Owning a business requires optimism in the face of risks. Retail spaces host every kind of person in all states of attention in every weather New Jersey gets. Injuries happen.
When a customer is injured in your business, are you always liable for medical bills, lost wages, and damages? Does being in business in New Jersey mean a life of perpetual liability?
On April 29, two women working at a Mount Laurel residential facility that cares for developmentally disabled adults and children were charged with physically assaulting a disabled man.
According to the criminal complaint, Martha Ruiz and Kendall Crouch are accused of striking the man in the face, twisting his hands and wrists, forcefully restraining him to a bed and placing a urine-soaked towel on his face.
Sometimes, when an aged loved one needs a level of care that we cannot provide ourselves, it is necessary to place our loved one in a nursing home. These facilities can provide a high level of care, so that a person remains comfortable in their old age.
Unfortunately, not all nursing homes in Burlington County meet their obligations to their residents. In the worst of circumstances, nursing home abuse occurs. For example, if a resident is bedbound, and is not turned periodically he or she could develop bedsores. Nursing homes may also fail to provide residents with adequate nutrition and fluids. Medication mistakes may occur. If a resident is not provided with safety equipment such as handrails, bedrails, walkers and wheel chairs, they could fall leading to broken bones or head injuries. There are even instances in which a resident is physically or sexually abused at the hands of a nursing home staff member.
Drunk drivers present a hazard to everyone who shares the road, often causing serious injuries to pedestrians, bicyclists, other drivers and passengers of other vehicles. Treating the serious injuries caused by this type of accident can be expensive and some injuries can affect someone for the remainder of his or her life.
It can be important to seek justice when the recklessness of another driver causes someone else to suffer injuries. If you were injured by someone driving drunk, you may be able to seek compensation from the drunk driver, but you may also be able to seek compensation from the party responsible for supplying the drunk driver with alcohol.
Sometimes a person in Burlington County who is involved in a car accident will suffer a concussion. This type of brain injury might initially be written off as being not too serious. However, research has shown that not only do concussions cause physical damage, but they could also cause long-lasting harm to a victim's mental health.
The study examined service members who suffered mild concussions in training or combat situations. It found that the service members studied reported a worsening of symptoms as many as 12 months or more after the incident that caused the concussion. In addition, recent media reports have focused on athletes who suffered concussions and went on to develop Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Some of these victims ended up taking their own lives.
Some people in Burlington County may think that now that many physicians and medical centers have moved to electronic record-keeping, that mistakes are rarely made, even if a patient moves from the care of one physician to another one. However, just because technology in record-keeping is advancing doesn't mean mistakes won't be made.
For example, a physician can type in the incorrect procedure to be performed, record an incorrect diagnosis, or mistakenly enter the incorrect amount or type of medication prescribed. While these typos may seem harmless, if another physician needs to access that patient's records these errors could mean the second physician may treat the patient in a way that leads to a worsened condition. Omissions from medical records can also lead to a patient suffering needlessly. Oftentimes when these mistakes are made they are not caught unless patients review their records themselves.
The herbicide Roundup is commonly used on lawns and on farms in Burlington County and nationwide to kill weeds. However, not all are convinced that the weedkiller is safe. In an August 2019 lawsuit, a groundskeeper who was exposed to Roundup and subsequently suffered from cancer was awarded approximately $300 million in damages from Monsanto, the company that manufactures Roundup. And, in a more recent federal lawsuit, a jury determined that Roundup played a substantial role in the cancer of a 70-year-old man who had used the product for many years.
In these product liability cases, the person bringing the lawsuit must show that the product was the specific cause of the damages the person suffered. This is a high standard to meet, especially when it comes to diagnosing cancer. But, the plaintiffs' evidence in the Roundup cases were enough to convince the two juries that Roundup was the specific cause of the cancer the plaintiffs suffered.
The largest auto recall in history has expanded yet again. In the latest development, Honda has recalled 1 million autos due to a defective part that was used in replacing faulty air bags.
In other words, it’s a re-recall. Many Honda vehicles covered by the new recall were previously repaired because of a potentially fatal defect in Takata air bags. With the backlog, people may be forced to drive their vehicles until the new danger can be fixed. Is your vehicle on the recall list?
Multi-tasking may be great in the workplace or at home but trying to multi-task while behind the wheel is a recipe for disaster. Motorists in Burlington County may think they can text while driving, eat or groom themselves while driving, or even converse with other passengers in the vehicle without compromising the safety of themselves and others. However, any of these actions can distract a driver, causing the driver to cause a car accident.
In fact, a State Police analysis found that in 2016 the leading cause of fatal car accidents in New Jersey was distracted driving. This surpasses other causes of car crashes, such as speeding and even drunk driving. In 2016, of the 570 collisions in New Jersey that resulted in fatalities, distracted driving played a role in 217 of them. 2016 saw 602 deaths due to distracted driving, 40 more deaths than took place in 2015.
You may know that you are covered by workers’ compensation if you are injured on the job. But do you understand what benefits you are entitled to?
There are three categories of disability benefits, which can be confusing. Below is a basic breakdown of each type and when it applies.
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Ginsberg & O'Connor, P.C.
3000 Atrium Way
Suite 100
Mount Laurel,
NJ
08054
Toll Free:
800-598-3944
Phone:
856-437-0969
Fax:
856-727-9616
Mount Laurel Law Office Map
