Car Accident

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Paramus or anywhere in New Jersey, you deserve experienced legal representation to protect your rights and pursue the compensation you’re entitled to. Car accidents can result in devastating injuries, overwhelming medical bills, lost income, and lasting physical and emotional trauma that impacts every aspect of your life. At Luis Martinez Law, we understand the challenges you’re facing in the aftermath of a collision and are committed to fighting aggressively on your behalf against negligent drivers and their insurance companies. With extensive experience handling car accident claims throughout New Jersey, our legal team knows how to navigate complex insurance negotiations, gather compelling evidence, and hold at-fault drivers accountable for the harm they’ve caused.

Contact us today for a free consultation and let us fight for the justice and financial recovery you deserve.

Car Crash with police

Do You Need to Hire a New Jersey Car Accident Lawyer?

After a car accident, you may question whether hiring a lawyer is truly necessary. While some very minor accidents can be resolved directly with insurance companies, most car accident cases benefit significantly from professional legal representation. Insurance companies employ teams of adjusters and lawyers whose primary goal is minimizing payouts, and without an experienced attorney advocating for you, you may receive far less compensation than your case is actually worth. A skilled car accident lawyer can accurately assess the full value of your claim, including current and future medical expenses, lost wages and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, property damage, and other losses.

Additionally, New Jersey’s complex insurance laws, comparative negligence rules, and strict procedural requirements can make it extremely challenging to navigate your claim alone. If you’ve suffered significant injuries, face disputes about who was at fault, are dealing with an uncooperative insurance company, or need to file a lawsuit, having legal representation becomes essential. Your attorney will handle all communications with insurance adjusters who are trained to devalue claims, gather and preserve crucial evidence before it’s lost, negotiate aggressively for fair compensation, and take your case to trial if necessary to secure the maximum recovery. Most car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless they successfully win your case, making professional legal help accessible when you need it most.

car crash accident. Car collision on city street. Two damaged automobiles

Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle

At Luis Martinez Law, we have comprehensive experience representing clients in all types of car accident cases throughout Paramus and New Jersey. Every collision is unique, but certain accident types occur more frequently and often result in serious injuries requiring experienced legal representation.

Our firm successfully handles the following car accident cases:

  • Rear-end collisions, which are among the most common accidents on New Jersey roads and often result in whiplash, back injuries, and traumatic brain injuries, particularly when involving high speeds or distracted drivers.
  • Head-on collisions, which are among the most dangerous and deadly types of car accidents, frequently causing catastrophic injuries including spinal cord damage, severe brain trauma, multiple fractures, and internal organ damage.
  • Side-impact or T-bone accidents, which typically occur at intersections when drivers run red lights or fail to yield, causing serious injuries to drivers and passengers on the struck side of the vehicle including broken bones, internal injuries, and head trauma.
  • Multi-vehicle pile-ups, which involve three or more vehicles and present complex liability issues requiring thorough investigation to determine all responsible parties and pursue compensation from multiple insurance policies.
  • Hit-and-run accidents, where the at-fault driver flees the scene, requiring us to pursue compensation through your uninsured motorist coverage while working with law enforcement to identify and hold the responsible party accountable.
  • Drunk driving accidents, where impaired drivers cause devastating collisions, allowing us to pursue not only full compensation for your injuries but also punitive damages to hold reckless drivers accountable for their dangerous and illegal decisions.

No matter what type of car accident you’ve been involved in, our legal team has the knowledge, experience, and resources to build a strong case on your behalf. We thoroughly investigate each accident, consult with expert witnesses, review police reports and medical records, analyze accident reconstruction data, and fight tirelessly to secure the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.

 

4 Most Common Types of Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to life-altering catastrophic trauma. Understanding the most common types of injuries can help you recognize the full extent of your damages and ensure you receive appropriate medical treatment and legal compensation. The four most frequently occurring car accident injuries include whiplash and soft tissue damage, fractures and broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and back and spinal cord injuries. Each of these injury types can have serious short-term and long-term consequences for your health, quality of life, ability to work, and overall wellbeing, making comprehensive legal representation essential for securing adequate compensation.

 

01

Whiplash and Soft Tissue Injuries

Whiplash occurs when your head is suddenly jerked forward and backward during a collision, stretching and damaging the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your neck and upper back. While often dismissed as minor by insurance companies, whiplash can cause chronic pain, persistent headaches, reduced range of motion, and long-term disability requiring extensive treatment. Soft tissue injuries throughout the body are also extremely common, affecting muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the back, shoulders, and limbs, often requiring months of physical therapy, chiropractic care, and pain management to achieve maximum recovery.

 

02

Fractures and Broken Bones

The force of a car accident can easily fracture bones throughout the body, with the most common breaks involving the ribs, arms, legs, wrists, ankles, and facial bones. Depending on the severity, broken bones may require immediate surgery, metal plates or rods for stabilization, extended immobilization in casts or braces, and months of recovery and rehabilitation. Some fractures result in permanent limitations, chronic pain syndromes, or increased risk of arthritis in the affected joints, significantly impacting victims’ ability to work and enjoy daily activities.

