Personal Injury Lawyer in Newark, NJ
We are a team of highly skilled personal injury attorneys. If you have a bodily injury legal issue in or around Newark, New Jersey, we can help. Call us today for a free consultation.
Newark Personal Injury Lawyers
The state of New Jersey has the third most personal injury cases per capita in the nation, according to recent research. In 12 months ending on March 31, 2023, New Jersey had 2,810 documented personal injury cases, or 30.34 cases per 100,000 people.
If you have become one of the unfortunate individuals who has suffered a devastating injury in the state, you might not know what to do next. Navigating the claims process yourself is incredibly challenging on a good day, let alone when trying to heal.
Thankfully, there is help available. Experienced Newark personal injury lawyers can help you navigate the claims process and assist you in receiving the compensation you deserve. Of course, money might not take the injury and its effects on you away, but it can relieve the financial and emotional stress you and your family are suffering during what is otherwise an incredibly challenging time.
Types of Newark Personal Injury Claims We Handle
Unfortunately, there are seemingly endless ways you can be injured just because of someone else’s negligence. Still, our attorneys aim to help as many injured people as possible. We can handle a wide range of injuries, including all of the following:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Accidents on construction sites
- Negligence by security
- Nursing home and elder abuse/neglect
- Product liability
- Dog bites and other animal attacks
- Public transportation accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Sexual abuse and sexual assault claims
- Claims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy
- Slip and fall cases
- Wrongful death cases
Even if you have suffered a personal injury not on the list above, we may still be able to help, so we urge you to contact us for a free case review today.
Personal Injury Cases in Newark
A personal injury case is a claim or lawsuit filed when a person suffers an injury (physical, mental, or both) due to something another person did or failed to do.
Some common examples include the following circumstances:
- A driver texting behind the wheel hits and injures you
- A neighbor’s dog runs into your yard and bites you, causing significant bodily harm
- A shop owner fails to maintain the shop’s stairs, so you fall through them, breaking your leg as a result
In each of these cases, the personal injury claims process usually starts with filing the claim against the responsible person’s insurance company. Most of the time, you (or your attorney) and the insurance company will come to a mutually agreed-upon amount of compensation — a settlement — that the company will pay instead of going to trial.
If both parties cannot agree, then it is fairly likely that the case will proceed to trial. It will not be the same as a criminal trial, but instead, a civil trial, which means — if you win — the court will order the defendant to pay you a certain amount in damages instead of jail time. Nevertheless, trials are often grueling time sinks with uncertain outcomes, so many personal injury attorneys and insurance companies prefer to settle out of court when and wherever possible.
Whether your claim progresses to trial or not, having dedicated, committed Newark personal injury lawyers can greatly increase your chances of seeing a positive outcome in your case. At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq (GGL), we promise to fight tirelessly for you, and we have a record of accomplishment to back up that promise. Contact us today and set up your free consultation.
No Fee Unless
GGL Wins
Common Types of Injuries People Suffer in Newark
In Newark — just like anywhere in the rest of the country — many personal injuries can lead to different personal injury claims. Still, those claims often fall into a few general categories, which are as follows:
Premises Liability
In a premises liability claim, the injured person’s legal team alleges that the defendant knew (or should reasonably have known) about a hazard on their property and did not adequately notify the now-injured person. You might sometimes hear these claims described as “slip and fall” claims.
For example, suppose a business’s front steps are slick with ice, but the business is open. No signs warn customers of the ice, so you fall and hit your head. As the business should have known about the ice and done something to fix the problem (or at least alert customers to it), you might have a premises liability claim to bring forward.
Workplace Accidents
Not all workplace accidents qualify as personal injury claims, but if a worker’s injury happens specifically due to someone’s negligence, the injured person might have a solid personal injury case.
For argument’s sake, imagine that part of your job involves driving company vehicles. Suppose one of those vehicles has not been properly maintained and thus catches fire while driving. In that case, you might be able to file a personal injury claim if you are significantly injured in the resulting blaze, as your employer’s negligence puts you at additional risk. Had the employer completed basic maintenance on the company vehicle, it would not have ultimately caused your injury.
Car Accidents
If someone else’s negligence behind the wheel causes you significant injury, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against them. For example, if someone is driving the wrong way, hits you head-on, and injures you, you might be able to file a personal injury suit to help you cover your medical bills, lost wages, emotional turmoil, and other damages.
