About a million passengers take advantage of New Jersey’s public transit system every day, and most of the time, they get where they need to go unscathed. In some instances, though, system malfunctions or driver mistakes make using public transit dangerous. If you are among those who suffer an injury in an incident involving public transit, you may have questions about what to do next.
Per NJ.gov, there is a specific process and timeline you must follow when making a claim against a public entity.
The claims process
New Jersey has a Tort Claim Act in place that protects it from claims arising from negligence. Under this act, you have an obligation to file a Title 59 Notice of Claim form with the appropriate agencies within 90 days of the date you experienced your public transit injury.
The notice you submit must contain specific information, including your name and address and where and how your injury occurred. You also need to outline the extent of the injury and explain what public entities or employees you believe are responsible for causing it. In your notice, you should also describe the losses you suffered as a result of your injury.
The response
Once you file your public transit claim, public entities have six months to investigate before they must send you a response. If you do not reach a settlement after six months have passed, you may move forward with a lawsuit, if desired.
Keep in mind that if you do decide to move forward with a public transit claim, there is still a statute of limitations you must abide by when doing so.