Personal Injury Results
The Plaintiff was a 50-year-old female restrained driver who was exiting Garden State Plaza when she was rear-ended by the Defendant. As a result, she sustained multiple permanent injuries, requiring surgical intervention to both of her shoulders, neck, and back. The Plaintiff obtained summary judgment on liability in Superior Court and although the Plaintiff maintained a verbal threshold tort option on her automobile insurance liability policy, nevertheless the case was settled before a jury was empanelled in the amount of $937,500.00
The Plaintiff was a 46-year-old Female pedestrian who was struck by a car when Defendant forgot to put the car in park on a hill. The vehicle rolled onto part of the Plaintiff’s leg and back. She sustained a disc extrusion at L4-L5, a disc herniation in L-S1, and exacerbation of preexisting degenerative damages including cervical and lumbar bulges with lumbar radiculopathy. Despite the fact that Plaintiff carried a verbal threshold tort option on her automobile policy, the claim settled for $100,000.00 without surgical intervention.
Plaintiff was a 43-year-old female restrained driver who was rear-ended while stopped at a red light. And as a result, she suffered an exacerbation of multiple prior cervical and lumbar herniations. Although the client maintained a verbal threshold tort option on her automobile liability insurance, nevertheless, the case was settled for $85,000.00.
Plaintiff was a 45-year-old Female restrained driver, who was stopped at a red light and was rear-ended. As a result, she sustained multiple cervical and lumbar disc herniations. The Defendant driver only carried a dollar-a-day liability policy and although the client carried a verbal threshold liability tort option on her automobile insurance, the case settled for $30,000.00.
The Plaintiff was a 28-year-old male restrained driver who was stopped at a traffic light and proceeded to turn at a green arrow in his favor when Defendant disregarded the traffic control device and severely impacted the Plaintiff’s vehicle. The Plaintiff sustained serious debilitating neck and back injuries and developed PTSD from the accident. Unfortunately, Plaintiff only maintained a limited medical benefits No-Fault personal injury protection policy of $50,000.00. As a result of the severe impact, Plaintiff sustained a cervical disc herniation at C5-C6 and a disc bulge at C6-C7 as well as recurring headaches and inability to sleep. The electro-diagnostic study of the upper extremities confirmed C5-C6 radiculopathy consistent with a herniated disc. Subsequently, a cervical discography was performed, indicating clear positive cervical herniation with internal derangement. A post-discographic MRI subsequently confirmed a disc herniation at C5-C6, and the Plaintiff was recommended for surgical intervention but refused the recommended discectomy and fusion. Although the Plaintiff maintained a verbal threshold tort option on his automobile liability insurance policy, the case settled for $90,000.00 which included payment of all related medical bills.
The Plaintiff was a 74-year-old male who was shopping with his wife at a Stop and Shop when he slipped and fell on a water accumulation in an aisle. Although there was a dispute as to adequate notice of the water accumulation, after depositions were taken, the defense conceded liability. As a result of this accident, the Plaintiff sustained a serious injury to his right shoulder. He underwent a cortisone injection and had an MRI which revealed internal damage to the right shoulder with a full rotator cuff tear. Eventually, he underwent rotator cuff repair surgery and subsequently underwent a course of physical therapy.
After the surgery, my law firm was retained to represent the Plaintiff regarding his injuries. Since he had continuing complaints of pain in the right shoulder post-surgically for an extended period of time, he was reexamined by an orthopedic surgeon. After having reviewed a repeat MRI of the Plaintiff’s shoulder, the surgeon recommended reverse total shoulder replacement, which the Plaintiff declined to undergo. Nevertheless, the claim settled for $160,000.00 which represented injuries for a bad result of the prior rotator cuff surgery and payment of all outstanding medical bills.
The plaintiff was a 36-year-old installer who fell off of a temporary staircase at new construction premises. As a result of the fall, he sustained serious permanent injuries in the form of a fracture of the left ileum, left pubis, and left sacrum with impingement syndrome of the left hip, trochanteric bursitis of the left hip with sacroiliitis of the left SI joint. After his admission to the hospital, he underwent a course of treatment and rehabilitation over the course of several months in an inpatient rehabilitation facility.
A claim was made both in the Worker’s Court and in the Superior Court for personal injuries as concurrent causes of action.
