Motor Vehicle Accident ~ Premises Liability ~ Failure to properly maintain roadway; Icy condition
N/A
OUTCOME: $1,220,000 Settlement
Blume Goldfaden Partner, Jeffrey J. Zenna, represented a man involved in a motor vehicle accident in which another driver lost control of his vehicle on an icy roadway, and struck our client’s car. As ...a result of his injuries sustained in the accident, and his diabetic condition, he suffered a below the knee amputation of one leg. The road, maintained by Essex County, was inspected prior to the accident by Fairfield Township inspectors, and, the County was aware of the hazardous condition. The inspectors failed to see the ice buildup on the roadway, which was due to water flowing on to the roadway from a broken pipe at an adjacent business. Jeff settled this case for $1,220,000.
Car accident
Motor Vehicle Accident
N/A
OUTCOME: $4.197 Million Settlement
Blume Goldfaden Partner, Jeffrey J. Zenna, represented a full time career army boat operator who completed 2 tours of active duty in Iraq. The 26 year old man was returning from Iraq, and driving from ...New York to his home in Virginia. The young man’s car had a flat tire, and he pulled off to the shoulder of the highway to change to his spare. While outside of the car and changing his tire, he was struck by another vehicle, causing tibia and fibula fractures, and a vascular injury to his lower leg. The vascular injury caused compromised blood flow in the limb, and ultimately resulted in the amputation of his leg above the knee two years after the accident. The man is still on active duty. Despite several versions of the accident by accounts of witnesses, Jeffrey was able to establish liability attributable to a Canadian driver, and he negotiated this significant settlement with the Canadian insurance carrier through which the defendant driver maintained an insurance policy.
Car accident
Automobile Accident
N/A
OUTCOME: $1,200,000 Settlement
Blume Goldfaden partner, Jeffrey J. Zenna, represented a commercial pilot traveling to work on Route 80 Eastbound in New Jersey. One of the defendants in the case, traveling westbound, went across the ...median and hit our client’s vehicle. Our client’s car was pushed across the roadway and he was then struck by a tractor trailer.
As a result of the accident our client suffered fractures of his pelvis, leg and ankle, requiring four surgeries. Although the New Jersey State Police accident reconstruction team determined that the tractor trailer could not avoid hitting our client’s vehicle, Jeffrey discovered through his investigation, that roadside and other drug testing was performed on the truck driver, the results of which were positive for intoxicating substances including marijuana; proving the driver was under the influence at the time of the accident.
Mr. Zenna first recovered the full amount available under the insurance policy from the first driver who hit our client, and also obtained money from our own client’s insurance coverage. Then, in light of the drug test results, Jeffrey obtained further recovery from the truck driver’s insurance company. The total of the settlements was $1,200,000.
Defective and dangerous products
Product Liability Unsafe Workplace
N/A
OUTCOME: $850,000 Settlement
Blume Goldfaden Partner, Jeffrey Zenna, represented a 23 year old man who was injured while working. Our client worked for a company where he operated a planetary grinder/polisher used to strip and pol...ish large areas of flooring. The man was servicing the machine, attempting to change the diamond blades at the bottom of the machine. In order to do that, the machine needed to be tilted backward, and a bungee cord, provided by the manufacturer, HID Corporation, needed to be used to secure a dust shroud on the machine. While attempting to secure the dust shroud the bungee cord came detached from the machine and struck our client in the left eye. The man suffered a retinal injury and has diminished eye sight in the eye.
Our client was not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident. His employer advised that eye protection was provided to all employees, and that employees were told to wear the eye protection at all times. Our client asserted that he was not told to wear eye protection.
Blume Goldfaden commenced a product liability suit on behalf of our client against the product manufacturer, HID Corporation, a company located in the Netherlands. We also made claims against the distributor of the product, SASE Corp., a Bridgewater, New Jersey company. Jeff argued that the machine was defective in design, as it was unreasonably dangerous. Jeff engaged an expert who was able to show there were alternative designs available which would have allowed a user to retract the dust shroud without using a dangerous bungee cord.
Jeffrey Zenna settled this claim for $850,000.
Jeffrey J. Zenna recently settled a claim on behalf of a self employed floor finisher who received serious burn injuries stemming from an explosion in an apartment building. The defendants blamed our ...client for the explosion which occurred as a result of the flames from a hot water heater igniting the lacquer applied to the floor. Mr. Zenna asserted that it was the management company and the owner of the building that had the responsibility to ensure that the gas in the building was turned off, that our client was provided with a safe work environment. The case was initially dismissed by the trial court, finding that the owners of the building could not be held responsible for plaintiffs injuries. Mr. Zenna filed an appeal with the NJ Appellate Division and convinced the higher court that the claim had been dismissed in error, that the owner of the property had a duty to plaintiff, and, that they were to be held vicariously liable for the negligence of the property manager. The case was reinstated, and Mr. Zenna was successful in recovering 605k.
Medical malpractice
Medical Malpractice Failure to Treat or Prevent Compartment Syndrome
N/A
OUTCOME: $500,000 Settlement
Blume Goldfaden Partner, Jeffrey J. Zenna represented a 23 year old man who suffered tibia and fibula fractures of the lower leg in a motorcycle accident. The fractures required surgery including the p...lacement of hardware. The defendant surgeon failed to prevent and or treat compartment syndrome from the trauma and surgery, causing significant pressure at and about our client's deep peroneal nerve, injuring that nerve, and resulting in both range of motion and sensation deficits. The man required Achilles tendon lengthening surgery and physical therapy to address the deficits. He did not sustain any lost wages. Jeffrey Zenna was able to settle this case the day before trial was to begin, for $500,000.
