New Jersey Injury Attorney Blog

The anticipated increase in the number of freight trucks, tractor trailers and big rigs traveling through Morris County is estimated to rise to as much as 90,000 within twenty years (quite a large jump from the current approximate 20,000 to 30,000 trucks). According to an nj.com article, this shift in truck flow can be attributed to the expansion of the Panama Canal, which will accept much larger vessels and an expectedly huge increase in materials being shipped. Most of these ships transporting goods will come to ports in New Jersey and New York, which is good for business but brings the safety of Morris County’s freight hauling infrastructure to question.

In a large series of efforts being put together well ahead of time, Morris County transit officials have initiated a study of local road and rail systems to ensure that the freight hauling roadways will be ready for as much as triple the amount of powerfully large trucks. As it is, Routes 80 and 287 see a great deal of tractor trailers already, so the presence of more will require motorists to heighten their awareness as well. According to the report, Routes 23, 206, 10 and 46 are also not strangers to the tons of big rigs attempting to find shortcuts through New Jersey to transport freight from Port Newark.

A contract was approved amounting to $239,000 for a traffic consultant and the study is being funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. The assistant county transportation director said that the following will be done in accordance with these efforts:

• Economic impact analysis to include regions in Morris County that are most suitable for freight-related industry


• Collection of transportation data


• Short-term and long-term suggestions for highway and rail improvements

Continue reading " Traffic Increase of Freight Trucks Expected in Morris County " »

According to an app.com article, the construction of a new bus and truck inspection facility should be finished along the Garden State Parkway by June 30, 2011 on the spot of the existing Herbertsville facility. Located at mile marker 94.6 on the southbound side of the highway, the new facility will contain a waiting area for passengers of buses that are determined to be unsafe after being inspected. The executive director of this project stated, “It’s not our intention to delay passengers, but if the bus shows signs of being unsafe, we need to pull it off the road.”

Based on authority reports, the article also mentions that approximately 1,185 buses have been stopped so far this year by State Police from Troop “E” based in Middletown, and 122 buses have been inspected by troopers and the Department of Transportation’s motor carrier and bus inspection unit. And buses aren’t the only vehicles being examined. Apparently 964 trucks out of 7,140 stopped were also inspected by DOT officials and State troopers for appearing to be unsafe.

Continue reading " Garden State Parkway to Have New Bus and Truck Inspection Facility " »

Whether a family decides to place a loved one in a nursing home, a developmental disability facility, or any other professional or medical center, the choice to trust that other people will provide your loved one with the attention, treatment, and care they need and deserve can often be difficult and even emotional. When this trust is breached and wrongful death takes place at such facilities, the consequences can be devastating for a family to endure, and frequently leaves those involved with many questions, particularly whether or not negligence or wrongdoing led to the death taking place.

According to an article from nj.com, an employee at the New Lisbon Developmental Center in Pemberton Township, Burlington County, has been put on unpaid leave after the choking death of one of the patients under the caretaker’s observation. A spokeswoman for the Department of Human Services stated that the deceased man choked on a sandwich and had lived at the facility for almost 20 years.

The New Lisbon facility is one of seven New Jersey-run centers that provide care for individuals with developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy and autism. What many residents may not know, however, is that the Burlington County facility has a history of problems that led the Department of Justice to open its own investigation in 2002. The state even agreed in 2004 to the independent monitoring of practices at the New Lisbon center for a span of four years, which was later extended one more year, which ended in August.

Continue reading " Choking Death at Burlington County Developmental Disability Facility " »

A PATH train from Hoboken overran its stop at the 33rd Street Station near Herald Square, and had to crash into a bumping block to help it come to a complete stop. According to a New York Times article, thirteen people on the commuter train reported only minor injuries, while seven more were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Investigation into the details of the crash is underway, but the article did not mention any leads that investigating authorities may have.

As commuters, we place a great deal of trust onto city officials and PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) authorities. While it is understandable that accidents do happen, the reasoning for said accidents occurring is of the utmost of concern. If negligent behavior on the behalf of a transit driver results in an accident, then the public transit authority can be held liable for damages associated with injuries sustained by passengers.

In the above mentioned case, it has yet to be determined what caused the accident, how fast the train was traveling, or even the physical and mental state of the train operator at the time of the crash. While authorities proceed with their own investigation, it is in the best interest of accident victims to retain the services of an experienced New Jersey personal injury attorney that will further examine the circumstances surrounding the accident to help determine whether or not negligent action played a determining factor in the mishap.

