New Jersey Injury Attorney Blog

Falls are a part of being a kid. Children are supposed to play in the mud, get dirty, and be clumsy, but this does not mean that falls are not a legitimate danger to their health and well being. Slip and fall accidents can occur anywhere and to anyone, regardless of age. If your child is injured in a slip and fall accident as the result of a property owner’s negligence to reasonably maintain or repair their premises, then that owner may be held liable for the injuries your child suffers.

Child Fall Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading cause of non-fatal injuries among children aged 19 and younger is falls. Nearly 2.8 million children are treated in U.S. emergency departments for fall injuries every year, or about 8,000 every day.

Preventing Child Falls

Not every child fall can be prevented, as a parent cannot have control over the safety of public places and/or other premises, but following these tips from the CDC can help kids avoid fall-related injuries:

• Playground safety – Check the playground equipment that your child uses/plays on, especially if it is in a public park or other space. If it is not maintained or has a faulty design, the risk of a fall increases. Also, if there is not a soft landing surface underneath, the risk of a serious fall injury increases.
• Supervision – All young children should be supervised around fall dangers, such as playground equipment, stairs, and other uneven surfaces.
• Home safety – Make sure children cannot access fall hazards like stairs by using home safety devices like guard rails and gates.
• Sports safety – Children should wear the appropriate protective gear when playing sports.

When to Contact an Experienced Child Injury Attorney

Unfortunately, not all property owners are as concerned with child safety as parents are. If your child has suffered a fall injury as the result of a property owner’s negligence to maintain safe premises, you and your child may be entitled to financial compensation.

This guest blog post is brought to you by the Boston child slip and fall accident lawyers with the Kiley Law Group, a personal injury law firm in Massachusetts dedicated to protecting the rights of those harmed by another’s negligence.

Winter in New Jersey means several months worth of wet, icy, and snowy conditions. While no amount of caution can prevent all New Jersey slip-and-fall accidents, there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of suffering an injury this winter. Remember to always exercise caution whether you are driving or walking on a driveway or parking lot.

The first thing you can do to help prevent a winter slip-and-fall injury is to select appropriate footwear. In general, the best types of shoes for slick conditions include footwear with rubber or neoprene composite soles that can grip the walkway. Shoes with worn soles and high heels are particularly dangerous to wear on ice.

When walking in the winter weather, it may be in your best interest to choose your route carefully. Paths that are less traveled tend to have the most ice. Therefore, staying on the main roadways or thoroughfares that constantly get cleared may be your best way to avoid accidents or injuries. If you do have to walk over a slippery area, shorten your stride or shuffle your feet to increase your stability.

Once you make it inside a building, it is important to remember that you are still in danger of slipping. Be sure to use the floor mats provided and to knock any snow off your feet. If you are injured in a slip-and-fall accident because of someone else's negligence, then it is important that you understand your rights. For example, if a property owner or property manager fails to clear a walkway within a reasonable time causing a slip-and-fall accident, he or she can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused.

An experienced NJ slip-and-fall accident attorney at Lependorf & Silverstein know how to get injured victims the compensation they need for their medical bills, lost wages, and other related damages. If you have been hurt in a New Jersey slip-and-fall accident, please call our offices today at (609) 240-0040 for a free consultation.

Hotel owners have a legal responsibility to prevent hazardous conditions on their properties. There are times, however, when a dangerous condition is unavoidable. In such cases, property owners must ensure that visitors and employees are provided adequate warnings about the hazards that are present, such as dangerous spills or debris. In cases where a hotel owner or manager's negligence results in a slip-and-fall accident, victims can seek compensation for damages by filing a claim.

A NJ premises liability claim is a civil lawsuit that allows an injured victim of a hotel slip-and-fall accident to hold the property owner accountable for the injuries suffered. It is important to remember that not all injury accidents result in valid claims. The injured victim will have to prove that the owner either allowed a dangerous condition to exist or failed to warn visitors about the hazard.

There are several questions to ask in such cases. Were there signs, cones, or warning tape around the dangerous location? If there was signage, was it placed in a location where visitors could have seen it? Was the property owner or management aware of the potential dangers? Were there complaints filed with management about the conditions that went ignored?

In cases involving negligence or wrongdoing, financial compensation may be available for medical bills, rehabilitation such as physical therapy or chiropractic care, lost wages, and other related damages. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to receive fair compensation for a slip-and-fall accident. Hotel companies and owners often deny valid claims and put up a vigorous defense in order to protect their profits and their reputation. A skilled premises liability attorney will know how to prove fault in such cases and how to secure fair compensation for victims and their families.

The experienced New Jersey hotel slip-and-fall accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein have a successful track record of handling slip-and-fall accidents. If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident, please call our offices at (609) 240-0040 for a free consultation and comprehensive case assessment.

