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Knowledge, experience, and dedication have brought the lawyers of The Epstein Law Firm to the forefront of their profession. From personal injury to civil litigation, they have built a strong record of success in achieving justice for their clients.
Our practice is diverse and well-established. Recognizing that every case is unique, we always begin by listening to you.
The Epstein Law Firm, P.A. has been successfully representing clients throughout New Jersey since 1973
New Jersey is a no-fault state: your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays your initial medical bills after a crash, no matter who caused it. For many people, those first checks create a false sense of security — the bills are being paid, so the case must be handling itself.
It is not. PIP does not pay for pain and suffering, and it runs out. The part of the case that determines what your injuries are truly worth — who was at fault, whether your injuries qualify under the lawsuit option you chose, and which policies actually apply — runs on a separate track against the at-fault driver’s insurer, whose job is to pay as little as possible. The Epstein Law Firm, led by George Morton III, a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, handles both tracks at once: protecting your PIP benefits while building the liability case that determines your real recovery.
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Under New Jersey’s no-fault law, your own auto insurer pays your medical expenses through PIP after a crash, regardless of fault. You do not wait for the fault investigation to finish before getting treatment — that fast access to care is the system’s main benefit.
But PIP is limited to medical treatment and certain out-of-pocket losses up to your policy’s limits. It does not compensate pain and suffering or the long-term cost of a serious injury. Once bills approach your limits, or the carrier decides treatment is no longer “necessary,” the checks slow down or stop — usually the moment people discover the second half of their case was never being built.
The liability claim against the at-fault driver is where broader compensation lives: pain and suffering, lost income beyond PIP, and lasting impairment. Building it requires early evidence — the police report, witness statements, photos, and medical records connecting your injuries to the crash. We run both tracks together so protecting your PIP benefits never comes at the expense of your liability case.
When you bought your policy, you chose between two lawsuit options, and most drivers do not remember which. The “limitation on lawsuit” option — the verbal threshold — means you agreed not to sue for pain and suffering unless your injuries meet specific serious-injury categories in N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8, such as permanent injury, significant disfigurement, or displaced fractures.
The “no limitation on lawsuit” option preserves your right to sue for pain and suffering for any injury. It costs more in premiums, but after a serious crash it removes an entire layer of defense the insurer would otherwise use against you.
Your choice controls case strategy from day one. Under the limitation option, your medical documentation must establish a qualifying injury category — something insurers contest aggressively. Bring your declarations page to your consultation and we will confirm which option you have.
The Epstein Law Firm can review the evidence, insurance issues, and next steps that may matter in your car accident claim.
For standard policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, New Jersey’s minimum bodily injury liability limits are $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident, with $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage must at least match the bodily injury minimums. This completed the two-phase increase required by P.L. 2022, c.87.
The at-fault driver’s liability limits are often the ceiling on recovery from that driver. But the new minimums apply based on when the policy was issued or renewed — a driver who renewed in late 2025 may still carry the older, lower limits. The real numbers must be verified policy by policy, not assumed.
Additional layers may also apply: your own underinsured motorist coverage, umbrella policies, and sometimes employer or commercial policies. Identifying every available layer is one of the highest-value things a lawyer does, because cases are lost at the coverage investigation stage as well as at trial.
Almost every crash produces two stories. New Jersey’s comparative negligence law reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault, and you can recover as long as your fault is not greater than the other driver’s — in a two-car crash, 50/50 still allows recovery, but 51% against you bars it.
Fault is decided from evidence, not from who argues loudest: the police report, 911 recordings, witness statements, camera footage, damage patterns, and phone records. What you say at the scene matters too — admissions like “I didn’t see them” get repeated back to you for years.
Adjusters assign fault percentages during negotiations, and their first number is an opening position, not a finding. When the evidence supports it, we push back with witness development and reconstruction analysis rather than accepting the adjuster’s split.
The at-fault driver’s insurer owes you no loyalty. Expect requests for a recorded statement before you understand your injuries, a fast low offer while you are still treating, and later arguments that gaps in your treatment mean you recovered.
Your own PIP carrier can turn adversarial too — ordering examinations by its chosen doctors, disputing medical necessity, or cutting off benefits on a paper review. New Jersey law gives you appeal rights when benefits are denied, with procedures and timelines of their own. The pattern to watch is delay followed by pressure: slow responses while bills pile up, then an offer framed as the only way to make them stop.
