Key Takeaways
- William P. Mikita, Jr., of Mikita & Roccanova, LLC, earned Super Lawyers selection for 2015 to 2018 and 2022 to 2025. Their proven record of success includes a $1.2 million car accident verdict involving a spinal fusion.
- Mikita & Roccanova, LLC, will review your case in a free initial consultation
- New Jersey bars recovery if a jury finds you 51% or more at fault, and it reduces your award by your share of blame.
- Middlesex County led all 21 New Jersey counties with 64 crash deaths in 2023.
Fault decides who pays after a car accident on Route 18, Interstate 287, or Centennial Avenue. A Piscataway car accident lawyer at Mikita & Roccanova, LLC, can investigate the accident, determine who caused your collision, and fight for full compensation so that you can concentrate on your recovery.
How Fault Is Determined After a Piscataway Crash
Insurers and juries study the police report, witness statements, photographs, vehicle damage, and any camera footage. Experts may be called on to recreate the sequence of events that led to the crash and show how the damages happened.
Route 18 runs along Hoes Lane to Interstate 287, which cuts through the center of the township with exits 6 through 9. Heavy traffic on these roads creates many disputes over speed, lane changes, and following distance.
New Jersey’s Modified Comparative Negligence Rule
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1, you can recover only if your fault does not exceed the combined fault of the other drivers. A jury reduces your personal injury award by your percentage of blame. On $100,000 in damages, a driver 20% at fault recovers $80,000, a driver 49% at fault recovers $51,000, and a driver 55% at fault recovers nothing.
When More Than One Driver Shares the Blame
A jury assigns fault percentages that total 100% among all drivers involved. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.3, a defendant found 60% or more at fault may owe the full amount of certain damages. In a $500,000 verdict where you share 15% of the blame, you collect $425,000, whereas a defendant 60% or more at fault could owe all of it.
How a Piscataway Car Accident Lawyer Proves Liability
Mikita & Roccanova, LLC, builds liability with evidence such as the following:
- Obtaining the police report and crash data
- Preserving photographs and surveillance video before owners erase them
- Interviewing witnesses while memories stay fresh
- Consulting experts to reconstruct the collision
- Gathering medical records that link injuries to the crash
What Compensation Can You Recover?
New Jersey law allows several types of compensation after a car accident:
- Economic damages: medical bills beyond your insurance limits, future treatment, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity
- Non-economic damages: pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Personal injury protection: no-fault coverage for treatment, with limits of $15,000, $50,000, or $250,000
- Punitive damages: rare awards for extreme conduct, capped at the greater of $350,000 or five times compensatory damages
The limitation on lawsuit option, known as the verbal threshold, restricts pain and suffering claims. You qualify only after death, dismemberment, significant scarring, a displaced fracture, loss of a fetus, or a permanent injury proved by objective medical evidence. Economic damages stay recoverable. Every case differs, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover if I share blame for the accident?
Yes, if your fault stays at 50% or below. Your award shrinks by your percentage.
How long do I have to sue?
New Jersey generally gives you two years from the accident date under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2.
What if both drivers blame each other?
A jury weighs the evidence and assigns each driver a percentage of fault.
Piscataway Car Accident Lawyer at Mikita & Roccanova, LLC, Can Help You Recover From a Crash on Route 18 or I-287
After a motor vehicle accident, do not let an insurer assign you more blame than you deserve. The Piscataway car accident lawyer at Mikita & Roccanova, LLC, will fight to get you the compensation you need for your recovery. Visit our website or call us today at 732-705-3363 to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Piscataway and Hazlet, NJ, and we serve clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.