Early Tuesday morning two-vehicle collision occurred along Route 1
EDISON, NJ, (February 04, 2025) - Officials are investigating an early Tuesday morning two-vehicle collision in Edison that claimed the life of a 36-year-old man.
Makiano Francois was fatally injured early Tuesday morning when an SUV rear-ended the car he was driving along Route 1 in Edison.
According to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Irvington resident Makiano Francois was behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi passenger vehicle that was struck from behind by a Ford Explorer along the northbound side of Route 1 at approximately 12:07 a.m.
Francois was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he was sadly declared deceased.
The 48-year-old New York man driving the Ford was hospitalized and treated for minor injuries.
Anyone with information is urged to call the prosecutor's office at 732-745- 3437 or the Edison Police Department at 732-248-7472.
CRASH INVESTIGATION NEEDED
Victims like Francois are killed in motor vehicle accidents across our country, and it is often not their fault.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 685 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes in the state of New Jersey in 2022.
While the cause and liability of the crash are being investigated, Andrew G. Finkelstein, Managing Partner at Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices, said it is important that a competent attorney handles investigations into cases such as this to protect the rights of the victim's family.
"It is essential to reconstruct the accident to identify all the vehicles involved and determine the circumstances that led to the accident or the driver at fault."
"Insurance companies are never on the side of a victim injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident,” said Finkelstein.
“According to the Insurance Research Institute, on average, an injured person who receives help from a lawyer ends up receiving three and a half times more money than those who do not."
Well-known lawyers like Finkelstein are experienced in such aspects and can help protect your rights by guiding you through every step of the process.
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
Pending the investigation, the family members of Makiano Francois may be entitled to a wrongful death claim. Family members of wrongful death victims may seek damages for loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and emotional distress following a catastrophic accident such as this tragic incident.
"People who get into an auto accident suffer unimaginable consequences in the form of mental and physical pain, and, in cases of fatalities, the victim's family and loved ones are left devastated," added Finkelstein.
"It is always recommended that, as a victim, you don't give statements right away after the crash to an insurance company."
"You might be in shock, and anything said at the time may lower the chances of getting justice. Hiring an attorney will be the best route to protect your rights," added Finkelstein.
If you or a family member have been involved in a situation similar to this article and would like to speak to our national legal analyst Andrew G. Finkelstein free of charge, please use the contact information found on this page.
(Andrew G. Finkelstein, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices to help you, please call 855-976-8163 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).