Animal Bites or Attacks
Most of the time, pets enrich our lives, but if someone else’s animal companion bites you and causes a severe injury, you might be able to file a personal injury claim.
If your neighbor’s aggressive dog is running loose and attacks you while you are walking down the street, for instance, you are likely to end up with significant medical bills, and a personal injury lawsuit is one way to recover enough compensation to cover your medical bills. These personal injury claims also hold owners accountable for their animals’ behavior, especially if the animal has already shown aggression.
What to Do After a Personal Injury Accident
Even though there are many different types of personal injury accidents, the steps to take immediately following an accident remain largely the same. Having these actions in mind can be useful if you do happen to suffer a significant injury:.
GET YOURSELF SAFE
In many cases, victims go into a state of shock immediately after the event that causes their injury. It is hard to think clearly when in shock, but to reduce your risk of further injury, it is important to do your best to get to safety.
For example, if you have been in a car accident, have been ejected from your vehicle, and are now in the middle of the road, take a moment to evaluate your surroundings as soon as possible. You should try to get off the road as soon as possible, but if your injuries prevent movement, it may be impossible to do so.
QUICKLY EVALUATE YOUR INJURIES
If you have gone into shock, you might not even feel pain at first, since one of the symptoms of shock is the release of large amounts of adrenaline into the body, which keeps you energized and temporarily oblivious to the extent of your injuries. You will need a medical professional to make a full diagnosis, but it is wise to evaluate your injuries on your own to get an idea of how hurt you may be.
Here are a few things to determine:
- Are you bleeding? If so, can you tell where the blood is coming from?
- Do you feel any severe pain right now?
- Can you move your arms and legs?
- Can you wiggle your toes?
- Can you stand up?
- Are you having trouble breathing?
- Is your vision blurry?
- Do you feel any kind of numbness? If so, where?
Noticing any of these symptoms makes getting medical help as soon as possible vital. Some of the symptoms above (like bleeding from a shallow scrape) may not be too serious, but having a medical team evaluate you is still a good idea.
CALL FOR HELP
If you or anyone else has been injured, call 911 immediately. If you cannot dial yourself, ask a specific person to call. The bystander effect is real; sometimes, everyone assumes someone else has called 911, even though no one has.
Even if you do not notice any signs of injury, it is still best to be fully looked over by a health professional. If you do not need an ambulance, bring yourself to an emergency room, urgent care clinic, or even your primary care physician once you can leave the scene.
COLLECT INFORMATION IF YOU ARE ABLE
If you have to go to a hospital immediately, gathering information will not be possible, but if you can safely remain at the scene, collecting information is critical for establishing your case later on.
Here are some of the main pieces of information to gather:
- Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of any witnesses
- Insurance information of the responsible person
- Photos of the accident scene
- Photos of your injuries
- The names, badge numbers, and station addresses of police officers responding to the scene (these make it easier to receive a police report later on)
In all the chaos following an accident, it is possible to forget a few of these, but your attorneys may be able to recover anything you could not document later on. Additionally, during the information collection process, ensure you do not admit fault for the accident in any way, as doing so may jeopardize your claim.
CALL A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY
If you have been seriously injured, it is in your best interests to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as you can. Even if your case never goes to trial, the defendant and the insurance company will have legal representation. If you want to maximize your chances of a favorable outcome, you should also have an experienced attorney by your side.
WRITE A NARRATIVE
It can be easy to assume that you will have no problem remembering the details of your injury, but as time goes on, many personal injury victims start to lose track of little details — facts that might help them win their case.
Personal injury cases can sometimes last for years, so it is best to ensure you remember events correctly the whole time. To make sure you have a complete and accurate recall, write out a detailed narrative of the accident as soon as possible afterward.
It is also good to keep a journal chronicling your injury. Generally, to receive a settlement, you must document how your injury has impacted your life. Keep track of all medical bills you receive as a result of the accident as well.
BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DISCUSSING YOUR CASE
Insurance companies have lawyers who will go to great lengths to discredit injured people. They may go as far as to find social media accounts to see if injured people are impacted as much as they say they are.
