Were you injured in a car accident in Monmouth County, NJ? Was someone else responsible for the crash? You shouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath alone. You may be entitled to significant compensation–and an experienced Monmouth County car accident lawyer can help you fight to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
At Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, we have over 40 years of combined experience in personal injury law. Injured clients have trusted us to protect their rights since we started our legal practice back in 2007. We’ve proven our value by recovering millions in settlements and verdicts.
Contact our law offices or call (732) 303 7857 to book your free consultation today. There’s never a fee unless we win compensation for you.
How Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC Can Help You After a Car Accident in Monmouth County, NJ
After a car crash, it’s common to feel overwhelmed, stressed out, and uncertain about where to turn for help. The insurance companies might be pressuring you for information. They might even already be pushing for a fast settlement. The claims process itself can be incredibly frustrating.
Take a step back, relax, and call Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC for a free consultation.
The days, weeks, and months after a car accident can be critical to building your case for compensation. You may be struggling with debilitating injuries. You might be unable to work and wondering how you’ll keep your job. All the while, the bills are piling up.
You don’t have to let the opposing party take advantage of the tough situation you may be experiencing. An experienced Monmouth County personal injury lawyer can take over and give you time to rest and recover.
Our team is led by a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Trial Lawyer. We have the tools and experience to handle all of the legal issues while you recover.
Every one of our clients benefits from:
- A thorough investigation into the accident
- Access to top-rated experts and specialists
- Dedicated attorneys to provide personal attention and support throughout the legal process
- Skilled negotiators who can handle all insurance communications and negotiations
- Experienced trial lawyers who won’t hesitate to take your case to trial for a fair deal
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, don’t let them off the hook. Call our respected New Jersey personal injury attorneys to learn more about the benefits of legal representation today.
Why Should I Hire an Attorney After a Crash in Monmouth County?
An experienced lawyer can protect you from the start. Insurance companies know how the system works. They know what your case is worth–and they know how to pay less. It can be tough to fight back when you’re dealing with injuries.
Your lawyer is likely to be your greatest asset. Experienced attorneys are familiar with tactics insurers use to avoid paying fair settlements. Our lawyers are recognized as leaders in this area of law and are well-prepared to help.
When you hire our attorneys, you’ll have an experienced advocate to:
- Collect evidence to prove that the other driver was at fault
- Protect you from accusations of blame
- Calculate your losses after a crash
- Prevent the insurance company from undervaluing your claim
- Bring in car accident experts to support your case
We specialize in personal injury law–so we know how to handle even the most complicated cases. Don’t take our word for it. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident, contact us for a free case evaluation today.
How Much Money Can I Get From a Car Accident Case?
All personal injury claims are different. There’s only one way to know what your case is worth: investigate the crash, evaluate the circumstances, and assess the damages.
When it comes down to it, many factors will be relevant, including:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- The length of your recovery
- Whether you’re expected to make a full physical recovery
- The nature of any expected long-term or permanent disability
- Your financial losses, including medical treatment, vehicle repairs, and other expenses
- Your expected future expenses, including rehabilitation, therapies, in-home care, etc.
- How the injury impacts your work and earnings during recovery
- How the injury is expected to impact your future earnings, quality of life, and lifestyle
- The emotional trauma you’ve suffered
Other factors can be used to reduce your compensation. For example, if you share blame for the crash or failed to take reasonable steps to mitigate damages, your settlement or verdict may be reduced.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident in New Jersey?
For most victims, the statute of limitations in New Jersey is two years. You must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the accident. Once two years have passed, you cannot sue for damages.
Some exceptions exist, but they’re not common. You could have more time if the victim was a minor at the time of the accident (assuming the parents didn’t take legal action). You could have less time if a government agency was to blame for the crash.
In personal injury cases, it’s always better to consult a lawyer sooner rather than later. You’ll need evidence to prove your case. That evidence might not be available if you wait too long.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims After a Car Accident?
Accident victims may be entitled to seek compensatory damages.
There are two types of compensatory damages: economic damages and non-economic damages. Punitive damages, while rare, may be available if you have clear evidence that the defendant acted with malice or reckless disregard for your safety.
Economic Damages
Economic damages reimburse you for the financial expenses you incur because of the accident and injury. If your case is successful, you should be entitled to recover the full value of your financial losses.
