Top Car Accident Lawyer in Totowa

Totowa is a small borough — just over 10,000 residents — sitting at the intersection of some of Passaic County’s most consequential roads. Interstate 80, Route 46, and Riverview Drive converge in a borough whose geographic position makes it a pass-through for commuter, commercial, and freight traffic at every hour. That convergence produces accidents whose severity is documented at the highest level of law enforcement authority.

In the early morning hours of January 5, 2026, at approximately 2:08 a.m., Albin Fermin, 30, of Newark — an off-duty Newark Fire Department firefighter assigned to Engine 10 — was driving his Honda sedan the wrong way, eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 near milepost 54.1 in Totowa. He struck a Buick SUV head-on. Inside the Buick were Joanne Furman, 60, of Norwich, Connecticut, driving; her daughter Imani Alexis Furman, 24; and Imani’s 2-year-old son, Messiah. Fermin and Imani Alexis Furman were both killed. Joanne Furman was seriously injured and Messiah sustained moderate injuries — both were rushed to a local hospital. The New Jersey State Police investigated. All westbound lanes of I-80 were closed and remained closed until approximately 6:45 a.m., when the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office had completed its work at the scene.

On March 13, 2024, at approximately 2:00 p.m., a 2014 Acura MDX operated by a 22-year-old man collided with a 2008 Yamaha R6 motorcycle carrying two 19-year-old males on Route 46 East in Totowa, near the Union Boulevard exit. Both motorcycle riders were transported to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. The motorcycle driver was pronounced dead. His passenger was hospitalized in stable condition. The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation.

Route 46 has also been the site of a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run in Totowa, in which Grace Strazza, 69, of Paterson was struck and killed by a driver who fled the scene. Totowa Police and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office sought the public’s help identifying the responsible vehicle. An injury crash was also documented at the intersection of Riverview Drive North and Vreeland Avenue in Totowa, bringing emergency crews to a road that passes directly adjacent to our office at 999 Riverview Drive.

Three distinct corridors. Four documented serious or fatal crash events. All within the borders of a borough of 10,000 people.

If you or someone you love was hurt in a Totowa car accident, you deserve a top car accident lawyer who understands these specific roads and the legal complexity that crashes on them create. The Law Offices of Raffi T. Khorozian P.C. serves Totowa from our office at 999 Riverview Drive, 2nd Floor, Totowa, NJ 07512 — directly inside the borough. We have represented New Jersey accident victims for over 30 years and charge only 25% — not the 33⅓% standard at most New Jersey personal injury firms. On a $150,000 settlement, that’s $12,500 more that stays with you.

📞 Call (973) 647-2981 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.

Totowa’s Most Dangerous Roads — What the Record Shows

Interstate 80 near milepost 54.1 produced the January 2026 double-fatality wrong-way crash — the most severe documented traffic event in Totowa’s recent history. The wrong-way driver was an off-duty municipal employee of the City of Newark. That status creates a specific legal consideration: when a government employee causes a crash while driving, questions of government liability, employer insurance coverage, and the application of the New Jersey Tort Claims Act require immediate evaluation. Two people died. A mother was seriously injured. A two-year-old sustained moderate injuries. All westbound lanes of I-80 shut down for over four hours. This is what a wrong-way crash on I-80 at highway speed produces — and it is the specific documented crash environment of the highway that runs through Totowa.

Route 46 East near the Union Boulevard exit produced the March 2024 fatal motorcycle crash. A car’s lane movement at 2:00 p.m. — mid-afternoon, in traffic — was sufficient to strike a motorcycle and kill one of its riders. Route 46 through Totowa combines through-commuter traffic with commercial access points in a compressed highway geometry that creates the speed-differential and lane-conflict conditions that produce fatal results when vehicle operators misjudge gaps. Route 46 has also produced a pedestrian hit-and-run fatality — Grace Strazza, 69, struck and killed in Totowa with the driver fleeing the scene.

Riverview Drive North at Vreeland Avenue — a road running directly alongside our office at 999 Riverview Drive — has produced documented injury crash responses from Totowa emergency services. Riverview Drive serves as a primary local artery connecting Route 46, I-80, and the borough’s commercial district, carrying a vehicle mix of through-traffic and local access that generates documented crash risk at its signalized intersections.

Which Court Handles Totowa Car Accident Cases

Personal injury cases from Totowa are filed at the Passaic County Superior Court, Civil Division, 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, NJ 07505.

Attorney Raffi T. Khorozian has appeared before Passaic County Superior Court judges for over 30 years, with direct experience in wrong-way driver liability, motorcycle crash claims, hit-and-run cases, and personal injury litigation arising from Totowa’s specific highway environment.

New Jersey Insurance Rules — What Totowa Crash Victims Need to Know

No-fault PIP coverage pays initial medical expenses after any crash regardless of fault — but does not cover pain and suffering, future medical costs beyond your policy limit, or permanent disability.

