A head-on two-car accident in Elmwood Park sent one car onto the nearby train tracks and both drivers to the hospital, complaining of neck injuries. Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the engines of each car. One Good Samaritan who tried to help the drivers escape before the crushed cars caught fire may have been burned by battery acid in the process.
New York and Northern New Jersey auto accident lawyers are accustomed to working with drivers and passengers injured in a car accident because of the bad acts of another. But, Good Samaritans are also entitled to some protections as well for injuries that happen when trying to assist someone who’s been hurt.
New Jersey’s Good Samaritan Law
A Good Samaritan law protects those who stop to help others in an emergency situation from liability for any actions they take or fail to take while assisting with emergency care. New Jersey requires that a Good Samaritan act in good faith in order to be insulated from a lawsuit for any damage caused by his or her acts. The Good Samaritan Act does not shelter health care professionals who commit medical malpractice while working from responsibility for their bad acts.
When a Good Samaritan is injured offering assistance to another, as in the Elmwood Park car accident, he or she may be entitled to compensation for the injuries. New Jersey has recognized the extension of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance coverage to include someone who has stopped to render aid after a car accident and who was injured in the process.
If the driver does not have insurance or the insurance company is unwilling to cover injuries to Good Samaritans, a personal injury attorney can assist with pursuing compensation to cover injuries sustained while helping another in New Jersey.