Because the doctor who conducted the worker’s compensation evaluation discharged the Plaintiff as having reached maximal medical improvement, despite the Plaintiff’s continuing complaint of persistent pain in the groin and back area. He was required to return to work. Since the plaintiff continued to experience severe pain, a motion was filed with the workers’ compensation court based on an Orthopedic IME which outlined substantive permanent injuries and the necessity of repair for a torn left labrum. Ultimately the workers’ compensation company conceded liability and authorized surgery in the form of left hip arthroscopic repair of anterior superior labral tear, left hip arthroscopic chondroplasty of the acetabulum, left hip arthroscopic decompression of the acetabular impingement with removal of a pincer lesion and left hip arthroscopic synovectomy, with hardware.
The second operation was performed to remove the surgical hardware. The personal injury litigation was settled for $240,000.00 and the worker’s claim was also settled for $199,000.00. Both of which include payment of all outstanding medical bills, temporary disability and worker’s compensation.
Plaintiff was a 51 year old male who was rear-ended on Interstate Highway 80 East. As a result, he sustained serious personal injuries to his neck and back, and underwent an extensive course of physical therapy. He sustained disc herniations at L3-4 and L4-L5 and disc bulges at L3-4 with radiculopathy. He also sustained herniations to his cervical spine at C3-4, C4-5, C5-6 and C6-7 with radicular complaints in his upper extremities. He subsequently underwent an L5-S1 epidurogram and a provocative diagnostic cervical discography at C3-4, C4-5, and C5-6, both of which were positive.
The patient endured a lengthy period of pain management undergoing several cervical and lumbar epidural steroid injections as well as branch block and facet injections and was recommended for surgery by his orthopedic surgeon, but he declined to go under the knife. Although the Plaintiff maintained a verbal threshold tort option on his automobile liability insurance policy, the primary claim settled for the policy limit of $15,000.00, and his UM claim settled for an additional $35,000.00.
The Plaintiff was a 67 year old restrained driver, who was proceeding at a legal rate of speed, slowed down to permit someone to turn in front of her, and as a result, she was rear-ended. As a result of the accident, she sustained serious cervical, shoulder, and lumbar injuries in the form of L5-S1 disc bulge/ herniation with neural compromise, together with leg pain requiring facet blocks and radio frequency ablation. Since she continued to experience severe pain in her extremities she eventually underwent L4-5 decompression and instrumented interbody fusion at Valley Hospital. Subsequent to the accident in question, approximately one year thereafter she suffered a second MVA, which exacerbated her degenerative condition as well as the injuries she had sustained in the prior accident. Given her history of osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, and age, and issues of causation, the matter was settled for $150,000.00 with all medical liens paid in full.
The Plaintiff was a 66 year old female who was struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian while exiting a Stop & Shop. As a result of the impact, she sustained serious injuries to her left hip and was diagnosed with a pubic-fracture. She then attended a long course of physical therapy. She did not undergo any pain management or any surgical intervention. The matter was settled for $65,000.00 which included payment of all medical bills.
The Plaintiff was a 73 year old male who was attempting to cross the street within the crosswalk, when he was struck by a motor vehicle, which caused him to be thrown over 23 feet in the air. As a result of the accident, he sustained injuries to his left hip and pelvis area. Although there was no right hip fracture, no vertebral body compression deformity, or acute fracture of the lumbar spine, he did sustain significant injuries, in the form of a left acetabular anterior column non-displaced fracture with periosteal reaction, left inferior and superior fracture of the pubic remis with mild angulation. He underwent a long course of physical therapy with no pain management or surgical intervention. On the first party claim, the insurance carrier for the driver forfeited his full policy limits of $100,000.00. An additional $50,00.00 was attained on the UIM claim, which included payment of all outstanding medical bills.
The Plaintiff was a 72 year old right hand dominant female who was taking a walk in the town where she lives, when she slipped and fell on an uneven sidewalk which had been uprooted by a tree, and as a result, sustained injuries to her left wrist and right knee. She subsequently underwent a course of physical therapy for her fractured left wrist, as well as a cortical injection and physical therapy for her right knee. Her right knee continued to bother her and ultimately she underwent arthroscopic surgery for the inter-substance degeneration of the medial meniscus as well as open reduction and internal fixation of the distal radius of her left wrist. Given her age, history of degenerative condition, partial blindness in one eye, and pre-existing osteoporosis, the matter was settled before trial for $70,000.00, which included payment for all outstanding medical bills.
