Morristown, New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog

Avoid truck accidents by knowing the common causes

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.

New Jersey gets its share of truck accidents each year, which makes it common for people to worry about what exactly is going wrong. In situations like these, the question remains as to who is at fault. Some might say it’s the trucker’s fault while others might blame the other driver. However, determining fault is not that easy.

There are many factors to account for in every accident. Some of these are the time of day, speed of each vehicle, impairment of drivers, vehicle maintenance records, distraction and many more.

Should office workers worry about workplace injuries?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Saturday, October 12, 2019.

Believe it or not, office jobs can cause some of the same injuries seen on construction sites. The reason for this is because regardless of the type of position, administrative or construction, ineffective safety rules and violations could lead to accidents.

The office space is one of those places people tend to forget about because it seems structured and protected. However, indoor injuries are just as likely to occur as they would outside or in a constructive environment.

What is New Jersey doing to reduce its crash numbers?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

Motor vehicular accidents are unavoidable for many reasons. Regardless of how careful a driver might think they are, other drivers might speed, drink and drive and get distracted. Deciding to get behind the wheel is a choice which if not evaluated correctly, could leave you and other commuters, severely injured or worse.

While many people continue to practice safe driving, they can never truly be safe on the road if the state doesn't take action to help reduce the number of accidents. The state could do this by enacting stricter driving laws or creating programs that effectively help to reduce crash statistics.

Motor vehicle accidents: 13-year-old killed in car crash

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

Tragedy struck Jackson Township on the evening of Oct. 1, when a 13-year-old boy lost his life in a car crash. New Jersey police are still putting together the particulars of how the car accident occurred, but they have reportedly not yet filed charges against the driver involved. As with many fatal motor vehicle accidents, this one will be under careful scrutiny until all the facts of the case can be confirmed.

According to the limited information provided in the report, it appears the boy was on a scooter, traveling on Farmingdale Road with two friends on bicycles when the accident occurred. For reasons that were not articulated, the boy somehow entered the path of a vehicle being driven by an individual from out of town. The crash critically injured the boy, who was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. He was pronounced dead roughly an hour later.

Are electric scooters really that dangerous?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Monday, September 30, 2019.

E-scooters have been around for a while now, with a wide variety of makes and models available to rent or buy. Some people say these scooters are an easy, environmentally-friendly way to get around. But others argue that they’re dangerous to the community.

There have been lots of reports of e-scooter injuries, so are they really that dangerous?

Motor vehicle accidents: New Jersey man faces charges

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Sunday, September 29, 2019.

A fatal wrong-way crash has left one person dead and another person in custody, according to local sources. New Jersey authorities are still investigating the crash that killed a 49-year-old man in the early morning of Aug. 24. Motor vehicle accidents causing fatalities must be carefully investigated to ensure prosecutors and defense attorneys alike have a strong understanding of the particulars of the crash.

According to press reports, it appears police in Hillside attempted to pull over a vehicle being driven by a 24-year-old man for reasons that were not articulated. Rather than stopping, the man apparently pulled away at high speed, traveling down a one-way street in the wrong direction. He subsequently crashed into a vehicle driven by the 49-year-old victim at an intersection.

How can motorcycle riders protect themselves?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Saturday, September 28, 2019.

According to the state of New Jersey’s department of law and public safety, those involved in a motorcycle crash have an 82% chance of sustaining an injury. There are many factors to consider when trying to understand why these statistics are so high.

Due to a wide amount of distracted, fatigued and speeding drivers on the road, motorcyclists need to pay extreme caution to avoid being the victim of an accident. Especially since more than two-thirds of motorcycle accidents occur because a driver did not see a biker.

Cellphones are not the only distraction

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Thursday, September 26, 2019.

When you hear the phrase “distracted driving" odds are that the first thing you thought of was a driver using their cellphone, whether that be texting, talking or watching videos. However, cellphone users are not the only ones who must abide by New Jersey’s distracted driving laws.

The road is somewhere where people need to pay extreme caution because they’re not only putting themselves at risk but others as well. Whether it be a long drive or a short one to the mall, distractions occur. By recognizing distractions, we can better avoid them.

Cyclists face many hazards on the road

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.

Cycling is fun and healthy. It’s a great way to get some exercising in. Apart from cycling as a hobby, many people also use bicycles as their main mode of transportation, whether that be to and from work or to the grocery store.

Like other users on the road, bicyclists also have a list of rules and regulations they must follow. They also benefit from knowing the rules that motorists need to abide by as well since the state of New Jersey considers bicycles as vehicles.

Motor vehicle accidents: Teen killed in single-vehicle crash

On behalf of The Law Offices of Smith & Doran, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

Gibbsboro was the site of tragedy on the early morning of Sept. 8 when a crash claimed a young life. New Jersey authorities in Camden County responded to the single-vehicle accident that killed a 17-year-old boy. Charges have not been filed against the driver at this time, but as with most fatal motor vehicle accidents, police say their investigation is ongoing.

The report provided by police in the area did not give many details about the specifics of the crash. However, it has been confirmed that the accident took place around 1:30 a.m. on Clementon Road. Apparently an 18-year-old girl was operating a van with a 17-year-old male passenger in the vehicle. For reasons that have not yet been determined, the girl appeared to lose control of the van, which left the road and struck a utility pole.

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