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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Say Log Violations are “Epidemic”

July 8, 2019 by

Federal Agency Says Incidents of False Logs on the Rise

Motor Carrier SafetyThe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency tasked with monitoring and regulating commercial trucking operations, has reported that the number of citations for maintaining false driver logs has gone up by as much as 20% over the last five years. Data collected in 2017 showed that more than 30,000 drivers were issued “out of service” orders that year for falsifying driving logs.

Under federal trucking regulations, drivers are limited in the amount of time they can spend on the road. For drivers hauling only goods, there’s a limit of 11 consecutive hours on the road after a minimum of 10 consecutive hours off duty. If a driver is carrying passengers, the limit is 10 hours after 8 hours off duty. Drivers may not be behind the wheel more than 60 hours over seven days, or more than 70 hours over eight days. Drivers with cargo must take at least 30 minutes off every eight hours. Drivers hauling cargo who have a sleeper berth in their truck must have at least eight hours in the berth plus another two hours off duty (or in the sleeper berth). Drivers carrying passengers who use a sleeper berth must spend at least eight hours in the berth, but may divide the time in two sections, provided each is at least two hours.

The data gathered was compiled before the FMCSA mandated electronic logging devices (ELDs) for more than 3 million commercial truck drivers. The ELDs are electronic devices installed in trucks that allow for electronic tracking of hours on the road. The FMCSA doesn’t yet have data to accurately assess the effectiveness of the ELDs, but anticipates that hours of service violations will be dramatically reduced.

Contact Attorney David J. Karbasian

Contact our office online or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation. The sooner you call, the sooner you can move forward with your claim. We can accommodate evening or weekend meeting requests and will come to your home, if necessary.

Filed Under: Traffic Violations Tagged With:

Happy 4th of July 2019

July 4, 2019 by

Happy 4th of July 2019

Filed Under: Uncategorized

New Jersey Supreme Court Issues Ruling in PIP Claim

June 27, 2019 by

Court Rules That Personal Injury Protection Is Only Recourse for Claims under $250,000

PIP ClaimIn March, 2019, the New Jersey Supreme Court handed down its decision in two consolidated cases (Haines and Little), overturning a lower court ruling addressing the rights of injured parties to seek compensation from at-fault parties after a motor vehicle accident. Here’s an overview of the court’s ruling and how it affects drivers in New Jersey.

Under New Jersey’s personal injury protection (PIP) laws, which have a default amount of $250,000 (among the highest in the nation), any expenses resulting from a motor vehicle accident that are “medically necessary” and proven to be caused by an accident are paid, regardless of fault. In exchange, any such expenses paid are not admissible and cannot be recovered in a personal injury lawsuit.

However, the state of New Jersey modified the law to allow residents to choose lower PIP coverage and thereby pay smaller premiums. A person may choose PIP coverage as low as $15,000. After the changes in the law, individuals who obtained the $15,000 coverage, but suffered damages in excess of that amount, would seek to introduce evidence of those losses at a personal injury trial.

In one of the first rulings, a Bergen County court held that evidence of medical expenses in a motor vehicle accident lawsuit are admissible only to the extent they exceed the $250,000 ceiling set forth in the law. In other words, by opting for lower PIP coverage, policyholders have waived the right to recover any damages between the policy amount and the statutory PIP amount of $250,000. Another court, in Union County, came to the opposite conclusion.

In 2017, a New Jersey appellate court cleared up the differing opinions, agreeing that injured parties could directly sue an at-fault party for damages between the amount of their PIP coverage and the statutory amount. The March decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court overturns that decision. The court reasoned that the legislative intent was to contain costs, and concluded that allowing parties to seek recovery of damages above their PIP coverage, but below statutory amounts, would contradict that intent.

For now, then, there’s a bit of a risk in choosing a lower PIP amount. You’ll be able to save some dollars on your premium, but you could have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of unrecoverable losses if you are in an accident.

Contact the Law Offices of David J. Karbasian, PC

Send us an e-mail today or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment.

Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request. We’ll come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary.

Filed Under: Personal Injury Tagged With:

Your Remedies in New Jersey after Home Improvement Fraud

June 19, 2019 by

The Protections Provided by the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act

Improvement FraudIt seems there are few things in life more challenging, frustrating and often unsatisfactory than home improvement projects. It doesn’t seem like it should be that complicated, but home remodeling and improvement efforts are frequently rife with delays, shoddy work, mistakes and outright fraud.

In New Jersey, there’s good news—there’s a law that specifically applies to home improvement agreements. It can give you the legal tools you need to combat unnecessary delays, construction defects, disputes over performance, and overcharging.

What Is the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act?

The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (NJCFA) is a written law, applicable to the sale of goods, services and real estate, that bans “unconscionable commercial practice, deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise, misrepresentation, or the knowing concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact.” The courts in New Jersey have held that home improvement contracts are particularly prone to instances of consumer fraud. Accordingly, extensive regulations have been adopted governing home improvement contracts. For example, the NJCFA requires that all home improvement agreements and any change orders be in writing and signed by both parties. Contractors must also provide detailed information, including, among other things:

  • A contractor registration number
  • A telephone number for the contractor’s insurer
  • A description of work to be done and materials to be used
  • The total purchase price, including any finance charges
  • The date the project will begin and the date it is expected to be completed
  • A written copy of any warranty or guarantee offered
  • Notification of the customer’s three-day right to cancel

The Requirements for a Legal Claim under the NJCFA

To prevail on a claim under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, you must show three things:

  • The contractor engaged in an illegal or prohibited practice
  • The engagement in that act caused you to suffer losses
  • Your losses can be ascertained

The act may involve affirmative conduct, a known omission or failure to act, or a violation of an administrative regulation.

Contact Attorney David J. Karbasian

Contact our office online or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation. The sooner you call, the sooner you can move forward with your claim. We can accommodate evening or weekend meeting requests and will come to your home, if necessary.

Filed Under: Fraud Tagged With:

Proving that a Death Was Wrongful

May 24, 2019 by

The Requirements for Recovering Compensation after the Death of Another Person

Recovering Compensation When your family member dies because of the wrongful act of another person, you have the right to seek damages for all your losses. You can seek compensation for the intentional killing of a loved one, but, as a practical matter, most wrongful death actions are based on allegations of negligence.

As the party initiating a legal claim, you will have the “burden of proof.” Under the laws of New Jersey, that means that you must produce evidence that would lead a jury to rule in your favor. With any personal injury claim, including wrongful death lawsuits, the burden of proof is established as “a mere preponderance of the evidence.” In essence, that means that you must demonstrate to the finder of fact (usually the jury) that your presentation of the facts has more credibility and weight than the defendant’s version of what happened. It’s a considerably lower burden of proof than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” the standard in criminal proceedings.

A wrongful death claim is essentially a personal injury claim. When brought under a theory of negligence, it requires a showing that:

  • The at-fault party did not act as a reasonable person would under the circumstances (in legal terminology, the defendant breached the duty of care)
  • The breach of the duty of care was both the actual and the proximate cause of an accident—the accident would not have happened “but for” the defendant’s conduct; and the accident was reasonably foreseeable as a result of the breach of the duty of care
  • You suffered actual losses—Your losses were not covered by insurance or were not to items that had no value.

Contact the Law Offices of David J. Karbasian, PC

Send us an e-mail today or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment.

Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request. We’ll come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary.

Filed Under: Wrongful Death Tagged With:

Who Can Be Sued for Wrongful Death?

May 8, 2019 by

Determining Potentially Liable Parties after an Accidental Death

an Accidental DeathIn the aftermath of an accidental death, the sense of loss can be overwhelming. You know that no amount of money can bring your loved one back, or can fully compensate you for all that you’ve lost. Nonetheless, you have a right to hold a careless or negligent person responsible for the devastating impact a wrongful death can have on your life.

