New Jersey Winter Driving Tips

There are approximately 6 million car accidents each year in the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that 23 percent, or nearly 1.3 million, of these accidents are weather-related. The majority of weather-related motor vehicle accidents occur on wet-pavement and during rainfall.

With harsh New Jersey winter months ahead, it is important that you take the necessary steps to ensure that you drive with caution to avoid, or at least reduce the likelihood, of getting into an accident.

5 Important Tips for Safe Winter Driving

The cold winter months in New Jersey bring rain, snow, sleet and overall wet, slippery roads. In order to know how to properly react to winter weather and be safer on the road, you may want to consider the important safety tips below:

-          Do a winter test drive. During the first storm of the season, drive to an open space and test how your car reacts to the winter road. Test your brakes, steering on the icy, wet or snow-packed pavement.

-          Know what to expect on your drive and plan accordingly. If there is an especially harsh storm and you know you need to drive in the wintery conditions, check the travel advisories first. Certain websites, such as the DOT website, can provide you with access information and service alerts that can help you plan accordingly.

-          Slow down and don’t panic. This is perhaps the most important safety tip when driving in bad weather conditions. You should slow down your speed and do everything else more slowly and more lightly than you would in normal weather conditions.

-          Quit before it is too late. Some weather and road conditions are simply too dangerous, regardless of how careful you are. If you can’t control yourself on the road or don’t feel comfortable to drive, you should either pull over or not get on the road at all.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer in New Jersey , please call the Law Offices of Dan T. Matrafajlo at (908) 248-4404.

Common Types of New Jersey Workers Compensation Claims

When you have suffered a workplace injury, you need to be able to easily obtain necessary medical treatment and other potential benefits in order to deal with an already difficult situation. Unfortunately, most injured workers either get significantly less than the compensation and benefits that they deserve or get no compensation at all. To ensure that your rights are protected and that you get the full extent of the compensation that you are entitled to, you need to hire an experienced New Jersey workers compattorney.

Effective Representation For Complex Claim Situations

There are many different types of workplace injuries that may entitle you to compensation. While some cases may be simple, other situations can be complex and demand the assistance of an attorney. Some common situations that may require you to hire a workers compensation attorney include:

-          Traumatic induced workplace injury

-          Occupational exposure injury

-          Repetitive motion injury

-          Total disability

-          Hearing or vision loss

-          Occupational stress

If you or someone you know has suffered any of these or any other workplace injuries, you have the legal right to file a workers’ compensation claim regardless of who was at fault.  Many injured workers wrongly believe that they cannot claim their injury under workers’ compensation laws if they caused the workplace accident. This is not true. No matter who caused the work injury, you are eligible for financial compensation.

Hiring the Right Attorney

Hiring the right New Jersey workers comp attorney can help reduce your stress during a difficult time and help you get the financial compensation that you are depending on. Moreover, when you are legally represented by a lawyer, your employer or their insurance carrier is less likely to stonewall your claim.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an Experienced New Jersey workers comp attorney, please call the Law Offices of Dan T. Matrafajlo at (908) 248-4404.

10 Mistakes The Can Ruin Your Car Accident Claim

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There are many mistakes you can make to jeopardize you car accident claim. Most unsuspecting car accident victims think they are doing the right thing, when they are in fact jeopardizing the outcome of their claim.

An individual with no legal background in personal injury law may not be familiar with what to do or not to do when handling their car accident claim. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car accident, it is in your best interest to consult with an experienced car accident attorney to ensure that you do not make any mistakes that can ruin your claim.

The Innocent Mistakes That Can Affect Your Case

Below are 10 mistakes identified by New Jersey car accident lawyers that can play a crucial role in hurting your otherwise legitimate case.

1.      Talking about your case with other people.

2.      Providing the insurance adjuster with a recorded statement without notifying your attorney and/or having your attorney present.

3.      Missing appointments or failing to get necessary medical treatment for the injuries you have sustained.

4.      Posting on social media – Insurance adjusters will investigate your social media accounts (such as Facebook and Twitter) to look for negative things they can use to avoid liability or paying you the just compensation that you deserve.

5.      Disposing of important medical evidence, such as pill bottles, braces, prescriptions and any other items from your treating physicians.

6.      Failing to get contact information for witnesses to the scene of the accident. This is especially important if liability is not clear-cut.

1.      Failing to provide your attorney with all relevant information, whether good or bad.

2.      Talking about your case with other people, even if you think they have good intentions.

3.      Lying to the insurance adjuster – chances are, they will ultimately discover the truth.

4.      Failing to obtain an attorney soon after your accident.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with a New Jersey car accident lawyer, please call the Law Offices of Dan T. Matrafajlo at (908) 248-4404.

 

How to Calculate Pain and Suffering in a Car Accident Case

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There are two types of damages that you can claim when pursuing a car accident claim: special damages and general damages. Special damages are out of pocket expenses that must be proven with specificity and can be determined by adding your quantifiable financial losses. General damages are damages that naturally follow the liable party’s wrongful action and are not quantifiable.

One of the most common types of general damages is pain and suffering. Both insurance companies and personal injury attorneys can use various methods to calculate the value of pain and suffering.

The Multiplier Method

The multiplier method is a common approach used to evaluate pain and suffering damages. This method calculates pain and suffering damages by multiplying the actual damages (medical bills and loss of wages) by a certain number. The multiplier number commonly used is 3. However, insurance adjusters have become more reluctant to automatically concede to a multiplier of 3.

The Daily Rate Method

The daily rate is another a method used to calculate pain and suffering. This method assigns an amount of money to each day (or week) that the victim suffers from the accident-related injury. If your attorney chooses this method, he or she must be ready to articulate a valid reason for why he chose this amount of money per day.

Combination Method

The most efficient and systematic method of calculating pain and suffering is to use a combination of the multiplier and the daily rate method to get an approximate value. You will then need to adjust your expectations based on several important factors, including the extent of your injuries, how long you missed work, and whether the jury will respond to you as a witness.

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For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with a New Jersey car accident attorney, please call the Law Offices of Dan T. Matrafajlo at (908) 248-4404.