Truck Accident Lawyer
Uber Accident Lawyer
Lyft Accident Lawyer
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
After a crash, getting the car repaired and the first medical bill paid can feel like progress. Yet neither tells you whether the full injury claim is protected. Treatment, responsibility for the collision, and compensation for lasting harm can involve different evidence and different insurance coverage.
The Epstein Law Firm represents people injured in New Jersey car accidents. With Michael Epstein, a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, the firm brings courtroom experience to claims that require more than forwarding a police report. The starting point is understanding what happened, what has changed in your life, and which insurer is responsible for each part of the loss.
You do not need to finish treatment or assemble a perfect file before asking for help. Bring the information you have, including any deadline, denial, or settlement offer that needs attention.
The Epstein Law Firm
New Jersey Car Accident
Speak with The Epstein Law Firm about your situation and the next steps.
Call now
Personal injury protection, or PIP, can pay covered accident-related medical expenses without deciding which driver caused the collision. The applicable policy, health-insurance election, deductible, and treatment requirements matter. It is unsafe to assume that every passenger uses the driver’s policy or that the other driver’s insurer will pay each bill as it arrives.
A claim against a responsible driver addresses a different question: what harm did that person’s negligence cause? Lost earnings, lasting limitations, and pain may require proof beyond a treatment invoice. New Jersey’s auto insurance guide explains the distinction between medical benefits and liability coverage.
Organize correspondence by claim number and coverage. A letter approving physical therapy does not settle fault; a vehicle-payment offer does not establish the value of an injury. Before signing a release, find out exactly which claims it closes. The Epstein Law Firm can review those issues together so a decision about one part of the crash does not leave another overlooked.
Different crashes call for different questions. These related services explain some of the situations our firm handles:
These categories are a starting point, not a reason to decide fault yourself. Tell the lawyer what you observed and identify what you do not know. Distinguishing a memory from an assumption helps keep the account reliable as additional evidence arrives.
A useful crash file connects the scene to the injury and then to the practical loss. Keep original photographs, witness contact details, the report number, towing documents, and insurance correspondence. Identify nearby cameras or dashcam footage promptly; a lawyer can assess what preservation requests are appropriate.
For a damaged vehicle, coordinate inspection before repairs and keep receipts for necessary steps to prevent further damage. The Department of Banking and Insurance’s vehicle-claim guidance explains inspection and loss-prevention responsibilities.
Medical documentation should describe the actual history: symptoms, prior problems, treatment, and changes in function. If appointments were missed because transportation failed or work intervened, explain that rather than leaving an unexplained gap. Keep a straightforward record of missed shifts, assistance at home, and activities affected by the injury. Accuracy is more useful than dramatic language.
Fault is not determined solely by who received a ticket. Under New Jersey’s comparative-negligence law, an injured person’s share of responsibility can reduce or bar recovery. An insurer’s initial allocation deserves a review of the supporting evidence, especially where accounts conflict.
The immediate expenses may be easy to identify. A longer recovery raises other questions: Can you return to the same duties? Are restrictions temporary? Does treatment address an existing condition, a new injury, or both? Those questions require medical and employment evidence, not a standard multiplier applied to hospital charges.
Potential losses can include compensable medical expenses, lost earnings, and noneconomic harm where the law permits. Coverage, payments already made, and proof affect what remains recoverable. With the Limitation on Lawsuit option, certain injury claims must meet a statutory threshold before pain-and-suffering damages can be pursued. The standard-policy explanation describes that choice.
A settlement should be considered with an understanding of known limitations and reasonably supported future needs. No lawyer can responsibly assign the same value to every fractured bone or neck injury. The record must explain this person’s recovery and the consequences that remain.
New Jersey generally allows two years to bring a personal-injury lawsuit, subject to exceptions and the particular claim’s accrual. That rule comes from N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2.
A claim involving a public entity or employee can require a separate 90-day notice. The State’s claim instructions also distinguish State claims from notices directed to local government.
These are not waiting periods. Insurance notice obligations and evidence preservation may require attention much sooner. Ongoing negotiations do not make it safe to assume that a filing deadline has stopped running. Bring any public-vehicle involvement, government-road issue, or pending insurer request to counsel’s attention early.
Use the agency that handles the particular problem, and keep a copy of what you submit:
An insurance dispute becomes more concrete when the evidence can explain the case to someone who was not there. Michael Epstein’s professional background includes certification by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney and service as president of the Bergen County Bar Association. His civil-practice writing and committee work complement that litigation background.
The firm’s reported results include a vehicle-injury verdict involving paralysis and a settlement for a couple injured in a head-on collision. Those matters demonstrate experience with serious motor-vehicle harm; they do not predict another client’s result. The relevant question is how the available evidence supports your injuries and losses.