Continue reading " PATH Train from New Jersey Crashes, 13 Injured " »

As one of the most silent and invisible forms of personal injury, lead poisoning has put far too many children at risk throughout the State of New Jersey. Based on a nj.com report, health officials have proposed new and stricter standards that should allow children suffering from lead poisoning quicker access to health services in addition to having their homes (as the site of exposure ) examined sooner. A major change made by New Jersey health officials is the proposed lowering of the blood-level threshold said to determine whether a child exposed to toxic lead requires follow-up care and whether an environmental investigation is needed to determine its source.

According to the article, health officials are now aware that lead levels once thought to be tolerable are now known to be far too dangerous, especially when it comes to children. Depending on the level of lead exposure, some of the injuries children could encounter from lead poisoning may include, but are not limited to:

• Developmental problems


• Damage to normal growth


• Severe brain damage


• Seizure


• Coma


• Wrongful death

Continue reading " New Jersey Strengthens Combat against Lead Poisoning " »

A safety measure that should have helped preserve life instead took the life of a New Jersey man. Three years ago, a 34-year-old man was killed when the car he was riding in crashed into a guard rail while traveling southbound on the New Jersey Turnpike near Route 80 in Ridgefield. According to an NBC news article, the 34-year-old was not killed by the impact of the crash, but by a perforated guard rail that punctured the passenger side of the car and then struck the man.

Reportedly, the attorneys representing the deceased man’s family argued that the guard rails were installed both too close to the road and atop too high of a curb. If not for the improper installation, it was argued, the tragedy may have been avoided. Unfortunately, according to the report, even though the conditions in which the guard rails were installed were brought to the attention of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the supposed problems have not been corrected. A spokesperson from the Turnpike Authority failed to comment on the accident citing pending litigation.

Accidents that result when local municipalities, and other groups in charge of road maintenance and upkeep, fail to properly perform their services are not the fault of motorists. In the above mentioned case, a dangerous road condition played a detrimental role in the loss of human life. While there is no way of knowing whether or not an alternative installation or modification of the guard rail would have made a difference, such a safety issue is certainly worth looking into if it means that potential lives may be saved as a result.

For all instances where individuals are injured or lose their lives, a New Jersey fatal car accident lawyer can help you hold local municipalities liable for monetary damages resulting from the accident. Not only are these types of tragic accidents unexpected, they often leave families to cope with emotional grief and financial stresses that no one should ever have to endure. Wrongful death litigation can be very complex, which is why obtaining legal assistance from a professional can make all the difference in receiving recompense for medical bills, lost wages, and even funeral costs from the negligent party or parties whose actions contributed towards the accident.

Continue reading " Perforated Guard Rail to Blame for Death of New Jersey Man " »

A recent article from philly.com reported on a serious lift accident that resulted in the death of a 41-year-old aerial-lift operator, and caused three others to be injured. According to the article, one of the injured victims, a 75-year-old woman, filed suit on October 19, 2009 against Masonry Preservation Group, Inc., (MPG) of Merchantville, N.J., and First Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania for the October 12, 2009 incident.

All injured victims were taken to local hospitals to receive treatment; however, the aerial-lift operator was pronounced dead at Hahnemann University Hospital. A witness to the accident reported that the lift operator using an aerial lift to fix loose masonry on First Presbyterian Church when the large wheel of the lift platform ran over a fiberglass and cement TV-cable box embedded in the sidewalk. Consequently, the heavy weight of the lift busted the cover of the cable box, significantly diminishing the lift’s stability, ultimately causing the lift to slowly fall. The falling lift collided with a streetlight, as well as a section of the roof of a nearby apartment building, and landed on a Verizon truck, all while the lift operator was still fastened to the bucket.

The 75-year-old woman who is pursuing litigation has been said to do so because she suffered a fractured vertebrae in her back, which is an injury that holds an unpredictable grasp on her future. The impact of the 125-foot boom that broke her left arm, crushed her elbow, and fractured her vertebrae, may cause permanent injury in the days to come. Her attorney stated, “from both a physical and emotional standpoint, her injures are substantial.”

Continue reading " Lift Accident Kills Operator, Injures Three " »