Since being founded in 1939, our injury law firm has been successful in recovering more than $1 billion on behalf of our clients. We have won more than $350 million in the past 5 years alone. While we are proud of this number, what we truly care about is what it represents: the people that we have helped. The money that we win on behalf of our clients means that they can get the medical care that they need, that they don’t have to worry about paying for bills while they recover, and that their family will be taken care of. Those are the results that our team care about, and it is the results that we will continue to fight for.
If you would like to learn more about the cases we have won, browse through our victories below.
A Middlesex County man was severely injured and burned as a result of a collision with a truck. The truck driver had lost control of his vehicle and had come through a median barrier which had failed to redirect the truck away from oncoming traffic. Expert testimony established that the median barrier was defective and therefore failed to protect motorist from this type of accident. The case was handled by Richard Levinson.
A female drunk driver crashed into plaintiff’s vehicle causing multiple fractures to the right ankle and foot. Plaintiff suffered a comminuted and crushed type fracture to the right tibia, fracture to the right talus and crush fracture to the right calcaneus. Large fracture blisters developed the next day and plaintiff was unable to have surgery for several months after accident. The fractured bones healed with misalignment. Plaintiff’s doctor testified that plaintiff would be under pain management protocol for the rest of his life due to this condition. Plaintiffs only other option was to have a complicated fusion procedure which would result in a club foot. The chance of success of the surgery would be 50/50 and there were substantial risks involved. Plaintiff testified that the drug management caused him insomnia, constipation and a severely negative impact on his relationships. Levinson Axelrod attorneys successfully tried this case in Superior Court of Ocean County.
The plaintiff was injured in the products liability action when a step on his commercial truck collapsed as he was exiting his vehicle. Ronald Grayzel tried this matter before a Middlesex County jury and argued that the steps manufactured by defendant were defective. Defendants denied this allegation and instead argued that the accident could not have occurred in the manner alleged by plaintiff.
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Kim Gozsa recently obtained a $3.2 million dollar verdict on behalf of a client who was injured in a slip and fall accident at an outlet shopping plaza in Jackson, New Jersey. The substantial jury award stems from a case in which Kim’s client slipped and fell on ice on a sidewalk at the Jackson Premium Outlets, an outlet shopping center in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Upon investigation, it was discovered the ice had been a long-standing problem, and was caused by a leaky soffit which the defendants ignored and failed to fix. As a result of her slip and fall, our client suffered a hip fracture which was initially treated using three medical-grade screws. However, ongoing pain necessitated removal of the screws, and our firm’s client underwent a hip replacement surgery. Unfortunately, the outcome of that procedure was not as anticipated, and our client was unable to return to work. Damages awarded by the jury totaled $3,223,580 and will be reduced by 15 percent due to the plaintiff’s comparative negligence. A post-judgment hearing will also be conducted to mold the verdict to include the medical comp lien, which totals $186,865.40.
A 31-year old iron worker was injured in a construction site accident when he was struck in the head by a cinder block. Despite the facts that he was wearing a hard hat at the time, the plaintiff still received a serious closed head injury resulting in both memory loss and total disability. The case was handled by both Richard Levinson and James Dunn and settled at the time of trial.
The plaintiff sustained a traumatic amputation of one leg, and a crush injury to the opposite foot, in a construction site accident. The accident occurred when a co-employee accidentally left the transmission of a parked vehicle in neutral, rather than in park. The empty vehicle subsequently rolled forward, striking the plaintiff. Establishing liability in this case was extremely difficult, as the laws of New Jersey prohibit an injured worker from bringing a cause of action against either an employer, or co-employee, under the circumstance of this case. As a result, the claim was brought against the Department of Transportation, as it had a duty to monitor safety on the work site and its failure to do so contributed to the happening of this accident. Adam Rothenberg of our office handled the case on behalf of the plaintiff.
