New Jersey Injury Attorney Blog

Over 9,000 injured Ground Zero workers may get a boost in their settlements, according to NewYorkTimes.com. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, thousands of workers helped clean up debris. Over 9,000 of those workers have reported illnesses that have been linked to exposure from toxic dust and debris. Those workers sued the city, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the city’s contractors.

The workers have been in negotiations with the city and are now trying to decide whether to accept a $712.5 million settlement. Just this month, the Port Authority has offered another $47 million in a separate settlement. The workers have until November 8 to accept the $712.5 million settlement. Once the settlement with Port Authority is approved with the board of commissioners, workers will have 60 days to opt into the settlement. The settlement will only be valid if 80 to 95 percent of the plaintiffs approve it. About 75 percent of the workers have agreed to the large settlement with the city. That settlement requires 95 percent of the workers to agree in order to become effective.

Workers will receive payments based on the severity of their medical problems. Those with fewer medical problems will receive payments of either $2,000, $2,500 or $3,000 from the Port Authority settlement, while those with the most severe problems could receive much larger amounts. In addition to the settlement awards, Congress may set aside money to monitor and treat the workers’ medical problems as well as to compensate them for losses.

Workers who are injured on-the-job are typically entitled to receive either workers’ compensation or to pursue a lawsuit against a third party. If you have been injured in a New Jersey on-the-job accident, contact the New Jersey workers’ compensation attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein. Call 609-240-0040 today for a free consultation.

This winter, New Jersey drivers will be required to clean snow and ice from their windshields and vehicles or risk facing fines, according to NJ.com. A new law went into effect on October 19 that requires drivers to clean off their windshields to the best of their ability before driving. This amends a previous law that punished drivers for failing to clear their windshields if any injuries or property damage occurred because a driver failed to clean their car.

Fines for failing to clean windshields, windows, and the car’s hood and roof will range from $25 to $75, but no motor vehicle points will be assessed for a violation of the rule. If the failure to remove snow or ice from a vehicle results in an injury or property damage, drivers will be fined between $200 and $1,000. Commercial motor vehicle drivers who fail to clean their windshields will be fined between $500 and $1,500 for each offense.

According to New Jersey state officials, snow and ice left on a vehicle can become a projectile, which can create hazards for other drivers. In addition, snow and ice on a windshield can obstruct a driver’s line of vision, which can lead to New Jersey car accidents.

The winter driving season is always hazardous for New Jersey drivers. Hopefully, this new law will have the intended effect of preventing accidents due to snow and ice buildup on vehicles. If you have been involved in a New Jersey automobile accident because of another driver’s negligence, contact the New Jersey automobile accident lawyers of Lependorf & Silverstein at 609-240-0040 for a free consultation on your case.

New Jersey may create a voluntary registry that will be used to notify family members if one of their loved ones is involved in an automobile accident, according to NewsTranscript.com.

Under the bill, individuals with New Jersey’s driver’s licenses or New Jersey-issued ID cards would be allowed to submit the name and phone number of their preferred emergency contact to the Motor Vehicle Commission. If that person is injured or killed in a New Jersey car accident, the registry would be able to notify the family. In addition, the plan would lower the age requirement for state-issued ID cards from age 17 to 14 with parental consent.

The bill is known as Sara’s Law in honor of a 19–year-old from Sayreville who was critically injured in a car accident in 2007. The family was not immediately contacted after the accident. Instead, Sara’s parents heard about the accident when a friend of Sara’s called to ask about her condition. When parents arrived at the hospital, Sara had slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness. Sara’s mother wants this situation to never happen to another family.

This tragic story illustrates how important planning for the worst can be. If you or a loved one has been involved in a New Jersey car accident, contact the New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein. They have extensive experience in working with accident victims and their families at a very stressful time in their lives. Contact us today for a free consultation at 609-240-0040.

A tragic farming accident occurred on a farm in southern New Jersey on October 12, according to WPVI-TV Philadelphia.

