A multi-vehicle accident on the NJ Turnpike can unfold in seconds, creating chaos, serious injuries, and complex questions about who is responsible. When several drivers, vehicles, and insurance companies are involved, determining who is at fault is far more complicated than in a typical two-car crash.
If you’ve been hurt in one of these accidents, the steps you take immediately afterward can make a real difference in protecting your health, preserving your legal rights, and strengthening your ability to seek fair compensation. At The Law Offices of Andres, Berger & Tran, we have decades of experience helping crash victims throughout New Jersey navigate the legal and insurance challenges that often follow major highway accidents.
Here are some important steps to keep in mind if you or a loved one is injured in a multi-vehicle pileup on the NJ Turnpike.
1. Prioritize Safety and Call 911
Your first priority is to get yourself and others to safety if possible. Multi-vehicle collisions can create secondary hazards such as fires, fuel leaks, or additional impacts from approaching vehicles. Call 911 right away to report the crash and request emergency medical assistance. If you are unable to move due to injury, stay where you are and wait for trained responders.
2. Get Medical Attention Even If You Feel “Fine”
In the shock and adrenaline after a crash, you may not realize you are hurt. Serious injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, or spinal trauma can take hours or even days to show symptoms. Always accept medical care at the scene and follow up with a hospital or your doctor as soon as possible. Serious injuries should always be evaluated in an ER. If your injuries are not life-threatening and you can’t immediately get to a hospital, urgent care may be a more affordable alternative.
In New Jersey, “bodily injury” includes more than cuts or broken bones; it can also include sickness, disease, or conditions that develop after the crash, as well as psychological effects like post-traumatic stress disorder. Getting prompt medical attention ensures your injuries are documented from the very beginning.
3. Document the Scene if It’s Safe
If you are physically able and it’s safe, use your phone to take photographs or videos of:
- Every vehicle involved, including license plates and visible damage.
- Roadway conditions, debris, skid marks, and traffic signs.
- Any visible injuries you sustained.
- The weather and lighting at the time of the crash.
If you cannot gather this evidence yourself, ask a trusted friend or family member to help. Quick action matters because accident scenes can change within minutes.
4. Get Witness Information
In multi-vehicle crashes, neutral eyewitness accounts can be crucial in proving fault. Obtain names, phone numbers, and statements from anyone who saw the accident. Their observations may fill in key details that drivers or police reports miss. Witnesses often leave the scene quickly, so try to get their contact information as soon as possible.
5. Avoid Speculating About Fault
With so many drivers and insurance companies involved, it is best to avoid making statements about who caused the crash. Even casual remarks can be twisted and used against you later. Instead, give factual answers to law enforcement and let your attorney handle all communications with insurers.
6. Notify Your Insurance Company Promptly
Report the accident to your own insurer as soon as possible, but avoid giving a recorded statement until you have spoken with an attorney. In New Jersey, your personal injury protection (PIP) benefits can cover your initial medical expenses. Standard policies must include at least $15,000 in PIP medical benefits per person, with options to choose higher limits. Certain serious injuries may qualify for up to $250,000 in PIP medical coverage.
Depending on your auto policy, you may have New Jersey’s “limitation on lawsuit” option, also called the verbal threshold. This restricts your ability to sue for pain and suffering unless your injuries fall into certain legally defined categories, such as permanent injury, significant scarring, or loss of a body part. PIP coverage applies whether you were driving your own car, riding as a passenger, or even walking as a pedestrian.
If neither you nor anyone in your household has automobile insurance, your health insurance may become your primary coverage for medical treatment and expenses under New Jersey’s collateral source rule.
7. Preserve All Records and Expenses
Keep every medical bill, prescription receipt, repair estimate, and record of missed work. This documentation will help your attorney calculate both your economic damages (medical costs and lost wages) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering).
Why Multi-Vehicle Crashes on the NJ Turnpike Are So Complex
Even if you do everything right after a crash, multi-vehicle accidents on the Turnpike can still create challenges beyond your control, including tangled insurance disputes and complex fault investigations.
More often than not, NJ Turnpike accidents involve chain-reaction impacts where one driver’s sudden stop triggers multiple rear end collisions within seconds. Adding to the complexity, these crashes often include a mix of commercial trucks and passenger vehicles, disputes among multiple insurance carriers, and, in some cases, state or municipal agencies.
Under New Jersey’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can recover compensation only if you are 50 percent or less at fault, and any award is reduced by your share of fault. This makes strong evidence (such as accident reconstruction, traffic camera footage, and witness testimony) essential for protecting your claim.
Important Note for Government-Involved Accidents
If your accident involved a government vehicle, such as a state police cruiser, DOT maintenance truck, or New Jersey Turnpike Authority vehicle, you generally have only 90 days to file a notice of claim under New Jersey’s Tort Claims Act.
Most state-level claims need to be submitted through the State’s secure online portal (NJ Treasury Tort Claims page). Claims involving accidents on the Garden State Parkway or New Jersey Turnpike must be filed directly with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
For Turnpike incidents, you may also request agency records, traffic camera footage, and other public documents through the NJTA’s Open Public Records Act process (NJTA OPRA request form).
Missing this 90-day deadline or sending your claim to the wrong agency can prevent you from recovering any compensation. Because these claims have strict notice requirements and very short timelines, it is critical to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
At Andres, Berger & Tran, we work with accident reconstruction experts, review traffic camera footage, and secure witness testimony to build the strongest possible claim on your behalf.
Injured on the NJ Turnpike? Andres, Berger & Tran Can Help You Move Forward
If you were injured in a multi-car crash on the NJ Turnpike, acting quickly can make all the difference. Evidence can disappear within days, and insurance companies often move fast to protect their own interests. You do not have to face that process alone.
At The Law Offices of Andres, Berger & Tran, we represent clients in Camden County, Gloucester County, and across South Jersey who have been hurt in complex highway collisions. We handle every stage of the process, from investigating the accident to negotiating with multiple insurers, so you can focus on your recovery.
Call us today or fill out our secure online form to schedule a free consultation. We will review your case, clearly explain your legal options, and fight for the full compensation you deserve.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For legal advice about your situation, please contact a licensed New Jersey attorney.