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Work accidents and injuries are very common in North New Jersey, considering the area’s proximity to the Port of NY-NJ. The North New Jersey area is home to hundreds of manufacturing, transportation and warehousing companies, large and small.
Related: Top 5 OSHA Violations in 2015
Oftentimes, major insurance companies representing defendants in work injury lawsuits in NJ fight tooth and nail to limit compensation for injured workers. This is especially true in Essex County (Newark, East Orange, West Orange, Montclair, Bloomfield and Irvington). However, three recent work injury cases show that New Jersey is gaining recognition for verdicts and settlements favoring injured workers.
New Jersey Appeals Court Upholds $3.4 Million Jury Verdict in Chemical Exposure Case (Feb. 2016)
On February 1, 2016, the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division ruled in favor of the families of 2 workers who died due to chemical exposure. Their claims were upheld against their employer, a large commercial linen supply company based in Rhode Island, which operated a plant in North New Jersey. The two men were found dead at the bottom of a large steel tank they were sent to clean. The cause of death was ruled to be chemical inhalation.
In 2014, a jury trial awarded their families over $3 million. The employer appealed the verdict and ultimately lost. The NJ appellate court found in favor of the plaintiffs and held that the employer was liable despite New Jersey workers’ compensation laws which generally protect employers from lawsuits by employees. However, the case is likely to be appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court. See Alberto v. North East Linen Supply.
$5.5 Million Settlement in Machine Accident, Arm Injury Case (Jan. 2016)
In this case, a 17 year old worker lost part of his arm in an accident with a meat grinder in 2012. He filed a lawsuit against the employer, a local grocery company in Paterson, New Jersey. As a result of the injury, the employer was sued by federal authorities for violation of various laws related to child labor. The case ultimately settled for over $5 million. See Ucelo v. Mi Esquina Corp.
$3.5 Million Settlement in Work Fall Accident Against Toll Brothers (Dec. 2015)
A construction worker from New Jersey who was working at a construction site in Pennsylvania suffered a major head injury when he fell off the roof of the residential building. His Essex County, NJ lawsuit was filed against the general contractor of the site alleging failure to follow OSHA regulations related to fall protection. In December 2015, the parties reached a $3.5 million settlement.
Work Injuries in New Jersey
Each year, roughly 139,000 work injuries are reported to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. From 2010 through 2015, the average number of annual work injuries in NJ is 138,976. More recently, there were 139,029 work injuries reported in 2014 and 134,580 reported in 2015. Get more information about fatal work injuries in New Jersey.
In general, the annual number of work injuries in New Jersey is lower compared to Pennsylvania. In 2014, New Jersey had an injury rate of 3.3 injuries for every 100 full time workers and 3.4 in 2013. Pennsylvania had an injury rate of 3.6 in 2014 and 3.9 in 2013.
About Our NJ Work Injury Law Practice
LBK represents New Jersey workers who are injured in work accidents. With offices in Cherry Hill, Atlantic City and Iselin, our firm is equipped to handle cases throughout NJ. The firm also has offices in Philadelphia, Plymouth Meeting, New York and Delaware. Call for a free consultation.
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DISCLAIMER: This website does not create any attorney-client relationship or provide legal advice. It is crucial to speak to a qualified lawyer prior to making any decision about your case. Read full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
Sources:
- www.northjersey.com, Paterson Grocer Fined After Teen Loses Arm
- www.nj.com, $3.5M verdict for families of 2 workers killed at Linden dry cleaning plant in 2007