Some common types of financial losses incurred by crash victims include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages and income during recovery
- Property damage to a vehicle and belongings
- Reduced earning potential due to a permanent or long-term disability
- Future medical bills
- Physical therapy
- Nursing care
- Assistance with basic activities of living
- Medications and medical devices
- Miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses
It’s important to keep good records during your recovery. Your attorney can help you keep track of your costs. They can also bring in experts and evaluate your expected future financial costs.
Non-Economic Damages
Recovering the fair value of your non-economic losses can be tricky. These are the types of losses that don’t have a clear monetary value. You won’t have receipts to prove these losses–which makes it much easier for the insurance company to challenge whether they exist.
Examples of potential non-economic damages include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Lost ability to enjoy life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Damage to relationships
- Loss of consortium in fatal accident cases
Insurers often use a multiplier or formula to assess the value of these losses. That’s not always fair. To get a clear sense of what your non-financial losses are actually worth, it’s best to consult an attorney who has handled cases like yours before.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Most car accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. Your attorneys’ fees will depend on your lawyer’s ability to win.
With a contingency fee arrangement, you agree to pay your lawyer a percentage of your settlement or verdict. Usually, the percentage is somewhere between 33% and 40%, depending on how complicated the case will be.
At Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, we’re confident that we can recover compensation in your case. That’s one reason why we don’t charge any upfront fees. We also know that money can be tight after an accident–and we want to make sure that all accident victims have access to quality legal advice.
During your free case review, we’ll discuss your fee arrangement. That way, you’ll understand your costs before you decide to hire our team.
Can I Get Money if I Was Partly At Fault for a Car Accident?
Sharing blame for a crash will impact the amount of compensation you take home.
Under New Jersey’s comparative negligence law, you cannot recover damages if your share of fault is greater than the other party’s.
For example, you can recover compensation in a two-party crash if your percentage of fault is 50% and the defendant’s share of fault is also 50%. Your settlement or verdict is reduced by 50% (your percentage of fault).
However, if your share of fault reaches 51%, you cannot recover compensation from a defendant who is 49% responsible.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
Most car accident cases don’t go to trial. It’s almost always preferable to settle out of court. Trials are unpredictable, expensive, and time-consuming.
That said, there are sometimes valid reasons to take your case before a judge and jury. If the insurance company refuses to agree to a fair settlement, it may be necessary to fight for the money you deserve in court. Some cases involve significant disputes over who was liable for the crash.
In others, a plaintiff may actually want to go to court to get a stronger sense of justice.
The important thing to remember is that the liable party likely doesn’t want to go to court. It’s extremely difficult to predict what a jury might do.
Our lawyers don’t back down from a fight. If the insurance offer isn’t acceptable, we aren’t afraid to take your case to trial. We also have the negotiating skills to reach a fair settlement in most cases.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
If you aren’t severely injured, you may be wondering what you should do after a crash.
Many car accident victims feel overwhelmed and a little disoriented. It’s important to remain calm.
Call 911 and check to see if anyone needs emergency medical attention. The 911 operator can send an ambulance to the scene. If emergency help isn’t needed, the officer will prepare a police report that can be extremely useful later in the process.
You should also:
- Exchange insurance information and contact details with the other parties (police will do this if you’re unable)
- Obtain contact information from any witnesses to the crash
- Document the crash scene by taking photos and videos of vehicle damage, road conditions, and any apparent injuries
- Avoid apologizing or making any statements about who caused the accident
- Seek medical attention quickly–even minor injuries can quickly become worse without medical care
Once a doctor has evaluated your injuries, contact an experienced lawyer.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
The type of car accident involved can impact your case. Each type of crash can have its own set of complications. It’s important to have an attorney who has a comprehensive understanding of the law.
At Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, we have decades of experience practicing law. That means we understand this area of law inside and out.
We often represent victims and their families in cases involving:
Texting While Driving
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the U.S.
Texting involves all three types of driver distraction:
- Cognitive distraction–composing a text takes a driver’s mind off the road
- Visual distraction–drivers have to look at their phone instead of the road
- Manual distraction–drivers clearly have to take their hands off the wheel to text
Distracted driving is also very difficult to prove–you’ll need a skilled lawyer who can locate evidence to prove your case.
Rear-End Car Accidents
Rear-end crashes are among the most common types of auto accidents. That doesn’t mean getting fair compensation will be a simple process. Our experienced lawyers can help you stand up and fight for a fair deal.
Multi-Vehicle Crashes
When multiple vehicles are involved, finger-pointing is likely. Everyone will try to pin the blame on someone else–including the victim. Our lawyers have decades of experience digging through the evidence to establish liability in these complex cases.
