When six inches of snow fall overnight on your New Jersey vehicle, you may know the importance of taking the time to brush it all off. Doing so is important for your visibility and for protecting others on the road with you.
That comes into play when ice flying off a vehicle strikes another. If you suffer an injury because ice from another person’s vehicle strikes your car, they could be liable for your losses. These cases are difficult for multiple reasons, but our car accident lawyer in New Jersey at Kwartler Manus can help you pursue legal action against the responsible party.
Know What the Law Is About Ice Removal
Removing ice and snow from a car is required under New Jersey law. If you fail to do so, including on the hood, windows, or roof, you could face a fine even if nothing happens. However, if that ice or snow causes injury to another person’s property or person, you could face a much larger fine and liability. The state reports that about 500 fatalities happen in the US each year from icy road conditions.
What to Do When It Happens to You
If you are driving behind a vehicle with ice or snow coming off it, give yourself room to minimize the risk. However, if ice strikes your car and causes injury to you, consider the following steps, if you can safely complete them, to protect yourself and your right to compensation.
Get to a Safe Place First
The first step is to get to safety. Pull your vehicle over to the side of the road. Get out of it only when it is safe to do so. Call 911 if you have any injuries or significant damage to your car.
Take Photos
The person driving may have no idea that ice came off and struck you, or that they had anything to do with the accident. If you can, try to take a photo or remember the driver's license plate. You may not be able to do this, and you should not put yourself at risk to try to do so.
If the other driver pulls over, take photos of their vehicle and the damage to your own. Make sure you document the road conditions and the surrounding area. It will be necessary to prove that the accident was caused by ice directly on their vehicle, and not by anything on the roadway.
Call for Medical Care
If ice shatters your window or blinds you, causing a collision, call 911. Even if you are not sure you have serious injuries, you want the police to arrive at the scene to document what is occurring and why.
Get to the hospital or urgent care as soon as possible after an accident like this. Doing so allows you to take the necessary steps to protect yourself from unknown injuries. It also helps to document that your injuries came from the accident.
File a Police Report
There are various scenarios that can happen here. In each situation, you will need to file a police report. The police will gather any available evidence and use your information to determine who caused the accident if it is unknown.
In situations where you do know who caused the accident, because they stopped or due to a photo, that will also help to build your case. Police are there to gather evidence in the case and document it for later use.
Why Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in These Situations
In situations where you have serious injuries and losses resulting from another driver’s negligence, you have the right to pursue financial compensation for those losses. However, the burden of proving what happened, who is at fault, and what your losses are is complex. This is where an attorney can help you.
- Determine who caused the accident. A lawyer will gather evidence, look for dash camera footage, or use traffic camera footage to try to determine who is at fault.
- Deal with your insurance company. If you have uninsured motorist coverage and you do not know who is at fault, your attorney will help you file a claim with your own insurance company for the injuries and losses.
- Calculate your losses. Your lawyer will also work closely with you to calculate all of the losses you have. That includes medical bills, lost time from being unable to work, and pain and suffering.
- Filing a claim with the at-fault party. Your lawyer can file a claim for all of your damages against the at-fault party or insurance company.
Not every case can be resolved quickly. The more information and evidence you have from what you did after the accident, the better.
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyer for Immediate Help
If you have injuries from ice that flies off a vehicle in New Jersey, call Kwartler Manus. Let our New Jersey car accident attorney build your case, investigate fault, and make insurance companies pay for your losses. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.