Because wrongful death claims are typically based on negligence, one of the first steps in pursuing damages for the accidental death of a loved one is to determine who caused the accident. Because many factors can contribute to the circumstances that lead to an accident, it’s not uncommon to discover that more than one person had some degree of liability. In New Jersey, as in other states, you can bring a lawsuit against any and all parties who contributed to causing the accident that claimed the life of your loved one.

In addition, there are also a number of situations where you may be able to bring a lawsuit against a person or entity not directly involved in the accident that caused the death of your loved one:

  • Under the legal theory of product liability, any entity within the chain of distribution of a product may have liability for injuries caused by a dangerous or defective item. That includes the designer, manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor or retailer.
  • If your loved one was killed in a motor vehicle accident and the at-fault party was working at the time of the accident, that person’s employer may potentially have liability for your losses.
  • Under dram shop and social host liability laws, a person or business that serves or sells alcohol to someone who subsequently causes injury to others can have legal responsibility.

Contact Attorney David J. Karbasian

Contact our office online or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation. The sooner you call, the sooner you can move forward with your claim. We can accommodate evening or weekend meeting requests and will come to your home, if necessary.

Filed Under: Wrongful Death Tagged With:

Who Qualifies to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

April 11, 2019 by

The Requirements for Recovering Compensation after the Death of Another Person

wrongful death lawsuitUnder the laws of New Jersey, when a person dies as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another person, that individual may be responsible for losses suffered by others. There are limits, though, on who may obtain damages after a person’s death. It’s generally not enough to allege that you knew the person and have suffered loss.

You Must Qualify as a “Real Party in Interest”

This is not just a requirement in a wrongful death action—all personal injury claims are limited to individuals who are deemed to be real parties in interest. Accordingly, you must have a valid claim for loss, as well as a legal right to pursue a claim.

As a general rule, whether or not a person qualifies as a real party in interest is established by the state wrongful death statutes. In New Jersey, a wrongful death lawsuit may be brought by:

  • The surviving spouse
  • A child or grandchild of the deceased
  • A surviving parent of the deceased
  • Surviving siblings, nieces and nephews of the decedent
  • Anyone who can prove “actual dependence” on the deceased in a court of law

Under New Jersey law, there’s a hierarchy for pursuing damages in a wrongful death action. If there is a surviving spouse or children, they are entitled to all the proceeds of a wrongful death action. A parent of the deceased only has a right to compensation when there is no surviving spouse and no children. Siblings, nieces and nephews are only entitled to a damage award if there’s no spouse, child or parent surviving the deceased. Even though the lawsuit will typically be filed by one person as representative of all surviving family members, any proceeds are divided equally among those who qualify as real parties in interest, as set forth above.

Contact the Law Offices of David J. Karbasian, PC

Send us an e-mail today or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment.

Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request. We’ll come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary.

Filed Under: Wrongful Death Tagged With:

Understanding a Wrongful Death Claim

March 5, 2019 by

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim and What Is Its Purpose?

wrongful death claimThere’s nothing that can prepare you for the death of a loved one, especially when it’s totally unexpected. After an accidental or wrongful death, you can’t bring your loved one back, but you do have the right to seek compensation for your losses. In this series of blogs, we’ll look at the legal principle of wrongful death, who can file a claim, what types of losses are recoverable and who can be potentially liable.

First, though, let’s identify what a wrongful death claim is.

In essence, what makes a death wrongful is that it was caused by the actions of another person. It may result from an intent to bring about death, but is more often the result of carelessness or negligence.

Under a legal theory of negligence, you must prove three things to recover compensation. First, you must show that the defendant (at-fault party) did not meet the standard of care expected under the circumstances. You must then show that the breach of that standard of care caused an accident and, as a result of the accident, your loved one died.

There is no law that establishes a specific standard of care. Instead, that is determined by the jury in a case-by-case basis. The jury will look at all the circumstances and make a determination as to whether the actions of the defendant were consistent with what a reasonable person would have done. If not, the conduct is considered to be wrongful.

