At The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC, our Elizabeth personal injury lawyer stands up for people who were hurt because a driver, property owner, or business failed to act with reasonable care. One accident can disrupt your health, your job, and your family’s budget all at the same time.
Insurance companies move quickly after an accident, often before you have finished your first round of treatment. An adjuster may call asking for a recorded statement, or offer a settlement that seems fair until the bills keep arriving.
Every week you wait gives the other side an advantage. Store cameras record over footage, damaged property gets repaired, and New Jersey’s filing deadlines keep moving forward.
Our Elizabeth office at 30 Union Street gives injured people in Union County a local place to turn. For more than three decades, our firm has taken on insurance companies on behalf of injured New Jersey families.
Injured in Jersey? Peter’s Got Your Back!
Tell us what happened and request your free case review today.
Do you have a potential personal injury claim in Elizabeth?
If someone else’s carelessness caused your injury, there is a good chance you have a claim worth pursuing. We build every case around four elements that New Jersey law requires us to prove:
- Duty of care: The person or company that hurt you was legally required to act reasonably. Truck drivers leaving the port, business owners along Elizabeth Avenue, property managers, and contractors all carry this obligation.
- Breach of duty: They fell short of that standard. Running a red light, failing to salt an icy entrance, or skipping a safety inspection are all common examples.
- Causation: Their failure is what led to your injury. We connect the two using treatment records, photos, crash reports, and expert testimony when needed.
- Damages: The injury caused you measurable harm. That includes medical costs, missed work, and the physical and emotional toll on your daily life.
Insurers often try to shift blame onto the injured person to shrink a payout. New Jersey’s comparative negligence statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1, lets you recover as long as you are not more at fault than the other party, with your award reduced by your share of responsibility.
Hypothetical scenario: A driver was making a left turn on a green arrow along Morris Avenue in Elizabeth when another car ran the red light and struck the passenger side. The other driver’s insurer claimed the injured driver turned too early, but a nearby business’s security camera and a witness confirmed the light was green.
If a jury still assigned the injured driver 10% of the fault, they could recover 90% of their damages. We fight to keep any blame placed on you as low as the evidence allows.
Damages you can recover
The compensation available to you depends on how badly you were hurt and how the injury changed your life. New Jersey law recognizes three main categories:
- Economic damages: These are the costs you can add up on paper, including ambulance and hospital charges, surgery, rehabilitation, medication, and income lost while you recover. When an injury keeps you from returning to your old job, they can also cover future treatment and reduced earning ability.
- Non-economic damages: These address losses without a price tag, like ongoing pain, anxiety, and missing out on activities you used to enjoy. For auto claims, many drivers carry a “limitation on lawsuit” policy, which generally means pain and suffering is only recoverable for a permanent or otherwise serious injury defined in N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.
- Punitive damages: Courts award these only in rare cases involving malicious or deliberately reckless conduct. N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.14 generally limits them to the greater of $350,000 or five times the compensatory award.
Insurers rarely open with their best number. These results from our firm show the gap between early offers and what a case can ultimately be worth:
- $1,600,000: Back surgery. The insurer first offered $850,000.
- $1,000,000: Back surgery. The insurer first offered $700,000.
- $950,000: Fractured vertebrae.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome, since every case turns on its own facts. They do show that we keep pushing when the evidence supports a higher recovery.
How to get in touch with our Elizabeth personal injury lawyer
Hiring our team means handing off the tasks that weigh on you most while you recover:
- Recovering lost wages: We gather pay records and employer statements to prove the income you lost, along with any reduced earning ability going forward.
- Help with medical bills: We sort out which coverage pays first, from PIP to health insurance, so providers get paid and collection calls stop.
- Property damage: We pursue the cost of fixing or replacing your car and any personal items damaged in the accident.
- Emotional recovery: We make sure the stress, fear, and disrupted sleep that follow a serious injury are part of your claim.
- Finding every policy: New Jersey law requires insurers to disclose applicable policy limits within 30 days of a qualifying written request from an attorney, so we can see early on how much coverage may be available.
- Holding your own insurer accountable: The New Jersey Insurance Fair Conduct Act lets you sue your own carrier when it unreasonably delays or denies an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim.
- Resolving liens: We negotiate down medical liens and reimbursement demands so you keep more of your settlement.
Important initial advice after being injured
The days and weeks after an accident shape how your claim unfolds. These steps help protect your recovery and your case at the same time:
- Attend every medical appointment: Stick with the plan your doctors set, whether your care started in the emergency department at Trinitas Regional Medical Center or continues with a specialist or therapist. Missed visits and long gaps are exactly what adjusters look for when they want to argue your injury is minor.
