Four Hurt in Early Morning Crash on Rte 3 in Rutherford, NJ

Rutherford, NJ (September 10, 2026) – Four people suffered non-life-threatening injuries early Wednesday morning, September 9, after a crash on the westbound lanes of Route 3 in Rutherford.

Rutherford Police were dispatched shortly before 3 a.m. following reports of the crash. EMS units evaluated at least four people at the scene.

Traffic was disrupted along the westbound highway while police, fire, and EMS crews worked the scene. 

The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.

We hope everyone involved recovers fully.

Who Pays Medical Bills After a Crash in Rutherford, NJ?

New Jersey requires every registered vehicle to carry Personal Injury Protection coverage, and this is typically the first source of payment for medical bills after a crash in Rutherford, regardless of who caused it. 

PIP benefits cover medical treatment up to the policy's limit, which can range from $15,000 to $250,000 depending on the coverage a person selected when purchasing their policy. This no-fault structure is designed to get injured people into treatment quickly without waiting for a lengthy fault investigation to conclude.

Once PIP benefits are exhausted, or if a person's injuries require treatment beyond what their policy covers, the source of payment can shift depending on the circumstances. A person's own health insurance sometimes steps in to cover additional costs. However, coordinating between PIP and health insurance can create confusion over which policy should be billed first for a given treatment. 

In situations that involve multiple people hurt in the same crash, each person's own PIP policy typically applies to their individual medical costs, which means passengers and drivers in different vehicles may be drawing from entirely separate coverage.

To recover medical costs beyond what PIP and health insurance provide, an injured person generally needs to pursue a claim against an at-fault driver. Nevertheless, New Jersey's verbal threshold requires to show that an injury is permanent or significant before that kind of claim can move forward. 

Because the interplay between PIP, health insurance, and a potential third-party claim can get complicated quickly, a car accident lawyer can step in to identify every available source of coverage and make sure medical bills are directed to the right policy at the right time. 

If you're facing mounting medical bills after a crash in Rutherford and aren't sure who should be paying, our team at Metro Law can help clarify how the coverage could work for you. 

Every policy and situation looks a little different, so it helps to go over the specifics of yours. You can call Metro Law at (800) 469-6476 to talk through your options with us.