New Jersey Woman Sues Edison Mayor Sam Joshi for ‘Great Pain’ and Job Loss Due to Car Accident
- According to the lawsuit, Sobia Qaiser of Metuchen was traveling south on a busy road in Edison on Dec. 9, 2022 when she was struck by Joshi who was traveling eastbound in a township vehicle.
A New Jersey woman has sued Edison Mayor Sam Joshi and the township for suffering “severe, serious and permanent injuries” in a car accident that occurred last year. According to the lawsuit, Sobia Qaiser of Metuchen was traveling south on a busy road in Edison on Dec. 9, 2022, when she was struck by Joshi who was traveling eastbound in a township vehicle.
The Indian American lawmaker was “negligent and careless,” the lawsuit charges, and also blames the township for being “negligent in entrusting the vehicle to Joshi,” according to a report in mycentralnewjersey.com. According to the lawsuit, Qaiser had to incur medical expenses and will have to continue to do so, the lawsuit said, adding that the accidents left her “disabled and prevented from attending to her necessary affairs and business.” She is seeking judgment against the township and Joshi for damages, interest, and cost of suit, for the “great pain,” and lost time in her employment due to the accident, the lawsuit further claims.
Meanwhile, township spokesman Philip Swibinski issued a statement saying that the mayor had “publicly disclosed that he had been in a minor car accident immediately after it occurred last year and used it as a teachable moment to encourage residents to drive safely during the busy holiday season.”
Last year, Joshi became the first South Asian American and the youngest to be elected mayor of the fifth-largest municipality in New Jersey. He has been involved in local government since age 14. “A dedicated public servant, Joshi was the youngest to serve on the Fair Rental Housing Authority and the Zoning Board of Adjustment,” says his profile on his official Facebook page. He was elected as an at-large Council member 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 promote green energy throughout the township.