Plaintiff was a 47 year old female who was proceeding to make a left turn on a green arrow, when she was impacted by a vehicle proceeding in the opposite direction. As a result, the Plaintiff sustained permanent injuries in the form of C2-C3, C4-C5, and C5-C6 disc herniation, as well as L4-L5 left foraminal disc herniation with an annular tear, and L5-S1 left subarticular disc herniation with an annular tear. Although she attempted a conservative course of treatment, because of her continuing complaints of neck and back pain, despite use of over the counter pain medication, she underwent an orthopedic evaluation and received bilateral upper trapesious trigger point injections. She continued to experience severe neck and back pain. Accordingly, almost three years post accident, she underwent surgical intervention in the form of lumbar disc decompression at L4-L5 and L5-S1, inter-body fusion at L4-L5 and L5-S1 with pedicle screw stabilization. The Defendant offered the full insurance policy benefits of $100,000.00 in settlement.
The Plaintiff was a 34 year old restrained female driver who was operating her vehicle when she was rear-ended at a traffic light. She was taken by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center and evaluated for complaints of pain in her neck, back, and head. She underwent a long course of chiropractic and acupuncture care. Besides a brain CT scan, she also underwent MRIs of the neck and back, which revealed bulges at C5-C6, herniation at C4-C5, herniation at L4-L5 with annular tear, and an L5-S1 herniation. Because of complaints of pain to her knee, she ultimately underwent an MRI of the left knee which revealed a meniscus tear. She subsequently underwent a left knee arthroscopy with an excellent recovery. Because of the issues concerning the medical nexus relative to the complaint of knee pain six months post accident, the matter was ultimately settled for $60,00.00, which included payment of all medical liens.
Criminal/Traffic Results
Result: Guilty to failure to possess driver’s license; minimum fine.
New York Defendant was accused of criminal forcible touching and sexual abuse in the second degree felony.
Result: ACD
New Jersey DMV hearing where a proposed suspension was ninety (90) days for persistent violator.
Result: Suspension for thirty (30) days.
Defendant accused of careless driving, unsafe lane change, failure to report accident, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to possess driver’s license, failure to possess registration and failure to possess insurance.
Result: Failure to report accident and failure to produce driver’s license with minimum fines.
Defendant accused of careless driving, reckless driving, illegal lane change, failure to report, improper passing and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.
Result: Guilty plea to failure to report, careless driving and unsafe operation.
Defendant accused of speeding by radar, 99 in a 55.
Result: Defendant pled guilty to driving on a portion of the highway with a minimum fine and no points.
Defendant accused of unsafe lane change, passing on the left, driving without insurance.
Result: unsafe operation no points.
Defendant accused of passing a school bus.
Result: Guilty for failure to keep right with the minimum fine.
Defendant accused of speeding 100 mph in a 55, reckless driving, improper lane change.
Result: On motion and oral argument the court dismissed the speeding charge, the Prosecutor dismissed the reckless driving, Defendant pled guilty to only improper turn with a minimum fine.
Defendant accused of careless driving.
Result: Unsafe operation, minimum fine.
Defendant accused of careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.
Result: Pled guilty to only failure to report an accident, minimum fine.
Defendant accused of improper passing and reckless driving both in Bayonne and Jersey City.
Result: The matter was consolidated on motion. Defendant pled guilty only to the charge of unsafe operation and no points.
Defendant accused of illegal trespass and burglary.
Result: conditional discharge
Defendant accused of driving a commercial vehicle 3,800 pounds from the weight limit, emissions violations and expired registration.
Result: Plea of guilty only to 1,000 pounds over the limit, minimum fine.
Defendant accused of speeding 94 in a 55 and failure to signal.
Result: Five days suspension and plea of guilty to 14 miles over the limit only.
Defendant accused of reckless driving, careless driving, improper passing, avoiding a traffic sign and failure to obey instructions of police officer.
Result: Plea of guilty only to careless driving and unsafe operation.
