Somerset County Jury Awards Crash Victim $3.5 Million

By Greg Kohn
Partner

I was recently injured in a car crash in New Jersey. What are my options for receiving compensation?

For New Jersey auto accident plaintiffs, compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages can come about either through a negotiated settlement or following a jury trial on the merits of the case. For one Washington Township woman, the latter recently yielded a $3.5 million settlement after over four years of legal maneuvering by the defendant and her insurance company – including an insulting settlement offer of just $50,000.

Choosing to move forward with her case, the plaintiff pursued her right to a trial, and walked away with seventy times the amount offered by the insurer. According to evidence presented, the victim sustained permanent neck and back injuries after the oncoming defendant negligently crossed over the double-yellow line, striking the victim’s vehicle head on. While both survived the crash, the plaintiff will reel in the effects of her accident for the remainder of her life. Her husband also received a portion of the verdict individually under New Jersey’s doctrine known as loss of consortium, which allows immediate family members to obtain compensation for the loss of relationship and companionship with their injured loved one.

Aside from a successful jury verdict like that described above, auto accident victims may also be able to obtain compensation from a negotiated settlement with the defendant and, in many cases, his or her insurance provider. However, insurers are often limited to a maximum offer amount – which almost always falls way below the true value of the injuries, lost wages, and diminished future earnings. For plaintiffs with a high-value personal injury case, forging ahead to trial may be the best option to maximize recovery, despite the increased length of time between the initial injury and the final resolution.

If you are in New York or New Jersey and are considering a personal injury action following your recent auto, motorcycle, truck, or boat accident, we encourage you to contact Nagel Rice LLP right away. To reach a qualified and experienced motor vehicle accident attorney, please call our New York office at (212)551-1465 or our New Jersey office at (973)618-0400.

About the Author
Greg Kohn is a partner at Nagel Rice and specializes in complex civil litigation cases, including professional malpractice, personal injury, class actions, wrongful death, products liability, and commercial litigation.  He has extensive experience representing clients in both state and federal court. Greg has tried many jury trials to verdict and has recovered over $50 million in settlements and verdicts in all types of personal injury matters including automobile accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and falls, and other catastrophic injury cases. Greg also handles medical malpractice cases, involving misdiagnoses, wrongful birth, and delayed cancer diagnosis. If you have questions regarding this article, you can contact Greg here.