New Jersey Injury Lawyers Blog

Send Your Kids Back to School Safely

August 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

In just a few short weeks children in our area will be returning to school. The transition from the more relaxed routine of summer vacation to the hustle and bustle of fall activities can be chaotic. In the rush to get everyone out the door on time, it’s easy to overlook minor details. Now might a good time to review some safety tips to help ensure your kids enjoy an injury-free school year.

Planning a travel route to and from school is a good place to start. Whether your child walks, bikes, or takes a school bus, reviewing basic traffic rules can help them get there safely. But travel isn’t the only area that poses a potential risk for injury. In her article, “Back to School Safety Tips,” Terry Hurley offers tips on such issues as backpack safety, bullying awareness, and even packing safe school lunches.

Johnson & Johnson Again Faces Damages over Talc Products; Plans Appeal

July 16, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

A Missouri jury recently ordered pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson to pay $4.14 billion in punitive damages to 22 defendants who claimed use of the company’s talc products led to their development of ovarian cancer. This comes on top of an award of $550 million in compensatory damages, for a grand total of $4.69 billion ordered by that jury, making this the 6^th largest jury verdict in U.S. history in a defective products case.

This is the latest in a series of cases against J&J claiming a correlation between extended use of the company’s talc products, including baby powder, and ovarian cancer. A small number of those cases, including the Missouri case cited above, contend that the company’s talc products are contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen.

A spokesperson for the company stated that J&J, which has been successful in getting past verdicts related to this issue reversed, plans to appeal this latest verdict on grounds that it was the result of a “fundamentally unfair process.” To learn more about this ongoing court battle, read “Johnson & Johnson told to pay $4.7 billion in baby powder case.”

Cycling Laws and Precautions To Help You Avoid Injury

June 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

Each year as summer approaches, more and more bicyclists hit the road to take advantage of the warmer weather and longer daylight hours. Whether you are riding on a major street or on a back country road, sharing the road with other motor vehicles presents a risk for serious injury. According to the most recently available statistics, there were more than 800 bicycle fatalities on U.S. roads in 2015. That number represents over 2% of all U.S. traffic deaths for that year.

New Jersey has laws about sharing the road designed to make it safer for both motorists and cyclists. The laws for cyclists cover everything from safety equipment to where on the road they should ride. To learn more about how to keep yourself and your family members safe while bicycling this summer, read “NJ Bike Laws and Safety – Here’s What You Should Know.”

The Not-So-Hidden Dangers in Your Home

May 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

Most people like to think of home as their safe haven, yet each year millions of Americans suffer from injuries caused by common, everyday items found in their homes. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that last year approximately 14 million people in the U.S. were treated for injuries caused by household objects; some 9,000 of those injuries proved fatal. This risk is compounded if the items in question are defective or not used as intended.

The list of household items most likely to cause injury ranges from the obvious (ladders and cutlery) to the more obscure (ceilings and tables). To see the list of the top 20 most dangerous items in the home and who is most at risk from each, read “11 dangerous everyday things in your home that cause the most injuries.”

Are You Using Your Child’s Car Seat Correctly?

April 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

For decades now parents have understood that, when traveling by car, the best way to protect their young children from injury in the event of an accident was to make sure the children were properly secured in their car seats. But questions relating to the proper use of car seats still plaque parents and caregivers today: What type of car seat does my child need? Have I installed the car seat correctly? At what age should I turn the car seat around?

New Jersey is one of eight states to have laws stipulating that children under the age of two years be placed in rear-facing car seats. Studies have shown that these seats offer the most protection for very young children in front- and side-impact collisions. Now, a new study reveals this is true for rear-impact accidents as well. To learn more, read “Don’t turn around: . . .”

Are Self-Driving Cars the Answer to New Jersey’s Increasing Fatality Rate?

March 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

In 2015 New Jersey joined several other states in adopting a traffic safety strategy to cut the number of traffic accident-related deaths in half by the year 2030, yet traffic fatalities in the State continue to rise.

