The Cassidy Law Firm Blog

Why is there a surge in soccer injuries throughout the U.S.?

A research study based on 25 years of collected data demonstrates an unmistakable increase in injuries to this country's soccer players as evidenced by the number of such injuries treated in emergency rooms throughout the nation. The study shows that while there were 106 soccer injuries per 10,000 players in 1990, by 2013 that number had risen to 220 per 10,000 players. There is not yet enough information to formulate such statistics for 2014 forward, but the data already available attests to the fact that 3 million soccer players, aged 7 to 17, received ER treatment between 2000 and 2014.

Is distracted driving illegal in New Jersey?

Texting while driving has been getting plenty of attention in the media and for good reason: drivers distracted by cell phones often cause accidents in New Jersey. Of course, drivers can also become distracted while tuning the radio, or talking to other passengers. Now, state lawmakers are considering a bill that would restrict drivers from a number of other distractions including eating, drinking beverages such as coffee, reading or using electronic devices. This measure would add to state laws that already ban the use of hand-held cell phones and texting while driving.

The proposed bill, introduced by New Jersey Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) and Nicholas Chiaravalloti (D-Hudson) calls for fines and possible license suspension for repeat offenders.

Returning from a vacation to find one's house burgled and vandalized can be extremely disconcerting. But it's especially upsetting when it turns out that the culprit is homeowner's mortgage lender.

According to a civil lawsuit filed in a Morris County, New Jersey court, the lender hired subcontractors to break into the plaintiff's home.

Do I need uninsured motorist coverage in New Jersey?

In April 2013, a Hackensack woman was seriously injured in an accident at Bergen Community College. While driving a Toyota Rav4 she was rear-ended by an Englewood man who was driving a Honda Accord. The woman's attorneys claimed she suffered permanent damage to her neck and spine, but the driver of the Honda was uninsured.

However, the woman was recently awarded $1.2 million after she filed a lawsuit against her own insurance company, Allstate.

What are the consequences of ignoring court orders in a civil lawsuit?

In "Girls Gone Wild" videos there may be no rules, but the New Jersey courts, breaking the rules can lead to a multi-million dollar judgment and threats of arrest.

In a civil lawsuit, plaintiff Ashley Arpaio, a Sussex County dental assistant, sued Joe Francis, the producer behind the salacious videos, after a woman in one of his videos falsely identified herself as Arpaio and held up a driver's license to buttress the claim. In fact, the woman was Ashley Dupre, a prostitute better known for her involvement in the downfall of Eliot Spitzer.

Can you be held responsible for injuries sustained in an accident in which you were texting the driver?

You are cruising down the highway when your phone starts to ring. It is a text message so you grab your phone, even though you know you shouldn’t, and begin to read. All of a sudden a truck stops short in front of you and you rear end them. The driver tells the police that he saw you texting and driving a moment before the collision. Not only is this a crime in most states, but it also creates civil liability on your part.

When is a patient's addiction to prescription drugs grounds for a malpractice lawsuit?

According to statistics collected nationwide, deaths from drug overdoses have risen for 11 years, tripling since 1990. Most of these fatalities result from overuse of prescription painkillers.

The vast majority of these deaths -- approximately three-quarters -- are believed to have been accidental, while others were suicides or the result of undetermined causes. Many of these cases have led to Read more . . .

A recent study shows that medical errors may be the third leading cause of non-violent death in the U.S., claiming over a quarter of a million lives. But for residents of New Jersey, finding out about deadly mistakes is now more difficult because of a recent decision by a New Jersey appellate division court.

Reports on Medical Mistakes Remain Confidential

A three-judge panel has held that hospital error reports filed with the New Jersey Department of Health after a patient injury or death are not discoverable in medical malpractice litigation.

Did you know that medical errors are now the third most common cause of death in the United States? They rank only behind heart disease and cancer, and kill an estimated 700 people per day. This is crazy! Seeking medical care should not be as scary as the illness you are seeking care for!

It is unclear what the exact rate of medical errors is here in Monmouth County, or even in New Jersey as a whole since that data is almost impossible to get a hold of. However, we do have data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on how many medical malpractice payments were made in New Jersey each year from 2004 to 2014.

Must a retailer receive notice about a dangerous condition before it can be held liable in a slip and fall case?

In an appeal of a recent lawsuit against the retailer Costco, the plaintiff will get a new trial because the jury was not correctly instructed on the question of notice.

Retailers generally have an obligation to maintain their premises properly and may be held liable for injuries caused by unsafe conditions. In some cases, they must receive notice of a hazard before they can be held liable for failure to eliminate it. But in others no notice is needed. When a business's general "mode of operation" causes a hazard, however, a plaintiff may not be required to prove that the business was notified of the hazard.

A couple months ago, a gynecologist from Tenafly, New Jersey who practiced in New York City pled guilty to sexually assaulting two women he had examined. Dr. Robert Hadden admitted that he had “engaged in an act of oral sexual conduct against a patient for no valid medical purpose” and “intentionally and for no legitimate purpose forcibly touched the sexual and intimate parts of [another patient].” Hadden’s medical license has been revoked, and he must register as a sex offender, but it is still unclear whether the at least twenty women who have come forward as victims will be able to sue him in civil court for monetary damages. 

This is distressing, but it is something we see every day.