Joshua Graybill, a Seton Hall law student, is developing a new mobile app designed to help drivers navigate car accidents and insurance claims, with a public release expected in May.
The app, called Tortl, aims to serve as a one-stop resource for drivers, offering step-by-step guidance at the scene of an accident while also helping users better understand their insurance and legal rights.
“People don’t really think about car accidents until they happen,” Graybill said in an interview with The Setonian. “[Then] they’re on the side of the road and they don’t know what to do.”
Tortl is built to address that gap. In the aftermath of a crash, the app provides a structured checklist: call 911, document the scene through photos and audio recordings and collect key information. Tortl also captures metadata such as location and weather conditions, which can later be compiled into a report.
The app includes a language accessibility feature allowing drivers to communicate basic questions, such as whether someone is injured or has insurance, across language barriers.
“You can just hand your phone to the other person,” Graybill said. “Then, they can select an answer in their own language.”
Beyond the accident itself, Tortl focuses on education. Users can upload photos of their insurance cards, driver’s license and vehicle registration, which the app translates into plain language explanations. It also outlines state-specific legal information, such as New Jersey’s two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
The idea, Graybill said, is to build trust in a system that many people find incomprehensible.
“This app is supposed to provide everything that you need to do in a very simple way,” he said.
The app was inspired in part by Graybill’s experience in law school and observations of personal injury law. He noted that many people are unaware of their legal rights or the negotiable nature of insurance settlements, while attorneys face ethical and legal limits in how they can provide advice.
That disconnect, he said, leaves clients uninformed and personal injury attorneys reliant on costly advertising methods like billboards.
Tortl attempts to bridge that gap. In addition to its accident-reporting tools, the app includes a feature allowing users to search for attorneys based on specific needs and preferences, such as language or gender.
Development of the app took approximately six months, with Graybill teaching himself the technical skills needed to build it.
“I always wanted to be able to do things with technology…and make an app,” Graybill said. “Someone who’s not the most technologically-minded like me can actually do it if you’re willing to learn.”
The app is currently awaiting approval from Apple and Google and is expected to launch in early May. Initial outreach efforts will focus on college students and communities with newer drivers, where awareness of accident procedures and insurance details may be limited.
Ultimately, Graybill hopes Tortl can change how people experience accidents by giving users a sense of control.
“If I could distill it into one word,” he said, “it would be trust.”
Megan Pitt is the head editor of The Setonian’s News section. She can be reached at megan.pitt@student.shu.edu.
