Four Hurt in Three-Vehicle Wreck on Rte 81 in Elizabeth, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ (September 24, 2026) – Four people were injured in a three-vehicle crash on Route 81 near mile marker 1 in Elizabeth on Wednesday, September 23. The collision happened around 6:56 p.m., just before the entrance to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Emergency crews arrived shortly afterward and assisted those involved. Responders called for a second ambulance because several people needed medical attention.

Local authorities are working to determine what led to the wreck.

We hope everyone injured in the crash makes a full recovery.

How Is Fault Determined After a Multi-Vehicle Crash in Elizabeth, NJ?

After a multi-vehicle crash in Elizabeth, fault is determined by looking at which driver or drivers caused the collision through unsafe actions. In some cases, responsibility may be shared among several drivers.

To establish what happened, investigators and insurers may consider the crash report, photographs, vehicle damage, nearby video, roadway marks, and statements from people who saw the collision. These details can help show how the crash unfolded and what each driver did beforehand.

Once responsibility is established, you may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, lost income, vehicle damage, pain and suffering, and other losses connected to the crash. What you can recover depends on your losses and the insurance coverage available.

Under New Jersey’s modified comparative negligence rule, your share of responsibility can reduce your compensation. If your percentage of fault is greater than the party or parties you are seeking damages from, you generally cannot recover from them.

In New Jersey, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Starting early can give you time to collect records, preserve available footage, and address disputes before the deadline.

When several vehicles are involved, insurance companies may disagree about who caused each part of the collision. One insurer may blame another driver, while a different company may argue that responsibility should be divided among several people.

If those disagreements affect your claim, a car accident lawyer can compare the insurers’ positions with the available evidence. An attorney can also challenge attempts to place more responsibility on you than the facts support.

At the Law Offices of Sander Budanitsky, we help people hurt in Elizabeth and across New Jersey understand their options after serious vehicle crashes. We look at what happened and explain how fault and insurance coverage may affect your claim.

A multi-vehicle crash can leave you dealing with several insurers, different accounts of what happened, and questions about who should pay for your losses. You can contact our personal injury lawyers at (908) 241-3445 to discuss your situation and learn what steps you should take next.

Note: This post has been prepared using publicly available secondary sources. The facts surrounding the incident have not been independently confirmed. If you believe any portion of this report contains inaccurate or outdated information, please contact The Law Offices of Sander Budanitsky, L.L.C. so we can promptly review and update the content to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this post is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or medical advice. Reading this post does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor does it constitute a request for legal representation. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, please seek immediate medical care.
Any images included in this post are for illustrative purposes only and do not depict the actual accident scene.