Welcome To Our New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog

Public establishments in New Jersey are required to be safe for all those who lawfully visit. For property and business owners, this means fixing property that has fallen under disrepair, cleaning walkways and promptly removing foreign objects from floors. Unfortunately, cleaning or routine maintenance is sometimes neglected, resulting in hazardous conditions capable of injuring visitors and customers. Thousands of people are injured in slip-and-fall accidents every year across the country.

A lawsuit was recently filed in another state after a woman apparently fell in a convenience store and suffered injuries. According to the lawsuit, the woman was shopping in the store and was near an area where customers could get heated cheese dip. Allegedly, the woman stepped in melted cheese that had spilled on floor and this caused her to slip and fall.

New Jersey residents are privileged to have access to some of the most advanced health care technology in the world. However, technology can be rendered useless if a patient is not properly diagnosed. A correct and timely diagnosis is possibly the most important step in successful medical treatment. The wrong diagnosis can have disastrous and permanent effects for patients and families. A medical malpractice claim filed in another state alleged that a misdiagnosis led to a young man suffering permanent injuries.

According to the lawsuit, the man visited the emergency room with complaints of numbness in his feet, chest pain and overall weakness. The lawsuit said his doctor ordered an MRI scan for the plaintiff, who was 18 years old at the time. An MRI contrast scan uses dye to make the images clearer, but the doctor allegedly ordered the man undergo an MRI without contrast.

Construction workers don't always realize it, but they put their safety at risk every day. If an accident happens, it's critical to take steps to protect both your health and legal rights.

Here are some of the most common causes of construction worker injuries:

• Fall from height: When working at height, such as on a ladder or roof, a fall to the ground below has the potential to cause serious injury or even death. Even with safety gear in use, an accident can still occur.
• Slip-and-fall: There are many reasons for a construction site slip-and-fall accident, such as debris and uneven ground.
• Falling objects: Just as those working at height can fall to the ground, the same holds true of the items they're using. For example, if a co-worker drops a tool from the roof of a building, it could strike you with enough force on the ground to cause a serious injury, such as a traumatic brain injury.
• Equipment accidents: For example, if a nail gun misfires, you're at risk of injury. The same holds true if a forklift tips over and you're working in close proximity.
• Vehicle accidents: Maybe you're responsible for operating a vehicle, such as a forklift or dump truck, on a construction site. Or maybe you work closely to moving vehicles throughout your day. Either way, you're always at risk of an accident.
• Crush accident: This can result from many circumstances, such as if a heavy object falls on you or you find yourself between a vehicle and a wall. These accidents almost always result in serious injuries.
• Repetitive motion injuries: Using the same body part, day after day, can cause a repetitive motion injury. For instance, heavy lifting can cause damage to the shoulders, elbows, hands and wrists.

There is little doubt that part of what attracts people to work in the construction industry in Clinton is the opportunity to avoid the confines of the office and work outdoors. Yet when winter arrives, that benefit can quickly become a hardship, as cold temperatures and winter weather can both delay work and put employees at risk of injuries due to exposure.

The common school of thought may be that the only injuries or illnesses that one may face from exposure to cold weather are frostbite and colds or pneumonia. Yet according to Workcare.com, winter weather exposure can also produce the following:

• Hypothermia: An abnormally low body temperature
• Trench foot: Tissue loss in the feet due to slowed circulation to the extremities
• Chilblains: Damaged capillary beds (small blood vessels in the skin)