New Jersey Injury Attorney Blog

According to an NJ.com report, a fatal New Jersey car accident took place when a man driving his Toyota with a passenger in the front seat was cut off by a four door black Nissan who had swerved into the right lane. The man lost control of his vehicle, swerved and then crashing into a utility pole. The impact of the collision killed the driver and injured his passenger. The passenger was taken to the hospital and treated for neck and head injuries.

As we all know, automobile accidents in New Jersey can have devastating effects due to the sheer forces involved. The accident above tragically ended in death and caused serious personal injury to the passenger. Medical bills, rehabilitation, and possible job loss may result if the right help is not acquired. Head injuries alone can require months, if not years of rehabilitation. Depending on the severity of the accident, some head injuries may require 24-hour care. When an accident such as the one above occurs, the personal injury lawyers at the law firm of Lependorf and Silverstein can help.

Our skilled and knowledgeable New Jersey vehicle accident attorneys have years of experience in handling auto collisions that are caused by driver negligence that result in serious injury or wrongful death. We will aggressively fight for you in a court of law and thoroughly investigate your case so that you receive the compensation that you deserve. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, call one of our experienced attorneys today at (609) 240-0040 for a free consultation. We can help you through this difficult time and ensure you the best route to recovery.

While no one ever anticipates being involved in a vehicle accident in Princeton, it is important to be prepared. The first thing that you should do is be sure to keep your insurance information inside of your glove compartment. You should also keep copies of your insurance in the glove so that you can easily distribute your information to the other parties involved in the accident. Another important item to keep inside of the glove is a disposable camera for taking pictures of the damages that are sustained as a result of the accident.

The next thing to do is to make sure you stay at the scene of the accident until the police arrive and until after they leave. Be sure to take down the names of the officers present and tell them your version of what happened during the accident. Finally, exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, driver's license numbers, and insurance information with all other involved parties.

After a car accident in New Jersey, it is important to report what happened to your insurance company as soon as possible, no matter who was at fault or how minor or major the accident was. Let your insurer protect you and properly handle your case. If you have any questions about your policy, it is essential to call your agent to learn about your policy's conditions, declarations, and insurance agreements. However, you may want to consult with a Princeton car accident lawyer before settling through the insurance company since you may be entitled to receive compensation that is more sufficient. Make sure that you are in control of the repair process so that you can ensure that the repairs are to your satisfaction.

There is a lot to take into consideration after a New Jersey car crash, but you don’t have to face physical, financial, and emotional challenges alone. Contact the experienced Princeton car accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein to learn more about your legal rights and options if you have been injured in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence. We will protect your rights and help you obtain the compensation that you deserve. Call (609) 240-0040 today for a free consultation.

With nine out of ten Americans traveling this summer to various destinations, the following will address some tips that you as a driver may employ to ensure that you safely arrive to your destination.

1. Maintain Your Vehicle - A common cause of New Jersey car accidents caused by lack of vehicle maintenance is balding of the tires and tires being filled to the incorrect pressure. A bald tire is one with little or no tread left and will fail to properly grip anything but dry pavement, thus leading to many accidents during rainy weather. Some other common causes of accidents that could be avoided with proper maintenance relate to brake failure, broken brake lights, and worn windshield wipers.
2. Stay Alert - Several car accidents in New Jersey occur due to driver error. These errors take place both due to improper vehicle maintenance by the driver as well as actual human errors made by the driver of the vehicle.
3. Limit Distractions - The number one rule for all of us to follow is to stay focused on the road while driving. Too many accidents are caused because someone is on their cell phone, occupied with the radio, or searching for something in their vehicle that they do not even really need while driving.
4. Don’t Rely On Other Drivers - The second rule to follow is to never place other drivers into situations where they have to make allowances for your vehicle, because sometimes they will not. For example, if you cut someone off, they have to use their brakes to make space for you to move into the lane, and sometimes they do not allow you this room, leaving both of you at risk.
5. Wear Your Seat Belt! – No matter how short of a distance you may be driving, always wear a seat belt. Far too many fatal accidents occur because the driver or vehicle occupants were not wearing a seat belt. A seat belt’s performance may be hindered by reclining a seat, so be sure that you and your passengers sit in an upright position while traveling.

By following these simple safety tips, you can dramatically decrease the chances that you will be involved in an automobile accident.