A recent report by the New Jersey State Police revealed there were 46 accident-related deaths in the State this past January, one more than in January 2017 and four more than in January 2016. Distracted driving was identified as a major contributor to this increasing fatality rate, leading some to believe that the eventual introduction of self-driving cars could play a major role in reducing the number of accidents and related injuries and deaths in the State. To learn more, read “NJ Counting on Self-Driving Cars to Cut Traffic Deaths by Half.”

Drowsy Driving – A Bigger Problem Than Originally Suspected

February 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

We’re overtired, overindulged and overstimulated and it is affecting our driving. In fact, recent data shows just how serious these issues, particularly drowsy driving, have become and automakers are making strides in doing something to help combat our bad driving habits and reduce the number of accidents on our roadways.

The risks associated with drunk driving and distracted driving have been widely publicized, but not as much attention has been given to the dangers of drowsy driving. A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that it’s a bigger problem than originally suspected. In fact, the Foundation reported that 9.5 percent of all crashes in the study involved sleep-deprived drivers, as did 10.8 percent of the more serious accidents. This contradicts an earlier federal report that put the drowsy-driving accident rate at only 1 to 2 percent.

Most drivers admit to being aware of the risks associated with driving while tired, yet we still continue to fight the need for sleep. In the meantime, automobile manufacturers are looking for ways to help alleviate the problem. To learn more about this threat to roadway safety and what steps are being taken to combat it, read “Drowsy driving is eight times more prevalent than government data suggests, says AAA.”

New Jersey’s ‘Move Over’ Law – Do You Follow It?

January 15, 2018 | Rotolo Karch Law

What do you do when you’re driving and you see emergency lights flashing on the side of the road? What does the law say you should do?

In New Jersey, the law requires motorists to switch lanes, provided they can do so safely, and reduce their speed when passing emergency vehicles pulled off to the shoulder of the road. This law is intended to help protect emergency responders and those they are assisting from potential injuries from passing motorists. Emergency responders, however, are concerned that too many motorists either are unaware of the law or choose to ignore it. To find out more about motorists’ reactions in emergency situations, read “Do you follow NJ’s Move Over law? Cops don’t feel safe.”

The Holiday Toy Safety Debate

December 15, 2017 | Rotolo Karch Law

Could the toys on your child’s holiday wish list be hiding the risk for potential injury? Before you fulfill those wishes, you might want to check out this year’s “Top 10 Worst Toy” list issued by the consumer safety group, World Against Toys Causing Harm, also known as WATCH.

This group has been issuing such lists for more than 40 years to alert consumers to the potential hazards hidden in some of the season’s “must-have” toys. Conversely, an industry trade group known as The Toy Association has criticized WATCH for failing to test the toys on its lists and needlessly scaring parents.

According to The Toy Association, toys must meet stringent safety requirements before they can be sold in the U.S. WATCH, however, questions the adequacy of these standards, noting a high number of recalls. To learn more about this safety debate and to see which toys made this year’s list, read “Safety Group Unveils Top 10 Worst Toy List for 2017.”

The Fight Against Fatigued Driving

November 15, 2017 | Rotolo Karch Law

Every state in the nation has laws against drunk driving, and most have laws against using cell phones and engaging in other distracting behaviors while behind the wheel. Few states, however, have addressed the dangers of fatigued driving.

New Jersey is one of only two states that currently have laws designed to crack down on fatigued driving. Under New Jersey law, sleep-deprived drivers involved in fatal accidents could face charges of vehicular homicide.

It is estimated that sleep-deprived drivers are involved in more than 300,000 accidents every year and that over 6,000 of those accidents are fatal, according to a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Often drowsy drivers can exhibit behaviors similar to those of drunk drivers – impaired judgment, slower reaction times – putting them at greater risks for accidents. The condition is difficult to prove and few law enforcement officers are trained to recognize it. To learn more about the dangers of drowsy driving, the efforts that could help reduce the associated risks, and why enforcement of these efforts is so difficult, read “Why It’s Hard to Crack Down on Drowsy Driving.”