Levinson Axelrod Partner, Mark V. Kuminski represented a local Fraklin Tounship woman who was involved in a three-car motor vehicle accident. The incident occurred when one of the drivers, later named as the defendant in the personal injury lawsuit filed by Mark and our firm, rear-ended a vehicle that had been stopped. The collisions pushed the struck vehicle forward into the rear of our client’s car. As a result of the impact, our client suffered injuries to her back, neck, and shoulder, as well as a concussion. Once her concussion symptoms had resolved, she was required to undergo multiple pain management procedures for her orthopedic injuries, as well as two surgeries on her neck. Although she has returned to work, she continues to suffer from various symptoms related to her injuries. After resolving the matter of the defendant driver’s fault, Mark litigated at trial on the issue of damages, as the insurance carrier representing the at-fault driver did not make a settlement offer sufficient enough to cover our clients’ needs. Mark’s ability to express the full scope of damages incurred by our client and their impact on her life, including her extensive suffering, medical treatment, lost wages, and reduced quality of life, proved successful in compelling the jury to rule in our client’s favor. The jury ultimately awarded a substantial $2.5 million in damages to our client – a result that was nearly four times the last settlement offer made by the defendant’s insurance company.
The plaintiff injured her ankle when she stepped into a cement cut out in a commercial sidewalk where a tree had been planted. The plaintiff had been walking on the sidewalk on her way to a down town holiday festival. Her attention had been distracted by a negligently placed chestnut grilling stand, thereby diverting her attention away from the cut out. The plaintiff brought claims against both the property owner and the operator of the chestnut stand. As a result of her accident, she sustained a badly sprained ankle and went on to develop Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. The case was tried by Mark Kuminski.
The plaintiff was injured on a construction site, when he fell while descending a fixed ladder that was connected to a tractor trailer sized piece of equipment. The plaintiff had just finished fueling the machine, and was attempting to step down from the ladder onto the ground, when he accidentally stepped onto a piece of wood which had been placed underneath various hoses which were running from the machine. The plaintiff contended that the presence of the boards and hoses at the base of the ladder constituted an unreasonably dangerous condition. The defendants defended the matter by claiming that the plaintiff was not permitted to access the machine at the time because the defendant’s employees were not present, and that there were other safer alternative routes in which to do so. Defendants likewise claimed that the plaintiff was comparatively negligent, as he was not holding onto the ladder at the time of his fall. Instead, he was using both hands to carry and cover the hose and nozzle which was used to fuel the machine in question. The plaintiff explained that this was the manner in which he was instructed to do so by the defendant’s employee. The plaintiff sustained a herniated disc in his lower back, for which he was required to undergo a surgical fusion. When the surgery failed to improve his symptoms, the plaintiff underwent the implantation of a spinal cord stimulator. The case was handled by Mark Kuminski of our office.
The plaintiff was employed as a mason and working on a construction site located in Princeton New Jersey. While pouring concrete, he stepped backwards into an uncovered hole, thereby falling waist deep into same. He injured his lower back, thereby requiring surgery. In a case handled by Mark Kuminski of our office, the plaintiff claimed that the general contractor for the worksite had failed to provide the plaintiff with a safe place in which to work. The defendant denied any knowledge or responsibility for the condition. The defendant likewise claimed that the plaintiff’s back surgery was related to a pre-existing condition for which he had recently undergone surgery and had last treated for ten days earlier.
Our firm secured a judgment verdict of $1,989,000.00 for a client that suffered injuries from carbon monoxide fumes. The generator that was installed in her dog grooming van was not a proper fit, thus resulting in fume exposure.
Partner Ronald Grayzel of the Edison office secured a verdict for a woman injured by a defective elevator. The case was tried in the United States District Court before a federal Magistrate. The three-week long trial resulted in a $1.9M verdict for the plaintiff.
While stopped in traffic, an Ocean County man was injured as a result of being rear ended by a dump truck. The plaintiff was receiving treatment for a prior neck problem at the time of the collision but required surgery after the additional problems caused by the accident. Our attorneys were able to combat the defense's arguments through the use of very skilled and competent medical experts and ultimately obtained a settlement of $1.2 million.
Partner Kim Gozsa of the Howell office obtained a $1.2M settlement for a construction worker injured in a traffic accident. The Plaintiff was rear-ended by a dump truck and required a major neck surgery. There was also significant amounts of time missed from work.
