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Recent Cases |
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Medical malpractice claim settled for
$165,000
Our client was a 54 year old Hispanic woman who went to the
Ob/Gyn clinic for a routine checkup. They advised the
patient that she should have a colposcopy performed; a minor
office procedure to help determine if there was abnormal
cervical cancer cell growth. Immediately following the
procedure, the patient felt a burning pain in her groin and
buttocks. She went home but returned to the emergency room
only a few hours later where 1st and 2nd degree burns were
observed in that area.
The records reflect that the patient was told that she had
an “allergic” reaction to the acetic acid used during the
procedure and that the burns would go away but to apply a
cream to them. However, upon further investigation we
disclosed that tri-choleric acid (a much more abrasive
agent) was used by mistake, causing the burns and permanent
scars. She was also compensated for the emotional suffering
that resulted from this malpractice.
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FALL FROM ROOF AT CONSTRUCTION SITE SETTLES
FOR $350,000
We represented a 42-year-old roofer who was installing
shingles on top of plywood sheathing. Because the sheaths
were staggered, some of the plywood sheets extended beyond
the last support beam. Apparently when the workmen left the
site on the Friday night before the fall, they did not cut
off the boards, thus leaving parts unsupported. The next
morning when our client stepped on the edge of the plywood
he fell 20 feet to the ground causing L1-L2 inter body
fractures, L-2 transverse process fracture, right
pneumothorax, right superior and inferior pubic rami
fractures, left navicular fracture, right calcaneal
fracture, concussion with loss of consciousness, and
multiple contusions and abrasions. He was admitted to the
hospital for several days.
In addition to the above complaints the medical records
document cognitive impairments and neuro-behavioral changes
including anxiety, emotional liability and difficult with
concentration, as well as anosmia (absence of the sense of
smell). In addition, personality testing indicated mild to
moderate degree of depression and anxiety. He was
recommended for a cognitive rehabilitation program designed
for traumatic brain injured patients. In addition to the
pain, suffering, permanent disability and impairment, past
and future lost wages there was a Workers Compensation lien
that had to be repaid.
The defense to the action refused to settle because they
believed that it was the laborer’s fault for walking off the
edge of the roof. We employed a firm of safety engineers,
with extensive backgrounds in work site accidents and
familiarity with OSHA and industry safety standards that
prepared an evaluation report. The experts stated that the
framing contractor violated the applicable safety standards,
thereby creating the dangerous condition and risk, which
directly led to the fall and subsequent injuries. Also, an
Occupational and Employability evaluation was performed and
it was determined that the plaintiff could no longer engage
in the same or similar type work, which could result in a
loss of future income of up to $600,000. Rather than risk a
rather substantial damage award, the insurance company
changed its “no pay” position and offered a fair amount of
money to settle the case.
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RECOVERY OF
$1.2 MILLION DOLLARS
This case involved a 39 year old tree trimmer who was working
in a bucket truck, or "cherry-picker", when it tipped over. He
fell 20 feet to the ground suffering multiple fractures and
traumatic brain injury. With the assistance of an electrical
engineer, work environment safety expert and OSHA we were able
to establish liability on the manufacturer of the truck. It
did not have stabilizer bars that were interlocked and,
therefore, they did not deploy automatically. As a result the
worker, who failed to set them, was up in the bucket when it
was moved too far causing him the fall to the ground. The
plaintiff claimed to sustain memory loss and was unable to
return to work. A nueropsychologist and a vocational expert
were consulted to prove the disability; a long-term health
care plan was formed and a forensic economist calculated the
lost wages and cost of future medical expenses. The case was
settled shortly before trial.
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JURY
VERDICT OF $450,000 SETTLED ON APPEAL
This case concerned a 5 year old little girl who put into
her mouth peeling paint chips from the window sill. The owner
of the building knew about the problem but did nothing to fix
it. The plaintiff was getting assistance from WIC which
required blood tests that disclosed high levels of lead. She
had to have painful chelating in the hospital and take special
vitamins to lower the level of lead in her body. School
records, teacher reports and parent observations showed that
the child had developmental delays and was a behavior problem
(she was hyperactive). The defendant file an appeal of the
verdict and the case was settled so that when the child turned
18 she would begin to receive monthly payments for the rest of
her life.
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MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
VERDICT $300,000
The plaintiff was a 60 year old woman with advanced arthritis
who went to an orthopedic surgeon who performed a total hip
replacement. After surgery she developed a "foot drop" that
became a permanent condition. Suit was brought against the
doctor who claimed that this result can occur in the absence
of malpractice. However, based on the medical records the jury
found that the doctor was liable because he cut a nerve during
the operation. There was no lost wage claim as the patient was
retired at the time.
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OPERATED DISC
SURGERY FROM SLIP AND FALL YIELDS $150,000
Our client was a 50 year old beautician who fell down steps at
work. The salon had been redesigned and the steps were
rebuilt. As she was going down the stairs to get her next
customer she slipped and fell hitting her back on the bottom
step. She didn't know what had caused her to fall but she hurt
her back which was diagnosed with a herniated disc by MRI.
After a try of conservative treatment she had epidural nerve
blocks, which did not help. Eventually she had surgery at the
Hospital for Special Surgery in NY. It was later established
that the stairway was dangerous because it was too steep and
there was no handrail. The jury returned a verdict against the
defendant and in favor of the plaintiff.
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25
Pompton Ave
Verona, NJ 07044-2938
Tel - (973) 239-5900
Fax - (973) 857-1818
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