DUI Accidents
Drunk driving puts everyone on the roads in danger. Still, don’t expect recovering full compensation to be a slam dunk even if the other driver was impaired. The insurance company will probably try to downplay the extent of your losses. You’ll need a strong advocate in your corner to get what’s fair.
Fatal Car Accidents
When motor vehicle accidents are fatal, insurance companies invest even more resources into fighting the family’s claim for compensation. That’s because settlements and verdicts tend to be higher in cases involving the loss of a life. Our lawyers are here to help you fight for justice.
Speeding Accidents
When high speeds are involved, injuries tend to become even more severe. Unfortunately, speeding is a top cause of crashes in New Jersey. But how do you prove it? Our lawyers will work to uncover the evidence you need while you recover.
Additional Car Crash Practice Areas
Our lawyers also handle injury cases involving:
- T-bone collisions
- Head-on crashes
- Rollover accidents
- Highway crashes
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Accidents involving lane changes
- Intersection accidents
- Left-turn accidents
- Parking lot accidents
- Self-driving car accidents
- Single vehicle accidents
- Sideswipe accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
Regardless of the circumstances of your accident, it’s smart to consult a lawyer. There’s never any obligation when you set up a free case evaluation, so call our law firm for yours today.
Who Could Be Liable for My Injuries After a Car Accident?
Anyone who played a role in causing your accident could potentially be liable for damages. Some car accident cases are cut and dry. In others, determining fault is much more difficult.
After our investigation, it’s possible that our motor vehicle accident lawyers may find that one or more of the following parties is liable:
- Negligent drivers
- The employer of a negligent driver
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Truck drivers
- A negligent property owner
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles or safety features
- A government agency responsible for road design, maintenance, and repair
It’s entirely possible that more than one party could share fault for your accident. That’s why it’s important to conduct a detailed investigation into the crash. Once we have full information, we can work to hold each and every defendant liable for their role.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Car wrecks can cause different types of injury and trauma. Many victims walk away with multiple injuries. Some struggle with the emotional trauma for months after the crash.
At Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, we often represent car accident victims who have suffered:
- Facial injuries and lacerations
- Whiplash injuries
- Concussions
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Burns
- Sprains, muscle tears, and other soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Crushing injuries
- Chest injuries
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Don’t let the insurance company downplay your injuries. We have seen broken ankles that require surgery and leave victims struggling with chronic pain for years. Facial lacerations can leave you with permanent scarring–which, in turn, can lead to insecurity and depression.
Even if you’ll recover fully, our lawyers are here to help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve. Contact us today to get started.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Identifying the cause of your car wreck is the first step toward proving liability.
Of course, some things are more likely than others to cause an accident. According to government reports, between 2017 and 2021, 55% of all crashes in New Jersey involved speeding, distracted drivers, and/or drunk drivers.
In our experience, some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Racing through intersections to “beat” yellow lights
- Aggressive driving
- Dangerous left-hand turns
- Illegal U-turns
- Drug or alcohol use
- Hazardous road conditions
- Poor visibility
Identifying the cause of a crash to establish liability isn’t always easy. You may have to dig to find evidence to support your case. Police and accident reports are helpful, but they don’t always tell the whole story.
Our lawyers will search for evidence that tells the full story. We’ll examine:
- Any available video footage from dash cams, traffic lights, and even doorbells
- Drug and alcohol test results
- Cell phone records
- Witness statements
- Crash scene evidence
- Medical records
In particularly complex cases, we may even bring in experts to testify about what happened.
Monmouth County Car Accident Statistics
Full statistics are available for crashes that took place in New Jersey in 2021.
Unfortunately, traffic accidents remain the leading cause of accidental death in New Jersey. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports, 697 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in New Jersey in 2021.
In those fatal accidents:
- 217 pedestrians died
- Alcohol was involved in 125 fatal crashes
- 26 bicyclists were killed
- 77 crashes involved teenage drivers
- 98 motorcyclists were killed
Another 3,166 people were seriously injured in crashes statewide in 2021.
According to preliminary reports, in 2022, 692 people lost their lives in traffic accidents across the state of New Jersey. Of that total, 54 of those deaths occurred in Monmouth County.
Contact a Monmouth County Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
There’s a lot riding on your car accident case. Recovering fair compensation can be the only way to pay your medical bills and cover your expenses while you recover. Our legal team at Noonan Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC is here to help you get results when it matters most. Contact a dedicated Monmouth County car accident lawyer to schedule your free consultation to get started.