Hit and Run Car Accidents in New Jersey

Hit-and-Run-Car-Accident-Lawyers

Being in a car accident of any kind is a stressful experience, potentially resulting in physical and emotional trauma. However, it can be much worse if the person who caused the accident flees the scene, turning it into a hit-and-run.

These incidents often leave victims feeling helpless. And if you have been in a hit-and-run car accident in New Jersey yourself, you may be unsure of what your rights are. With that in mind, it is essential that you turn to a team of dependable hit-and-run car accident lawyers for representation so that you have the best chance of receiving compensation.

At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, we have years of experience helping people who’ve been victims of these types of accidents. Below, you’ll learn more about hit-and-run collisions, the most common reasons why they occur, and what your next step should be after being in one.

What Is a Hit-and-Run Accident?

As mentioned, a New Jersey hit-and-run accident is one in which the person who caused the accident flees the scene without helping the other party or alerting the police. By law, parties involved in a traffic accident must exchange information and offer reasonable aid until emergency services or the police get to the scene.

Therefore, leaving the scene of an accident if you were involved is illegal, not just in New Jersey but throughout the country. The rule also pertains to accidents involving bicycles, pedestrians, and even parked cars. If someone hits your car in a parking lot, for example, and doesn’t stay or offer their insurance information, a hit-and-run accident has still occurred.

In New Jersey, these kinds of accidents are treated like uninsured motorist claims. Because New Jersey is a no-fault insurance state, you’ll have to claim damages from your own insurance company.

However, doing so is always complex because of the state’s modified comparative negligence statutes, which indicate that you must be found at less than 50% fault to be eligible for compensation. That percentage can be even higher following hit-and-run accidents, which is why you need to turn to car accident lawyers with experience to ensure the best possible outcome.

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Reasons Why Hit-and-Run Drivers Don’t Stop

A variety of causes could lead someone to not stop after causing a car accident in New Jersey. None of these justify their actions, of course, but they include the following nonetheless:

Unlicensed driving is a very common issue that can cause someone to leave the scene of an accident. Drivers without valid licenses are responsible for 18.4% of all fatal car crashes throughout the country, with men between the ages of 20 and 29 age range without a license being the most likely to commit hit-and-runs.

To avoid the fines and even steeper consequences, especially for repeat offenders, those driving without a license often flee an accident.

New Jersey requires all vehicle owners to carry personal liability insurance, personal injury protection, and uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance.

Not having adequate insurance can lead a person who causes an accident to have to pay for certain damages out of their own pocket. To avoid doing so, they flee the scene of any accidents they cause.

If the person who causes the accident is driving while intoxicated, they are less likely to stop because they may fear an arrest.

If a person is already wanted by the police or if they’re driving a stolen vehicle, the last thing they’ll want to do is speak with the authorities. By driving off after an accident, they assume they can evade jail time and other consequences.

Sometimes, people may respond to the shock of an accident in unreasonable ways. They might make an impulsive decision or rationalize that the accident wasn’t serious, implying they’re not needed at the scene. Even if their intentions were not malicious, there are consequences for leaving.

Common Injuries From Hit-and-Run Accidents

As with other types of car accidents in New Jersey, hit-and-run collisions can lead to a variety of injuries, such as:

Whiplash occurs when your head is jostled around in a collision. The extreme movement strains the muscles and ligaments in your neck.

Often, symptoms of whiplash don’t appear until a day or two after the accident.

Whiplash can be severe in certain circumstances. In fact, the most serious cases of whiplash can cause neurological symptoms because they lead to swelling that prevents signals from traveling to your brain.

Given enough force in a collision, bones can break. The speed at which the cars were traveling, as well as how the hit occurred, can all influence whether you suffer a fracture. But they are more likely to happen if you hit any part of the car during the crash, such as the steering wheel or windshield.

Some of the most severe injuries that a car accident can cause are those that affect the spine. You may experience partial or complete paralysis as a result, both of which can be temporary or permanent. As such, these injuries typically require significant medical care and could affect the rest of your life.

These injuries occur when your brain is twisted or forced against your skull in an accident. They often lead to damaging blood vessels and internal bruising, which can lead to chemical changes throughout your body.

