Your health comes first. Seek medical attention immediately, even if your motorcycle crash injuries do not seem severe at the time. Traumatic injuries, including those that affect the brain or spinal cord, are not always immediately apparent, and delaying care can harm both your recovery and your claim.

If it is safe to do so, move your motorcycle out of the path of oncoming traffic. Document the scene with photographs before anything is moved or cleared. Collect the other driver’s insurance and contact information, and do not leave the scene without it. Before you speak with any insurance company, contact an experienced New Jersey motorcycle injury attorney.

Yes. New Jersey law requires all motorcycle operators and passengers to wear a helmet that meets U.S. Department of Transportation standards. Failure to comply is a violation of state law and may affect how damages are evaluated in a personal injury claim if head injuries result from the accident. Helmets are one of the most effective tools available for reducing the risk of brain damage and spinal cord trauma in a crash. When a rider suffers traumatic injuries to the head or spine, the presence or absence of a helmet can become a significant factor in how the defense evaluates fault and damages.

Yes. In New Jersey, you have two years from the date of your crash to file a personal injury claim. Miss that deadline and you may lose your right to pursue compensation entirely. If a government entity is responsible for road conditions that contributed to your crash, the deadline is even shorter. Under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, you must file a Notice of Tort Claim within 90 days. An experienced New Jersey motorcycle accident attorney can ensure claims are submitted within the required timeframe.

Motorcycle riders and their families harmed by another party’s negligence have the right to pursue full compensation. That typically includes economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

• Medical expenses: All past and future medical costs related to your injuries, including hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. Motorcycle crash injuries frequently involve compound fractures, third-degree burns, lumbar spine surgeries, spinal cord trauma, and brain damage. These injuries can require years of treatment and generate substantial medical expenses.
• Lost wages and benefits: Income lost during your recovery, as well as any reduction in your long-term earning capacity if your traumatic injuries prevent you from returning to the same work.
• Property damage: Compensation for the repair or replacement of your motorcycle and any other property damaged in the crash.

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and limitations caused by your injuries. New Jersey places no cap on compensatory damages.
• Emotional distress: Motorcycle crashes can be traumatic. Compensation is available for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychological injuries that result from the crash.
• Loss of consortium: Available to a spouse or family member for the loss of companionship, affection, and support caused by the injured rider’s condition.

New Jersey’s comparative negligence laws allow an injured rider to recover damages even if they were partially at fault, provided their share of fault does not exceed 50 percent. Damages are reduced in proportion to the rider’s degree of fault. When a crash results from speeding and reckless driving, failure to yield right of way, or roadway defects caused by a negligent government entity, those factors directly affect how fault is allocated and what compensation may be available.

Punitive damages are available in cases involving reckless or intentional misconduct. Capped at $350,000 or five times compensatory damages, whichever is greater.

If a crash results in the loss of a life, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim under the New Jersey Wrongful Death Act.