Our attorneys obtained a $1.1M settlement for a client who was injured when a city bus made an improper wrong turn at excessive speeds, causing head-on collision. Our client underwent an emergency procedure for fusion to the lumbar spine after temporary paraplegia, as well as other injuries.
Mark Kuminski of our office represented a client who was injured at work, while unloading a tractor trailer. As a result of the incident, the plaintiff re-injured his lower back, for which he had previously undergone surgery ten years earlier. Following this incident, the plaintiff was required to undergo a second surgery. He was unable to return to work as a combination of the injuries sustained in this accident, as well as a unrelated health condition. The case settled for $1,000,000.00.
A woman suffered a back injury when the car in which she was a passenger was involved in an accident. The case was unique in that the plaintiff brought suit against the drivers of both vehicles. The driver of the other vehicle was found to be negligent and the jury awarded $1M in damages. Partner Adam Rothenberg of the Edison office tried the case in Middlesex County.
A former model whose face was permanently scarred by a dog bite settled her
Monmouth County suit against the dog’s owner for $1 million.
Plaintiff, 37, was a patron at a local farm and was bit by a Labrador
retriever when the
dog lunged at her and bit her in the face. Plaintiff lost most of her right upper lip and part of her right lower
lip in the attack, which required emergency surgery, three subsequent
plastic surgeries, injections, and caused scarring, permanent discoloration,
and frequent chapping and scabbing. Plaintiff had not modeled in several
years but wished to maintain the option of returning to the industry,
which her injuries would preclude. She had been working as a spa director
at a resort before the attack but was replaced because she missed work
for medical treatment. We argued strict liability under New Jersey’s
dog-bite statute, and claimed the business negligently allowed the dog
to remain in the presence of customers despite its attack on another patron
three days before. They successfully negotiated the settlement of $1M
in this matter.
A carpenter working as an independent contractor was injured at defendant’s refinery when he was improperly exposed to dangerous fumes. Ronald Grayzel handled this occupational exposure case and ultimately settled the matter for $975,000.00.
A four year old child developed a severe case of food poisoning after having eaten an undercooked beef product which was prepared and sold by a local restaurant. In a case handled by Mark Kuminski of our office, it was argued that despite the fact that the diagnostic test results were negative, that the clinical finding supported a diagnosis of an exposure to E-Coli.
Partner Brett Greiner of the Edison office secured a verdict for a Carteret woman who was injured when she slipped and fell near a decorative fountain at a shopping mall. The defense argued that the plaintiff's condition was chronic and longstanding and not related to the accident. The Middlesex County jury awarded the plaintiff and her husband over $935,000.
The plaintiff was involved in a motor vehicle accident with a tractor trailer. The plaintiff, an intensive care unit nurse, injured her lower back, suffering a herniated disc. While she did not undergo surgery to repair same, her ability to work was greatly affected. The matter was tried by Adam Rothenberg.
The plaintiff was injured on a construction project when he fell from a ladder which was not secured properly. As a result of the fall, the plaintiff sustained serious injuries to both feet. The matter was tried by Richard Levinson before a Middlesex County jury, before ultimately being submitted to a binding arbitration.
Middlesex County man was driving down the main street in Seaside Heights at approximately 7:30 a.m. one Sunday morning when he was struck by a vehicle which went through a stop sign at a high rate of speed. The impact caused our client’s vehicle to flip over and slide down the roadway. Our client was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his vehicle through the sun roof. He struck the pavement and received serious and permanent injuries. The defendant driver argued that had our client been wearing a seatbelt, his injuries would have been minimal. Plaintiff’s injuries included a serious back injury requiring major surgery and a substantial limp. He continues to get physical therapy three years after the accident.
A Middlesex County man was involved in an automobile accident in which he injured his back, shoulder, knee and foot. The suit alleged negligence on the part of the defendant, a tow truck operator. The case was handled by James Dunn, and settled at the Courthouse after being assigned to a Judge for the start of trial.
The infant plaintiff suffered severe injuries to his leg when he was struck by a car as he exited a school bus. The driver of the car lacked sufficient liability insurance coverage to compensate the plaintiff for his injuries. As a result, Adam Rothenberg brought this claim for Underinsured Motorist benefits under the insurance policy of the bus.
