Washington Township Car Accident Lawyer

Joseph Monaco, Wrongful Death & Injury Lawyer

Call or Text Me at 609-277-3166

Hiring a personal injury attorney after a Washington Township car accident is the only way to protect your rights. Regardless of who is at fault for your motor vehicle car accident, a Washington Township Car Accident lawyer can help you sort through the unexpected issues confronting you. If you or a loved one have been injured or wrongfully killed in a Washington Township car accident, call or text me, Joseph Monaco, to learn how to have your rights protected and secure an award of monetary compensation for your loses.

Car accidents can happen many ways and involve many different parties and motor vehicle types. This results in widespread legal challenges depending upon the unique circumstances of each accident. A Washington Township accident could involve pedestrians, uninsured drivers, co-workers and out-of-state drivers. Each one presenting its own set of legal issues. There are also a number of different ways an accident can occur.

Typical New Jersey Car Accidents

• Tractor trailer and truck accidents
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or medication
• Rear end collisions
• Head on collisions
• Distracted driving and texting accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Motorcycle accidents

Why Should You Hire Joseph Monaco for Your Washington Township Car Accident Case?

Each of my Washington Township accident cases is handled on a contingency-fee basis with the No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee. I have secured millions in settlements and verdicts on behalf of my clients. I have almost thirty years of experience dealing with auto insurance companies and their teams of lawyers. I prepare every case as if we were going to Court to maximize my clients’ monetary award. If necessary, I am not intimidated to go to court and try a case before a jury of my client’s peers.

How do You Prove Fault in a Washington Township Car Accident Case?

• (1) The driver of a vehicle has a duty to exercise reasonable care while operating the vehicle;
• (2) The driver who caused the accident failed to exercise reasonable care. This is considered negligence; and
• (3) The New Jersey auto accident caused by the negligent and careless driver caused injuries or wrongful death.

In many cases, there can be more than one driver or party at fault. This is called comparative liability. One at fault driver can share liability with another at fault driver. The manufacturer of a defectively designed airbag or designer of a dangerous roadway can also share liability under New Jersey concepts of comparative negligence. In regards to the personal injury victim, she must be 50% or less at fault to be eligible to recover damages. Involved parties may encounter different forms of comparative negligence in other states. In some states, an injury victim can recover a partial amount even if over 50% at fault. However, some states like South Carolina still have contributory negligence, which bars recovery if the personal injury victim is only 1% at fault. This was the law in many states decades ago including New Jersey, but the unfairness it created resulted in the move towards principles of comparative negligence.

Motor vehicle accident laws vary by state. New Jersey is a “No Fault” state similar to Pennsylvania and New York. No fault does not mean you cannot sue for a monetary award of compensation but your rights can be limited depending on a selection you make under your own policy of auto insurance. You can choose a verbal threshold, which in New Jersey is known as the “Lawsuit Limitation,” or you can select to have a full right to sue. This is often called the “Zero Threshold.”

No Fault laws come into play other ways as well. For example, your medical Bills will likely be paid by your or a household member’s auto insurance, even if your or their vehicle is not involved in the accident. The ins and outs of New Jersey auto insurance laws can get tricky. It is common for my clients to get frustrated when I have to explain to them that they have to use, for example, their parents’ auto insurance to pay for their medical bills even though their parents’ vehicle was not involved in the accident.

What are Common Washington Township Auto Accident Injuries?

The type and extent of injuries in a New Jersey car accident can be endless but some of the more common injuries include:

• Fractured bones including skull and ribs
• Spinal cord and disc injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries including concussions
• Amputations of the arms, legs, hands or feet
• Neck and back whiplash
• Wrongful death
• Knee ligament and cartilage tears
• Shoulder ligament and tendon tears

Gloucester County New Jersey Accident Statistics

Being seriously injured in a Washington Township accident happens all too frequently. Sadly, many of the motor vehicle accidents could have been avoided if the driver refrained from dangerous habits. These include distracted driving, aggressive driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and speeding. More specific happenings of a New Jersey crash can involve striking trees and utility poles, head-on collisions, disregarding traffic lights and signs, work zone mishaps, pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and and left turn cases.

I urge all of my clients and their family members to pay particular attention to bicyclists and motorcyclists. They are often hard to detect. I also urge everyone to pay close attention to elderly and inexperienced drivers.

In Gloucester County, New Jersey there were 7,515 vehicle crashes in 2017. This resulted in 1,893 reported injury victims and 43 fatalities. Statewide in 2017 there were 270,231 New Jersey crashes resulting in 61,753 reported injuries and 591 deaths.

As a second generation trial lawyer, I have dedicated my life to helping my clients deal with the physical and emotional stress caused by reckless and negligent drivers. To achieve the best results, I only accept cases I firmly believe I can win. I do not want to put valuable time and resources toward a losing cause. I would rather spend my time helping those who need it by providing them hands on personal attention.

