Two New Jersey women were killed Tuesday morning when a tractor-trailer overturned onto their car on Interstate 78 in Newark, New Jersey according to New Jersey State Police.
Emergency responders were called to the eastbound local lanes near milepost 56.8 at about 9:08 a.m. on August 25, 2026. The preliminary investigation found that a Mack tractor pulling a utility trailer was traveling east when it approached a Chevrolet sedan stopped in traffic in the left lane. Police said the truck driver tried to swerve around the car, but the tractor-trailer overturned and landed on top of it. New Jersey State Police reported that the two women, both from Newark, suffered fatal injuries. The truck driver sustained minor injuries.
The crash closed lanes and caused heavy delays on I-78 East as emergency crews responded, and investigators examined the scene. NJ State Police have not announced what caused the truck to overturn, and the investigation remains ongoing.
For those close to these women, we extend our most sincere and heartfelt condolences. This was far more than a mere accident or morning delay, but a tragic sudden loss of two people due to negligence whose absence will be felt by their families, friends, and community for years to come. It leaves difficult questions about the moments leading up to the collision, the competence of the driver, the condition of the truck and trailer, and how the tragedy could have been prevented.
Founding partner Marc C. Saperstein, Esq., commented on the Interstate 78 crash, saying, “As a New Jersey trial lawyer who has handled serious injury and wrongful death and trucking accident cases for more than 40 years, my attention immediately goes to their employer for possible negligent hiring, policies, and procedures. I look to hold others accountable as well because a truck will overturn if its load was internally unsecured and shifted during transportation. For those reasons, others may be held responsible for the I-78 trucking accident.
Saperstein continued, “I have seen how devastating a sudden loss like this can be for a family. When someone loses their life because of another person’s negligence, their loved ones deserve more than unanswered questions. They deserve a full understanding of what happened, accountability for those responsible, and the opportunity to seek the closure and justice they deserve.”
Why New Jersey Truck Accident Cases Can Be Complex
A serious truck crash may involve more than the driver. One company may own the tractor, another may employ the driver, and other businesses may maintain the truck or load the trailer. If unsafe company practices, poor maintenance, or improper loading helped cause the crash, those parties may also share responsibility.
Finding every liable party matters because each may have separate insurance or other resources available to pay a claim. In a fatal New Jersey truck accident, overlooking one responsible company could mean overlooking compensation the family is entitled to receive.
An experienced New Jersey truck accident lawyer will look beyond the first police report and trace the decisions that put the truck on the road. This helps make sure no responsible company, or the insurance coverage connected to it, is missed.
Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. Partner Adam Lederman, Esq., also commented on the Interstate 78 crash, saying, “Having handled many serious New Jersey truck and commercial vehicle cases near the New York border, I understand how a grieving family can be left facing several companies, layers of insurance, and evidence that may disappear. No family should lose an available source of insurance coverage because a responsible party was overlooked. The investigation must follow every lead so the family can pursue the answers, hold those responsible accountable, and win the justice their loved one deserves.”
Wrongful Death Claims Under New Jersey Law
New Jersey’s Wrongful Death Act, N.J.S.A. 2A:31-1 et seq., allows a claim when someone dies because of another party’s wrongful act, neglect, or default. The claim is brought by the estate’s representative for the family members entitled to recover under New Jersey law. New Jersey generally requires a wrongful death action to be filed within two years of the death under N.J.S.A. 2A:31-3. The evidence needed to prove the claim, however, can disappear much sooner.
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:31-5, a wrongful death claim may seek compensation for medical and funeral expenses and the financial losses caused by the death. Depending on the family, this may include lost income and the financial value of the services, care, guidance, advice, and support the person would have continued to provide. A separate claim under New Jersey’s Survivor’s Act, N.J.S.A. 2A:15-3, may also recover damages that arose between the injury and death.
No legal claim can replace a loved one or measure what that person meant to the people closest to them. It can, however, help protect the family from the financial harm caused by the death while holding every responsible party accountable.
How an Experienced New Jersey Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Evidence in these complex cases can be lost quickly. Electronic truck data may be overwritten, video can be erased, vehicles may be repaired or returned to service, and company records may be lost under routine retention policies. This evidence is critical to building a claim because it could be what connects a trucking company, vehicle owner, maintenance provider, cargo loader, or another liable party that contributed to the crash.
An experienced New Jersey truck accident attorney can act quickly to preserve that proof, inspect the tractor and trailer, obtain driver and company records, speak with witnesses, and bring in accident reconstruction or trucking safety experts. This work can show who was responsible and help the family pursue every available source of compensation.
For more than 40 years, Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. has represented New Jersey families in serious truck and commercial vehicle cases, including wrongful death claims. That experience means knowing which records to request, what evidence must be protected, and when qualified experts may be needed. Just as important, it means keeping the family informed and supported while taking the investigation and legal process off their shoulders so they can focus on one another.
Support for Families After a Fatal Truck Accident in Newark
The families and friends affected by this I-78 truck crash in Newark are facing a loss that no legal case can undo. In the days ahead, they may also have to manage funeral expenses, estate and insurance paperwork, lost financial support, and unanswered questions about why the tractor-trailer overturned. A compassionate New Jersey wrongful death lawyer can handle the investigation and legal process while the family focuses on one another.
For more than 40 years, Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. has represented people and families in serious injury, commercial truck accident, and wrongful death cases throughout New Jersey. The firm has helped more than 40,000 families and recovered over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements. In a fatal truck accident claim, an experienced attorney can preserve evidence, identify every responsible party, and pursue all available sources of compensation.
No settlement can replace a loved one. However, securing answers, accountability, and financial support can give a grieving family greater stability as it begins to move forward.
Families in Newark, Essex County, or anywhere in New Jersey can contact Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. for a free consultation with a New Jersey truck accident lawyer or New Jersey personal injury lawyer. There is no legal fee unless a settlement is won and paid.
About the New Jersey Truck Accident Attorneys at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C.
Marc C. Saperstein, Esq., a founding partner of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., is a New Jersey personal injury lawyer certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney. For more than 40 years, he has handled complex truck accident, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases throughout New Jersey and New York. Marc served as President of the New Jersey Association for Justice from 2006 to 2007 and later received its highest honor, the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service. He also holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating
from Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer. His preparation, trial experience, and use of qualified experts have helped his legal team secure more than 50 individual million-dollar verdicts or settlements for injured clients and grieving families.
Adam B. Lederman, Esq., a partner at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. in Teaneck, is also certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney and is admitted to practice in both New Jersey and New York. During nearly 20 years as a New Jersey trial lawyer, he has represented thousands of people in truck, bus, motorcycle, wrongful death, and other serious personal injury cases. Adam served as President of the New Jersey Association for Justice from June 2024 through June 2025, when he advocated for injured people before the New Jersey Senate, and he now serves as an NJAJ Past President. His recognitions include Best Lawyers 2026, New Jersey Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, among many others distinctions as a top attorney.
