Experienced Attorney and Advocate for New Jersey Auto Accident Victims
As an experienced litigator with proven results, attorney Lance Brown has the capability to take your auto accident claim to trial and fight to get you a fair and satisfactory judgment. His record and reputation also places him in a strong position outside of the courtroom, able to negotiate effectively with the insurance companies and proceed to trial if an adequate settlement is not forthcoming. If you have been injured in a New Jersey car accident, Lance Brown & Associates can help.
Dealing with Insurance Companies after an Automobile Accident
Somewhere along the line in your auto accident claim, you are likely to find yourself dealing with an insurance company, either your own or the other driver’s. The way a claim is handled depends upon the type of insurance you and the other driver carry, including liability insurance and no-fault insurance.
The minimum liability policy in New Jersey covers only $15,000 for bodily injury to one person, or $30,000 total if more than one person is injured. These limits were already among the lowest in the country when the state added an option for a basic policy that only provides $10,000 of optional coverage. If you are seriously injured in an accident, hospital bills alone can quickly exceed these minimum amounts, not to mention other damages and expenses such as lost wages or your pain and suffering. It may be necessary to sue to obtain the full amount of compensation you need.
If you have no-fault insurance, then your personal injury protection (PIP) can cover your medical expenses up to your policy limit, but you cannot recover compensation for your pain and suffering unless you have a serious or permanent injury. These are legal definitions as well as medical ones, and having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side can be critical to determining whether you meet the legal criteria.
Whether you are dealing with your own insurance company or the other driver’s, it should quickly become apparent that insurance companies are motivated to pay as little as possible on a claim, or to avoid coverage or liability at all if they can. Adjustors typically downplay the serious nature of your injuries, and the initial offer from an insurance company is almost never comparable to what your claim is really worth. It is recommended that you always talk to an attorney before giving a statement to any insurance company or entering any negotiations, and certainly before accepting any form of payment from them.
Watch Out for Comparative Negligence Defenses
In negotiations or at trial, a common tactic of the insurers is to try to shift the blame onto you, saying that your own negligence caused or contributed to the accident. It is very important to fight this tactic aggressively, because in New Jersey, if you are considered to be more than 50% at fault, then you can be prohibited from recovering any compensation at all. If you are found to be less than 50% negligent, you can still recover damages, but the amount of your award is reduced in proportion to the percentage of negligence allocated to you.
Seek Experienced Legal Representation for your New Jersey Auto Accident
With an advanced degree in Trial Advocacy and years of experience in the courts, Lance Brown has the knowledge, skills and abilities to get you the compensation you deserve when you are injured because of another person’s negligence. If you have been injured in a New Jersey car accident, contact Lance Brown & Associates for immediate assistance.