Two numbers matter most. First, New Jersey generally gives you two years from the crash date to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss it, and your right to sue is gone regardless of how strong your case is.
Second, if a public entity is involved — a government-owned vehicle, a dangerous road condition, a public bus — you generally must file a formal notice of claim within 90 days. Missing that shorter deadline can bar your claim entirely. Separate PIP notice and treatment rules can also affect benefits. The practical rule: do not wait to get legal advice, because early review preserves options that disappear with time.
George Morton III is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney — a credential the New Jersey Supreme Court grants to a small percentage of lawyers with substantial trial experience and additional examination. We prepare every file as if it may be tried, which is also what makes insurers take settlement negotiations seriously. The Epstein Law Firm has recovered multimillion-dollar results in serious injury cases, and our lawyers have over 120 years of combined experience representing New Jersey injury victims. We take car accident cases on a contingency basis — no fee unless we recover for you — and the consultation is free.
If you were hurt in a crash anywhere in New Jersey, contact our office before giving a recorded statement or accepting a quick offer. We also handle motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and bicycle accidents.
The Epstein Law Firm serves clients from three New Jersey locations:
Call (201) 231-7847 for a free consultation.
Speak with a New Jersey car accident lawyer about your rights and options. Free consultation, no fee unless we win.
“I will definitely recommend the Epstein Law Firm, P.A. to friends and other people whom I will know to have been involved in an accident.”
“We have nothing but good things to say about Michael Epstein and his firm. He was able to personally handle our case and get us a maximum settlement in months rather than years. Throughout the whole process I felt that Michael always had my best interests in mind.”
“If you are looking for a personal injury attorney who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and highly effective, I wholeheartedly recommend Michael J. Epstein and The Epstein Law firm. From my very first consultation, he took the time to listen to the details of my case.”
Below are answers to common questions about car accident claims in New Jersey. This information is general and not legal advice — contact our office for guidance about your specific situation.
In most cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2. The clock usually starts on the accident date. If the deadline passes without a filed lawsuit, you generally lose the right to sue no matter how serious your injuries are, so the date should be calendared from the first meeting.
A much shorter deadline can apply if a public entity is involved — for example, a crash with a government-owned vehicle or caused by a dangerous road condition. In that situation you generally must present a formal notice of claim within 90 days of the crash under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, N.J.S.A. 59:8-8. Because these two deadlines run on different tracks, tell your lawyer immediately if any government vehicle or road agency could be involved.
Sources: P.L. 2019, c.120 — text of N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2 (two-year limit); NJ Law Revision Commission — Tort Claims Act notice requirements (N.J.S.A. 59:8-8).
No-fault means your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays your medical bills after a crash regardless of who caused it. You do not have to wait for the fault investigation to get treatment, and you deal with your own insurer first. PIP also covers certain out-of-pocket losses, such as lost wages and help around the house, up to your policy limits.
What no-fault does not do is compensate you for pain and suffering or decide who was at fault — that is the separate liability claim against the at-fault driver. PIP benefits can also be cut off if the carrier decides treatment is no longer medically necessary, which is why the liability case must be built in parallel rather than after PIP runs out.
Sources: DOBI 2026 NJ Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide — PIP coverage; DOBI — Automobile Insurance consumer page.
The limitation on lawsuit option — often called the verbal threshold — is a choice you made when buying your policy. If you chose it, you agreed not to sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering unless your injuries fall into specific serious-injury categories defined by N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8, such as permanent injury, significant disfigurement or scarring, displaced fractures, or death.
If you chose the no-limitation option instead, you kept the right to sue for pain and suffering for any injury. Which option appears on your declarations page shapes the entire case strategy, because under the limitation option your medical records must document that your injuries meet one of the qualifying categories — something insurers contest routinely. Bring your declarations page to your consultation so we can confirm which option you have.
Sources: DOBI 2026 NJ Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide — lawsuit options; DOBI — Everything You Wanted to Know About NJ Auto Insurance (2026).
For standard policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, the minimum bodily injury liability limits are $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident, with $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage must at least match the bodily injury minimums. This completed the two-phase increase required by P.L. 2022, c.87.
The catch is timing: the new minimums apply based on when the policy was issued or renewed, not when the crash happened. A driver who renewed in late 2025 could still carry the older $25,000/$50,000 limits during a 2026 crash. That is why your lawyer must verify the actual policy in effect on your accident date instead of assuming the current minimums apply.
Sources: P.L. 2022, c.87 — NJ auto insurance minimum liability law; DOBI 2026 NJ Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide — coverage limits.