The mildest form of traumatic brain injury is a concussion. Most often, concussions can cause short-term effects, but they will likely heal without lasting damage.

Nevertheless, complications can arise, especially if you’ve suffered more than one concussion in your life.

Other types of traumatic brain injuries include brain hemorrhages, penetrating trauma, and hematomas, which can all be fatal if not treated as soon as possible.

Not all injuries are immediately visible. For example, people might assume that a bruise they’ve developed after an accident isn’t serious, but it can be a sign of internal bleeding. Trauma can also affect organs, causing ruptures and all manner of problems within the body as a result.

What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident

After being in a car accident, you need to assess your injuries. See if you’re bleeding, and be aware of any pain you’re feeling. If you’re experiencing mobility issues and you do not know whether you hit your head during the accident, it’s crucial that you don’t move and call for emergency services right away.

Never assume that you’re fine just because you don’t feel any immediate pain. Often, the shock of the accident can keep your adrenaline pumping, dulling any discomfort. By having medical professionals check you over, you can get the immediate help you need. You can also start forming an official record of the injuries you sustained, which will help your claim later on.

It’s important to also call the police, especially after a hit-and-run in New Jersey. Give them as much information on the other party as possible and give a full account of the accident. But do not admit to fault.

Unless you are receiving medical attention, take the time to gather evidence. Take photos of your car, your injuries, and even the street around you. Taking pictures of skid marks, for example, can help prove whether someone was speeding. If there are bystanders who saw the accident, get their information, too.

The very next thing you’ll want to do is reach out to a car accident lawyer who can represent you as you file a personal injury claim.

Is Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer Necessary?

Although it’s not a requirement to hire a New Jersey car crash lawyer after a hit-and-run, it’s always the best move, regardless. It’s important to understand that even though insurers often paint themselves as being there for you, they’re ultimately looking out for their bottom line. And that means getting them to pay your damages is a complex and uphill battle.

They’ll try everything possible to keep from paying you, ranging from pressuring you into accepting low offers to even bullying you outright as a means of getting you to drop your claim.

With a lawyer by your side, you can get help gathering all of the necessary evidence to prove what happened and why you deserve compensation. If you’re dealing with severe injuries, you’ll be able to focus on healing while your lawyer prepares your claim.

And if the negotiations with the insurance company aren’t fruitful, having a lawyer also gives you the chance to file a lawsuit and take your case to court. Your lawyer will also have contact with expert witnesses who can offer testimonies to support your claim at trial.

Available Damages After a Hit-and-Run Accident

If you’ve been in a New Jersey hit-and-run accident, you can usually claim both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are those that involve quantifiable expenses. After a car accident that leads to injuries, you will need to get some medical attention, and that means bills. With a traumatic brain injury, for example, you may need a hospital stay, medications, and even rehabilitation therapy.

All of those expenses can put a strain on your financial situation, but you can claim them as damages in your case to receive compensation for them. You may even claim future medical expenses for injuries that require you to keep getting treatment.

Lost wages are another type of economic damage you can pursue. These strive to compensate you for any time you miss work as a result of your injuries. They can even include future wages if you’ll be unable to return to work for a while or at all.

Depending on your insurance policy and the injuries you’ve suffered, you can also claim non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering. This helps compensate you for the anguish and pain you’ve experienced because of the accident and the injuries you’ve suffered. If the injuries are severe enough to impact your everyday life, you can also claim loss of enjoyment of life.

Involved in a Hit-and-Run Accident in New Jersey? Contact Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq Today

After being involved in a hit-and-run car accident in New Jersey, you need to reach out to the lawyers Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq as soon as possible. We have decades of experience providing our services to New Jersey drivers who are in need of representation after an accident that was someone else’s fault.

Our team prides itself on offering help to the entire community, being one of the only personal injury firms in the area that assists both Spanish and English-speaking people. We know just how tough it can be to begin a legal process while dealing with injuries and even psychological trauma, so we’ll do everything in our power to make the whole process easier for you.

The moment that an accident occurs, contact the team at Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq by calling 800-923-3456.