New Jersey State Police claim the farm accident occurred when a chute on a combine being operated by three men struck overhead power lines. The machine then caught fire. One man was pronounced dead at the scene and a second man died at the hospital. A third man was flown to a hospital in Chester. His condition is unknown.

According to the National Safety Council, agriculture is the most dangerous industry in the country. Injury rates for farm workers are the highest among children aged 15 and under and adults over 65. Most farm accidents involve either livestock or machinery. What makes farming injuries particularly deadly is that most farms are not located near a hospital, and the delay in reaching a hospital can mean the difference between life and death for a farm worker who has suffered injuries in a farming accident.

There are some safety precautions that farmers can take to minimize hazards. Operator’s manuals for farm equipment should always be read and instructions should be followed. Equipment should routinely be inspected. Discuss safety hazards and emergency procedures with workers. Precautions should be taken to prevent employees from becoming trapped or suffocated. Always take advantage of farming safety equipment.

New Jersey workers who are injured on the job are usually entitled to New Jersey workers’ compensation, which can pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and more. If you have been injured in a New Jersey workplace accident, you should seek competent legal representation to review your options with you. Call the skilled New Jersey on the job accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein today at 609-240-0040.

Evenflo Company, Inc. reported to the Office of Defects Investigation, a division of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on October 12 a defect in their Maestro Combination Booster Seats. Their report resulted in the company voluntarily recalling 13,792 child restraint systems on October 15. The defective child products will immediately be removed from store shelves, and Evenflo will provide consumers a free reinforcement plate for the booster seat.

The recall affects products with model numbers beginning with 310. The defective child products were built between November 2009 and April 2010.

In the event of a high-impact vehicle collision, it is possible for a crack to occur at the front of the booster seat, preventing sufficient restraint of the child. Injuries or death may occur.

No consumers have reported the crack or injuries occurring from using the Maestro Combination Booster Seat.

For more information, visit the Evenflo website or call the company toll-free at 800-233-5921.

If you believe your child has been injured because of a defective child product, please contact the New Jersey child injury attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein. Our skilled product liability lawyers offer free consultations. Call us at 609-240-0040 today.

According to a news report from NJ.com, a driver of a minivan was killed this morning in an accident with a Vernon school bus. The crash occurred shortly before 9 a.m. in the Highland Lakes section of town on Route 638, near Old Homestead Road. The school bus was en route to Rolling Hills Primary School with 37 children. The children aboard the bus were students in second, third, and fourth grades. The New Jersey bus accident is believed to have been caused because the minivan crossed lanes.

All student injuries were reported as minor, according to a statement by district Superintendent John Alfieri. Twenty-one of the children were taken to local hospitals to be checked. The other 16 were released to their parents/guardians at the scene of the New Jersey bus crash. Alfieri said counselors will be made available at Rolling Hills Primary School for children or families requiring assistance. The bus driver was not injured.

In 2005, there were over 40,000 auto accident related deaths in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That same year, over 6 million motor vehicle accidents were reported to law enforcement, with approximately 2.7 million injuries sustained in those crashes. In New Jersey, there were 722 fatal car accidents in 2006.

Although bus accidents do not occur as frequently as other types of motor vehicle collisions, these crashes can place bus passengers at more risk of serious injury and death due to a lack of seat belts and air bags.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a New Jersey bus accident, particularly if you believe the accident was caused by the negligence of another, you have the legal right to hold the responsible party liable. You could receive compensation for costly medical expenses, hospital bills, funeral costs, car repairs, pain and suffering, and more.

The skilled New Jersey bus crash attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein will ensure you are fairly compensated and that all negligent persons are held accountable. Our lawyers have extensive experience in dealing with insurance companies and the court system and will work tirelessly on your New Jersey motor vehicle accident case. Call us today for a free consultation at 609-240-0040.

According to NorthJersey.com, a fatal accident involving a car and a tractor-trailer occurred on the George Washington Bridge early Wednesday morning, October 13, at about 5:15 a.m.