A woman who had carpets cleaned in her home suffered a severe asthmatic reaction. Suit was filed for injuries caused by her inhalation of the chemical products used by defendant to clean the carpets. Discovery revealed that there was a history of adverse reactions in some individuals who were exposed to some of the elements in the cleaner. No warnings of the potential dangers were given to the homeowner prior to the job commencing. This matter was handled by Ronald Grayzel.
Partner James Dunn, Esq. settled a case for an EMT injured while working for $750,000.00. The EMT was injured at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morris County while performing EMT functions in the back of the ambulance. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the driver of the ambulance moved the vehicle without warning the client. As a result of this action, the client was thrown to the ground while inside the vehicle and sustained a herniated disc of the neck requiring surgery. Expert testimony established that the client will no longer be able to perform functions of an EMT in the future.
Middlesex County woman was injured when a tire fell off a tractor-trailer causing her to lose control of her vehicle and hit a concrete divider. She suffered neck injuries and required two surgeries. Plaintiff sued the owner of the truck as well as the company who installed the tire. The matter was settled by Brett Greiner, Esq.
A woman tripped and fell in the parking lot at her workplace in Princeton, causing her to undergo surgery. Partner Jim Dunn of the Hillsborough office was able to prove that the property owner was negligent in the way that they constructed the premises so as to cause a dangerous condition. A Somerset County jury awarded verdicts for both the medical bills and the plaintiff's pain & suffering.
Associate Robert Cook recently settled a case for $695,000.00, for a client who fell in a hole while walking from her car through Defendant’s parking area toward a restaurant’s front entrance. The fall caused shoulder injuries requiring arthroscopic surgery, cervical injuries requiring a cervical fusion procedure, and traumatic onset of a painful rheumatologic condition.
Partner Michael B. Fusco secured a six-figure jury verdict on behalf of an Edison man who suffered injuries in a motor vehicle collision. Following four days of trial, a Middlesex County jury awarded $626,300.22 in compensation for our client’s injuries and related damages – a substantial amount in comparison to the $75,000 settlement offer made by the defendant’s insurance carrier. Because our client is also eligible to receive a little over $42,000 in pre-judgment interest, the total award will amount to $668,367.82, an amount within the policy limits of the defendant’s auto insurance.
A $650,000 settlement for an Edison man who slipped on a patch of ice outside of his apartment in the Trafalgar Gardens/Hilltop Estates complex. He suffered broken bones in his leg and arm in the fall.
Brett Greiner and Brian McElroy of our Edison office tried this matter before a Middlesex County jury on behalf of a truck driver, who was injured when the back of his trailer separated from the loading dock, thereby causing his to fall and sustain fractures of his lower leg. The plaintiff contended that the separation occurred because of the manner in which the fork lift driver operated the fork lift. Defendant claimed that the accident occurred because the plaintiff failed to set the vehicle’s parking brake or otherwise chock the truck’s wheels. The jury found the defendant 55% responsible for the accident and awarded the plaintiff a gross verdict of $1,122,000.00, which resulted in a net verdict of $617,000.00.
Mark Kuminski handled this case for the plaintiff, who was injured at work when he slipped and fell on a wet floor, injuring both knees. The floor outside his office had recently been mopped by an outside contractor, and the wet floor signs were placed by the defendant in such a manner that they would not have been readily observable as the plaintiff exited his office. The plaintiff aggravated preexisting conditions in both knees, for which he had previously undergone multiple knee surgeries. As a result of this accident, he was required to undergo bilateral knee replacement surgery.
Plaintiff, a 30-year old warehouse manager, sustained a severely lacerated arm with resulting scarring when a strap he was using ripped apart during a loading procedure. The lawsuit was filed against the manufacturer and retailer of the strap, both of whom denied responsibility. After a trial on liability, a civil jury agreed with the plaintiff that the retailer had improperly warranted the utility of the product. Shortly thereafter, the case was settled for $550,000.00 by Richard Levinson.