What Should You do After a Washington Township Car Accident?

If you or a family member are involved in a car accident, call or text me at 609-277-3166 for immediate peace of mind. I have extensive experience handling a wide range of motor vehicle accident cases including bus accidents, tractor trailer and truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, wrongful death cases and pedestrian claims. And in every type of motor vehicle case, I have experience with drunk driving and distracted driving legal issues.

Right after a Washington Township crash happens, I encourage you to stay calm and collective. Never speak without a lawyer to witnesses or the insurance companies about fault for the accident. Also, do not speculate on what happened or rely on other witnesses’ accounts as to what happened. However, you should speak to witnesses to gather information including getting their full names, phone numbers, insurance information and addresses. If they are willing, take a photograph of their identification, insurance cards and vehicles. It is also a good idea to take photographs of the accident scene especially if the vehicles have not yet been moved. Additionally, seek medical attention as soon as possible. If it is a medical emergency, call 911. Keep in mind that some injuries do start to cause symptoms for days or even weeks later. Given such, it is important to get evaluated by a physician as soon as possible. She will be able to tell what symptoms to look for especially numbness or burning into your arms or legs.

What Happens in New Jersey if an Uninsured Driver is at Fault?

No one ever wants to be in a car accident. Unfortunately, though, accidents happen all too frequently. That is why it is extremely important to buy the best auto insurance you can afford. You could find yourself being an injury victim after being struck by an uninsured or underinsured driver, or a driver with a “Dollar a Day” policy that provides no liability coverage. Under either scenario, you can recover a money damages by using your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage under your or a family member’s policy of auto insurance.

It is important to keep the limits if uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage the same as the limits of your bodily injury liability coverage. New Jersey law provides “gap” uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This means that the at fault driver’s limits will be deducted from your limits. For example, if you have $100,00 in underinsured motorist coverage and the limits of the at fault driver are $50,000, then you have $50,000 in underinsured motorist limits available to you. If you are stuck be a vehicle with $25,000 in coverage, then you will have $75,000 available under your policy. This differs in other states such as Pennsylvania where you stack one coverage on top of each other. So in the latter example, you would have $125,000 in available coverage to compensate you for your injuries. I am also also licensed in Pennsylvania and will be able to assist you if you are from New Jersey and are in accident in Pennsylvania. If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, I have the experience and resources to assist you in determining your best options.

If an uninsured Washington Township driver hits your vehicle, you should learn the steps to be taken to protect your interests by phoning or texting me at 609-277-3166. Further, you should always call the police to report the accident. This will help determine if the other driver is uninsured. If he does not have proof of auto insurance, the police officer will issue a citation. You should also try and get the contact information of the driver and any witnesses. Try to get their full names, addresses, cell phone numbers and email addresses. Try to photograph their identification and vehicles, if possible.

Are New Jersey Personal Injury Lawsuit Settlements Taxable?

Statistics indicate that most people will be involved in at least one car accident during their lifetime. For some Washington Township motorists, seeking an award of monetary compensation will be the only way they can meet their financial obligations after an accident. If you become disabled from work because of injuries from a car accident, your mortgage company or landlord is still going to want to get paid. Fortunately, personal injury and wrongful death settlements and verdicts are not subject to federal or State of New Jersey taxes. However, New Jersey law does limit the amount you can recover for lost wages to the amount of your take home pay after taxes have been taken out. Punitive damage awards in New Jersey personal injury or wrongful death cases may be taxable, however.

How do I Contact a Washington Township Car Accident Attorney?

You can reach me, Joseph Monaco, easily by phone or text at 609-277-3166. You can also complete my online contact form. Whatever method you choose, I will quickly respond, even during evening hours. As a New Jersey Trial Lawyer, I am always working in some capacity. This is not a profession for everyone but I take great pride in representing my clients in their pursuit of justice. If you hire me, I will apply my many years of experience and dedication to your case. Initially, I will conduct a thorough investigation and put everyone including the insurance companies on notice that my law firm represents you. We will then gather the proof needed to best achieve a fair settlement. This could include medical records, expert reports, photographs, witness statements and wage information. If I cannot settle your case for a fair amount, I will then file suit in the county where you reside or where the accident took lace. Once the lawsuit is filed, your case will go through the discovery process. This includes subpoenaing records and taking depositions of witnesses and the litigants. A settlement can occur at any time and the completion of depositions is usually a point where the involved lawyers address whether the case can be settled. If it cannot be, your case will proceed to mandatory arbitration through the Superoir Court of New Jersey, and if your case is not resolved at that point, it will then proceed to a jury trial. During the entire process, I will always be there for you to discuss the steps your case is taking.

Speak with a Washington Township Car Accident Lawyer Today

I offer all of my clients a Free Consultation and the No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee. Call or text me at 609-277-3166.