- Get a copy of the police report: The Elizabeth Police Department handles crashes on city streets, while the New Jersey State Police generally respond to crashes on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. Reports for toll road crashes cost $5 through the New Jersey State Police crash report portal, and our team can request any report for you.
- Stay off social media: Insurance companies routinely search online profiles for photos or posts that seem to contradict your injuries. Hold off on sharing anything about the accident, your treatment, or your activities until your case is closed.
- Do not accept the first offer: Quick offers are designed to close your claim before the full extent of your injuries is clear. Once you sign a release, you usually cannot go back for more.
- Be careful what you say to insurers: Avoid giving the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement or guessing about what caused the accident. Small comments, like saying you feel okay, can be used against you later.
- Keep a recovery journal: Note your daily pain, the tasks you struggle with, and the plans you had to cancel. This record helps us show how the injury has affected your life, not just your medical chart.
- Get in touch with our personal injury attorney in Elizabeth: We can step in to handle insurer calls and begin preserving evidence right away.
The sooner we are involved, the more evidence we can protect. Contact our Elizabeth team to get started.
Your deadline for filing a claim
New Jersey gives most injured people two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2. Several types of claims follow different rules, and a few have deadlines measured in days rather than years:
| Type of claim | Deadline | New Jersey law |
|---|---|---|
| Most personal injury claims | 2 years from the injury | N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2 |
| Wrongful death | 2 years from the date of death | N.J.S.A. 2A:31-3 |
| Claims against a public entity, such as a city, county, state agency, or NJ Transit | Notice of claim within 90 days; lawsuit generally within 2 years | N.J.S.A. 59:8-8 |
| Workers’ compensation | 2 years from the accident or the last compensation payment | N.J.S.A. 34:15-51 |
| Injured minors | Generally 2 years after the 18th birthday | N.J.S.A. 2A:14-21 |
Hypothetical scenario: A passenger was thrown from her seat when a public bus braked hard on a busy Elizabeth street, and she waited five months to speak with a lawyer. Because the bus operator is a public entity, she had missed the 90-day notice window under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act and could only proceed if a judge granted permission to file late.
We calendar every deadline that applies to your claim from your very first call. That way, timing never becomes the reason you lose your right to compensation.
Gathering evidence relating to your case
The stronger your evidence, the harder it is for an insurer to dispute your claim. Much of it is time-sensitive, so we start collecting it as soon as you hire us:
- Police documentation: Crash and incident reports capture the responding officer’s notes, diagrams, driver statements, and any summonses issued.
- Medical records: Emergency treatment notes, scans, and follow-up records show the link between the accident and your injuries.
- Eyewitness statements: Bystanders, passengers, and other drivers can back up your version of events while details are still fresh.
- Photo and video evidence: Scene photos, injury pictures, and damage images tell a clear story. Footage from storefronts, buses, and doorbell cameras can also help, but it is often deleted within days.
- Financial records: Pay stubs, tax returns, repair bills, and receipts prove the money the injury has cost you.
Chasing down records and witnesses is the last thing you should be doing while you heal. Our team handles it for you, from preservation letters to medical record requests, so nothing important slips away.
What can I expect to pay?
There is nothing to pay upfront when you hire our firm. We work on a contingency fee, which means you owe no fee unless we win.
Our fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict, and New Jersey Court Rule 1:21-7 limits what personal injury lawyers can charge. The maximum is 33 1/3% of the first $750,000 recovered, with smaller percentages on amounts above that.
Before you sign anything, your written fee agreement spells out the percentage and how case expenses are handled. There are no surprises about what you will owe.
You pay nothing unless we win, so schedule your free consultation today.
Our process for handling your case
Every claim is different, but most follow the same general path from your first call to your final payment:
- Free case review: You tell us what happened, and we explain your rights and options without any charge.
- Investigation: We collect reports, records, photos, and witness accounts. We also send formal letters requiring the other side to preserve evidence.
- Insurance communications: We let every insurer know we represent you. After that, adjusters deal with us, not you.
- Coverage review: We request policy limits and identify every source of coverage. That includes any uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy.
- Medical treatment: You concentrate on healing while we monitor your bills and records. A case’s full value usually becomes clear only after treatment ends and your doctors issue final reports.
- Settlement demand: We put together a demand package showing who is responsible and the full scope of your losses.