When you contact The Epstein Law Firm, describe the crash, your treatment, and the most pressing unanswered question. Bring the declarations page, insurer letters, available medical information, and any offer. A useful initial conversation identifies what needs investigation and which decisions should not be made without further review.
Tell our car accident team what happened, what treatment you have received, and which insurance question or deadline needs attention. Bring the documents you already have so we can discuss the next steps in context.
Selected results reported by The Epstein Law Firm.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case depends on its own facts, evidence, and applicable law.
These excerpts describe experiences with the firm. They are not identified as cases in this practice area and do not predict another outcome.
“Michael Epstein is a wonderful, smart, caring and intelligent attorney. He was always responsive, supportive and got me dismissed from a high stakes lawsuit. I highly recommend him and the firm.”
— Leslie · Read the full Google review
“I was extremely pleased with the Epstein law firm. Michael Epstein and his co-worker Evelyn were so helpful. They answered all my questions in a timely manner and made me feel at ease from day one. They continuously kept me informed by email and phone calls.”
— Janice · Read the full Google review
These answers provide general information. The people involved, insurance policy, medical evidence, and facts of a New Jersey crash can change the analysis.
PIP is often a source of payment for covered accident-related treatment, regardless of fault, but the correct payer depends on your coverage and circumstances. A health-insurance-primary election can also affect payment. PIP has policy limits and cost-sharing requirements; it is not a promise that every charge will be paid in full.
Tell the provider that treatment followed a car crash and supply the claim information you have. Request the declarations page and full policy, and save bills and explanations of benefits. If you were a passenger or lack your own policy, have eligibility reviewed rather than assuming there is no coverage. Medical payment and a claim for pain and suffering are separate issues.
Sources: NJDOBI Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide; NJDOBI Standard Auto Insurance Policy.
Possibly. New Jersey permits negligence recovery when your fault is not greater than the defendant’s fault, or the combined fault of the defendants against whom recovery is sought. Recoverable damages are reduced by your percentage of responsibility. The rule requires an assessment of the actual conduct involved, not simply which driver initially accepted blame.
An insurer’s allocation is a claims decision that can be disputed; it is not a court judgment. Ask what evidence supports it and preserve photographs, statements, and other records that address the disagreement. A citation can matter without deciding every liability issue. Where multiple drivers are involved, have the allocation reviewed in the context of the whole collision rather than assuming a simple two-car comparison applies.
Sources: N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1—Comparative negligence; NJDOBI Auto Comparative Negligence Settlement FAQs.
Not necessarily. When the limitation applies, a qualifying injury can still support a noneconomic-damages claim. The listed categories include death, dismemberment, significant disfigurement or scarring, displaced fractures, loss of a fetus, and permanent injury meeting the legal standard. Having treatment or experiencing pain does not by itself establish that the threshold is satisfied.
Review the policy election and the medical evidence together. The injury’s cause, objective findings, and whether it will heal can become central issues. Your lawsuit option also should not be confused with eligibility for PIP benefits or every economic-loss claim. A lawyer can assess whether the limitation applies to your circumstances before you accept an insurer’s statement that no injury claim is available.
Sources: NJDOBI Standard Auto Insurance Policy—Right to sue; NJDOBI Everything You Wanted to Know About Auto Insurance.
Underinsured-motorist coverage may help, but a large loss alone does not establish eligibility. The other driver’s liability coverage must be compared with the applicable UIM limits and policy terms. A Basic Policy does not provide the same protection as a Standard Policy. Identify the coverage in force on the crash date rather than relying on a current insurance card.
Keep all offers, coverage letters, and policy documents. Have potential UIM rights reviewed before resolving the claim against the other driver, because settlement can affect the insurer’s rights. Do not assume that multiple policies simply add together or that every remaining expense will be paid. The injury evidence, available coverage, and terms governing the claim all require separate attention.
Sources: NJDOBI Auto Insurance Buyer’s Guide—Uninsured and underinsured coverage; NJDOBI Everything You Wanted to Know About Auto Insurance.
Document its condition and coordinate the insurer’s inspection before repairs. New Jersey’s consumer guidance also advises taking reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Keep photographs of each side, repair estimates, towing information, and receipts. If a vehicle defect or disputed impact sequence may matter, tell your lawyer before the vehicle or damaged parts become unavailable.
Ask the insurer and storage facility about the next steps in writing so costs and inspection arrangements are clear. Preserving evidence does not mean leaving a dangerous vehicle on the road or allowing avoidable damage to grow. A property-damage payment also should not be treated as an injury settlement without reviewing the release. The document’s scope matters more than the description given during a telephone call.
