Ocean City, NJ asked in Car Accidents and Personal Injury for New Jersey

Q: Am I entitled to any money for being hit by a drunk driver/watching my driver diein a car accident when I was 15 in 2019

In November 2019, I was 15 (I’m 18 now) and was behind the passengers side of a Lyft driver. Is was around 3am and we got hit by a drunk driver on the highway. I watched my Lyft driver die and that was the last thing I remember. I woke in the hospital with a scraped knee, a broken rib and a concussion. I missed out a lot of school and I actually had to change schools to a an alternative highschool. I went to a mental hospital for a year for trauma and currently still have a trauma therapist. Am I entitled to any money from the accident and what I went through at such a young age?

3 Lawyer Answers
Stuart Nachbar
PREMIUM
Answered

A: Whether you are entitled is only half of the battle. Your statute of limitations is running out quickly. Normally it is 2 years but becuase you were a minor, it was suspended. You need to contact counsel asap.

A: Yes you should be able to recover some money for your injuries, but you need to find a lawyer immediately because the normal statute of limitations (time you have to sue) is 2 years. Since you were a minor this time could be extended but not for long. You need to call one of us personal injury lawyers as soon as possible and setup a consultation to get represented. Most of us lawyers offer a free consultation and will only charge you an attorney fee if we collect money for you. Don't delay any longer because with each day you wait makes the case hard and harder to collect any money for you and your case could be time barred.

Gerald D. Siegel
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Answered

A: I'm sorry that you were involved in such a traumatic event.

You have until your 20th birthday to file a lawsuit against the responsible party, otherwise you will be permenantly barred from any potential recovery. With the time that has passed, you should not wait until the last minute.

You should engage an attorney who practices exclusively in the field of personal injury and who is Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by the New Jersey Supreme Court. Less than 3% of attorneys in NJ are certified.

The consultation is free. A skiled attorney will take your history, obtain your medical records, provide you with a prelinary evaluation of your case and lay out strategy to obtain just compensation for you.

Sincerely,

Gerald D. Siegel

Law Offices Siegel & Siegel, P.C.

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