Woman sues US township, its Indian-American mayor over car crash

New York, Nov 29 (IANS) A woman has filed a lawsuit against a township in the US state of New Jersey and its Indian-American mayor for a 2022 car crash that left her with “severe, serious and permanent injuries”.

Edison Mayor Sam Joshi, who was traveling eastbound in a township vehicle, struck Sobia Qaiser as she was moving south on Talmadge Road on December 9, 2022, the lawsuit claimed.

Qaiser alleged that Joshi was “negligent and careless” and the Township should not have entrusted the vehicle to Joshi, news platform Patch.com reported on Monday.

Qaiser said she suffered “severe, serious and permanent injuries” due to the crash, and is seeking damages, interest, cost of the lawsuit, a trial by jury, and any insurance agreements or policies that may be liable.

"She was caused to incur medical expenses and will, in the future be caused to incur medical expenses; she has been and will in the future be disabled and prevented from attending to her necessary affairs and business,” the lawsuit said.

A spokesperson for the Township told Patch that Mayor Joshi "publicly disclosed" that he had been in a minor car accident immediately after it occurred last year.

"He used it as a teachable moment to encourage residents to drive safely during the busy holiday season,” the spokesperson added.

He said that the Township attorneys are reviewing the lawsuit and will "respond appropriately in order to reach an outcome that is fair and equitable to all parties and protects Edison taxpayers".

Elected as the Township's first Indian-American Mayor, Joshi hails from Gujarat and was born and raised in Edison.

He was elected as an at-large councilmember at 27-years-old, making him the youngest elected official in Edison’s history.

Since joining the Edison Township Council in 2017, Joshi has worked to keep taxes low, help women and minority owned businesses get on their feet, and promoted green energy throughout the township, according to his website profile.