Near collision caused New Jersey car accident, is there still liability?

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To make a civil claim for damages that result from a car accident in New Jersey, the injured person generally has to prove fault by the other party involved in the car accident. This legal theory is typically referred to as negligence and is most commonly proven through the actual collision between the two vehicles involved in the accident. Given this theory, can a car accident happen when the two vehicles involved in the accident do not actually collide?

Although a car accident wherein the two cars do not actually collide is a non-typical car accident in New Jersey, it can still potentially create the fault or negligence required for a claim for civil damages. A car accident recently happened on a New Jersey road wherein the two vehicles involved did not actually collide, but there still could be fault on the part of one of the drivers.

The car accident happened when a small vehicle and a bus were traveling on the same road. The driver of the bus claimed the driver of the car cut off the bus. When the bus was reportedly cut off, the bus was forced off of the road. When the bus drove off the road, it went down an embankment and landed on its side. The bus was carrying 57 passengers and three of the injured passengers remain hospitalized for injuries sustained in the accident.

Legal claims for damages that result from a car accident can be challenging, especially when the car accident is non-typical and an experienced attorney can help an injured party receive their entitled compensation.

Source: Claims Journal, “Federal Investigators Probe New Jersey Bus Accident,” Oct. 10, 2012