If a driver who was texting, scrolling, or staring at a screen slammed into your car, you already know how fast a normal day can turn into injuries, missed work, and a growing stack of medical bills.
A New Jersey distracted driving accident lawyer from Reinartz Law Firm can help you pursue the compensation you need to get back on your feet.
You shouldn’t have to fight the insurance company while your body is still trying to heal. We handle the legal side so you can focus on your recovery, your family, and your life. From the first phone call to the final settlement check, we’re right there with you.
You can reach us at 201-289-8614 for a free, no-pressure consultation. We’ll listen, answer your questions, and tell you honestly what we can do to help.
Why Choose Us as Your New Jersey Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
We know there are plenty of law firms in northern New Jersey. Here’s what makes our team different:
- Trial-tested experience. Before founding our firm, Richard Reinartz spent over a decade at two of the largest law firms in the country, representing both injured people and Fortune 500 companies. That means we know how the other side thinks, and we use that against them.
- Hands-on attention. When you hire us, you work directly with our attorneys, not a rotating cast of paralegals. You’ll know who is handling your case and how to reach them.
- No fee unless we win. You pay nothing up front. We only get paid if we recover money for you.
- Local roots. Our office is right here in Hackensack. We know the roads where these crashes happen, the courthouses where the cases are heard, and the doctors who treat the injuries.
- Recognized work. Richard holds an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is a life member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group limited to lawyers with verdicts or settlements over $1 million.
When you call us, you’re not just another file. You’re a person, and your story matters. Reach out today and let’s talk about your case.
What Counts as Distracted Driving in New Jersey?
Distracted driving is anything that pulls a driver’s attention away from the road. Most people picture someone texting at a red light, but the problem goes far beyond that. According to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s Just Drive campaign, distractions can be visual, manual, or mental, and texting hits all three at once.
Common forms of distracted driving include:
- Texting, emailing, or scrolling social media behind the wheel
- Talking on a hand-held phone or watching videos
- Eating, drinking, or smoking while driving
- Programming a GPS or fiddling with the radio
- Reaching for items in the back seat
- Putting on makeup, shaving, or grooming
- Talking to passengers in a way that takes the eyes off the road
- Daydreaming or “zoning out”
Any of these behaviors can cause a serious crash, even on roads drivers travel every day. A few seconds looking down at a phone is more than enough to miss a red light on Main Street or a stopped car on Route 4.
New Jersey Distracted Driving Laws
New Jersey has one of the stricter cell phone laws in the country. Under N.J.S.A. 39:4-97.3, it is illegal to use a hand-held wireless phone or electronic communication device while driving on any public road in the state.
The only legal way to make a call from behind the wheel is hands-free, through Bluetooth or a similar setup. There are very narrow exceptions to this rule. A driver can use a hand-held phone if:
- They reasonably fear for their life or safety, or believe a crime is about to happen
- They are reporting an emergency such as a fire, crash, hazardous spill, medical emergency, or a reckless or impaired driver
Outside of those situations, holding a phone while driving is against the law. Penalties climb quickly with each offense, and a third violation can bring fines up to $800 or more, points on the license, and possible suspension.
Police take this seriously, too. The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General regularly runs the “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” enforcement campaign, with extra patrols looking for drivers on their phones.
When that kind of enforcement still isn’t enough to stop a careless driver from hurting someone, civil law steps in to make things right.
How a Distracted Driver Can Be Held Responsible
In a New Jersey injury case, you generally need to show four things to win:
- The other driver had a duty to drive safely
- They broke that duty
- Their actions caused your crash
- You suffered real harm because of it
When a driver was texting, watching a video, or otherwise distracted, that conduct usually checks the “broke the duty” box on its own.
Drivers in New Jersey are required by law to give their full attention to the road, and a violation of the cell phone statute can be strong evidence of negligence.
Proving the distraction is where good legal work matters. Our NJ distracted driving accident attorneys dig into:
- Cell phone records and app usage at the time of the crash
- Texts, emails, and social media activity
- Vehicle “black box” data and dashcam footage
- Surveillance video from nearby businesses, traffic cams, and homes
- Witness statements from passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers
- Police reports and any tickets issued at the scene
After we gather this evidence, we put it all together to show exactly what the other driver was doing in the moments before they hit you. The clearer that picture, the stronger your case becomes.
Compensation You May Be Able to Recover
Money won’t undo what happened, but a fair settlement or verdict can give you the resources to rebuild. Depending on your situation, your case may include:
- Medical expenses. Past and future treatment, including surgery, therapy, medication, and assistive equipment.
- Lost wages. Income you missed while you were healing, plus any reduced earning capacity if you can’t return to the same job.
- Pain and suffering. Physical pain, emotional distress, and the impact on your daily life.
- Property damage. Repair or replacement of your vehicle and personal items damaged in the crash.
- Loss of enjoyment of life. Hobbies, sports, and activities you can no longer do the way you used to.
