New Jersey Injury Lawyers Blog

Increased Patrols Aim to Discourage Driving Under the Influence

September 4, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

New Jersey State Police (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New Jersey takes its campaign against drunk driving seriously and often beefs up its efforts around holidays, like the recent Labor Day weekend. (1) Penalties for driving under the influence are stiff and can severely impact your everyday life. If, after reading the following, you need the assistance of a Hunterdon County lawyer for a DUI traffic violation, contact the personal injury attorneys at Ragland Law Firm of Lebanon, N.J.

According to the New Jersey State Police website, there were 373 fatalities in 355 motor vehicle accidents so far this year as of the time this blog was written. (2) While not all of these accidents are attributable to drunk driving, many are. It has been reported that 20% of the traffic fatalities in the state in 2010 were related to alcohol use. (1)

Settlement Reached in Baseball Bat Lawsuit

August 27, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

Professional baseball bats are typically made of ash or maple; hickory used to be popular, as well. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The family of a Wayne, NJ teen injured while playing baseball reached a settlement for $14.5 million in a lawsuit that questioned whether the use of metal baseball bats should be permitted in youth league games. (1) If, after reading the following, you need assistance with a similar situation, particularly in Hunterdon County, contact the personal injury lawyers at Ragland Law Firm of Lebanon.

In June 2006 Steven Domalewski, then 12 years old, was hit in the chest by a ball while pitching; the ball had been hit off of a metal bat. The ball hit Steven at the precise instant between heartbeats, sending him into cardiac arrest. Although CPR was administered quickly, Steven’s brain had been deprived of oxygen for more than 15 minutes. The incident left him brain-damaged and today, at age 18, he is still unable to perform daily functions independently. (1)

State’s High Court Rules Emotional Damages Cannot Be Awarded for Death of a Pet

August 3, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

The batteries died in my speedlite and Ginger thought it was now safe to look into the camera and smile. BURN! Pop up built-in flash! (Photo credit: colorblindPICASO)

You may consider Rover a member of the family, but the NJ State Supreme Court does not, at least when it comes to awarding emotional damages. If, after reading the following, you need the assistance of a Hunterdon County lawyer with an emotional damages lawsuit, contact the personal injury attorneys at Ragland Law Firm in Lebanon, N.J.

The ruling stems from a case first reported in this blog in August 2011. The case was filed by Joyce McDougall, who, while walking her Maltese-poodle mix in a Morris Plains neighborhood, witnessed the dog being mauled to death by another, larger dog. The owner of the second dog, Charlot Lamm, admitted liability. McDougall filed a lawsuit seeking the cost of replacing her dog as well as emotional damages from witnessing the attack. (1)

New Guidelines Could Help Identify Responsibility for Sidewalk Maintenance

July 23, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

138-365 Retake of Daily Shoot DS132 Sidewalk Scene (Photo credit: krossbow)

Who is responsible for maintaining sidewalks in New Jersey? The answer to that question is about as gray as the concrete the sidewalks are made from, but it can be very important to anyone involved in an accident resulting from a hazardous walkway. If, after reading the following, you need assistance with a slip-and-fall accident on a faulty sidewalk, particularly in Hunterdon County, contact Victor A. Rotolo and the personal injury lawyers at Ragland Law Firm.

Essentially sidewalks are considered public areas, meaning the public has the right-of-way to access that area without being at risk of trespassing. (1) As such, there is an obligation to keep those walkways safe and in good repair. Whose responsibility that is right now depends largely on what kind of property abuts the sidewalk.

Sharing the Road with Motorcycles Requires Caution

July 6, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

New Jersey Route 12 in Hunterdon County. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The warm weather sees an influx of motorcycles on the State’s roadways and, with that, a greater potential for serious traffic accidents. If you or someone you know is involved in a motorcycle accident, particularly in Hunterdon County, the personal injury lawyers at Ragland Law Firm of Lebanon, N.J., can help.