To establish cause, you must show both actual cause and proximate cause. Actual cause is relatively straightforward, asking the simple question of whether the accident would have occurred in the absence of the breach of the standard of care. Proximate cause, though, looks at whether the accident was reasonably foreseeable based on the breach of care.

Contact Attorney David J. Karbasian

Contact our office online or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation. The sooner you call, the sooner you can move forward with your claim. We can accommodate evening or weekend meeting requests and will come to your home, if necessary.

Filed Under: Wrongful Death Tagged With:

Protecting Yourself after a Work-Related Traffic Accident in New Jersey

February 20, 2019 by

traffic accident in new jerseyIt’s not unusual to be involved in a motor vehicle accident while on the job. If you’ve been hurt at work while driving or riding as a passenger in car or truck, your first thought might be to file a workers’ compensation claim. It’s important to understand, though, that the workers’ compensation system is designed to help you streamline the process for recovering compensation for the carelessness of your employer. It’s often referred to as your “exclusive remedy” for a work-related injury. But what if the person at fault was neither your boss or a coworker. Are you still limited to the benefits you can get through a workers’ compensation claim? Not necessarily.

The Benefits of Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim

The workers’ compensation laws were enacted to simplify the process for workers and for employers. As an injured worker, you’ll have access to benefits within a few days or weeks, provided your claim is approved. You won’t have to wait on a court docket and you won’t have to spend months going through the discovery process.

As an employer, you’ll benefit under the workers’ compensation because of the limit set on the financial recovery. Typically, the benefits are based on the worker’s recent pay. You won’t have to worry about a sympathetic or potentially punitive jury award.

Filing a Third Party Claim

The workers’ compensation laws provide the exclusive remedy only for injuries caused by the negligence of an employer or a co-worker. If your injuries were caused, in whole or in part, by an unrelated third party, you can file a civil lawsuit against that person seeking damages. In fact, you can file a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury lawsuit simultaneously. You just can’t recover twice for the same loss. If your medical expenses are covered by workers’ compensation, you won’t be able to recover for the same damages in your civil suit.

Contact the Law Office of David J. Karbasian

Contact us online or call our office at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to arrange a private meeting. Your first consultation is free. The sooner you call, the sooner you can move forward with your claim. We can accommodate evening or weekend meeting requests and will come to your home, if necessary.

Filed Under: Workers' Compensation Tagged With:

Are Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available for a Repetitive Motion or Stress Injury?

February 4, 2019 by

motion or stress injuryThere’s a common misperception that you can only recover workers’ compensation benefits if you have been hurt in a traumatic accident in the workplace. The reality is that many of the most devastating and crippling workplace injuries don’t happen in a single event, but are the product of months or years of unnatural stress on your body. Fortunately, the New Jersey workers’ compensation laws allow a worker to collect benefits for repetitive stress disorders (RSDs).

The Types of Occupations Where Workers are More Susceptible to Repetitive Stress Disorder

Statistics consistently show that about one of every two workplace injuries stem from repetitive motion or stress. As more and more manufacturing and industrial concerns have adopted an assembly line approach, the number of RSD-related injuries has gone up significantly. Repetitive stress disorder is a common cause of injury with:

  • Factory workers who perform the same limited function hour after hour, day after day, month after month. It may involve lifting, twisting, pinching, squeezing, turning or even simply standing in the same position. It can also involve squatting, bending over, turning or other lower body movements.
  • Workers who repeatedly turn or grab item, such as librarians, painters, carpenters, mechanics and cashiers, can often develop carpal tunnel syndrome, an inflammation that limits the use of the hands and forearms.
  • Typists, computer operators, graphic artists and others who use keyboards, computers or mice all have a greater risk of carpal tunnel and other RSDs

Contact Attorney David J. Karbasian

Contact our office online or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation. The sooner you call, the sooner you can move forward with your claim. We can accommodate evening or weekend meeting requests and will come to your home, if necessary.

Filed Under: Workers' Compensation Tagged With:

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