A 21-year-old male drowned as a social guest at his friend's house. The homeowners allowed unsupervised use of their swimming pool at a party where alcohol was being served. Partner Jim Dunn of the Flemington office obtained an award in excess of $500,000 for the estate of the deceased young man. The Mercer County jury found both the host and the host's parents who were present in the home liable for the death.
A Monmouth County student was injured while playing street hockey in gym class on the school’s tennis court. While attempting to gain control of the ball, which had been passed by another student, the plaintiff struck his knee against the steel post that was used to secure the court’s tennis nets. It was alleged by the plaintiff that the tennis courts did not have proper boundaries in place to be used for street hockey. The plaintiff sustained multiple bone contusions to the knee, a herniated lumbar disc, as well as developing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. The case was handled by Kim Gozsa of our office and settled the matter on the first day of trial.
Partner, Brett Greiner, Esq., a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, recently resolved a case for a client that was injured in a motor vehicle accident. The bed of the defendant’s pick-up truck had opened and a tool box fell onto the roadway. Our client was forced to stop suddenly to avoid hitting the tool box when she was rear ended by another vehicle that took and fled the scene. She suffered neck and back injuries that required surgical intervention. Unfortunately there was only $100,000.00 in uninsured motorist coverage available to stand in the place of the car that fled. This is why it is important to always make sure you have adequate coverage for yourself should something like this happen. The truck that dropped the tool box contributed $500,000.00 towards the total settlement.
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. lawyers recently resolved a claim for a Middlesex County Woman who was injured while golfing. She was playing in a foursome with three other ladies, and she was accidentally run over by one of the other women driving a golf cart that she had rented from the club. Our client suffered significant and permanent injuries including fractures of her right ankle requiring surgeries. Following significant medical and fact discovery, the case was settled for $500,000.00.
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Robert Y. Cook, secured a major $475,000 settlement on behalf of a client who suffered serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident. Robert represented an Ocean City man who, while driving on a local roadway, was suddenly run off the road by another motorist who changed lanes without checking his surroundings for any nearby vehicles. As a result of road departure, our client suffered serious injuries to his hips, both of which had been previously replaced in a medical procedure approximately fifteen years prior to the incident. The new injuries required him to undergo revision surgery on both hips. Rob was able to effectively deflect the defense’s arguments, and was able to show that the injuries his client suffered after being run off the road caused a premature need for surgical revision of both hips. By doing so, he was able to negotiate a substantial $475,000 settlement for our client.
Attorney Kathleen M. DiGiovanni secured a $425,000 settlement on behalf of her client who suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident. The crash occurred in November of 2014 during the middle of the day. At that time, our client has been traveling in their vehicle on Highway 71 in Manasquan, New Jersey. When crossing the intersection of Route 71 and Curtis Avenue, the defendant pulled out from Curtis Avenue in front of our client, causing their vehicles to collide. As a result of the collision, our client suffered multiple injuries, including multiple herniations of the cervical disc which were impinging on his spinal cord, as well as a concussion. The concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), also resulted in post-concussive syndrome. Our client was also required to undergo a spinal surgery involving a two level cervical discectomy and fusion. Ultimately, Kathleen was able to negotiate a $425,000 settlement, which includes compensation for our client’s pain and suffering and medical damages.
James Dunn of our Flemington office handled this case against the State of New Jersey and New Jersey State Police. The plaintiff was injured in a motor vehicle accident, which occurred as the result of the unreasonable actions of a New Jersey State Trooper in performing a slow-down operation. The plaintiff sustained injuries to her spine, which eventually required that she undergo a cervical fusion. The case was settled at the Morris County Court House, just before the start of trial.
Our client, who worked as a school bus driver, was injured when a landscaping truck crossed over into his lane from the opposing lane of traffic. The driver of the landscaping truck admitted he had dropped his phone while trying to change the music on his vehicle’s radio, an act that caused him to veer out of his lane. As a result of the accident, our client suffered injuries to his back and his knee. He required injections to his back, and underwent an arthroscopic procedure to repair the meniscal tears in his knee. Our client was also forced to miss work as he recovered from the surgical procedure, and was told he would develop worsening arthritis that would potentially necessitate a total replacement of his knee in the future. Though Partner Michael Fusco and our legal team began litigating the case in court, a settlement was reached on the second day of trial for $380,000.
