Car accidents are a fact of life. They happen every day in New Jersey. In fact, the U.S. Department of Transportation recently reported that over 2.7 million people suffered injuries as a result of highway vehicle crashes on U.S. highways in 2004 alone. If you’ve been in a car accident and are looking for information about how to assess your rights and responsibilities and where to go for help, you’ve come to the right spot. Our car accident articles cover relevant issues such as fault, insurance, claims, personal injury, property damage, government liability, and structured settlements. You will also find rules, laws and other information specific to the state of New Jersey, and links to New Jersey personal injury attorneys who can assess the value of your claim and provide advice on your best course of action.

New Jersey Car Accident Articles:

How an Auto Accident Insurance Claim Works

What is Your Car Accident Injury Claim Worth?

Who is at Fault?

Car Insurance and Auto Accidents: Are You Covered?

What You Can Expect to Recover for Property Damage in Auto Accident Cases

Auto Accidents: Options if You’re at an Impasse with the Insurance Adjuster

Car Accidents Involving Government-Owned Vehicles and Government Workers

Structured Settlements

Do I Need to Contact an Attorney After a Car Accident?

New Jersey Car Accident Lawyers:

Find an experienced New Jersey Car Accident Attorney at AttorneyPages.com

Post your case to a New Jersey Car Accident Lawyer (it’s free, with no obligations)

Post your auto accident question on the Free Advice Auto Accidents and Vehicle Claims forum

Article: How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

Special Rules for New Jersey Car Accidents:

New Jersey Fault: Under a “Standard” Policy: Proportional Comparative Fault at 51%; under a “Basic” Policy: No Fault. Standard policyholders may also surrender their right to sue for certain non-debilitating injuries.

New Jersey Car Insurance Requirements/Limits: Basic Policy. New Jersey requires that all drivers carry at least a Basic Policy. That policy is truly basic; it is designed for younger drivers with few assets. A Basic Policy covers $15,000 per person per accident for you or others named in your policy and supplies $5,000 in property damage liability. A Basic Policy does NOT automatically cover liability from other people, known as bodily injury liability; for example, a injuries to a passenger in a car you hit. However, you have the option of purchasing $10,000 coverage for all persons in a single accident. Also, you may increase your own personal injury protection up to $250,000. You may buy collision/comprehensive insurance to cover your own vehicle as well.

Standard Policy. A Standard Policy helps protect your assets. It offers $250,000 in personal injury protection per person per accident (this protects you and others named on your policy); $5,000 in property damage liability; $15,000 bodily injury liability per person, up to $30,000 per accident (this pays for injuries to others if you were at fault). You may choose to add collision/comprehensive to protect your vehicle and also may add uninsured motorist coverage.

See the chart comparing Basic Policy coverage with Standard Policy coverage, compiled by the State of New Jersey.

New Jersey Small Claims Limits: $3,000

New Jersey Personal Injury Statute of Limitations: 2 years from the date of the injury.

New Jersey Auto Accidents Involving Government Vehicles: Notice to File Against Government: If you were injured in a car accident caused by a government employee, you may sue the government agency —the city or town, county or state, public agency, school—that employs that person.

-For claims against the federal government, use Form 95 and follow the instructions on page 2.

- For claims against a public entity of the State of New Jersey, you must first file a Notice of Claim to the county or municipality, or to the state Attorney General, if you are suing the state, within 90 days of the incident. The Notice of Claim is a letter describing the date and circumstances of the incident and damage amounts, among other things. A special form may be available for this from the agency against which you’re filing the claim. State claims are reviewed by the Auto Liability Unit of the Bureau of Risk Management.

In dealing with accidents involving government entities and workers, be aware that there are special notices that must be filed against the appropriate government unit responsible for your injury within a certain time period (30 days to 180 days) AND before filing a lawsuit. Each entity has its own separate time periods and may differ from your state’s Personal Injury Statute of Limitations against a private party. The rules can be confusing. Check the form you are filling out to find out the time limit for filing your claim. Accident claims involving the government can be complicated. Any mistakes in filing or failing to file on time could result in losing your ability to recover for your damages and injuries. Consult an experienced attorney right away to preserve your rights. See also Auto Accidents Involving the Government.

New Jersey Personal Injury Venue (Where to File Lawsuit): File in the small claims or superior court located where the defendant (the person you are suing) lives or does business. Alternatively, you might consider filing in a court located where the accident occurred. If you are filing a claim against a government agency and are unsure of which agency is responsible, the most prudent course is to file a separate claim against each or contact a New Jersey auto accident attorney.