Victims of slip-and-fall accidents may seek financial compensation for their injuries from the party responsible for the accident. This process may become more complicated when the accident occurs at the workplace. New Jersey work- related slip-and-fall accident victims might worry that their employer will be affected if they choose to pursue compensation for their injuries. It is important for all injured victims to remember that property owners and employers have insurance to cover these types of incidents and that it is an employee's right to seek fair compensation for their losses.

If the slip-and-fall accident occurred because of a hazardous condition at the workplace, the at-fault property owner may be held liable for the accident through a New Jersey premises liability claim. This type of civil litigation requires the injured victim to prove that the accident resulted from a dangerous condition that the property owner failed to fix.

If the slip-and-fall accident was work-related or occurred at the workplace, financial compensation may be available through workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation claims should cover losses such as medical bills and a portion of the wages lost. Filing a successful workers’ compensation claim is not easy and it is common for employers and insurance companies to deny valid claims to save money.

A personal injury attorney can help a victim of a slip-and-fall accident understand the options available. The experienced NJ slip-and-fall attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein have a long history of successfully handling workers’ compensation claims and premises liability claims in New Jersey. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident at work, please call our offices today for a free consultation at (609) 240-0040.

Most slip-and-fall accidents in New Jersey result in minor injuries, such as bruises and scrapes. Under certain circumstances, however, serious injuries can be suffered in these types of incidents. In some cases, victims suffer severe head injuries, multiple broken bones, and even spinal cord damage. Injured victims of slip-and-fall accidents may seek financial compensation for their losses, particularly if their injuries were caused by negligence on the part of a property owner.

Victims who are not able to brace themselves during a fall may strike their head against the floor. While some victims of head trauma only suffer mild headaches or concussions, others may sustain a wide range of injuries, such as memory loss, blurred vision, or loss of other mental and physical abilities.

Broken bones are perhaps the most common serious injuries suffered in New Jersey slip-and-fall accidents. Depending upon the type of fall, victims may suffer a broken hip, ankle, or wrist. These types of injuries often require extensive medical procedures, time away from work, and physical therapy. Victims of falling accidents who awkwardly twist their back or who fall particularly hard may sustain spinal cord damage. Symptoms may include debilitating back pain, numbness, and even paralysis.

Not all slip-and-fall accidents result in valid premises liability claims. To pursue financial compensation from a property owner, the injured victim will have to prove negligence. Was the accident the result of a dangerous condition, such as a cracked floor or a damaged step? Was the owner aware of the condition? Did they fail to warn visitors to the property about the existing hazards?

The slip-and-fall accident lawyers in Princeton at Lependorf & Silverstein know how to prove liability for these types of accidents. Call our law offices today at 609-240-0040 to better understand your legal rights and options.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 1 million people are injured in slip-and-fall accidents each year. Of those injured victims, more than 17,000 are killed as a result of their injuries. These falls can happen anywhere and at any time. It only takes a crack in the floor or a broken step for a dangerous accident to occur. If you or a loved one has endured a serious injury on someone else’s property, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced injury lawyer to examine your legal rights and options.

Victims of New Jersey slip-and-fall accidents may suffer a wide range of injuries. Broken bones in the wrists and ankles are two of the most common major injuries sustained in fall accidents. These types of injuries often result in expensive emergency room visits, physical therapy expenses and in some cases, loss of wages due to time away from work. Other relatively minor injuries that may occur in a slip-and-fall accident include cuts, sprains, bruises and abrasions.

Serious injuries have been known to occur in New Jersey slip-and-fall accidents. Property owners who fail to properly warn visitors of slippery floors or uneven steps may be held responsible for devastating injuries that occur on their properties. Dangerous areas that are reported to a manager or property owner must be clearly marked and repaired as soon as is reasonably possible.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a slip-and-fall accident in Princeton, please contact the reputed Princeton premises liability attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein for a free consultation. We help injured victims of slip-and-fall accidents hold negligent property owners accountable. We offer free case evaluations at 609-240-0040 to anyone who has suffered an injury in a New Jersey slip-and-fall accident.

Thousands of people are injured each year when they slip and fall. Critical injuries can be sustained on a dangerous floor, a flight of stairs or uneven ground. In such cases, it can be quite a challenge to determine who was at fault and who should be held liable for the injuries and damages caused. It is the property owner's responsibility to maintain the premises and make sure that visitors are warned when there is a danger.

It is important to remember that a property owner cannot always been held liable in a Princeton slip-and-fall accident. For example, a property owner cannot usually be held liable for not cleaning up a spill immediately. However, if the spill was not cleaned up within a reasonable amount of time, thus causing a slip and fall injury, the property owner can be held liable. A property owner is also not typically responsible for someone tripping on something that an ordinary person should reasonably expect to see and avoid. However, every situation is different.

There are certain criteria to hold a property owner responsible for a trip-and-fall accident. The owner of the premises must have caused the dangerous condition to exist. The owner of the premises or an employee must have known about the dangerous condition, but did nothing about it. Also, the owner or employee should have had the time and the opportunity to discover and remove the dangerous condition. In a slip-and-fall case, a judge or jury would determine whether the property owner was careful by looking into whether they took adequate and reasonable steps to keep the premises safe.