 

03

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

Traumatic brain injuries occur when your head strikes an object or is violently shaken during an accident, ranging from mild concussions to severe brain damage with permanent consequences. TBI symptoms may not appear immediately but can include persistent headaches, confusion, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties. Severe brain injuries can result in permanent disability, personality changes, and loss of cognitive function, requiring lifelong medical care and dramatically impacting your ability to work, maintain relationships, and enjoy life.

 

04

Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

Car accidents frequently cause back injuries including herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, spinal cord damage, and soft tissue injuries that can lead to chronic pain, limited mobility, and in severe cases, partial or complete paralysis. Spinal cord injuries often require emergency surgery, extensive rehabilitation, assistive devices, and ongoing medical treatment throughout the victim’s lifetime, with life-changing consequences for both victims and their families. Even less severe back injuries can prevent victims from returning to physically demanding occupations and significantly reduce their quality of life.

 

What You Should Do After Being Involved in a Car Accident

The moments and days following a car accident are crucial for protecting both your health and your legal rights. Taking the right steps immediately after a collision can significantly strengthen your injury claim and ensure you receive appropriate medical care for your injuries. While you may feel shaken, confused, overwhelmed, or in pain, following these essential steps will help document the accident, preserve important evidence, and establish the foundation for pursuing fair compensation from the at-fault driver and their insurance company. Whether dealing with minor injuries or serious trauma, these actions are critical for anyone involved in a car accident in Paramus or anywhere in New Jersey.

 

Check for Injuries and Call 911

Your first priority is ensuring everyone’s safety. Check yourself and passengers for injuries, then assess other drivers and occupants if safe to do so without putting yourself at further risk. Call 911 immediately to report the accident and request medical assistance if anyone is injured or appears to need medical attention. Even if injuries seem minor at the scene, having paramedics evaluate everyone creates an official medical record linking injuries to the accident, which is crucial for insurance claims and potential litigation.

Move to Safety and Secure the Scene

If vehicles are drivable and blocking traffic, carefully move them to the shoulder or a safe location to prevent additional accidents and injuries. Turn on hazard lights and set up warning triangles or flares if available to alert oncoming traffic. Stay at the scene until police arrive, as leaving could result in serious hit-and-run charges even if you weren’t at fault for the collision or don’t believe you were responsible.

 

Document Everything at the Accident Scene

Use your smartphone to take extensive photographs and videos of all vehicle damage from multiple angles, visible injuries, skid marks, road conditions, traffic signals and signs, weather conditions, and the overall accident scene. Exchange information with other drivers including names, phone numbers, addresses, insurance details, license plate numbers, and driver’s license information. Collect contact information from any witnesses who can provide statements about what they observed during the accident, as witness testimony often becomes crucial evidence.

 

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Visit an emergency room or urgent care facility as soon as possible after the accident, even if you feel fine or your injuries seem minor. Many serious injuries including concussions, internal bleeding, soft tissue damage, and spinal injuries may not produce immediate obvious symptoms due to adrenaline and shock. Delaying medical treatment gives insurance companies grounds to argue your injuries weren’t serious or weren’t caused by the accident, potentially jeopardizing your entire claim and your health.

 

Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company

Notify your insurance company about the accident promptly as required by your policy, but keep your statement factual and limited to basic information about the date, time, location, and vehicles involved. Do not admit fault, speculate about the extent of injuries, or provide recorded statements without consulting an attorney first. Insurance adjusters may use your words against you to minimize or deny your claim, so be cautious about what you say and how you describe the accident and your condition.

 

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer

Consult with a qualified car accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights and understand your legal options for pursuing compensation. An experienced lawyer can handle all communications with insurance companies on your behalf, investigate the accident thoroughly and independently, preserve critical evidence before it’s lost or destroyed, identify all sources of compensation, and build a strong case for maximum recovery. Most car accident lawyers offer free consultations and work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless they recover compensation for you.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accidents

Have Further Questions?
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. However, if you’re pursuing a claim against a government entity or employee, you may have as little as 90 days to file a notice of claim, with significantly shortened deadlines for legal action. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar you from recovering any compensation, so it’s crucial to consult with an attorney promptly after your accident to protect your rights.

You may be entitled to compensation for all medical expenses including emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, medication, physical therapy, and future medical needs. You can also recover lost wages and reduced earning capacity if injuries prevent you from working, property damage to your vehicle and personal items, pain and suffering for physical discomfort and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and compensation for permanent disability or disfigurement. In cases involving drunk driving or extreme recklessness, you may also recover punitive damages designed to punish the at-fault party.

Contact a New Jersey Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Paramus or anywhere in New Jersey, don’t face the insurance companies alone. At Luis Martinez Law, we have the experience, resources, and dedication to fight for the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. Our legal team will handle every aspect of your case, from investigating the accident and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurers and representing you in court if necessary to secure full compensation. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation and let us start fighting for your rights and your recovery.