- Negotiation: We challenge lowball offers and attempts to shift blame, backed by the evidence we have gathered.
- Filing a lawsuit: When the insurer will not pay fairly, we file suit in the Superior Court of New Jersey before the deadline. For accidents in Elizabeth, that is often in Union County.
- Discovery: Each side exchanges documents, answers written questions, and questions witnesses under oath in depositions.
- Arbitration or mediation: Many injury cases in New Jersey go to court-ordered, non-binding arbitration or to mediation before trial. A large share of cases resolve at this stage.
- Trial: If no fair settlement is reached, we take your case before a jury.
- Resolution: After the case ends, we satisfy valid liens and costs and send you your portion of the recovery.
Why choose us over other Elizabeth personal injury attorneys?
Peter N. Davis began his career in private practice at a firm focused on insurance defense. Having worked on the other side, he understands the strategies insurers use to minimize claims and how to beat them.
Insurance companies also know we are prepared to go to trial, and we are not afraid to do it. That willingness often brings a fair offer to the table sooner.
Our phones are answered 24/7, and every client gets the attention of a team that treats their case as a top priority. More than 800 Google reviews with a 4.9-star average show how our clients feel about the way they were treated.
The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC: your personal injury lawyer in Elizabeth
Attorney Peter N. Davis founded our firm after earning his Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in New Jersey, New York, and Colorado, and serves as a Certified Contract Advisor with the National Football League Players Association.
Our firm is also listed on these legal directories and review sites:
- Google: The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC in Elizabeth on Google
- Martindale: Attorney Peter Neil Davis on Martindale
Since opening our doors, we have represented more than 18,000 injured clients. In Peter’s words:
“I love the law because there is something that is honorable about knowing what’s right and wrong.”
Giving back matters to us, and we are proud to support teams and programs that bring families across New Jersey and New York together:
- Seton Hall Athletics: As a proud partner of Seton Hall Athletics, we recently wrapped up our first season cheering on the Pirates. Their focus on discipline and teamwork mirrors how we approach every case.
- New Jersey Devils: We are a proud partner of the New Jersey Devils, who play just up the road from Elizabeth at the Prudential Center in Newark. The partnership lets us share in the excitement with hockey fans throughout the state.
- Brooklyn Cyclones: Our partnership with the Brooklyn Cyclones brings our team to Maimonides Park, where we host booths at games across the season. We meet fans, talk with families, and hand out free swag.
- Bucket City Basketball: We supplied team shirts to this AAU youth basketball program in Garfield, and Peter delivered them himself during a team workout.
- Rise Above Scholarship: Our scholarship supports students who have overcome adversity on the way to college. Our most recent recipient is studying at Rutgers University.
Read more about our firm or catch up on recent case results and community news in our press releases.
Speak to a personal injury attorney in Elizabeth today!
Dealing with an insurance company while you are hurt is exhausting, and you do not have to do it on your own. We will listen to what happened, explain where you stand, and push for the full compensation you are owed.
From our Elizabeth office, we help injured people throughout Union County, including Linden, Union, Hillside, Roselle, and Rahway. If it is more convenient, you can also meet with us by appointment at our nearby Newark or Jersey City offices.
Call us 24/7 at (973) 279-7246 or contact us online for your free case review.
FAQs
What if the driver who hit me in Elizabeth was uninsured or underinsured?
New Jersey Standard Auto Policies include uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, so your own policy may pay you, though Basic Policies do not include it. UM applies when the at-fault driver is uninsured, while UIM may apply when their coverage is lower than your UIM limit, and our team can pursue either claim for you.
Do I need to live in Elizabeth to work with your firm?
No, our Elizabeth office at 30 Union Street works with injured people from all over New Jersey. We also have offices in Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hackensack, and your free case review can start with a phone call from wherever you are.
Where would my Elizabeth personal injury lawsuit be filed?
Injury lawsuits from accidents in Elizabeth are usually filed in the Law Division of the Superior Court in Union County, which sits at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. The right venue can also depend on where the parties live, and our attorneys take care of every filing.
Can I switch lawyers if I already hired another firm?
Yes, you can change attorneys at any point in your case. The first lawyer’s fee is typically divided between the two firms out of the final fee rather than charged to you twice, and we handle the file transfer so nothing stalls.
What should I bring to my free case review?
Bring whatever you have, such as photos, your police report number, medical paperwork, insurance cards, and any letters from insurers. If something is missing, that is fine, because we can request most records for you once you contact us.