Determining fault and liability in a slip-and-fall case can be tricky. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, please contact an experienced New Jersey premises liability lawyer at Lependorf & Silverstein at 609-240-0040. We will remain on your side, fight for your rights and make sure that you receive the compensation you rightfully deserve.

In our last blog post, we mentioned that New Jersey has declared a state of emergency because of the major snow storm that has hit. Hopefully, most residents have already gathered the food and supplies they will need to stay inside and ride out the storm. However, there are certain risks, such as injuries from slip and fall accidents, for those who venture out after the storm passes.

For instance, the appearance of ice can be deceiving, leaving a person to believe that where they are stepping will not be slippery. Snow can also make a person more likely than they realize to lose their footing, even for someone who has traversed through winter weather conditions all their life. In any case, the hazards posed by a property owner’s failure to properly clear ice or snow from public sidewalks outside of their premises can be difficult for anyone to avoid.

The Star-Ledger reports that a New Jersey climatologist stated that a 10-inch plus snow storm for the bulk of the state typically occurs about once every three years. Since this major storm is “an unusual event in any winter,” property owners may fail to fulfill their duty of ensuring that areas surrounding their premises are appropriately cleared of snow and ice or posting appropriate warning signs of potential slip and fall risks.

Although it is expected that the weather will get warmer later in the week for New Jersey, with the changes of degree temperatures around 50 for New Year’s Day, the conditions of sidewalks, parking lots, alleys, and stairs can all pose the risk of slip and fall accidents.

Anyone who is injured in a New Jersey slip and fall accident that they believe was caused by another person’s negligence would be well advised to at least discuss their legal options with a Princeton slip and fall attorney. While pursuing a premises liability claim can seem daunting, a skilled lawyer can help ensure that your rights are protected and that negligent parties are held liable for your pain and suffering as well as financial damages associated with your injuries. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein today for a free consultation about your slip and fall accident. Call 1-609-240-0040.

Unless you’ve already left the state of New Jersey for warmer climate, there is no denying it or avoiding it – winter is here. The Jersey Journal is one of many news outlets spreading the word of New Jersey’s declaration of being in a state of emergency due to the effects of the blizzard.

Although you may not dare to leave your home or hotel during New Jersey’s major snow storm, especially since authorities are cautioning the public to only travel if they absolutely have to, it is important to be aware of certain slip and fall risks. While businesses and other public facilities are required to post signage or other warnings regarding certain slip or fall dangers, some may neglect to do so, thus leading to a customer or passerby seriously injuring themselves.

No matter how long you’ve lived in New Jersey or how well you’ve fared slippery sidewalks or icy steps, you cannot always rely on the owner of another piece of property to clearly warn of potential slip and fall hazards. You also cannot trust that a property or business owner will properly clear snow or ice from the areas outside their premises, in an alley, or parking lot. A person who slips on ice outside of a business or falls due to the failure of a property owner to maintain its premises amidst harsh weather conditions may be susceptible to suffering broken bones, torn ligaments, lacerations, head trauma, spinal cord injury, and other calamities.

As Princeton slip and fall injury lawyers, we encourage all residents and visitors of New Jersey to use extra caution if you have to visit the grocery store or go to another person’s home. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a slip and fall accident and believe that the accident occurred due to a property owner’s failure to ensure that the public sidewalks next to their entryways were reasonably safe, you may be able to obtain compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages. Contact our New Jersey premises liability attorneys for more information about your legal rights. Call 1-609-240-0040 for a free consultation today.

If you have been injured in a New Jersey slip and fall accident, you may be able to pursue compensation for your losses. It is the legal responsibility of property owners to maintain safe premises and to provide adequate warnings of any potential hazards. Property owners may be held liable for a slip and fall injury accident that occurs on their premises.

Properties that are open to the public must provide reasonably safe premises. Under Tort Law, injured victims of slip and fall accidents must prove that the property owner was negligent in some way. When the floor is wet or a step is damaged, it is the responsibility of the property owner to fix the hazardous condition or adequately warn the visitors on site. Following an accident, the location may be examined to determine if the site was in fact dangerous and whether the property owner was negligent in warning the public of dangerous conditions.

Slip and fall accidents in New Jersey have been known to cause serious injuries. Victims of dangerous premises accidents may suffer broken bones, head trauma and spinal cord injuries. These types of injuries often result in extended periods of time away from work, costly therapy sessions and significant pain and suffering. Depending upon the circumstances of the incident, all losses related to a slip and fall accident may be covered by filing a premises liability claim.

The reputed New Jersey slip and fall accident attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein serve injured victims of New Jersey. We offer free case evaluations to anyone injured in a slip and fall accident. Call us today at 609-240-0040 to find out how we can help.