"Top Personal Injury Award of the Year 2007"

Litigation over a parking garage collapse at Atlantic City's Tropicana Resort settled during the year 2007 for an amount in excess of $101 million dollars. The accident killed four workers on the job site, and injured thirty-two other workers, whose cases were consolidated for litigation purposes. The global settlement provided for approximately $82.5 million dollars in cash, $2 million paid toward cases already settled, $8.2 million in reductions of workers' compensation liens, and $8.3 million dollars toward future medical expenses...Continued

"Everybody Loves 'Free Stuff"

Everybody loves receiving items, whether it be pens, coffee cups, magnets, bumper stickers or sound legal advice, especially when it is free. Typically, an hour of sound legal advice may cost someone from $100.00 to $300.00. Many law firms, in an effort to make legal advice easily available to the general public, offer absolutely free initial consultations. Unfortunately, many people who are in need of timely legal advice are under the mistaken impression that they cannot afford to meet with an attorney. Many new clients are surprised to learn that not only is the initial consultation free, but depending on the type of legal matter, an attorney may be willing to represent the individual with no initial legal fees...Continued

"Suffering Because Your Job?"

You may feel pain in your knees, legs, back, neck or shoulders? Your job may require you to do frequent lifting or to stand on your feet all day. It is possible you have been diagnosed or treated for a condition aggravated by your job. If these conditions sound familiar you may qualify for benefits under the Worker’s Compensation Law. Your job may require frequent use of your hands or arms. Many workers must repeat the same repetitive motion over and over again. This repetitive motion over the course of time can cause pain and injury. This type of injury is called an occupational injury and it can occur in ways such as working on a computer all day or working daily on an assembly line...Continued

"Drunk Driving Laws Just Got Tougher"

On January 20th, 2004, Governor McGreevey signed into law amendments to the drunk driving statute, N.J.S.A. 39:4-50. The new law increases the penalties for first time offenders as well as multiple offenders. Prior to January 20th, 2004, the blood alcohol content (BAC) at which a person is guilty of drunk driving was 0.10%. Under the new law, first time offenders whose BAC is 0.08% or higher, but less that 0.10% will lose their driver’s license for a period of three months. If their BAC is 0.10% or higher, they will lose their drivers license for seven months to one year. The bill also clarified the penalties for refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test after being arrested for drunk driving. Under the bill, the persons who refuse to submit to the breathalyzer would lose their license for seven months to one year for a first offense...Continued

"Do I Really Need An Attorney?"

When an attorney is meeting with a new client, they are usually presented with a set of facts unique to that person's legal matter. A common question asked during the consultation is "Do I need an attorney to handle this matter?" While it is not mandatory to have legal representation, it may be necessary. The simple answer to this question is any individual who is a party to a lawsuit may represent themselves. However, as experience shows, the simple answer is not always the right answer. To find the right answer, the individual must look at their own personal experiences and education to decide whether they are competent and confident enough to handle their own legal representation...Continued

"New Jersey Workers' Compensation Reforms"

A package of bills that make the first significant changes in nearly 30 years to New Jersey's $1.8 billion workers' compensation insurance system have won final legislative approval. The Assembly and Senate finished work on six reform bills, including one hat empowers workers' compensation judges to seek contempt-of-court orders against insurers or attorneys who delay benefit claims (S1913) and another (S1914) that makes failing to provide workers' compensation coverage a criminal offense. Other pieces of the reform package require fast-tracked hearings on urgent medicals claims (S1916) and a bill (S1917) that gives labor unions and business organizations a voice on the insurer-dominated panel that sets the cost of workers' compensation insurance policies. ..Continued

"Injured at Work? How can an Attorney Help Me?"

When an employee is injured at work, he or she is entitled to Workers Compensation Benefits. But did you know that an injured worker may also sue a third party that is responsible for the worker's injury, even though he receives Workers Compensation? The Law Office of Doner & Castro recently participated in the largest construction accident litigation settlement in the history of New Jersey. Henry L. Doner, Esquire, represented two claimants who were injured when the Tropicana garage collapsed in Atlantic City, on October 30, 2003. Each of the claimants was entitled to Workers Compensation Benefits. However, since the cause of the collapse was not due to their negligence, they were entitled to bring claims against the other parties involved in the construction project, who may have been at fault for the collapse. Ultimately, the workers received awards for both Workers Compensation, and for Personal Injury...Continued

"The Straight News About Workers' Comp"

There are three types of benefits available to an employee who is seeking Workers' Compensation. The first benefit is for medical treatment. Usually, the first medical provider is a company doctor, or an occupational health center set up to treat and evaluate work injuries. When an employee has a more serious type of injury, the initial physician will make a referral to a specialist for further treatment. As long as the treatment is being rendered by an authorized caregiver, the employer, or the employer's insurance company will pay for that treatment. The second type of benefit is for temporary wage loss. When an employee is out of work and treating with an authorized medical provider, he is entitled to temporary wage benefits equal to 70 percent of the average weekly wage at the time of the injury...Continued

"Delay, Deny & Defend"

Delay, deny and defend is exactly the motto of the insurance industry, according to a report released on July 9, 2008, by the American Association for Justice (AAJ). "The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America" report shows amongst the rankings a distinct pattern of insurance industry greed amongst 10 companies that refuse to pay just claims, employ hardball tactics against policyholders, reward executives with extravagant salaries, and raise premiums while hoarding excessive profits. "While Allstate publicly touts its 'good hands' approach, it has instead privately instructed its agents to employ a 'boxing gloves' strategy against its policyholders," said American Association for Justice CEO Jon Haber. "Allstate ducks, bobs and weaves to avoid paying claims to increase its profits."..Continued

"Did You Have an Accident With an Uninsured Driver?"

Many drivers are involved in accidents that are not their fault. You may be driving your automobile and sitting at a stop sign completely stopped. While you are stopped, another driver on that road strikes your vehicle from behind. The striking vehicle would most likely be liable or responsible for the accident. What happens when the striking vehicle does not have valid automobile insurance at the time of the accident? Once police arrive at the scene of the accident, the drivers will be asked to produce their license, registration, and insurance cards. If the driver of the vehicle which struck you cannot provide a valid insurance card they should be issued a traffic ticket for failing to be properly insured. The drivers will both be notified of a court date which will be scheduled with the appropriate municipal court...Continued