Burlington Personal Injury Law Blog

Drivers more likely to text or email than talk on phone

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

A recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report found that drivers in New Jersey are talking on their cellphones less but using them more in other ways. While behind the wheel, people were 57% likelier to use their phones to send emails, text or perform other actions than they were to make phone calls. The study compared two observation-based surveys that were conducted in 2014 and 2018.

According to a co-author of the research, drivers were using their phones in ways that are riskier in the more recent study. The report did not find that distracted driving increased overall but indicated that drivers are operating their phones more and talking on them less.

Burnout among workers is now a diagnosable condition

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. posted in Workplace Accidents on Monday, November 25, 2019.

In New Jersey, as elsewhere, burnout is becoming a problem for many workers across a range of industries. Burnout is now a diagnosable condition according to the World Health Organization. The WHO defines it in its occupational context as a syndrome arising from poorly managed workplace stress that leads to feelings of physical exhaustion and a great mental distance from one's job.

It can be accompanied by cynical thoughts about one's job, anxiety, irritability and an overall lack of concentration on one's work. Burnout can also be a serious job-related hazard. Burnt-out workers are known to delay in responding to emergencies and fall behind in their work, and they can also misuse heavy machinery and engage in unsafe driving. They may even get in arguments and fights with other employees.

Drive safely on wintry roads throughout New Jersey

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. on Monday, November 25, 2019.

You have to ensure that you are ready for driving in the wintry precipitation when it comes. Preparing for this starts before the roads get bad, so make sure that you take the time to go over this checklist and ensure that you and your vehicle are ready.

Remember, as wintry precipitation begins to fall, some drivers might mistake the way it will impact the road. They might not remember they need more time to stop and that some cars will take a longer time to start. This means you always need to give other vehicles extra space when the roads aren't clear.

Holidays are peak times for dog attacks

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. on Monday, November 25, 2019.

Around holidays, parents of small children have plenty of tasks to occupy them in their preparations for the celebrations. With all the frantic activities that happen on holidays, they may no longer be paying as close attention to what's going on around their children in relatives' homes.

However, if they are in a home of a dog owner, failing to properly supervise the kids' interactions with the canine can end very badly for both the children and the dog.

Number of large truck accident deaths on the rise

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data showing that the number of accidents causing trucker fatalities is rising. According to the NHTSA, 885 truck occupants were killed in crashes during the year 2018, representing an increase of nearly 1% over 2017 and the highest number of truck occupant deaths since 1988, when 911 large truck occupants died in crashes. The overall number of fatalities related to large truck crashes in New Jersey and other states also rose.

According to the NHTSA, large truck crashes resulted in 4,678 fatalities during 2018, which is nearly a 1% increase over the year 2017, when 4,369 people died in large truck accidents. The agency added that 2018 was the fourth year in a row during which the number of truck crash fatalities increased. The number of pedestrian fatalities related to large truck crashes rose by 13% in 2018. A spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said the data give good reason not to loosen trucking safety regulations.

Child injured in zip lining accident sparks lawsuit

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. posted in premises liability on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

Hazardous conditions can cause injury and death in New Jersey and across the nation. Those responsible for the safety of others must take steps to mitigate the risk. This is especially true with certain activities such as zip lining. Since these recreational locations are often marketed to children and families, people who have been hurt as a Florida 10-year-old recently was should know what steps they must take in the aftermath.

In the accident, the boy fell 20 feet from a zip line. The child was not secured in the apparatus as he should have been. The accident was labeled by Florida's Department of Agriculture to be due to operator error. In a video clip, the child is seen holding an object above his head while zip lining on a track. At the end of the track, he flew in the air and fell to the concrete.

Overview of the process for making a workers' compensation claim

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. posted in Workers' Compensation on Thursday, November 7, 2019.

Employers in New Jersey carry workers' compensation insurance to provide benefits to workers hurt or killed on the job. The benefits generally pay for medical treatments after a workplace injury or illness occurs. Injured workers who miss work due to an accident or illness will likely qualify for benefits that pay roughly two-thirds of their salaries until they can return to work. When workplace accidents result in deaths, the insurance could cover burial expenses and provide a death settlement to a family. To collect these benefits, an injured worker must initiate an insurance claim within the deadlines established by the policy.

People should get medical treatment as soon as possible after being hurt at work or sickened by a toxic exposure. Waiting to seek medical care could reduce a worker's ability to collect benefits. After getting medical care, a worker must tell the employer about the illness or injury. The employer should provide the necessary paperwork and connect the employee to the insurer.

Beware of shoppers' injuries this Black Friday

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. on Monday, November 4, 2019.

Do you know that some retailers don't begin to turn a profit each year until Black Friday — the day after the nation celebrates Thanksgiving? It's true. This day dedicated to unabashed consumerism often marks the point in the year where retailers move from indebtedness to solvency due to the crush of holiday shoppers seeking rock-bottom bargains.

Of course, it is impossible for the supply to meet the demands of increasingly aggressive consumers. Some shoppers even try to take the law into their own hands and grapple with other bargain hunters, snatching the merchandise from their arms. In years past, shoppers have been killed and scores more injured in pursuit of the best bargains and lowest prices.

Workers' comp benefits for injured employees

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. posted in Workers' Compensation on Sunday, November 3, 2019.

When people are injured in a New Jersey workplace, they may face medical bills and be forced to spend time away from the job. The workers' compensation system entitles people hurt at work to receive benefits that can defray these mounting expenses. For example, workers' comp generally covers medical care, including bills, prescriptions and travel to the hospital. In some cases, workers may need to use specific doctors to treat their injuries for a certain period. In order to protect their rights, injured workers can also report workplace accidents right away and receive prompt treatment.

Workers who are too injured to return to the job right away may be able to receive temporary disability payments to cover their lost wages through workers' compensation. There are limits to the amount received under this program, so it may not cover the full amount of pay lost due to the injury. In most cases, these payments are around two-thirds of an injured worker's normal salary every two weeks. It can take a few weeks for these payments to start arriving.

What rights do you have as a victim of a New Jersey dog attack?

On behalf of Casey Colonna of Smith Magram Michaud Colonna, P.C. on Wednesday, October 23, 2019.

Owning a dog, much like raising a child, involves assuming substantial responsibility. Although you can't really predict what an animal may do despite how well you train it, you as the owner are typically responsible for what that dog does, at least in the state of New Jersey.

For those who find themselves suffering injuries after a vicious dog bite attack, these rules may be particularly comforting. You have the right to hold a dog's owner accountable if the dog ran loose and attacked you or if they viciously bit you while you were legally visiting the property of the owner.