Ridgewood, NJ – Three Hospitalized After SUV Hits Utility Pole Near Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood, NJ (May 11, 2026) – Three people were hospitalized Friday afternoon, May 8, after an SUV slammed into a utility pole outside Ridgewood High School. Emergency crews responded to the scene at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8.
The SUV involved in the crash, a Nissan Pathfinder, struck the utility pole with enough force to require removal by a flatbed tow truck. All three victims suffered injuries in the accident and needed hospital care.
Emergency units transported all three victims separately to Hackensack University Medical Center. Details about the severity of their injuries have not been released.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
Our thoughts remain with the three people injured, and we hope for their full and speedy recovery.
Passengers’ Legal Rights After an Injury Crash in New Jersey
Passengers injured in a car accident in New Jersey have the right to seek compensation for their injuries, and in many cases, they have more options available to them than the drivers involved. As a passenger, you are generally not considered at fault for a crash. This means you may be able to file a claim against the driver of the vehicle you were in, the driver of another vehicle involved, or both, depending on the circumstances of the collision.
New Jersey operates under a no-fault insurance system, which means that after a crash, a passenger’s medical expenses are typically covered first through the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of the vehicle they were riding in. PIP covers emergency treatment, hospital stays, follow-up care, and rehabilitation up to the policy limit. When medical costs exceed those limits, passengers may have additional options depending on the details of their policy and the facts of the accident.
Passengers injured in serious crashes can step outside the no-fault system and pursue a claim directly against an at-fault driver. New Jersey law allows this when injuries meet a certain threshold of severity. Injuries that result in significant scarring, permanent damage, or loss of a body function may qualify a person to pursue additional compensation beyond what PIP provides. An attorney can review the details of a specific crash and explain whether this option applies.
Passengers sometimes hesitate to file a claim because they do not want to create problems for the driver they were riding with. It is worth knowing that in most cases, claims are handled through insurance, not directly against the individual driver. A car accident attorney can explain how this process works and help a passenger understand what steps are available without adding unnecessary complications.
At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, we have extensive experience reviewing passenger injury cases and car accident claims throughout New Jersey. Our team can explain how PIP coverage, fault determinations, and injury thresholds work in situations like this one.
If you were a passenger injured in a crash and have questions about your options, contact Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq at (888) 598-6122 to speak with our team.
Notes: Our accident news pieces utilize secondary sources like police and fire accident reports, news articles, and eyewitness testimonies. We have not independently verified this information at Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq. If you find inaccuracies, please contact us for correction. To request post-removal, please inform us, and we will promptly comply.
Disclaimer: This content is not a business solicitation, and none of the information provided should be construed as legal or medical advice. Additionally, the featured image in this post is not from the actual accident scene.
