.

Talk to an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Princeton, NJ Today

The aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming. You deserve to have aggressive legal support as you navigate the process of seeking money for your injuries, and the team at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. is prepared to put our resources and experience handling personal injury cases to work on your behalf.

Contact us today for a free consultation with a Princeton personal injury lawyer who will listen to your side of the story, help you understand your legal options, and be ready to provide the help you need to seek the justice you deserve.