Newark Highway Accident Lawyers
After a serious highway crash, you may still be receiving medical treatment when insurance companies start calling for statements or offering settlements.
You need time to focus on your recovery, but when several drivers or companies are involved, getting clear answers about who caused the crash and who should pay for your injuries can be difficult.
At Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP, our Newark highway accident lawyers help injured people pursue compensation after crashes on the New Jersey Turnpike, I-78, I-280, Route 21, and other major highways.
We investigate what caused the collision, identify potentially responsible parties, and handle insurance negotiations so you can focus on your recovery.
You do not have to deal with multiple insurance companies on your own. Contact our family-run firm for a free consultation. You pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Who Will Work on Your Newark Highway Accident Claim?
Our father-and-son firm has represented injured New Jersey residents since 1997. On a highway case, three groups of people work for you.
Your Attorneys
Partners Richard Goldstein and Michael J. Goldstein bring more than five decades of combined experience, and Michael is a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Civil Trial Attorney. They evaluate the claim, deal with every insurer, and prepare the case for trial if a fair offer does not come.
Your Case Team
Our staff requests crash reports from the right agency, sends preservation letters for vehicle data and video, and keeps the paperwork moving. Intake is open 24/7 in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, and we pay case costs up front under our No Recovery, No Fee arrangement.
Your Doctors
We connect clients with an established network of treating doctors, so care can start while the insurers argue about fault. Highway claims are part of the broader personal injury work our family does for Newark residents.
How Does Each Newark Highway Shape the Claim?
Each road around Newark has its own traffic mix and its own common crash patterns. Those differences affect who may be responsible and which records exist.
| Road | Typical traffic | Common crash patterns |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Turnpike | Long-haul trucks, airport and port traffic, travelers from other states | Lane changes between roadways, merges near interchanges, chain reactions in congestion |
| I-78 | Airport traffic, regional commuters, freight | Sudden slowdowns near interchanges, ramp merges, sideswipes |
| I-280 | Commuters heading downtown and west | Rear-end impacts as traffic backs up near downtown exits |
| Route 21 | Local and commuter traffic along the Passaic River | Speed changes between highway and city sections, crashes at entrances and exits |
| Routes 1 and 9 | Airport, port, and commercial traffic | Crashes where highway speed meets signals and driveways |
| Garden State Parkway | Commuters and regional travelers | Merges near interchanges and congestion-related rear-end crashes |
Our articles on accidents on Route 21 and I-78 and Newark’s deadliest roads describe more of the local patterns.
What Is Different About a Crash on the Turnpike?
The Turnpike around Newark carries a heavy load of commercial trucks alongside commuters and travelers. It is also run by a public authority rather than a private company, and both facts shape a Turnpike claim.
Moving Between Roadways
In parts of northern New Jersey, the Turnpike splits into separate roadways for cars and for mixed traffic, with transition points where drivers cross from one to the other. Late lane changes and misjudged speeds at those points cause many sideswipe and chain-reaction crashes.
Advance signs give drivers time to prepare for roadway splits, but sudden lane changes near these transitions can still cause serious collisions.
When the Road Itself Is the Issue
When a work zone, damaged guardrail, or road defect contributed to a crash, the claim may involve the authority that runs the road.
A claim against a public entity generally requires written notice within 90 days, as the New Jersey Supreme Court discussed in Beauchamp v. Amedio, and it must meet a higher standard than ordinary negligence.
Interchanges 14, 15E, and 15W
The Turnpike interchanges serving the airport, downtown Newark, and I-280 pack merging, exiting, and toll slowdowns into short stretches of road.
Drivers hunting for an exit at the last second, and trucks crossing several lanes to reach a ramp, cause many of the crashes near these interchanges.
What Duties Do Drivers Have Around Stopped Emergency and Service Vehicles?
Highway shoulders around Newark often hold police cruisers, tow trucks, and maintenance crews. New Jersey’s move over law requires drivers approaching those vehicles to change lanes when it is safe, or to slow down if they cannot.
When a driver strikes a stopped emergency vehicle or someone working along the shoulder, investigators examine whether the driver followed New Jersey’s Move Over Law and took reasonable precautions.
Those crashes may also involve a tow company’s insurer or a public agency, based on who was on the shoulder.
Can Weather or Visibility Shift the Blame?
Rain, fog off the Meadowlands and the Passaic River, and low winter sun all cut visibility on the highways around Newark. Those conditions explain why driving was harder, but they rarely excuse a driver who kept highway speed or tailgated.
Weather records for the time and place of the crash often become evidence. They establish what drivers faced and what a careful driver would have done differently.
What Happens When a Rental Car Causes the Crash?
Rental cars are everywhere on the highways around Newark Liberty International Airport, often driven by people who do not know the roads. A driver who misses an exit and cuts across lanes, or stops short on a ramp, can cause a serious crash.
Under a federal law known as the Graves Amendment, rental companies are generally not responsible just because they own the car.
The claim usually goes against the renter’s own insurance and any coverage bought at the counter. We start by identifying every policy that covers the renter.