On July 5, 2014, Plaintiff a 63 year old Borough of Union Beach resident, was walking home from the town fireworks display when she tripped on a severely raised sidewalk. The slab was raised 2"-3" and the Borough had actual notice of the condition from 2012 and failed to remediate. As a result of the fall, Plaintiff suffered serious and permanent injury to her left shoulder. Specifically, she suffered a dislocation requiring reduction and a large rotator cuff tear requiring an arthroscopic surgery and a reverse total shoulder replacement. Based upon the actual notice the Borough had of the dangerous condition and the severity of plaintiff's injuries, attorneys Kathleen DiGiovanni and Adam Rothenberg secured a $375,000 settlement for the plaintiff.
A $350,000 settlement for a client whose infant child suffered burns after spilling hot coffee on herself in a guest room at a Hilton hotel. Initially, the defense only offered a $25,000 settlement. Greiner and his client declined the offer, and took the defense to trial. During this time, Greiner successfully argued that the Hilton was negligent for staging the coffee maker in a location in the room where there was no electric outlet, requiring guests to move the machine in order to use it. The defense offered consistently higher settlement offers, and after a week, the defense increased their settlement offer by 1,400 percent from the initial $25,000 offer to $350,000, which Greiner and his clients accepted.
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Adam L. Rothenberg and our legal team have settled a case against the New Jersey Department of Treasury (DOT) on behalf of a client who suffered serious injuries after slipping and falling on ice. The victory is a significant one, given both the recovery made for Adam’s client and the difficulties of prevailing in claims filed against government entities. Ultimately, the work of Adam and our team led to a successfully negotiated settlement, and $325,000 in damages for our client.
A man was injured in a motor vehicle accident, when the defendant ran a stop sign causing an impact. He suffered a herniated disc in his neck and received several months of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment. Associate Brian McElroy of the Hillsborough office obtained a verdict of $252,000 in Essex County.
The plaintiff was a 48-year-old Sheriff’s officer, who was injured in the course of his employment when his work vehicle was struck from behind while stopped in traffic. He sustained multiple herniated discs in his neck, as well as an aggravation of pre-existing asymptomatic degenerative changes. Defendants argued that the plaintiff’s injuries were all degenerative in nature, and therefore did not meet the requirements of the Limitation on Lawsuit Threshold in order to be eligible to bring the claim. Defendants offered the plaintiff a total of $35,000.00 to settle the case. The jury returned a verdict in the amount of $250,000.00. The case was tried by Mark Kuminski of our office.
Associate Attorney Brian P. McElroy secured a six-figure settlement on behalf of his client who was injured in an auto accident. Brian’s client was a passenger in a van which provided care and living assistance to adults. Though such entities have legal obligations to take reasonable steps that ensure the safety of those in its care, the company in this particular case did not properly assist the victim with her seat belt. As a result of their failures to help the woman fasten the van’s safety restraint, our client suffered injuries when the van’s driver suddenly stopped short while in transit. The abrupt stop caused our client to fall from her seat in the van and land directly onto her right elbow. Her injuries required surgery on the elbow. Our client’s significant injuries and medical expenses increased the need for a full financial recovery, and Brian prevailed in negotiating a substantial settlement for $230,000.
Associate Michael Fusco of the Edison office obtained a verdict for the victim of a car accident who sustained permanent injuries to her neck and back. The defense argued that our client's symptoms were pre-existing and age related, instead of being related to the accident. After 1 hour and 15 minutes, the Middlesex County jury returned a $200,000 verdict for our client.
Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Brett R. Greiner secured a $175,000 settlement on behalf of a young girl who injured her arm and suffered scarring after falling at a local swim club. As case records show, Brett’s client was a 14-year-old girl who had been using the shower facilities at a local swim club at the time of the incident. While in the shower, the shower seat broke away from the wall, causing her to fall and sustain a laceration to her arm. She received treatment in the ER, as well as follow-up visits with a doctor. The injury resulted in a scar on the back of her arm.