At Lependorf & Silverstein, our skilled New Jersey car accident lawyers understand how devastating the aftermath of a vehicle collision can be. We are here to help. Call 609-240-0040 for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help you obtain compensation from negligent parties for medical treatment, hospital bills, loss of past and future wages, and more.

Every year in the state of New Jersey there are hundreds of thousands of automobile accidents. According to statistics released by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in the year 2009, there were 257,801 total reported accidents. The department reported that these accidents occurred during the approximately 72.849 billion vehicle miles travelled that year. This means that there were 3.53 accidents per every million vehicle miles travelled in the year 2009.

Of the 257,801 accidents reported within these New Jersey car accident statistics, 64,548 of those accidents resulted in some form of personal injury. This means that there were approximately .88 injuries sustained for every million vehicle miles travelled in the year 2009. On top of the over 60,000 injuries, the department recorded 533 accidents resulting in a fatality, meaning there are .73 fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles travelled. Taking into consideration that most people drive thousands of miles yearly, it is not so far-fetched to assume that any resident of New Jersey can find themselves in a dangerous situation where an accident may occur at some point during the year.

If you should find yourself a victim in a New Jersey traffic accident caused by another motorist’s negligence, it is of the utmost importance that you consult with a knowledgeable, experienced Princeton personal injury attorney to investigate and handle your case. The skilled NJ car accident attorneys at the law firm of Lependorf & Silverstein successfully handle cases involving personal injury and are dedicated to protecting the rights of clients. For more information and a free evaluation of your case, call Lependorf & Silverstein at (609) 240-0040 today.

Year after year road construction sites prove to be deadly zones for construction workers in the field. These sites are almost always located on dangerous highways where high speeds and confusing construction detours provide a recipe for disaster. On top of drivers posing dangers for workers at road construction sites, workers are susceptible to sustaining injuries from the heavy equipment that they operate on a daily basis. There is also a high chance for electrocution at construction sites due to equipment and wiring malfunctions.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation determined that between the years 2002 and 2009, there were 42,347 work zone crashes. Out of these accidents, 96 of them proved fatal for workers involved. It was determined that approximately 1000 workers die annually across the country due to construction related work accidents.

At the personal injury law firm of Lependorf & Silverstein, our experienced NJ workers’ comp attorneys have successfully handled workers compensation claims for employees injured in a wide range of accidents. As described above, accidents can result in minor injuries or result in lifelong medical conditions and even death. Regardless of the accident, income is always lost due to time spent away from work and the benefits given to employees are usually too low and rarely are able to adequately compensate the victims of work related accidents. On top of the pain suffered and money lost from a work related injury, claims are often difficult to file, especially when workers are facing resistance from their employers.

Our experienced, knowledgeable New Jersey work injury attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case, navigate through these problems, and earn you the compensation that you deserve for the injuries you have suffered. For more information and a free evaluation of your case, call Lependorf & Silverstein at (609) 240-0040 today.

Recent studies have shown that the use of some selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been linked to birth defects.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its findings of two separate studies in 2005 that concluded that pregnant women using Paxil during their first trimester of pregnancy were at a higher risk of having a baby with cardiac problems, such as underdeveloped arteries. Since 2005, additional studies have shown that the use of SSRIs can be harmful to the fetus and cause serious complications such as heart, lung and brain or spinal cord irregularities, as well as the misshaping of the skull, abdominal wall and other body parts.

A more recent study published by the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that out of 12,700 babies born between 1997 and 2004, 54% of infants were born with a major heart defect after the mother reportedly used the drug Bupropion during the first trimester. .

Continue reading " Anti-Depressants May Cause Serious Personal Injury " »

A storage trunk that was sold by Target has seriously injured a child. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has claimed that “the lid of the trunk can drop suddenly when released, posing a strangulation hazard to small children opening or reaching into the trunks.” The CPSC has received two reports regarding this product, both involving injuries due to the lack of a proper mechanism that ensures that the lid stays propped open.

Earlier this year, a family sued Target and claimed that their 18-month-old child suffered brain trauma after the lid of the storage trunk collapsed on her head and cut of circulation and oxygen for an extended period of time. After the lawsuit was initiated, Target issued a recall for 350,000 of the “Woven Storage Trunks” that were distributed nationwide between February 2009 and April 2010.

