New Jersey’s roads are buzzing–literally. Electric bikes and scooters are zipping through neighborhoods, carving a path toward a greener, more convenient future. A favorite among food delivery drivers and short-distance commuters and errand-runners, “e-bikes” and “e-scooters” are changing how New Jersey pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers share the road. These “micromobility” vehicles, however, are not without …
In litigation, the customary way of doing things often becomes the precedent for doing them, even when there is a procedural rule governing those actions that is inconsistent with, if not contradictory to, the custom. This is especially true for aspects of litigation like depositions that are generally outside of judges’ lines of sight, unless …
Although many civil lawsuits end in a settlement, parties and their legal counsel frequently face challenges in resolving them, especially through alternative dispute resolution methods (“ADR”) like mediation and arbitration. Though generally faster and cheaper than litigation, ADR can still be time-consuming and expensive, especially because parties must hire mediators or arbitrators. Fortunately, the Middlesex …
Soon after launching in 2009 and 2012 respectively, Uber and Lyft became preferred modes of transportation for individuals who lived or worked in areas not served by public transportation or taxis, as well as those who were well-served by either or both but still preferred to use a ridesharing service. Today, designated ridesharing zones at …
Plea bargains are an important element of the criminal justice system in New Jersey and across the U.S. The American Bar Association reports that approximately 98% of criminal convictions in the U.S. come from guilty pleas rather than from trials. Plea bargains help our justice system function efficiently by reducing the need for criminal trials …
This past August, Acting Governor Nicholas Scutari (who was serving in that position while Governor Phil Murphy was at the Democratic National Convention) signed into law S2822/A3986, which increases the contingency fee cap for attorneys in workers’ compensation cases from 20 percent to 25 percent. Scutari, the New Jersey Senate President who himself is a …
Plea bargains are an important element of the criminal justice system in New Jersey and across the U.S. The American Bar Association reports that approximately 98% of criminal convictions in the U.S. come from guilty pleas rather than from trials. Plea bargains help our justice system function efficiently by reducing the need for criminal trials …
This past August, Acting Governor Nicholas Scutari (who was serving in that position while Governor Phil Murphy was at the Democratic National Convention) signed into law S2822/A3986, which increases the contingency fee cap for attorneys in workers’ compensation cases from 20 percent to 25 percent. Scutari, the New Jersey Senate President who himself is a …
In litigation, the customary way of doing things often becomes the precedent for doing them, even when there is a procedural rule governing those actions that is inconsistent with, if not contradictory to, the custom. This is especially true for aspects of litigation like depositions that are generally outside of judges’ lines of sight, unless …
New Jersey’s roads are buzzing–literally. Electric bikes and scooters are zipping through neighborhoods, carving a path toward a greener, more convenient future. A favorite among food delivery drivers and short-distance commuters and errand-runners, “e-bikes” and “e-scooters” are changing how New Jersey pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers share the road. These “micromobility” vehicles, however, are not without …
Teen Drivers In New Jersey Need To Stay Safe This Spring Season With spring officially upon us, countless teenagers will soon begin to hit to roads nationwide – including those teens right here in New Jersey. Unfortunately for many of these young drivers, as more teens get behind the wheel to participate in their springtime …
Penalties Increase In New Jersey For Texting And Talking While Driving Authorities in New Jersey take distracted driving very serious, especially when the distracted driving is attributed to drivers that are too busy using their cellphones to pay attention to the road. In fact, back in 2007, New Jersey was among the first wave of …
New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Bill Spurs Debate As any person who has been injured on the job is likely aware of, workers’ compensation benefits are of vital importance when that person is unable to work. These benefits not only help injured workers cover the gap left by their lost wages but also medical expenses associated …
New Jersey Governor Vetoes First Responder Workers’ Compensation Bill Recently, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed a bill that would have guaranteed workers’ compensation benefits for public safety workers – such as police, firefighters and other first responders – by presuming certain conditions or illnesses were caused by on-the-job exposure to dangerous substances or materials. …
New Apps May Help Alleviate New Jersey’s Texting While Driving Problems According to a New Jersey government report, driver distraction and inattention contributed to roughly 44 percent of New Jersey interstate highway fatalities in 2011. The report – which was compiled by the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit – is an unfortunate …
GHSA Report: States Enhancing Efforts To Curb Distracted Driving There is little disputing that traffic fatalities are an epidemic that plague our roadways. In fact, there were over 550 traffic deaths in New Jersey alone in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. And, while these numbers are quite tragic, it is even more …
State V. Mukherjee And The Two-Minute Lockout Defense In DUI Cases A Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge in New Jersey is issued if a person operates a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or above. BAC can be measured with a breathalyzer test to determine if a drunk driving violation is present. …
Can New Jersey Taverns Face Liability For Drunk Driving Accidents? According to numbers released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during a five-year period from 2007 through 2011, there were an alarming 852 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in New Jersey. In fact, 22 deaths could be attributed to alcohol-impaired drivers in Essex County alone …