Wrong-way driver cases and government employee liability. The January 2026 I-80 crash involved an off-duty Newark firefighter. When a government employee causes a crash — even off-duty — questions arise about the application of the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, the City of Newark’s potential liability, and the employee’s own personal auto coverage. We evaluate every possible avenue of recovery immediately. Critically, if a Tort Claims Act Notice of Claim is required, it must be filed within 90 days of the incident — missing it can permanently bar recovery from the government entity.

Wrong-way crash civil strategy. In crashes where criminal investigation is ongoing — as in the January 2026 I-80 Totowa case — the NJSP investigation produces crash reconstruction evidence, toxicology data, and witness documentation that directly supports the civil liability claim. Civil and criminal proceedings run simultaneously. We build your civil case from day one without waiting for the criminal process to conclude.

Hit-and-run and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. When the at-fault driver flees — as in the Route 46 fatal hit-and-run that killed Grace Strazza — New Jersey’s mandatory UM coverage is the primary recovery mechanism. We pursue UM claims the day you call while coordinating with the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office investigation.

Motorcycle crash claims. New Jersey’s no-fault PIP system applies differently to motorcycle accidents — motorcyclists are not required to carry PIP under standard auto policies and may need to access coverage through the vehicle that struck them. The March 2024 Route 46 crash, investigated by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, illustrates the liability that attaches when a car operator fails to account for a motorcycle’s position in traffic. We identify all available coverage sources immediately.

The serious injury threshold. Fractures, herniated discs, permanent limitation of a body function, significant scarring, or substantial medical costs allow you to pursue full pain and suffering damages against the at-fault driver. High-speed I-80 crashes and Route 46 collisions regularly produce injuries that meet this standard.

Two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Government entity involvement triggers the 90-day Tort Claims Act notice requirement.

Why Our Riverview Drive Office Matters

We are located at 999 Riverview Drive, 2nd Floor — directly in Totowa, on the road that runs alongside documented crash locations including the Riverview Drive North and Vreeland Avenue intersection. We are not serving Totowa from a distance.

The 25% fee is our standard. On a $150,000 recovery, you keep $12,500 more than with a firm charging 33⅓%. On $300,000, you keep $25,000 more. In a double-fatality wrongful death case like the January 2026 I-80 crash — where two families lost loved ones — the dollar difference between 25% and 33⅓% on a large recovery can exceed $40,000 per family.

Wrong-way crash cases require same-day action. NJSP crash reconstruction records, toxicology results, black box data, and witness statements are all time-sensitive. We act the day you call.

We handle all insurance communications. In cases involving an off-duty government employee as the at-fault party, multiple insurance layers — personal auto, potential city coverage — require coordinated legal strategy. Nothing is communicated to any adjuster without our oversight.

Frequently Asked Questions — Totowa Car Accidents

The I-80 crash in Totowa that killed two people was caused by an off-duty Newark firefighter. Does his government employment affect my civil claim? Yes, and it requires immediate evaluation. When a government employee causes a crash — even while off-duty — potential government liability, employer insurance layers, and the application of the New Jersey Tort Claims Act all require legal analysis. If a government entity bears any responsibility, a formal Notice of Claim under the Tort Claims Act may be required within 90 days. In parallel, the driver’s personal auto policy and the NJSP criminal investigation provide the foundation of the civil case. Contact us immediately — every day matters in cases with potential government liability dimensions.

I was injured in a motorcycle crash on Route 46 in Totowa. How does insurance work differently for motorcyclists? New Jersey’s no-fault PIP system applies differently to motorcycles. Standard motorcycle policies do not include PIP coverage, meaning you typically access medical coverage through the at-fault vehicle’s policy rather than your own. In the March 2024 Route 46 crash — investigated by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office — the car driver’s insurance is the primary source of coverage for the motorcycle occupants’ medical bills and injury claims. We identify all available coverage from the moment your case opens.

The driver who caused my accident in Totowa fled the scene. What can I recover? New Jersey requires all drivers to carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which protects you when the at-fault driver is unidentified or uninsured. We pursue your UM claim immediately. If the driver is later identified — as happens when the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and Totowa Police share investigation findings — a direct liability claim against the identified driver supplements the UM recovery. We build both tracks simultaneously.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Totowa, NJ? Two years from the accident date for standard personal injury claims. If a government vehicle or government employee in official capacity contributed to the crash — as questions raised by the January 2026 I-80 off-duty firefighter crash illustrate — a Notice of Claim under the NJ Tort Claims Act may be required within 90 days. Missing that deadline can permanently bar recovery from the government entity. Contact us immediately for a free evaluation of every applicable deadline in your specific case.

An off-duty Newark firefighter driving the wrong way on I-80 killed a mother and her 2-year-old grandson’s mother at 2 a.m. A motorcycle rider died on Route 46 at the Union Boulevard exit on a weekday afternoon. A 69-year-old pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run on Route 46. These are Totowa’s documented accidents — recent, severe, and government-verified.

When something this serious affects your life, you deserve a lawyer who is here in Totowa, knows these roads, and fights without compromise for what you’re owed.

📞 Call (973) 647-2981 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 📍 999 Riverview Drive, 2nd Floor, Totowa, NJ 07512 💻 Or complete the contact form.

Free consultation. No upfront costs. Only 25% — not 33⅓%. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.