Personal Injury Attorney in Union County, NJ

Personal Injury in Union County: A Local Perspective

Union County’s 102.8 square miles encompass everything from dense urban centers like Elizabeth and Plainfield to affluent suburbs like Summit and Westfield. This diversity means personal injuries occur in a wide variety of settings:

Retail and Commercial Properties

Union County is home to major shopping destinations where slip-and-fall and premises liability injuries are common:

The Mills at Jersey Gardens (Elizabeth) – New Jersey’s largest outlet mall with over 200 stores and millions of annual visitors. Wet floors, cluttered aisles, escalator malfunctions, and parking lot hazards lead to injuries.

Route 22 Retail Corridor – Stretching through Union Township, Springfield, and connecting municipalities, this busy commercial strip is lined with stores, restaurants, and shopping centers where property owners owe visitors a duty of care.

Downtown Shopping Districts – From Westfield’s vibrant downtown to Cranford’s commercial center, pedestrians and shoppers face hazards from uneven sidewalks, inadequate lighting, and poorly maintained properties.

Residential Properties

Property owners and landlords throughout Union County must maintain safe premises:

• Apartment complexes with broken stairs, poor lighting, or security failures
• Rental properties with code violations or deferred maintenance
• Single-family homes where hazards injure visitors
• Condominium and townhouse communities with common area hazards

Public Spaces and Municipalities

Union County’s 21 municipalities are responsible for maintaining:

• Sidewalks, roads, and public rights-of-way
• Parks and recreational facilities
• Public buildings and parking facilities
• Municipal events and programs

Claims against municipalities have special notice requirements—you must file a tort claim notice within 90 days of your injury.

Common Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Slip-and-Fall Accidents

Slip-and-fall accidents are among the most common personal injury claims in Union County. We’ve successfully handled cases involving:

• Wet floors in supermarkets, stores, and restaurants without proper warning signs
• Ice and snow on untreated sidewalks and parking lots
• Uneven surfaces including broken pavement, raised concrete, and cracked flooring
• Loose or torn carpeting in commercial and residential buildings
• Poor lighting that prevents people from seeing hazards
• Cluttered walkways with merchandise, equipment, or debris

Under New Jersey law, property owners must inspect their premises, correct known hazards, and warn of dangers they know or should know about.

Premises Liability

Beyond slip-and-falls, property owners can be liable for:

• Inadequate security leading to assaults or robberies
• Elevator and escalator accidents
• Swimming pool injuries at apartments, hotels, and private residences
• Dog bites and animal attacks (New Jersey has strict liability for dog bites)
• Fire injuries caused by code violations or negligent maintenance
• Falling objects from shelves, displays, or construction sites

Product Liability

When defective products cause injury, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers can be held liable. We handle cases involving:

• Defective consumer products
• Dangerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices
• Faulty automotive parts
• Defective tools and equipment
• Recalled products that caused harm before recall

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Union County is home to numerous nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We represent families when:

• Residents suffer from neglect or abuse
• Bedsores, malnutrition, or dehydration develop
• Fall prevention protocols fail
• Medication errors occur
• Understaffing leads to inadequate care

Understanding New Jersey Personal Injury Law

Proving Negligence

To recover compensation in a personal injury case, we must prove:

1. Duty of care – The defendant owed you a duty to act reasonably
2. Breach of duty – They failed to meet that standard
3. Causation – Their breach caused your injuries
4. Damages – You suffered actual harm (medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering)

Comparative Negligence

New Jersey follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you’re partially at fault for your injury, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. However, if you’re more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover anything.

Statute of Limitations

You generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in New Jersey. For claims against municipalities, you must file a tort claim notice within 90 days.

What You Can Recover in a Personal Injury Case

Economic Damages

• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Lost wages and earning capacity
• Property damage
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Cost of ongoing care or assistance

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement
• Loss of consortium (for family members)

Punitive Damages

In cases involving particularly reckless or malicious conduct, courts may award punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior.

Why Union County Residents Choose Our Firm

Local Knowledge

We know Union County intimately—from the shopping centers where slip-and-falls occur to the apartment complexes with recurring maintenance issues. We know which property owners have histories of negligence and which insurance adjusters try to lowball claims.

Courtroom Experience

Personal injury cases in Union County are filed in the Union County Superior Court at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth. We regularly appear there and have established reputations with local judges and opposing counsel.

Investigative Resources

We quickly investigate accident scenes, secure surveillance footage before it’s deleted, interview witnesses, and bring in experts when needed. Time is critical in personal injury cases—evidence disappears and memories fade.

Aggressive Negotiation

Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but insurance companies only offer fair settlements when they know you have an attorney willing to go to court. We prepare every case for trial, which gets results at the negotiating table.

What To Do After an Injury in Union County

1. Seek medical attention – Get treated and create a medical record
2. Report the incident – File a report with the property owner or manager
3. Document everything – Take photos, get witness names, save all receipts
4. Don’t give recorded statements to insurance adjusters without consulting an attorney
5. Contact us promptly – Evidence can disappear quickly

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is my personal injury case worth?

Every case is different. The value depends on your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the severity of your injuries. We evaluate your case thoroughly and fight for maximum compensation.

Do I have to go to court?

Most personal injury cases settle before trial. However, if the insurance company won’t offer fair compensation, we’re fully prepared to take your case to trial at the Union County Superior Court.

How long will my case take?

Simple cases may resolve in a few months. Complex cases with severe injuries may take longer, especially if litigation is required. We keep you informed throughout the process.

What if I can’t afford a lawyer?

We work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing upfront. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.

Can I still recover if I was partially at fault?

Yes, as long as you were less than 50% responsible for the accident. Your recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Contact Our Union County Personal Injury Lawyers

If you’ve been injured anywhere in Union County—from Elizabeth to Westfield, from Summit to Plainfield—we’re here to help. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Kessler, DiGiovanni & Jesuele, LLC
1150 Raritan Rd, Suite 100, Cranford, NJ 07016
Phone: (908) 232-2040

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Proudly serving injury victims throughout all 21 Union County municipalities. Your neighbors. Your advocates.