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Personal Injury

Pursuing Maximum Compensation For Injured Parties


An injury can turn your entire life upside down, from overwhelming out-of-pocket medical expenses to emotional trauma to lost wages. Since no one can plan for an injury, it can be hard to know what to do in the immediate aftermath of an accident. The Attorneys of Smith & Schwartzstein are here to help you through this process.

The legal ins and outs of personal injury law are complicated enough to discourage many victims from fighting against insurers offering them measly settlements, leaving the victim high and dry, up to their necks in medical debt. We work to ensure our clients not only get compensated for their out-of-pocket expenses, but also for the emotional impacts of the injury. You are more than your finances, after all.

At the New Jersey law firm of Smith + Schwartzstein, we provide personal, hands-on representation to those injured by the wrongdoing or recklessness of others. Whether you suffered a neck injury in a collision with a drunk driver or you lost a finger because a power saw was manufactured incorrectly, we can help you fight for the money you need to cover lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Motor Vehicle Accidents, Products Liability And More

Any situation in which a person has been injured or experienced emotional, physical or property damages by someone else’s negligence or fault can be eligible for a personal injury claim. This can be from a car accident with a distracted driver, a loose stair in a business, or lead poisoning from a defective product. No matter your situation, our lawyers are here to help you understand your options and build your case.

Our Summit, New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers Handle Cases Involving:

  • Car accidents: Car accidents can be caused by distracted drivers, substance abuse, negligence, or simple ignorance of traffic rules. Our law firm represents both drivers and passengers injured in rollover accidents, rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, hit-and-run accidents and more. We also handle claims involving uninsured or underinsured motorists. Our goals with car accidents are determining fault and maximizing compensation from insurance companies.
  • Truck accidents: We assist individuals who have been harmed because of overly aggressive semi-truck drivers, speeding commercial truck drivers, negligent trucking companies and other parties. Due to their massive size and commercial nature, trucking companies are responsible for the training and maintenance of their drivers and equipment. This means that when something goes wrong, we work to hold those responsible accountable.
  • Motorcycle crashes: Motorcycles are the most vulnerable motor vehicles on the road, with all the speed of surrounding traffic without the protections or visibility of a car. Our attorneys pursue claims on behalf of motorcyclists who have suffered broken bones, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, road rash, and other injuries.
  • Bicycle and pedestrian accidents: When drivers fail to share the road, people get hurt. Bikers and pedestrians often sustain serious injuries when involved in motor vehicle accidents due to their lack of protection. We uphold the rights of bicyclists, walkers, joggers, and others on the road, helping them seek compensation after accidents.
  • Slips, trips and falls: When property owners fail to take appropriate action to keep their premises safe, we can often pursue a premises liability claim. These claims not only compensate for your injuries, they motivate business owners to ensure their properties are safe for future visitors. Premises liability claims are for both your and future victims’ sakes.
  • Defective or dangerous products: When manufacturers rush processes or cut corners in order to increase profits, their products can become dangerous. Whether it’s because of cheap and easily broken materials or using unsafe substances, corporations are responsible for the products they produce and advertise. Such products can range from household appliances and children’s toys to medications and power tools. We represent those injured by the negligence of a product manufacturer, designer or distributor.
  • Wrongful death: Wrongful death cases are prime examples of how personal injury cases can affect not just the people involved in the accident, but also their loved ones. The claims hope to compensate for what can never be replaced. Our lawyers pursue justice on behalf of families who have lost loved ones as a result of another party’s negligence.

When you are involved in an accident, your physical health isn’t the only thing that’s impacted. The effects can be seen in your finances, your mental health, and your loved ones. This shouldn’t be dismissed lightly, and those responsible for your pain should be held accountable. We’ll help you fight back against those who have wronged you and those seeking to minimize the compensation you deserve.

We work with a trusted network of experts to investigate and improve our cases. These experts include medical professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and others. In addition, we only charge contingency fees in personal injury cases, which means you owe us nothing unless we obtain a verdict or settlement for you.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed, please don’t hesitate to contact the lawyers of Smith & Schwartzstein. We are located in Union County, New Jersey, and serve victims across Northern New Jersey and Southern New York. Our team of attorneys will work hard to build a solid case and get you the damages you are owed.

FREE CONSULTATION

Get a FREE initial consultation by calling Smith + Schwartzstein locally at 908-219-4457 or toll free at 800-779-4098, or emailing us at kathryn@sslawfirmllc.com and we will contact you. We offer flexible appointment scheduling.


Personal injury FAQs

FAQs

Q: How do I know if I have a personal injury case?
A: Typically you must have suffered an injury to your person as a result of someone else’s negligence, however, you can also have a nonphysical loss or harm, such as in the case of an assault or infliction of emotional distress or invasion of privacy.

Q: What is “negligence”?
A: Negligence occurs when a person owed you, or the general public, a duty of care and you were injured as a result of the person’s violation of that duty. Essentially, a person is negligent if he/she fails to act like an ordinary reasonable person would have acted in the same or similar situation.

Q: What if I cannot prove someone’s negligence caused my injury? If there any other basis for personal injury liability?
A: Yes, there is the concept of “strict liability” for certain activities that harm others, even if not done negligently or with wrongful intent. For example companies who manufacture defective products or persons who own dangerous animals can be strictly liable for injuries to others.

Q: What is medical malpractice?
A: Medical malpractice, or medical negligence, occurs when a hospital, doctor, nurse or another healthcare provider or medical technician fails to perform his/her duties to the standard of those with similar training or experience, resulting in harm to the patient. Some examples include misdiagnosis, surgical error, medication error or misread test result.

Q: How much could I recover in a personal injury action?
A: The potential financial recovery, or compensatory damages, of your personal injury action are dependent on a number of variables, including medical expenses as a result of the defendant’s negligence, psychological damage, permanent injuries or long-term incapacities as a result of the injury, anticipated future medical care, lost wages or employment opportunities now and in the foreseeable future.

Q: If I was injured a long time ago, can I still sue?
A: No, according to New Jersey law you must bring your lawsuit within two years of your injury, or upon learning of your injury.

Q: What if a person dies before bringing a personal injury lawsuit?
A: If a person dies as a result of their injuries from an accident, then the person’s heirs can bring a wrongful death action on behalf of the estate of the deceased.

Q: What is the difference between an injury claim and a personal injury lawsuit?
A: A legal claim is made with the responsible party’s insurance company to recover compensation for your injuries. A personal injury lawsuit is a formal legal action where you can seek compensation for injuries before a court jury to decide the merits of your case and your request for compensation.

Q: Why should I hire a lawyer to handle my personal injury claim and/or lawsuit?
A: A lawyer will explain the legal process, help you maneuver the system, and be your advocate. The responsible party or company’s opposing counsel or insurance company will try to settle your claim as quickly as possible, with as little payout as possible. A lawyer advocating for you will help even the playing field between parties and assist in getting you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

Q: Will I have to pay you any money out of pocket or upfront fees?
A: No, we take all personal injury cases on a contingency basis. You don’t pay any money until your case is settled or we obtain a verdict.

Q: How long will it take to resolve my personal injury case?
A: There is no clear-cut answer to this question. It can depend on the extent of your injuries, whether a settlement can be negotiated prior to filing a lawsuit with a court, or whether the case is fully litigated, including going to trial. It can take anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. We try to move things along as quickly and efficiently as possible, but there are court rules that prohibit infringing on either party’s right to adequately prepare their side in a case.

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