The Cassidy Law Firm Blog

What does it cost to file for bankruptcy?

Your tax refund could mean many things, including a new car, much-needed vacation, or even a way out of oppressive debt.  Filing for bankruptcy can be costly, but your tax refund could offer just the funds you need to escape from your debt.  Chapter 7 bankruptcy can eliminate most or all of your unsecured debts, allowing you to achieve a fresh start in life.  Bankruptcy filings surge during the months of March and April each year, indicating that many Americans take advantage of their tax refunds to file for bankruptcy.  Our Read more . . .

What causes fatal work injuries in New Jersey?

A recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that fatal work injuries are on the rise in New Jersey.  In March of 2015, fatal work injuries totaled nearly 100 in the state, a ten percent increase from the previous year.  A similar trend was revealed nationwide, with 4,836 fatal occupational injuries recorded in 2015, up from 4,821 in 2014.
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Can I sue my employer outside of the workers’ compensation system?

Each year, approximately 5,000 employees are killed in workplace accidents, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Millions more employees sustain injuries or illnesses that require time off work.  Seriously injured employees may find themselves with considerable medical bills and the inability to return to their prior job position.  For most injured employees, recourse against your employer will be limited to the remedies set out in the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Statute, or N.J.
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How much time do I have to file my personal injury claim in New Jersey?

A recent decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court has altered longstanding rules with respect to the statute of limitations and choice of law for tort claims.  The case, entitled McCarrell v. Hoffman-La Roche, will have a significant impact on personal injury cases in the state.  Our Read more . . .

Does Workers Compensation cover an employee on the grounds of the workplace?

While employees are not covered by workers’ compensation during the time they commute to and from work, a Commonwealth Court in Philadelphia has just ruled that the employee of a convenience store who was shot while sitting in a car just outside his workplace, is entitled to workers’ benefits. Clearly, the circumstances under which workers’ compensation is available to employees are not cut and dried.

One of the questions we get asked the most by potential clients is how much money a particular injury might be worth. It’s a good question to ask, but a somewhat difficult one to answer. Every person and every injury are different, and these differences play a big factor in determining how much an individual might be able to get if they file a lawsuit against the parties responsible for their injuries.

When Lack of Informed Consent Leads to Medical Malpractice

We rely on doctors and other medical professionals to provide us with quality care, as well as all the relevant information about treatments so that we can make choices about our care. In fact, state law requires doctors to obtain a patient's "informed consent" before performing a planned medical procedure such as surgery or special treatment for an illness. If a doctor fails to obtain this consent and the patient is injured as a result of the treatment, there may be grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

What is informed consent?

A doctor has a legal obligation to provide a patient will all the relevant information about a planned procedure or treatment. This information must be provided in plain language that the patient can understand and include a description of the procedure, risks and potential complications, alternative her treatment options, and the prognosis.

If you have been injured in an accident, you are probably drowning in solicitations from personal injury attorneys. They send you letters and ads, call you on the phone, and may even come to visit you.

Typically, if someone gets hurt because they are drunk on the job, they are not going to be able to get workers’ compensation to pay for their injuries. But a recent ruling from a New Jersey appeals court highlights an exception to the rule against covering injuries to people who are intoxicated.
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Why did Jared Kushner end litigation over a dispute with two New Jersey restaurants?

President-Elect Donald Trump has praised his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying that the 35-year-old businessman could play a role in trying to bring peace to the Middle East.

Whether or not that is possible, Kushner has brought some peace to Long Branch, New Jersey by agreeing to a settlement in a lawsuit brought by two local businesses. Kushner had been seeking to evict Stewart's Root Beer and Corner Café & Bistro from his Pier Village development but has now relented.

Developer Did Not Countersign Renewal Leases for the Restaurants

The lawsuit arose over a lease dispute between the two restaurants and the Kushner Companies, Kushner's development company. The restaurants had been leasing at Pier Village years, but their leases were both due for renewal in 2015, not long after the original developer of Pier Village sold the retail premises to Kushner's company and another company.

Last month the Star-Ledger published a story about a Bergen County woman who filed a lawsuit against her local ShopRite for injuries she allegedly suffered when she slipped and fell on a string bean while grocery shopping. The story was very straight-forward, but it was promoted in a manner that invited ridicule.

And ridicule people did. Nearly all the comments on the story either poke fun at the plaintiff, or suggest her suit is frivolous. This is a sad reflection of the state of public opinion of litigation, and an invitation for the news media to run more click-bait stories on cases that have strange or funny sounding facts.