Personal Injury Blog

Wrong Way Accidents

Experienced New Jersey car accident attorneys recover just compensation for victims

When you are driving and are confronted with a set of headlights in your lane, headed directly towards you, it can be a harrowing experience to say the least. In spite of large warning signs shouting “Do Not Enter”, approximately 350 people die in wrong way driving accidents every year, according to the United States Department of Transportation. Driving the wrong way constitutes negligence and those that have suffered injury or loss of a loved one are protected under the law. The experienced Morristown car accident attorneys at the Leonard Legal Group recover just compensation for victims of wrong way accidents.

Common characteristics of wrong way accidents

The National Transportation Safety Board reports several common characteristics of wrong way driving accidents, including the following:

  • Majority of wrong way accidents involve a vehicle entering an exit ramp
  • Wrong way accidents are more likely to occur at night
  • 78 percent of all wrong way accidents occur between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM
  • Majority of wrong way crashes occur on the weekend
  • Drivers over the age of 70 years are overrepresented as at-fault in wrong way crashes
  • Most wrong way driving collisions occur in the lane closest to the median
  • Majority of wrong way drivers are intoxicated: more than half and as many as three quarters of wrong way accidents are the fault of an intoxicate driver

Accident victims are protected under personal injury law

Those who have suffered injury in an accident due to another person’s negligence are protected under personal injury law. If the accident is a result of another driver’s reckless or irresponsible behavior, including operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving the wrong way on the roadway, that constitutes legal negligence.

What compensation can I receive from a wrong way accident?

Injured victims filing a personal injury claim may seek compensatory damages for the injuries they sustained as a result of the wrong way accident. Compensatory damages reimburse the injured victim for the harm they sustained from the accident, with the goal of restoring that individual to the condition they were in prior to the accident. Compensation in a personal injury claim may include any of the following:

  • Medical expenses
  • Mental anguish
  • Pain and suffering
  • Lost earned sick and/or vacation time
  • Loss of income due to time away from work
  • Loss of companionship or consortium

While medical bills and lost earnings have an exact monetary value, other damages such as emotional pain and suffering and mental anguish, are immeasurable. The value of these losses are then estimated by the courts.

Leading New Jersey accident lawyers recover just compensation for your injuries

Being involved in a wrong way accident can be traumatic and result in serious injuries or death. Recover just compensation for your injuries and other losses. At the Leonard Legal Group, our experienced accident attorneys fight on behalf of injured victims and hold the negligent parties accountable. Our knowledgeable team is available to answer your questions and discuss your legal options. Contact our office today at 973-984-1414 or contact us online to arrange a confidential consultation to discuss your case.