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Guide · Injuries after a crash · New Jersey

A broken bone after a car accident in New Jersey

Updated By Spencer, editorEvery fact cites a source

A broken bone matters twice after a New Jersey crash. Your own PIP pays treatment first, whoever caused it. And a displaced fracture is one of the injuries that allow a pain and suffering claim under the lawsuit limit on standard policies. Ask your doctor whether yours is displaced, and keep the imaging report. Checked October 11, 2026.

Sources: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
Checker

What did your doctor say?

Pick the closest one. It shows how New Jersey's lawsuit limit treats it. Only your doctor can say what your injury is.

It's a displaced fractureListed in the law
What it is
One of the injuries the lawsuit limit names.
Why it matters
With the limit, pain and suffering is available only for the listed injuries.
The rule
The listed injuries include displaced fractures.
What you can do now

Get a copy of the imaging report that describes the fracture.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
It's broken, but not displacedDepends on how it heals
What it is
A fracture the law doesn't list by itself.
Why it matters
It can still qualify if it turns out to be a permanent injury.
The rule
An injury is permanent when the body part hasn't healed to function normally and won't with further treatment, certified on objective clinical evidence.
What you can do now

Keep follow-up appointments and ask what each exam shows.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
It needed surgeryAsk what kind of fracture
What it is
Treatment, not a category in the law.
Why it matters
The law lists displaced fractures and permanent injuries, not surgery itself.
The rule
The listed injuries include displaced fractures and a permanent injury.
What you can do now

Ask your surgeon how the operative report describes the fracture.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)
I can't workPIP pays some lost income
What it is
Lost income while you heal.
Why it matters
A standard policy's PIP pays part of it.
The rule
Up to $100 a week and $5,200 in all, never more than your normal net income, unless the benefit was dropped.
What you can do now

Keep pay stubs and a note from your doctor about work.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(b), (c), (e); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(b); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10; New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide

When to call for help

MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, says to call emergency services for a broken bone when any of these is true.

  1. The person isn't respondingOr is losing consciousness.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  2. There's severe bleedingCall right away.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone
  3. Bone is coming through the skinMedlinePlus lists it among the reasons to call.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Broken bone

Who pays for treatment and missed work

In New Jersey, your own auto policy's PIP pays medical bills first, whoever caused the crash, up to $250,000 unless a lower amount was chosen in writing.

  1. Lost incomeA standard policy's PIP pays up to $100 a week and $5,200 in all, unless the benefit was dropped.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(b), (c), (e); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(b); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10; New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
  2. Help at homeUp to $12 a day for things you'd normally do yourself.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(b), (c), (e); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3(b); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10; New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
  3. Bills and income past PIPThey can be recovered from the person at fault.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-12; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(k)
Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.3; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5(g)

Why a displaced fracture matters

Unless a driver chose otherwise in writing, a New Jersey policy limits pain and suffering claims to the injuries the law lists. A displaced fracture is one of them.

  1. Death
  2. Dismemberment
  3. Significant disfigurement or significant scarring
  4. Displaced fractures
  5. Loss of a fetus
  6. A permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement

A broken bone that isn't displaced can still qualify as a permanent injury, if a doctor certifies on objective clinical evidence that it hasn't healed to function normally and won't.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(i); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8.1(b)

The deadlines

  1. Sue the person at fault, in generalN.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)2 years
  2. A claim against a public entityN.J.S.A. 59:8-8Notice within 90 days
Source: N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a); N.J.S.A. 59:8-8; N.J.S.A. 59:8-9

Sources

General information, not legal advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.

What to do next

Questions people ask

Do I need a lawyer for a broken bone from a car accident in New Jersey?

A consultation can help sort out how the lawsuit limit applies, since a displaced fracture is one of the injuries it lists. A lawyer looks at your facts; you decide after.

Does a broken bone meet the verbal threshold in New Jersey?

A displaced fracture does: it's one of the injuries the law lists. A fracture that isn't displaced can qualify if it's certified as a permanent injury.

Who pays for a broken bone after a car accident in New Jersey?

Your own PIP pays medical bills first, whoever caused the crash. A standard policy also pays some lost income and help at home.

Can I get paid for missed work with a broken bone?

A standard New Jersey policy's PIP pays up to $100 a week, $5,200 in all, unless the benefit was dropped. Lost income past that can be claimed from the person at fault.

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