Ocean County Workers' Compensation Law Blog

In some instances, it will be readily apparent when you need to contact law enforcement after a car accident. For example, a tractor-trailer collision in Bayonne that resulted in Route 440 shutting down would make for an obvious instance of when contacting the police is necessary.

Other times, it may not be as obvious you should call the police after a car crash. Many of the accidents that happen in New Jersey every day are smaller in nature. They may not lead to substantial injuries, but a police report may still come in handy for your future claim. 

When May rolls around, people in New Jersey know that summer is just around the corner. The Memorial Day weekend is commonly thought of as the informal introduction of this season and a great time for families and friends to get together to celebrate each other. These celebrations often include a road trip or an outing to a popular destination. Unfortunately, some of these celebrations end in tragedy and sorrow instead of joyous memories.

Such is the case today for one family and their larger community after the actions and choice of an underage drunk driver changed their holiday weekend plans and their lives forever. The family of nine was from New Jersey and had decided to go to Niagara Falls for the long weekend. Nine people piled into their sport utility vehicle including a teen who was 14, another child who was 10 and three four-year-olds.

 When a two-car accident occurs on New Jersey roadways, identifying the person at fault is a relatively straightforward process. They are frequently the one who hit your car from behind, ran a red light or did not yield at a stop sign. However, determining the person at fault in a multi-car pile-up is more complicated. At Silvi, Fedele & Honschke Attorneys at Law, L.L.C. we often assist clients injured in a chain reaction car crash.

R&R Insurances Services, Inc reports that law enforcement records the details of each car, its driver and position. Weather conditions and other circumstances are also noted. The police report cites which car is responsible and how the accident unfolded. It is common for more than one person to be at fault and to greater or lesser degrees. If you are in a multi-car crash, there are steps you can take to prevent further damage you and your passengers:

• Put your flashing hazard lights on. This is particularly important in weather conditions that cause low visibility and at night.
• Stay inside the vehicle with your seatbelt fastened. If you have passengers, make sure their safety belts are secure as well. Wait until first responders or law enforcement gives you the OK to exit.
• Once you are safe, take a few minutes to record your observations before during and after the accident. Take down as many details as you can remember.
• Notify your insurance agent or carrier.

In planning for the future, some New Jersey residents set up a trusted friend or relative to be a power of attorney (POA) if the need should arise. In this relationship, the person who set up the POA is the principal, and the POA is the agent who carries out duties on behalf of the principal. Because POAs have wide ranging powers, some people might be nervous about setting up such a position. However, as powerful as POAs are, their powers do have limits.

Per Agingcare.com, generally, there are two types of POAs. Setting up someone to be a medical POA means that if you are incapacitated, your medical POA will make healthcare decisions on your behalf. The other type is a financial POA, who makes financial decisions if the principal is unable to for medical or psychological reasons. The division of these positions means a medical POA cannot make financial decisions and vice versa. However, some people will appoint someone with both medical and financial POA powers.