rear end car accident

Burlington Car Accident Lawyer

Situated on the Delaware River, Burlington, New Jersey has several riverside locations that serve as popular destination points within the almost 4 square mile city. There is plenty of traffic through the city on a regular basis, which can lead to car accidents.

A car accident can significantly affect your life in many ways. Attempting to sort out the legalities of a car accident can be frustrating. However, having a Burlington car accident lawyer on your side will minimize your stress. They can assess your situation and determine the proper course of action.

Auto Insurance Laws in New Jersey

New Jersey is a choice no-fault state, meaning that if you are injured in an accident, you have options for collecting compensation. As part of your insurance coverage, there is a personal injury protection (PIP) provision that will compensate you for certain expenses.

You can receive compensation for your medical expenses, such as your doctor visits, surgeries, and any medications or tests, that you must undergo. You can also be compensated for any time away from work that you experience. When you are hurt, you may be able to return to work, or you may need to miss it to see the doctor. In most instances, these are unscheduled days off, meaning that you will not be compensated for that time off. Your PIP insurance will cover that. With PIP insurance, you can file a claim with your own insurance, and you will not have to prove that another driver is liable for the accident. The drawback to this is that you are limited in what you can collect. There are also restrictions from filing a claim against another driver for compensation if your PIP fails to cover the full amount.

What Type of Car Insurance Should I Purchase?

All New Jersey drivers are required to purchase their own car insurance. The type of insurance they purchase will depend upon what kinds of legal options they want to have available to them should they be involved in a car accident. The two auto insurance options include:

  • Basic policy: This is the most common policy because it has lower premiums. Those reduced rates come at a cost, however. It limits your legal options, meaning that you will likely not be able to file a claim against another driver unless you meet certain criteria.
  • Standard policy: If you do not want to have any legal restrictions, you should select this insurance and pick the unlimited right to sue option. This means regardless of the severity of your injury, you can file a claim against the driver. This policy is not as popular because it costs more money.

You can still file a claim with a basic policy, but that is only if you have suffered catastrophic injuries or meet other criteria.

With a standard policy, there are no limits in terms of the type or amount of compensation you can seek as long as the economic expenses match your actual expenses. You can also seek a claim on pain and suffering along with loss of companionship. If you lost a loved in a car accident, you can seek death benefits as well.

What if I am Partly At Fault for a Car Accident?

If you file a claim against another driver and you are found to share some responsibility for the accident, your percentage of fault will be deducted from the overall award. New Jersey follows the legal principle of comparative negligence, meaning that each party is assigned a percentage of fault.

Note that your percentage of fault must be under 50 percent in order to be eligible to collect compensation. If you are more than 50 percent responsible, you are barred from collecting compensation.

Statute of Limitations in New Jersey

You should also know that New Jersey has a two-year statute of limitations to file a personal injury case starting from the date of the accident. If you fail to do so in that timeframe, your case will be dismissed, which why it is important that you speak with a Burlington car accident lawyer as soon as possible. They will be able to help you with your situation.

A Burlington Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Office of David S. Rochman Will Defend Your Rights After You Have Been Hurt in a Car Accident

If you have been hurt in a car accident, you may not know what you need to do. Let our experienced Burlington car accident lawyer at the Law Office of David S. Rochman take on your case. We will protect your rights and answer your questions. To learn more and to schedule a free consultation today, call us at 856-751-2345 or contact us online. We are located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and we proudly serve clients throughout Burlington County and the surrounding areas.