Rights Of Nursing Home Residents Nursing homes have come a long way since their inception in the 1940’s. Originally these facilities were unregulated and known for providing horrible living conditions. After a few rounds of legislative intervention in the sixties, seventies and eighties, nursing homes now often provide quality care for the elderly. This level …
New Jersey Nursing Home Rankings Available Online Recently, U.S. News created a searchable online database for those wanting to review the overall quality of nursing homes in their particular area. The database – otherwise known as “Best Nursing Homes” – was created to assist the elderly, and their families, in finding the facilities that provide the best …
New Jerseyans Must Remain Aware Of Icy Conditions As Spring Arrives With spring quickly approaching in New Jersey, it is easy to forget the hazards associated with winter weather – especially as snow is literally melting beneath our feet. However, it is important for those in New Jersey to remember that early spring-like weather can …
Establishing Liability Following A New Jersey Shopping Accident It is probably safe to assume that if asked, many people in New Jersey would list shopping as one of their favorite past times. Indeed, various studies have shown that shopping can actually make some people feel happier. Unfortunately, many of these same people may be surprised …
Avoid Trucking Accidents On New Jersey Roadways This Holiday Season Almost synonymous with the holiday season is the corresponding shopping season. Generally beginning on Black Friday and continuing through the end of December, millions of shoppers descend upon New Jersey retailers and malls looking for the perfect gift at rock-bottom prices. Retailers often have to …
Wi-Fi Cars May Save Lives Most traffic accidents are caused by human error. In theory, reducing the human element will reduce the number of errors, which in turn will reduce the number of accidents. A year long, government-funded study involving “connected cars” aims to do just that. With a grant from the National Highway Traffic …
New Jersey Court: Sender Of Text May Be Liable If Recipient Crashes Car As most New Jersey motorists are well aware, it is unlawful for drivers to text while operating a motor vehicle in the Garden State. In fact, if a driver’s decision to engage in this hazardous habit causes a car crash, the driver …
High School Bus Accident Rate Puts New Jersey Children At Risk When New Jersey parents send their kids off to school in the morning, they expect that their children will be kept out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. A recent rash of school bus accidents has left many parents with …
Can A Sender Of A Text Message Be Liable For Causing A Car Accident? A judge in Morris, New Jersey was recently tasked with deciding a novel legal issue: can a person who sends a text message be held liable if the receiver of the message injures others or crashes while reading the message. The …
Auto insurance is generally intended to provide policy holders with the coverage they need to replace vehicles damaged in an auto accident and cover medical bills if injured in a car crash. Unfortunately, some government officials within the state of New Jersey are voicing concerns that these safeguards are being abused. These concerns are supported …
Study: Missed Diagnoses Leading Cause Of Medical Malpractice Claims Sadly, every year countless patients suffer severe injuries due to hospital errors or doctor negligence. In many of these instances, the afflicted patients are able to hold negligent hospital staff accountable for their actions through medical malpractice claims. Interestingly, a comprehensive study out of Ireland recently …
Study Finds One-Third Of Americans Have Experienced A Medical Mistake According to a recent survey, nearly one-third of Americans say that either they, a family member or friend have been the victim of a medical mistake. The survey, conducted by Wolters Kluwer Health, surveyed 1,000 consumers above the age of 17. Medical mistakes were defined …
NJ Patients Should Pay Particular Attention To Health Hazards Report For the last five years, ECRI Institute – a patient care research group – has annually published its Top 10 list of technology hazards in the healthcare industry; and this year is no different. Hospital patients in New Jersey will do well to review this …
Hospital Errors Often Go Unreported Many New Jersey hospitals may be hiding a secret: accidents and errors are occurring without anyone’s knowledge. This trend is not likely restricted to New Jersey, however, as a recent Department of Health and Human Services report illustrates. According to the report, which reviewed the care received by Medicare patients …
OSHA Fortifies Safety Rules For Demolition And Underground Construction In August 2012, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a ruling, which applies the August 2010 safety standard of cranes and derricks to demolition work and underground construction. The considerable number of fatalities associated with the use of cranes and derricks in construction and the advances …
Study: Average New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Costs Rising According to a recently released study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) – a nonprofit workers’ compensation research organization – New Jersey experienced a rise in the average cost of a workers’ compensation claims following the most recent recession. The study, which reviewed worksite injury claims that resulted …
Injured New Jersey Workers May Not Sue For Workers’ Compensation In August 2012, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that workers’ compensation carriers that refuse to pay out on valid claims cannot be sued by injured workers to whom they owe money. In 1995, Wade Stancil was injured while working at Orient Originals, a carpet …
Remedies For New Jersey Employees Injured By Chemical Exposure At Work Like all other U.S. states, New Jersey law provides for workers’ compensation benefits for workers with employment-related injuries and occupational illnesses. Additionally, if employment-related injuries and/or occupational illnesses cause death, New Jersey law provides workers’ compensation benefits for their surviving dependents. Workers’ compensation is a sort …
