New Jersey Car Accident Lawyers Assist Injured Clients in Camden County
As of the 2020 census, Camden County, New Jersey had over 523,000 residents. Camden County’s location near Philadelphia makes it a picturesque place that attracts many residents, businesses, and tourists.
All these people mean more traffic on Camden County roads. While most drivers take care to travel safely, some do not. These negligent drivers raise the risk of death or severe injury for everyone on Camden County’s roads – not merely other drivers, but also bicyclists and pedestrians.
If a car crash in Camden County has left you with serious injuries or claimed the life of a loved one, you don’t have to face the future alone. Talk to an experienced Camden County car accident lawyer today. The team at Petrillo & Goldberg is here to help.
Camden County Car Accident Statistics
As of mid-October 2023, Camden County was the site of 29 fatal car crashes in New Jersey. The New Jersey State Police maintain an ongoing database of fatal accidents that occur in the state, broken down by county.
Examining the information in the NJSP database reveals that some roadways in Camden County may be more dangerous than others. For instance, in the first ten months of 2023, State Highway 70, State Highway 168, and State Highway 30 all saw multiple car crash deaths. Camden City was the municipality with the highest rate of crash deaths, followed by Pennsauken Township.
Statistics for the state of New Jersey reveal that car crashes declined during the 2000s, only to start rising again in the 2010s. 2020, the most recent year on record from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, saw a significant decline in overall crashes, likely due to pandemic-related emergency measures taken during that year.
In 2020, 11,002 total car accidents occurred in Camden County, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. These included 2,830 crashes that caused at least one injury and 36 crashes that claimed at least one life.
Causes of Car Accidents in Camden County
Car accidents can result from many different factors or combinations of factors. Drivers on New Jersey roads have a duty to respond to the conditions around them – to the speed of traffic, traffic lights and signs, emergency indicators, roadway hazards, and weather and lighting conditions, just to name a few.
Common causes of car accidents in Camden County include:
Speeding. Drivers going faster than the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions reduce their ability to control their vehicles, making a crash more likely. Speeding is one of the most common causes of injury-related car accidents in the United States.
Distraction. Cell phone use remains a major cause of car crashes in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. In 2020, 52 car crashes caused by cell phone use in Camden County left a total of 68 people injured. These included both cell phones held by drivers and hands-free devices.
Inattention. Even when drivers aren’t on their phones, they may not be paying attention to the road. They may be having a conversation with others in the vehicle, engrossed in the radio, or simply caught up in their own thoughts. When drivers don’t pay proper attention to the road, however, they may miss essential information – like the presence of a bicyclist, motorcyclist, or another vehicle – and cause a serious crash.
Intoxication. Drunk and drugged driving remain serious hazards on New Jersey roads. A driver who is under the influence of alcohol or other substances can cause serious harm.
Vehicle Defects. In some crashes, nobody present at the crash scene is at fault. A hidden vehicle defect may cause some essential components like steering or brakes to malfunction, resulting in a crash. When this happens, those injured may be forced to seek compensation from an automaker or parts manufacturer.
Other causes may also trigger a crash. Those injured in a crash can work with a dedicated car accident attorney to unravel exactly what happened and seek compensation from at-fault parties.
Common Injuries in Camden County Car Crashes
In a car accident, the momentum generated by large, heavy, moving vehicles can get transferred to human bodies in many ways. When this happens, any number or combination of injuries may occur.
Common types of New Jersey car crash injuries include:
- Brain, spinal cord, and nerve injuries. Even mild brain or spinal cord injuries cause problems with movement, memory, attention, sensation, and mood, which can take months to resolve. More severe injuries can cause permanent problems with movement, feeling, cognition, and other issues. Nerve damage can result in chronic pain or loss of feeling or control in an affected body part.
- Broken bones. Many broken bones require surgery to treat. During surgery, a surgeon may install pins, rods, plates, or screws to hold the bones together correctly as they heal. Even healed bones, however, can cause chronic pain. An injured person may require more than one surgery to address any complications or to remove hardware that is no longer needed. In some cases, the hardware cannot be removed.
- Crush injuries and amputations. Damage to any limb during a crash may be so severe that it tears the limb from the body or requires amputation to protect the rest of the body. These injuries and amputations have lifelong consequences for those who suffer them.
- Internal injuries. Damage to organs, blood vessels, and soft tissues inside the body can lead to ongoing problems, depending on the nature and extent of the damage. An injured person may find themselves visiting multiple specialists for treatment.
No two people suffer the same injuries in a Camden County car crash, and no two people have identical routes to healing. Your injuries and their effect on your life are unique to you. To build your case for compensation, you need an attorney who understands how life-changing a car accident can be.
What To Do After a Camden County Car Accident
If you’re involved in or witness a car crash in Camden County, you can take steps to protect yourself and others around you. What you do in the moments after an accident matters.
When a crash occurs, take the following steps if you are able:
- Call 911 for immediate emergency assistance.
- Seek medical help if you or anyone else in the crash may be injured. When you call 911, specify that medical attention is needed.
- Take pictures or draw a diagram of the accident scene. If possible, take photos of the damaged vehicles and their location, debris scattered at the scene, or marks on the road.
- Collect contact information from witnesses at the scene.
- Exchange insurance information with the other driver or drivers involved in the crash.
- If you need emergency medical care, get it right away. If not, make an appointment to see a doctor as soon as possible. Some injuries take hours or even days to fully manifest. You may not be aware of them until the shock of the crash wears off.
- Keep copies of all your records from doctors, hospitals, and other medical visits. Include copies of pharmacy receipts and anything else related to your accident injuries.
Finally, contact an experienced attorney as soon as you have secured medical care for your injuries. A lawyer can start investigating the accident, deal with insurance companies on your behalf, and work to negotiate a settlement that compensates you for your losses.
Why Should You Work With a Camden County Accident Lawyer?
When a New Jersey car accident occurs, the first stop for everyone involved is usually car insurance companies. Auto insurers are powerful corporations with experienced attorneys on staff. They will fight to minimize or avoid paying compensation after a crash to protect the insurer’s bottom line.
Standing up to these companies on your own is difficult. When you’re recovering from severe injuries, it can feel impossible. A dedicated Camden County car crash lawyer can build your case and deal with insurance companies for you so that you can focus on healing.
When you hire an experienced car accident attorney, your lawyer will:
- Visit the scene of the accident for a better understanding of what happened.
- Talk to witnesses to get their perspective.
- Hire any necessary experts to examine vehicles for defects, reconstruct the accident, or discuss the long-term impact of your injuries.
- Examine whether any laws were violated that led to the crash (such as another driver running a red light).
- Gather police reports and other official evidence related to the crash.
- Review your medical records and consult with physicians about the extent of your injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a car crash, talk to an experienced car accident attorney today. The team at Petrillo & Goldberg is dedicated to helping our clients secure the compensation they deserve after a severe injury. To learn more, call us today at 856.249.9295 to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation with one of our Camden County car accident attorneys.