Usually yes. New Jersey follows a comparative negligence rule: your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover as long as your fault is not greater than the other driver’s. In a two-car crash, that means you may recover if you were 50% at fault, but not if you were more at fault than the other driver.
Fault percentages are negotiated, not handed down — the insurer’s first assessment is an opening position, not a finding. Police reports, witness statements, video, and damage patterns can all move that number. Because even a small shift in the fault split changes your recovery, disputed-fault cases benefit the most from early legal involvement.
Sources: DOBI Ombudsman — Auto Comparative Negligence Settlement FAQs; NJ Law Revision Commission — comparative fault framework (N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1 to -5.3).
Your own PIP coverage pays first, regardless of fault. PIP covers medical treatment, and depending on the options you chose, may also reimburse lost wages and the cost of hiring help for household tasks you cannot perform while injured. You can also designate your health insurer as the primary payer for auto injuries, though Medicare and Medicaid recipients cannot make that choice.
If your bills exceed your PIP limits, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage is the next source, followed by your own underinsured motorist coverage. When PIP is denied or cut off mid-treatment, you have appeal rights — but those procedures have their own timelines, so a denial letter should be reviewed by a lawyer promptly rather than accepted at face value.
Sources: DOBI 2026 NJ Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide — PIP and medical payments; DOBI — Everything You Wanted to Know About NJ Auto Insurance (2026).
Your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage steps in when the at-fault driver has no insurance or flees the scene, and your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage applies when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low to cover your losses. In New Jersey, UM/UIM coverage must at least match your bodily injury liability minimums — $35,000/$70,000 for 2026 policies.
UM/UIM claims are made against your own insurer, but do not expect a friendly process: your insurer evaluates the claim the same way an adverse carrier would. These claims also have notice requirements and, frequently, arbitration provisions in the policy. Review your UM/UIM limits before you need them — many drivers carry only the minimum and discover too late that it does not cover a serious injury.
Sources: DOBI 2026 NJ Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide — uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage; P.L. 2022, c.87 — UM/UIM minimum requirements.
No — not before you understand your injuries and your rights. You are not legally required to give the at-fault driver’s insurer a recorded statement, and adjusters are trained to ask questions that narrow your injuries and lock in early descriptions before the full extent is known. Polite but vague answers given days after a crash get quoted back to you for years.
Your own insurer is different: your policy requires cooperation, including statements about the crash. Even there, it is wise to have counsel involved before anything is recorded. If an adjuster is pressing you for a statement, that urgency usually serves the insurer’s timeline, not yours — you can simply say you will respond after consulting a lawyer.
Sources: DOBI Ombudsman — dealing with insurers on disputed claims; DOBI — Automobile Insurance consumer page.
A New Jersey car accident claim can include pain and suffering (subject to your lawsuit option), lost income and reduced earning capacity, out-of-pocket expenses, and compensation for permanent impairment or disfigurement. In fatal crashes, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim for their own losses.
The value of these losses is built from documentation, not asserted from thin air: medical records that describe lasting limitations, employer records showing missed work and lost opportunities, and testimony about how the injuries changed your daily life. Cases with thorough documentation of these categories resolve for more than cases where only the medical bills were gathered.
Sources: DOBI — Everything You Wanted to Know About NJ Auto Insurance (2026); DOBI Ombudsman — Auto Comparative Negligence Settlement FAQs.
Do not assume the denial is final. PIP carriers must follow New Jersey’s procedures when denying benefits, and you have the right to appeal — first through the insurer’s internal appeal process, which every auto insurer in New Jersey is required to maintain, and then through dispute resolution if the internal appeal fails. Deadlines apply at each stage.
Common reasons for cutoffs include a paper review by the carrier’s doctor who never examined you, or a claim that you missed treatment appointments. A lawyer can challenge the medical basis of the denial, keep your treatment records organized for the appeal, and make sure the PIP fight does not derail your separate liability claim against the at-fault driver.
Sources: DOBI Ombudsman — internal appeals and dispute review for auto claims; DOBI 2026 NJ Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide — PIP benefit disputes.
A friend of a friend referred me to this firm. I was blown away by the amount of professionalism, courtesy and care. I highly recommend this firm to anyone seeking a personal injury attorney.
Thank you so much for everything. Thank you for always responding so promptly and for really going to bat for me. I believe that your heart is big for your clients on many levels.
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The Epstein Law Firm
The Epstein Law Firm