- Wrongful death damages. If a loved one was killed, surviving family members may have a claim for funeral costs, lost financial support, and the loss of companionship. You can learn more on our wrongful death page.
Every case is different, and we never make promises we can’t keep. What we will do is fight for the full value of your claim and walk you through every option along the way.
What to Know About New Jersey’s Insurance Rules
New Jersey is a “choice no-fault” state, which can make car accident claims confusing. Most drivers carry Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, which pays your medical bills no matter who caused the crash.
But PIP doesn’t cover everything, and your right to sue the other driver depends on the type of insurance policy you chose when you signed up.
If you picked the “limitation on lawsuit” option, sometimes called the verbal threshold, you can only sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering if your injuries meet certain serious categories. The “no limitation on lawsuit” option keeps your full right to sue.
We can pull your policy, look it over, and explain in plain English what your options really are. Then we’ll map out the best path forward.
Local Roads Where Distracted Driving Happens
You don’t have to be on the Garden State Parkway to get hit by a distracted driver. We see crashes every week on local streets and highways, including:
- I-80 and the merges around Hackensack
- Route 4 and Route 17 through Bergen County
- River Street and Main Street in Hackensack
- Polifly Road and Essex Street near Hackensack University Medical Center
- Summit Avenue and the surrounding neighborhoods
- Parking lots at Riverside Square Mall and Shops at Riverside
Distracted driving knows no boundaries. It happens on quiet residential streets just as often as on busy highways. Wherever your crash took place, our team is ready to investigate and pursue the responsible driver.
How Long You Have to File a Claim
In New Jersey, the general deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of the crash. Wait too long, and you could lose your right to recover anything at all, no matter how strong your case is.
There are a few reasons not to wait, even if your deadline still feels far away:
- Evidence disappears quickly. Surveillance footage gets erased, vehicle data gets overwritten, and witnesses move or forget details.
- Insurance companies often try to take recorded statements early, hoping you’ll say something they can use against you.
- The sooner an attorney is involved, the sooner we can preserve evidence and protect your claim.
The simplest move is to call us as soon as you can after the crash, even if you’re still in treatment. We’ll handle the legal clock so you don’t have to worry about it.
Working With a Distracted Driving Accident Attorney from Reinartz Law Firm
When you choose our team, here’s what working together looks like:
- Free consultation. We meet with you in person at our Hackensack office, by phone, or by video. There’s no charge and no obligation.
- Investigation. We collect police reports, medical records, phone records, and any other evidence that matters.
- Communication. We deal with the insurance companies so you don’t have to. You get clear updates in language you can understand.
- Negotiation. We push for the strongest possible settlement before ever stepping into court.
- Trial, if needed. If the other side refuses to be reasonable, we’re ready to take your case in front of a judge and jury.
We treat every client like a neighbor, because in many cases, you are. Our roots in Hackensack run deep, and we take pride in giving the same level of care to a fender bender on River Drive as we do to a catastrophic crash on the highway.
FAQs Answered by Our New Jersey Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers
Below are some quick answers to questions we hear often. If you don’t see yours here, give us a call and we’ll talk it through with you.
Is talking on the phone always illegal while driving in New Jersey?
No. Hands-free calls through a headset, Bluetooth, or your car’s built-in system are legal. Holding a phone to your ear or texting is what runs you afoul of the law.
What if I was partly at fault for the crash?
You may still be able to recover money. New Jersey follows a modified comparative fault rule, which generally lets you recover damages as long as you were not more at fault than the other driver. Your award would be reduced by your percentage of fault.
The other driver got a ticket for using their phone. Does that prove my case?
A ticket is helpful, but it isn’t the whole story. We use it as one piece of evidence and back it up with phone records, witness statements, and other proof to build a strong claim.
What if the distracted driver was on the job when they hit me?
If the at-fault driver was working when the crash happened, their employer may also be on the hook. That can open up additional insurance coverage, which often matters in serious injury cases.
Do I need to go to court?
Most cases settle without a trial. We prepare every case as if it will go to court, though, because that level of preparation is what gets insurance companies to make their best offer.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee, which means we only get paid if we recover money for you. The fee is a percentage of the recovery, and we explain everything in writing before you sign on.
What should I bring to my first meeting?
Anything you already have is helpful, including the police report, photos of the crash, names of witnesses, medical bills, and your auto insurance policy. If you don’t have any of that yet, don’t worry, we can help you gather it.
Talk to a New Jersey Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer Today
You didn’t ask for any of this. Someone else made the choice to look at their phone instead of the road, and now you’re left dealing with the bills, the pain, and the worry. You don’t have to handle it alone, and you don’t have to take whatever the insurance company hands you.
Our team at Reinartz Law Firm is ready to listen, answer your questions, and stand up for you. Call us today at 201-289-8614 for a free, confidential consultation, or reach out through our website.
We’ll meet you where you are, in person at our Hackensack office, on the phone, or by video, and we’ll take it from there.
