Morristown, New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog

Motor vehicle accidents: 8 hurt in New Jersey

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

A two-car accident near The College of New Jersey has sent eight people, including several students at the college, to local hospitals. As with many motor vehicle accidents, police are still in the process of investigating the specifics of this crash. However, it appears one of the drivers might be up on charges when the investigation is complete.

According to preliminary reports, it appears that around 2 a.m. two cars carrying several passengers each collided head-on while traveling on Pennington Road. It is unclear at this time which of the drivers could be held responsible, but police believe one of the drivers may have crossed the center line, causing the accident. Police and emergency services responded rapidly after being notified by multiple 911 calls.

Criminal defense: New Jersey woman faces theft charges

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, November 23, 2018.

A woman in Trenton is facing serious charges along with her former boyfriend and a Marine veteran. The New Jersey trio are accused of duping GoFundMe donors out of donations. The woman and her former boyfriend have both retained criminal defense representation, though it is unclear whether the veteran accused in this case has done the same.

According to the report, the woman was a receptionist at the New Jersey Department of Transportation when she and her ex allegedly concocted a plan to work with a former Marine to create a GoFundMe webpage in his support. Authorities have said the trio created a "feel good" story involving the veteran giving the woman his last $20 to pay for gas. It is estimated the GoFundMe page raised some $400,000.

Criminal defense: New Jersey man faces DUI charges

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Criminal Defense on Monday, November 5, 2018.

A bizarre accident has led to charges being filed against a Berlin man, according to local sources. New Jersey police arrested the man after he reportedly got his car stuck on an electric pole guide wire. He is facing DUI charges. A court date is pending for the man, though it is unclear if he has retained criminal defense counsel.

A photo of the incident was shared on social media by the police department, which depicts the car, believed to belong to the arrested man, hoisted by its front wheels into the air. In the attached caption, police confirmed the accident occurred near Hillcrest Shopping Center on Route 73. Police said they responded to witness calls about the unusual accident.

Motor vehicle accidents: 3 injured in New Jersey

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

Three people were taken to local hospitals after a serious accident in Lawrence Township, according to local sources. The accident, which is believed to have involved several vehicles, took place on the morning of Oct. 3. As with many motor vehicle accidents, this crash is still under investigation by New Jersey authorities, who have not yet filed charges against any of the drivers involved.

According to the accident report, a tractor-trailer rear-ended an SUV for reasons that have not yet been determined. This caused a chain reaction crash wherein the SUV then struck a second vehicle, which overturned and struck a third. All three vehicles suffered serious damage in the impacts. Video from the scene shows at least one vehicle overturned and completely totaled.

Motor vehicle accidents: 3 dead in New Jersey

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

Three people are tragically dead following a serious accident in Pennsville Township, according to local police sources. The head-on accident apparently involved two vehicles and claimed the lives of two women and a man. No charges are expected to be filed as the driver believed responsible was killed in the crash, but as with many motor vehicle accidents, this crash is still under investigation by New Jersey authorities.

According to the report, around 9 p.m. the night of Oct. 5 one vehicle was headed northbound in Pennsville when, for reasons unknown, the vehicle crossed the center line into the southbound lanes. A vehicle headed southbound was struck head-on, sending the driver and one passenger to the hospital with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening. Two children who were also in the car at the time were thankfully uninjured.

Motor vehicle accidents: pedestrian killed

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

Authorities in Clifton have reported a fatal accident that claimed the life of an unknown person. New Jersey police have confirmed that a pedestrian is dead after a collision. As with most fatal motor vehicle accidents, this one is still under investigation, and no charges have yet been filed.

Very little information is available about the specifics of the fatal collision, but it has been confirmed that the crash occurred on Route 3 the morning of Sept. 22. No details about the lead-up to the crash were presented in the report. However, the pedestrian (who has not been named publicly by police at this time, pending notification of next of kin) was pronounced dead after the accident.

Motor vehicle accidents always a threat on New Jersey Turnpike

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.

Traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike can be heavy regardless of the time of day or night. The possibility of motor vehicle accidents is always present. A three-vehicle accident at about 3:00 on a recent Sunday morning took the life of an elderly woman.

A 73-year-old woman was driving southbound on the turnpike in a Toyota Camry. She came to a stop in the right hand lane and was struck from behind by a truck. The driver of the truck got out of his vehicle and waited with the woman for the authorities to arrive.

Motor vehicle accidents: Bus overturns in New Jersey

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, August 16, 2018.

Rainy weather is being considered a potential contributing factor to a serious crash that saw a passenger bus overturn, according to local sources. The bus reportedly crashed on the New Jersey Turnpike, sending over a dozen people to local hospitals. As with most motor vehicle accidents, this one is still being investigated by authorities, and so far, the driver of the bus is not facing criminal charges.

According to the accident report, the bus was returning from a picnic late on the afternoon of Aug. 11 when the accident occurred. Around 5:25 p.m., the bus was headed northbound on the New Jersey Turnpike when the bus somehow overturned onto its side, coming to rest straddling the barrier between the truck and car lanes in the northbound lanes. The bus was carrying multiple families, totalling 42 people. Of those, 36 were taken to local hospitals, including 19 adults and 17 children under the age of 18.

10 FAQ’s about the open container law

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Saturday, August 11, 2018.

Think twice before you or passengers in your vehicle re-cork that bottle of wine for the road — or you may face an open container violation.

Read on to learn more about frequently asked questions concerning New Jersey’s open container law.

Drunk New Jersey driver causes dangerous domino effect

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

The amount of damage a drunk driver can do to a person or vehicle is unpredictable. No matter what vehicle they drive, they pose a major threat to the thousands of New Jersey citizens sharing the highways with them. If there is a crash in the middle of a busy highway, the other drivers have to react quickly to avoid any other accidents on the scene.

Unfortunately, some accidents are so severe that a chain reaction of crashes is nearly unavoidable. This was demonstrated on the night of August 3 when a drunk water truck tank driver overturned their vehicle and caused another accident to occur behind him.

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