The city of Woodbridge, NJ is conducting an investigation after more than 100 former students and staff at the local Colonia High School were found to have developed brain tumors over a three-decade period.
Continue Reading Potential Brain Cancer Link Investigated at New Jersey’s Colonia High School
It’s springtime! We made it through another cold winter. Now, the days are growing longer, daffodils are in bloom and many people are gearing up for weekends in the yard. Gardening and landscaping can be rewarding ways to spend some time outdoors this time of year. One of the things I often notice in the spring but rarely spend much time thinking about is mulch. To the very limited extent I consider mulch, I register how it smells when first put down. I think it looks nice spread over garden beds. I appreciate its weed-blocking capabilities. But I have to admit, when I looked at piles of mulch in the past, I never thought DANGER! Maybe I should have.
Continue Reading Mulch Fires: What You Should Know Before Starting Your Spring Gardening
In August of last year, the New Jersey state legislature passed a bill intended to create safer conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians on New Jersey roads.
The New Jersey Safe Passing Law adds additional requirements for drivers when passing cyclists, pedestrians, and those driving motorized scooters or wheelchairs.
Get the word out: check your Health Insurance policy language to make sure it covers you if you are injured in a motorcycle crash. Every day I meet new clients who have been injured by an irresponsible driver and every day I have to explain, to their surprise, that they do not have the proper insurance to cover their medical bills. All too often they don’t have any coverage or only have minimal insurance.
Continue Reading Does Health Insurance Cover Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
If you own a vehicle in New Jersey, you are required to carry auto insurance. For many people, it is as simple as that, and they try to obtain the cheapest policy possible to meet the legal requirements. But sadly, many motorists in New Jersey are unaware that while your automobile insurance covers damages you may cause in an accident, your policy can also protect you and your loved ones.
While there are many parts to an auto insurance policy, here we will only look at two major components of a policy: Liability Coverage, also known as 3rd party coverage, and Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, also known as 1st party coverage. Both liability and UM/UIM generally have both bodily injury and property damage components. We will be dealing only with the bodily injury component for our purposes here. Continue Reading What Is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage and Why Should You Care?
I was recently speaking with a former client who mentioned he went out for a ride on a really cold Sunday. He decided to take his bike to go see his mom. We talked about how cold it was and we even discussed why he chose to take his bike out. He said he hadn’t been on it and he needed to go for a ride. He dressed warm but admitted that it was extremely cold. We both ultimately concluded, beware of the cold on a long ride!
You may feel comfortable when you initially get on your motorcycle but without warning, your body (including your arms, hands, fingers and feet) may stiffen up during a long cold ride. When you decide to pull over, exit a highway or make a turn, your hands and fingers will not react the way you expect them to. Your movements may be slower and less decisive. Give yourself plenty of extra distance and time to make maneuvers you would not give a thought to if it were warm out. When riding with others, consider also giving yourself a little more distance between each other case one of your fellow riders has not adequately planned for the.
While it may not have received a lot of mainstream media coverage, the recent passage of the New Jersey Insurance Fair Conduct Act (“NJIFCA”) was a huge victory for those injured in car crashes in New Jersey. The law was signed into effect by Governor Murphy on January 18, 2022, over the boisterous objection of the insurance companies and lobbyists here in New Jersey. In the past few months, you may have even received a letter from your insurance company asking you to contact your legislators and tell them to vote against the bill.
Continue Reading New Jersey Enacts an Insurance Bad Faith Statute for Auto Insurers
If you ride a motorcycle, you know the joy and sense of freedom it can bring, but you’ll also want to take extra care to keep yourself safe on the roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are 29 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash, and four (4) times more likely to be injured, than the occupants of passenger vehicles. In 2019 alone, 84 people were killed in motorcycle accidents on New Jersey roads.
Continue Reading Causes of New Jersey Motorcycle Accidents, and How to Avoid Them
Biking is an eco-friendly way to get around—and a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. Unfortunately, not all drivers respect the safety of bikers, and negligent or distracted driving can easily put you in danger of serious injury.
If you’ve been hit by a car while biking, you may be left wondering about your next steps. We’ve put together some answers to common questions you might have so that you can make sure you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled.
Continue Reading Things to Know if You’re Injured by a Car While Biking in New Jersey
The COVID-19 pandemic may have halted or reduced travel for many in New Jersey, but the end of the year also came with a surprising and sobering statistic: the number of fatal accidents involving cars in New Jersey rose in 2020 despite the pandemic.
Last year, 587 fatal accidents were reported across the state, up from 558 in 2019. Fatal accidents involving pedestrians have also risen, and so have fatal accidents involving cyclists. Eighteen cyclists lost their lives on New Jersey roads last year, up from only twelve the year before.
In response to these alarming numbers—and the long-term work of certain local bike safety advocacy groups—the New Jersey state legislature recently passed a bipartisan bill to increase the safety of New Jersey’s bikers and pedestrians. This bill, now known as the New Jersey Safe Passing Law, was signed into law by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Thursday, August 5th.
Continue Reading New Jersey’s Safe Passing Law Aims to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians on the Road