In order to increase your likelihood of a settlement, try to minimize what you say about your injury both online and in person. Even seemingly innocent details can be twisted by the opposing legal counsel and used against you.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
Without speaking to a personal injury lawyer, it is impossible to determine just how much your case is worth. That being said, a few key factors impact your settlement value regardless of the finer details. These include the following:
- The type of injuries you suffer
- The severity of the injuries
- How badly your injuries impact your quality of life
For instance, if you are hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian and suffer a mild to moderate concussion, your case would likely not be worth as much as if you had a severe traumatic brain injury.
It is important to note that total payouts for personal injury payouts are almost always higher if you retain an attorney. Even if they say they are, insurance companies are not on your side — they hope to keep as much money as possible for themselves — so if you file a claim with an insurance company on your own, the company will generally try to pay as little as possible.
However, if you have an attorney, the insurance company will know you are serious (and that your attorney can take the case to trial if you are dissatisfied with the insurance company’s offer). Insurance companies generally want to avoid a trial’s hassle and legal expenses.
In the United States, only about 5% of personal injury cases make it to trial. The rest end in pre-trial settlements, meaning you and your legal team negotiate a fair settlement outside of court.
At GGL, we fight for you like family. If you schedule a free consultation with us, we can go over the facts of your case with you and help you determine what your case might be worth.
How Much Does a Newark Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
Sadly, many people who have suffered personal injuries do not call an attorney because they fear being unable to afford their legal services. After all, if you have been severely injured, you might be facing the hardships of lost wages and mounting medical bills.
However, at GGL, we work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless you win your case. Your initial consultation with us is free, and during that consultation, you can get to know us while we get to know you. Our attorneys will carefully review the facts of your case and help you determine whether you have a viable case.
If we take on your case, you pay nothing upfront, and if we cannot recover a settlement for you, you pay nothing. If we can recover a settlement, New Jersey Law governs the percentage of that settlement given to our lawyers in the following ways:
- If your settlement is up to $750,000, a lawyer’s contingency fee is up to 33.3% of the total amount
- If your settlement is more than $750,000, but no more than $1.5 million, the contingency fee is up to 33 ⅓% of the first $750,000 and 30% of the remainder
- If your settlement is more than $1.5 million, but no more than $2.25 million, the contingency fee is up to 33.3% of the first $750,000, 30% of the next $750,000, and 25% of the remainder
- If your settlement is more than $2.25 million, the contingency fee is up to 33.3% of the first $750,000, 30% of the next $750,000, 25% of the following $750,000, and 20% of anything more
Some people see contingency fee percentages and think that they are better off not hiring an attorney at all, but in most cases, hiring a qualified personal injury attorney pays for itself and then some.
While it is certainly possible to negotiate with an insurance company on your own, you will generally recover dramatically less than you would get with an attorney, often far less than you get after hiring an attorney and paying the contingency fee.
Why Hire GGL?
At GGL, we understand just how overwhelming a severe injury can be. In between managing the pain, dealing with lost wages, and handling endless medical bills, it can be hard to think about doing anything else, but that is where we come in.
Our experienced attorneys will handle gathering evidence and negotiating with your insurance company. We have been in the business for over 30 years, and we understand the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying you what you deserve. We are tenacious and proud of it, and we will fight tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve, no matter how difficult the process may be.
If you are in Newark and have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, contact Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq online or call 1-800-923-3456 to schedule a free consultation today.
No Fee Unless
GGL Wins
We've got you covered.
We are available 24/7/365
OFFICIAL PARTNER OF RUTGERS ATHLETICS
Personal Injury Lawyer in Newark, NJ
Address: 20 Green Street Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 848-0500
Open 24/7 365
Office:
8:30-6:00 Monday
8:30-6:00 Tuesday
8:30-6:00 Wednesday
8:30-6:00 Thursday
8:30-6:00 Friday
Recent GGL Wins
Medical Malpractice
A 30-year-old pregnant woman went into labor. The doctor failed to take proper steps in the baby’s delivery, making the mother wait in the hallway for ten hours while the baby’s heart rate began to drop. The baby was delivered via C-Section; he was blue from lack of oxygen resulting in Cerebral Palsy.
$14 Million
Verdict
Construction Accident
Mediation award resulting from an industrial explosion causing disfiguring burns and severe orthopedic injuries.
$7,8 Million
Verdict
Auto Accident
31-year-old man who was cut off by another car causing his car to flip over. He sustained head injuries, facial injuries, and half of his pinky finger was amputated.
$3 Million
Verdict
No Fee Unless
GGL Wins
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