Personal injury law in New Jersey
How long you have to file, how shared fault is treated, whether New Jersey is a no-fault auto state, and what damages caps can limit a jury award. Every figure sourced.
Key rules at a glance
| Statute of limitations | 2 years Tort Claims Act: 90-day notice. |
|---|---|
| Negligence rule | Modified comparative — 51% bar Recovery barred at 51% or more fault under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1. |
| Auto no-fault | Yes Choice no-fault. Standard policy uses verbal threshold; basic policy is no-fault by default. |
| Damages caps | Punitive damages capped at greater of $350,000 or 5× compensatory under N. Punitive damages capped at greater of $350,000 or 5× compensatory under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.14. |
What the filing deadline means in New Jersey
Personal injury claims in New Jersey must generally be filed within 2 years of the date of injury. Tort Claims Act: 90-day notice. If you miss the statute, the claim is time-barred regardless of how strong it is. Discovery rules can shift the start date for latent injuries, and government claims often carry much shorter notice deadlines (sometimes 60 to 180 days).
How shared fault works under modified comparative — 51% bar
You can recover if you are 50% or less at fault. At 51% or more, recovery is barred. Recovery barred at 51% or more fault under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1.
Practical effect: if a jury values your case at $200,000 and assigns you 30% of the fault, you recover $140,000 — but if your fault crosses the bar, you recover $0.
No-fault auto insurance in New Jersey
New Jersey is a no-fault auto state. Choice no-fault. Standard policy uses verbal threshold; basic policy is no-fault by default. That means after a crash, your own personal injury protection (PIP) pays first, regardless of who was at fault. You can step outside the no-fault system and sue the at-fault driver only when your injury meets the state's tort threshold.
Damages caps in New Jersey
Punitive damages capped at greater of $350,000 or 5× compensatory under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.14.
A cap does not change the value of your injuries; it changes what a jury is allowed to award. Caps most often apply to non-economic damages (pain and suffering) and to medical malpractice cases. Economic damages, like medical bills and lost wages, are generally not capped.
Case types in New Jersey
These case-type hubs explain how settlement value is built and how each type interacts with New Jersey's rules above.
Related reads
How New Jersey's no-fault and modified comparative — 51% bar rule shapes auto settlement value.
Multi-party liability, FMCSA regulations, and the 30-day evidence window.
Helmet laws, anti-rider bias, and how comparative fault hits riders.
Premises liability and the negligence elements you must prove.
Standard of care, statute of repose, and New Jersey's med-mal caps.
Workers' comp vs third-party liability claims.
Strict liability vs one-bite rule by state.
Who can file and what damages are recoverable.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Want a different state? See all 50 state hubs.