Sources: NJDOBI Filing an Auto Damage Claim with Another Insurer; NJDOBI Filing an Auto Damage Claim with Your Own Insurer.
Seek medical advice promptly and describe the collision and the timing of your symptoms accurately. The CDC explains that concussion symptoms can appear immediately or develop hours or days later. Worsening headache, repeated vomiting, seizures, unusual behavior, weakness, or difficulty waking are among the danger signs requiring immediate emergency care.
Follow the clinician’s guidance about work, driving, and physical activity, and ask for written instructions when needed. Report symptoms that worsen or do not improve. Preserve treatment and work-restriction records without treating them as an automatic diagnosis or proof of legal causation. A clinician must evaluate your condition; the claims process separately considers how the evidence connects the symptoms and resulting limitations to the crash.
Sources: CDC Symptoms of Mild TBI and Concussion; CDC What to Do After a Mild TBI or Concussion.
The general personal-injury limitation period is two years after the claim accrues, but exceptions can affect the calculation. A claim involving a public entity or employee can also require notice within 90 days. Neither period should be treated as a universal rule for every person, policy dispute, or type of loss arising from a crash.
Bring the crash date, identities of the parties, insurance letters, and any government involvement to a lawyer early. Children and other special circumstances require an individual deadline review. A claim number, ongoing negotiation, or agency complaint is not a substitute for taking the required legal steps. If a date may already have passed, seek prompt advice about the applicable rule instead of assuming the claim is necessarily over.
Sources: N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2—Personal-injury limitations; New Jersey Treasury public-entity claim instructions; New Jersey Courts Civil FAQs.
Yes, a denial may be challengeable through the applicable appeal or dispute-resolution process. First identify the reason: a treatment-authorization issue, disputed medical necessity, billing problem, and coverage dispute may require different responses. The insurer’s decision-point-review plan and the governing rules matter; a telephone assurance does not replace the written decision.
Give the denial to the treating provider and your lawyer promptly. Keep the requested treatment information, relevant medical records, explanations of benefits, and proof of submission. New Jersey uses uniform provider appeal forms for specified PIP disputes, and supporting reasons and documentation are important. An administrative complaint alone should not be assumed to preserve an appeal deadline or obtain payment. The dispute needs the procedure appropriate to the particular denial.
Sources: NJDOBI PIP Information for Health Care Providers; NJDOBI Implementation of Internal Appeal Rule; N.J.A.C. 11:3-5—PIP alternate dispute resolution.
Yes. New Jersey distinguishes a driver logged into a transportation network and available for requests from a driver providing a prearranged ride. The applicable insurance requirements differ. That makes the trip status relevant even when the physical collision resembles an ordinary car crash. Coverage still must be evaluated for the particular vehicle, person, and loss.
Save the trip confirmation, receipt, driver and vehicle identification, and any available app messages. Record where you were and whether the ride had been accepted or completed. Do not rely solely on a driver’s statement that the platform will handle everything. A lawyer can identify the policies and records needed to assess the claim, while the insurer investigates responsibility and the injuries being claimed.
Sources: New Jersey MVC Transportation Network Company Act FAQs; New Jersey Transportation Network Company Safety and Regulatory Act, P.L. 2017, c.26.
An insurance complaint can obtain regulatory assistance, but it does not guarantee payment or resolve every factual dispute. New Jersey’s Department of Banking and Insurance accepts consumer requests for help and reviews insurer conduct. Where the parties continue to disagree about how a crash occurred or who was responsible, a court may need to decide the dispute.
Submit an organized account with the insurer’s name, claim number, important dates, correspondence, and the specific problem. Keep the complaint confirmation and subsequent responses. Continue monitoring insurance and legal deadlines while the agency reviews the matter. A complaint should not be treated as a lawsuit or an extension of the time to bring one, and its usefulness depends on the issue the agency can address.
Sources: NJDOBI How to Request Assistance; NJDOBI Auto Comparative Negligence Settlement FAQs.
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Rating methodology
The Epstein Law Firm serves clients from three New Jersey locations:
Call (201) 231-7847 for a free consultation.
$31,000,000
$13,585,000
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances. *No aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. View Rating Methodology
Δ
<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>
340 West Passaic Street Rochelle Park, NJ 07662
Fax: 201-845-5973 201-231-7847
Map + Directions
560 Sylvan Avenue, Suite 1000-A Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 (By Appointment Only)
201-734-3763
Map + directions
18-20 Lackawanna Plaza, Suite 200 Montclair, NJ 07042 (By Appointment Only)
973-381-8410
The Epstein Law Firm
The Epstein Law Firm