According to the Federal Highway Authority, New Jersey sees about 2,500 motorcycle accidents each year; of those, 70 or more are fatal. (1) Motorcyclists in New Jersey are subject to the same rules and regulations as other motorists, including speed limits, traffic signals and road warnings. (2)

When Cruising with Your Best Friend, Make Sure Fido Buckles Up

June 24, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

English: A cat on a car. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is lots of talk in New Jersey lately about distracted driving. Most of those discussions revolve around talking and/or texting on cell phones while behind the wheel. There is another form of distracted driving that New Jerseyans — pet lovers in particular — should be aware of. If you have issues or questions regarding distracted driving violations, particularly in Hunterdon County, the personal injury lawyers at Ragland Law Firm in Lebanon can be of assistance.

There is a law on the books in New Jersey that grants both police and animal control officers the right to ticket drivers whose animals are not restrained while riding in their cars or trucks. Violators can be fined between $250 and $1,000 for each offense, plus possible jail time. (1)

Could You Be Responsible if Your Dog Causes A Traffic Accident? Possibly

June 24, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

A picture of my dog. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A recent national survey of pet owners disclosed that 39% of all households in the U.S. include at least one dog. (1) That equates to a lot of people enjoying the benefits of their canine companions, but with those benefits come responsibilities, some of which are not so obvious. If you need help sorting through the responsibilities and liabilities of dog ownership in Hunterdon County, the personal injury lawyers at Ragland Law Firm of Lebanon can help.

New Jersey has a dog-bite statute which holds the dog owner responsible if his or her dog bites anyone in a public place or on private property as long as the person bitten was on that property lawfully. Under this statute, the dog owner is strictly liable even if he or she had no knowledge of the dog’s potential for viciousness. This statute, however, applies only to dog bites and no other injuries that may be caused by the dog. (2)

Personal Injury — How to Tell If You Have a Case

June 9, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

English: Barking Dog (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may be entitled to recover damages through a personal injury lawsuit if the injuries you have suffered are due to the negligence of others. Laws governing personal injury cases vary by state and the lawsuits themselves can be complex. The following provides some information on evaluating your personal injury case, but if you need a personal injury attorney who is experienced in such matters, contact Ragland Law Firm located in Lebanon, NJ.

Personal injuries have numerous causes: vehicular accidents of any kind (car, bus, boat, motorcycle), falls, defective products, industrial accidents, certain medical procedures including childbirth, and even dog bites. The key to distinguishing between an unfortunate accident and a personal injury case is whether or not the accident was caused by the carelessness or negligence of another party.

Basic Steps to Help You Recover Damages from a Motor Vehicle Accident

May 25, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

A Chevrolet Malibu involved in a rollover crash (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A motor vehicle accident can shake up even an experienced driver. Staying calm and following a few basic steps can help you collect insurance claims or file a personal injury lawsuit if it comes to that.

First, stay at the scene of the accident. Leaving the scene could result in penalties, including suspension of your driver’s license, and could definitely hurt your insurance claims or lawsuit. (1)

When An Accident Results from Distracted Driving Are Both Parties to the Text Responsible?

May 7, 2012 | The Victor Rotolo Law Firm

Texting on a qwerty keypad phone (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By now most people are aware that distracted driving – particularly talking or, perhaps worse, texting on cell phones – is to blame for an increasing number of motor vehicle accidents. Studies show texting drivers have a slower reaction time than even those with the legal alcohol limit in their systems and that distracted drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents than non-distracted drivers.(1) But what role does the person on the other side of the phone play? That’s the question one New Jersey couple is asking the courts to address.(2) If, after reading the following, you need a Hunterdon County lawyer to assist you with a similar motor vehicle violation, contact the personal injury attorneys at Ragland Law Firm in Lebanon, N.J.

On Sept. 21, 2009, David and Linda Kubert were riding their motorcycle when they were struck by a pick-up truck driven by then 18-year-old Kyle Best. Each of the Kuberts lost a leg as a result of the accident. Police later determined Best was looking at his cell phone at the time of the crash. He was cited for careless driving, failure to use a hands-free device, and making an unsafe lane change. He pled guilty and was ordered to pay fines of $775 and address 14 high schools on distracted driving dangers; he was allowed to keep his driver’s license without suspension however. (2)