Rideshare Trips to and From the Airport
Rideshare vehicles going to and from the airport add another layer of coverage, which depends on the driver’s app status at the time of the crash. Our Newark Uber and Lyft page explains those rules further.
How Do Port Trucks Change a Highway Claim?
Trucks hauling containers between Port Newark and regional warehouses use the Turnpike, I-78, and Routes 1 and 9 all day. Many fall under the federal commercial motor vehicle definition, and a crash with one brings driver logs, inspection records, and maintenance files into the case.
The Chassis and the Container
Port trucks often pull intermodal chassis the driver does not own. Sometimes a brake failure, tire failure, or bad lighting on the chassis contributes to the crash. Then the company responsible for maintaining it may share the blame with the trucking company.
Cargo and Securement
Containers and loads that are not properly secured can shift in a turn or fall onto the road. The shipper who loaded the cargo, the carrier, or both may be responsible. The bill of lading and loading records reveal who packed and secured it.
Who Hired the Driver
Port drivers may work for small carriers, larger fleets, or as owner-operators under contract. Contracts and dispatch records reveal who controlled the trip, and that decides which insurance applies. Our Newark truck accident page explains these claims further.
What if the Other Driver Lives in Another State?
The highways around Newark carry drivers from New York, Pennsylvania, and well beyond. An out-of-state driver who causes a crash in New Jersey is generally subject to New Jersey traffic law, and the claim usually proceeds here.
Out-of-state insurers sometimes handle claims from distant offices, and witnesses may live elsewhere too. Collecting contact information at the scene and notifying every insurer promptly keeps these claims from stalling.
If an out-of-state driver’s coverage cannot be confirmed, your own uninsured motorist coverage may come into play.
Are Motorcyclists Treated Differently on Newark Highways?
Motorcyclists have the same right to the road as other drivers, so a driver who cuts into a motorcycle’s lane or tailgates one can be held responsible.
Motorcycle claims raise their own insurance questions, because New Jersey motorcycle policies do not include PIP the same way auto policies do. Finding every available source of coverage matters even more.
What Should You Expect From the Insurers in a Highway Claim?
A highway crash often brings in several insurers at once. Personal auto carriers, trucking insurers, rental car coverage, and carriers based in other states may all be involved. Each one represents its own driver or company, and each may call you within days.
Rapid Response Teams
Trucking companies and their insurers often send investigators to a serious highway crash within hours. Those investigators gather evidence for the company’s defense, so preserve your own evidence early instead of relying on what the other side collects. We can send preservation letters within days.
Coordinating Several Claims
When several insurers are involved, the order of claims and settlements can affect what is available later. Keeping every claim number, and sending all communication through one law firm, stops one insurer’s position from undercutting another claim.
How Is Fault Shared When Several Vehicles Are Involved?
Highway crashes often involve several drivers who share responsibility. Under New Jersey law, a driver found 60% or more at fault may be required to pay the full judgment.
A driver found at least 20% but less than 60% at fault may be responsible for all economic damages, while a driver below 20% generally pays only their assigned share.
FAQs for a Newark Highway Accident Claim
A rental car hit me near the airport. Who pays?
A New Jersey crash caused by a rental car driver is usually covered by the renter’s own auto insurance and any coverage bought from the rental company. Federal law generally protects the rental company from liability based only on ownership.
The company’s own negligence, like renting out a car with known defects, is a separate question.
What if a port truck lost a container or part on the highway?
Cargo or equipment that falls from a truck on a New Jersey highway can make several companies responsible. The trucking company, the shipper who loaded it, or the company responsible for the chassis may share the blame.
Photos of the debris and the truck’s markings help identify them.
Do I need to notify the Turnpike Authority about my claim?
Written notice to a public entity such as the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is generally required within 90 days only when the claim involves the authority itself.
Think of a road defect or a work zone. Claims against other drivers do not need that notice.
Can I get video from highway traffic cameras?
Some New Jersey highway cameras are used only for live traffic monitoring and may not record or keep footage. Dashcam video from trucks, rideshare vehicles, and other drivers is often a better source, and it should be requested quickly, before it is recorded over.
What if I was driving for work when the crash happened?
A person hurt on a New Jersey highway while driving for work may have both a claim against the at-fault driver and benefits through their employer’s coverage. How those sources fit together depends on the facts, so it pays to review them together early.
What if the State Police report lists the wrong driver as at fault?
A New Jersey State Police report reflects the officer’s view at the scene, but it is not the final word on fault. Vehicle data, video, witness accounts, and damage analysis can support a different conclusion.
Get Help With Your Newark Highway Accident Claim
Richard Goldstein, Newark Highway Accident Lawyer
A highway crash happens in seconds, but sorting it out can feel endless, with one insurer after another calling. You do not need to handle that alone, or all at once.
Highway accident claims often depend on evidence held by different agencies, drivers, and companies. Identifying those sources early can help preserve important records and establish who may be responsible.
Contact Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP for a free consultation. Our Newark highway accident lawyers can review what happened, identify potentially responsible parties, and explain your options for pursuing compensation.
Results depend on the specific facts of each case, and past outcomes do not predict future results.