The fatal New Jersey big rig accident occurred in the middle of the bridge and caused traffic delays for over four hours. One of the drivers, an unidentified male, was killed at the scene before rescue workers arrived. The article doesn’t specify which motor vehicle he was operating. A female passenger was taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.

There are over 15 million large trucks operating in the United States, and approximately 2 million of them are tractor-trailers. It is estimated that there are over 3.5 million truck drivers nationwide.

With over 200 million licensed drivers on our nation’s roads, some may think an accident involving a big rig is a rare occurrence. Unfortunately, in the U.S., thousands of people sustain serious and often even fatal injuries as a result of involvement in a tractor-trailer accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 4,862 fatal large truck accidents in the U.S. that resulted in 5,190 fatalities in 2004. There were 91,406 nonfatal injures reported in large truck accidents that same year. On average, a person is injured or killed approximately every 16 minutes in a truck accident in the U.S.

There are many factors that can cause a New Jersey truck crash. Drivers of tractor-trailers are often on strict deadlines because they must deliver their load by a certain time, which can result in fatigued truckers on the road for many hours. Truck operators can also carry too much cargo; manage their vehicle dangerously by speeding; or use a handheld device such as a cell phone.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a New Jersey truck accident, contact a skilled New Jersey large truck attorney to learn about your legal rights. You may be eligible for compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, hospital bills, funeral costs, loss of wages, and other damages associated with the accident. The experienced New Jersey truck accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein offer free consultations for truck crash victims and family members of wrongful death victims. Call us at 609-240-0040 today.

On October 10, New Jersey asked all drivers to participate in Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day, according to NJtoday.net.

The purpose of the program is to encourage drivers to obey all traffic laws, which include buckling up, not drinking and driving, not speeding, and avoiding distractions, including texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (NJDHTS), bad driving behaviors are the cause of approximately 85 percent of traffic accidents. Tragically, last year, 583 people died in New Jersey traffic accidents. While some improvements have been made, there is still a lot to do to decrease fatalities further.

According to a 2010 study, the percentage of New Jersey drivers who admitted to texting while driving increased 20 percent between 2009 and 2010. Younger drivers are still the most likely to text while driving, but there has been an increase in texting among drivers between the ages of 30 and 60. About 37 percent of drivers between the ages of 30 and 44 text while driving, and 17 percent of drivers between the ages of 45 and 60 text while driving.

Police departments throughout the state are going to report the number of New Jersey car crashes and fatalities that occurred on October 10, and the information will be posted on the NJDHTS website.

If you have been injured in a New Jersey car accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact the legal team at Lependorf & Silverstein. Our skilled New Jersey car crash attorneys have extensive experience in handling all types of automobile accident cases. Call us today at 609-240-0040 for a free consultation on your case.

Tragically, a man working for New Jersey Rail Carriers in Kearney fell 20 feet and landed on his head, according to NJ.com. He was attempting to fasten a tarp onto a truck when he fell. Fortunately, he was wearing a hard hat and was transported to the hospital after complaining of neck and back pain.

In general, when an employee is injured on the job in New Jersey, they are entitled to workers’ compensation. This compensation is provided in exchange for the employee forfeiting his right to sue the employee for negligence. Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Workers’ compensation is administered on a state by state basis.

Usually, employees injured in a New Jersey on-the-job accident can make a workers’ compensation claim and receive wages, payment of medical expenses, and compensation for future economic loss. If a worker is killed in the course of employment, workers’ compensation benefits are available to dependents. Usually, compensation for pain and suffering or punitive damages against employers is not available under workers’ compensation programs.

If you have been injured in an on-the-job accident in New Jersey, you should contact an experienced Princeton workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible. The workers’ comp insurance provider may refuse to pay in a timely fashion or to pay at all. The attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein have extensive experience in the area of New Jersey workers’ compensation. Call us today at 609-240-0040 for a free consultation.