Unfortunately, unsafe products are sold around the world every day, and many of them can cause serious injuries because of a malfunction or a design defect. If the product is misrepresented or gives the consumer a false sense of security, then the manufacturer can be held liable for any damages caused by the use of their product.

Continue reading " Target Recalls Unsafe Storage Trunks " »

A Cirrus SR22 plane piloted by a prominent New York doctor and carrying her two relatives crashed Monday, killing all three, an article in the New York Daily News reports. Investigators say that there was no “black box” aboard the aircraft and finding an official cause of the accident could take months. Witnesses say the plane came in for a landing at Essex County Airport, then pulled up and crashed in a grassy patch of land. The pilot of the small plane is reported to have been an experienced flyer with over 1,000 flight hours to her credit. Family members of the deceased pilot are baffled by the accident since she was so experienced.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety say that the devastation could have been a lot worse. Due to the long Fourth of July weekend, there weren’t nearly as many workers in the vicinity as there would have been had it been a normal work day.

Unforeseen circumstances can occur during any flight, no matter the experience of the pilot or the size of the aircraft. In some cases, defective equipment or negligence on the part of officials on the ground may contribute to an airplane accident resulting in catastrophic injury or wrongful death. Should negligence be found to have contributed to the injury or death of your family member, you may be entitled to compensation.

Continue reading " New Jersey Plane Crash Kills Doctor and Two Others " »

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has detected a rare strain of the E. Coli virus, which has been found in romaine lettuce. The New York State Public Health Laboratory, Wadsworth Center located in Albany, New York discovered the “E. Coli O145” virus.

The virus was detected on an unopened bag of shredded romaine lettuce from Freshway Foods, an Ohio based company. Freshway Foods has recalled various romaine lettuce products across the United States, including New Jersey.

The FDA has identified that the source of the contaminated lettuce was a farm in Yuma, Arizona, though no particular farm has been pinpointed as the culprit. After the initial recall by Freshway Foods, another food distributor in Moore, Oklahoma also issued a recall for its shredded romaine lettuce products, claiming that the product was also from the same farm in Yuma, Arizona.

Continue reading " Romaine Lettuce Causes E. Coli Outbreak " »

Each year, many products are recalled because they are defective and hazardous. Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that certain brands of hooded, sleeveless girls’ vests were recalled because the drawstrings posed potential risk for strangulation.

In 1996, the CPSC Office of Compliance issued guidelines for the clothing industry to follow in order to reduce the risks involved with the design of the clothing. Almost 50 non-fatal incidents and 22 fatal incidents were reported between 1985 and 1999, all involving drawstrings on children’s clothing.

Luckily, no incidents with the hooded, sleeveless vests have been reported. However, as of 2006, the CPSC announced that any children’s clothing items that had drawstrings around the hood or neck would be categorized as defective in order to prevent accidental strangulations.

People use unsafe products in New Jersey and throughout the U.S. every day, and the risks involved are often serious, if not life threatening. If the product is misrepresented or gives the consumer a false sense of security, then the manufacturer might be held liable for any damages caused by the use of their product.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in New Jersey due to a defective product, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced Princeton product liability attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein have represented numerous clients and have acquired favorable settlements and verdicts in product liability cases. For a free and confidential evaluation, call Lependorf & Silverstein at (609) 240-0040 today.

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, several New Jersey residents have already begun celebrating with fireworks and other devices. While a patriotic spirit is to be encouraged, far too many citizens overlook safety when utilizing these potentially dangerous objects. A new study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reveals that fireworks-related incidents were responsible for two deaths in 2009 and approximately 9,000 emergency room visits for injuries. According to the CPSC, throughout the 30 days near last year’s holiday, about 6,000 injuries involving fireworks were reported in which half of the injuries related to firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers.

Consumers below the age of 20 are the most prone to fireworks injuries; however, the risk of serious injury or even death still exists for anyone within close proximity of fireworks or other pyrotechnics. Some common fireworks injuries and hazards include lacerations, burns to the hands and face, loss of limbs, wrongful death, and fires.

Never allow children or young adults to use legal fireworks unsupervised and do not permit young children to tamper with or ignite fireworks or other devices. Consumers must also remember to never throw or point fireworks at another person. Please refer to the CPSC’s website for more consumer fireworks safety tips.

The New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Lependorf Silverstein want consumers to understand the importance of safety during the Fourth of July holiday. Take every necessary precaution to protect yourself and others from harm.