Source: https://newjerseylawyernow.com/category/litigation/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 11:11:15+00:00

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As January begins and a colder stage of winter is at our doorstep, let us make sure that we take the proper precautions in ensuring safety on the roads. Easier said than done, I know. People, road conditions and the weather can prove to be unpredictable (icy pavement, snow, bad brakes, bad tires, driving too fast, making a rushed turn ect), but we want you to know that you are not alone in the case that an accident does occur.
Personal Injury law allows us to aid in the protection of you and your property if injury or damage is done due to conscious or unconscious acts. Automobile accidents are a common area where personal injury actions take place. If you have a “negligence” claim, or in short, the belief that the other individual failed to do something (obey a light, obey a stop sign, drive at the recommended speed ect) to avoid causing the accident, you have a case.
Now lets say the roles are reversed. You caused the accident, but you reasonably believe that it was not entirely your fault. Who pays for damages? Well we have a response for that too. In the case of such an accident, sure you may be negligent in regards to the accident (you were driving too fast, not paying attention on the road ect), but if the jury finds that you were only liable (responsible) for lets say 70% of the injury (arbitrary number) then you’re only liable for paying 70% of the damages. In short, $10,000 in overall damages means you pay $7,000, a substantially less amount.
Different scenario; you are hit by a delivery driver. Who pays for the damages, the delivery driver or the employer of the delivery driver? Well under the law both may be held liable. The employer bares a responsibility for his employees and damages that occur under his or her watch. So if the delivery driver gets into an accident with you while on duty, you may have a case in your hand.
Now there are many scenarios with personal injury cases, but one thing is certain and that is that you are not alone in handling these situations. At the Morano Law Firm we take great pride in providing genuine care and service for our clients. If you have been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to medical care, property damage repairs and of course a cash settlement. We handle many of these types of cases on a contingency basis, meaning we only get paid if you get paid. If you have any concerns or questions, regarding a case or other inquiries feel free to call Mr. Morano at 201-598-5019 or send us a message on our “Contacts” section on the top right of the home page. We are eager to hear from you.
Do I Need a New Jersey Special Civil Part Lawyer for my Litigation?
New Jersey Special Civil Part Lawyer cases are different then cases filed in the regular civil division as they move much quicker. The Special Civil Part handles small claims (up to $3,000), tenancy matters, and claims for monetary relief up to $15,000. Cases in the Special Civil Part are typically tried by a judge without a jury. There are approximately 600,000 cases filed in the Special Civil Part each year.
There are some basic elements to cases in Special Civil part. It is important to act quickly as Special Civil part lawsuits can turn into judgments very fast.
You must send an ANSWER to the court within 35 days from the date the summons was sent to you. That date is shown on page 2 of the summons you received. You must pay $15 to file your Answer.
If you have evidence showing that you do not owe the amount claimed, such as receipts, attach copies of those papers to every copy of your Answer. Keep copies of all the original documents and bring them to the trial.
You must send a copy of the Answer to the plaintiff by certified and regular mail if the plaintiff does not have a lawyer. If the plaintiff has a lawyer, you must send a copy of the Answer to that lawyer by regular mail.
Each person being sued must file his or her own Answer.
An Answer on behalf of a CORPORATION, LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION or LIMITED PARTNER in a limited partnership must be filed by an attorney if the amount sought in the case is more than $3,000.
The easiest way to get tripped up in filing a New Jersey lawsuit is to blow the statute of limitations. Below is a brief summary of the statute of limitations on many of New Jersey most frequently filed claims of action. The clock is always ticking on your potential lawsuit and the laws are change everyday. Therefore, the following list may be a good point of reference but to get a definitive answer to your statute of limitations questions you must contact a lawyer immediately. To learn more about your potential case and for a free consultation please call Corey P. Morano, Esq at 201-598-5019 today!
4 YEARS for contracts for the sale of goods under the Uniform Commercial Code (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 12A:2-725 (2011)).
2 YEARS for a breach of fiduciary duty harming one’s physical or emotional well-being (Balliet, at 171).
BREACH OF WARRANTY – 4 YEARS (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 12A:2-725 (2011)).
6 YEARS for claims under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (Kennedy v. Axa Equitable Life Ins., Co., 2007 WL 2688881, at *2 (D.N.J. Sep. 11, 2007)).
EMPLOYMENT (Workers’ Compenstion) – 2 YEARS petitions filed under the Worker’s Compensation Act (N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 34:15-41 (2011) and 34:15-51 (2011)).
For foreign judgments, the statute of limitations is the shorter of 20 years or the length of time to enforce the judgment in the foreign jurisdiction (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-5 (2011)).
20 YEARS for an execution concerning real estate, goods and chattel (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:17-3 (2011)).
FRAUD – 6 YEARS(N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-1 (2011)).
6 YEARS for property claims (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-1 (2011)).
TRADE SECRET MISAPPROPRIATION – 6 YEARS (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-1 (2011)).
UNJUST ENRICHMENT – 6 YEARS (Jacobson v. Celgene Corp., 2010 WL 1492869, at *3 (D.N.J. Apr. 14, 2010)).
New Jersey has no statute of limitations for a wrongful death action, if the death resulted from murder, aggravated manslaughter or manslaughter for which the defendant has been convicted, found not guilty by reason of insanity or adjudicated delinquent (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:31-3 (2011)).
The statute of limitations is two years for survival actions (Thomas v. Correctional Med. Servs., Inc., 2009 WL 737105, at *3 (D.N.J. Mar. 17, 2009)).
The easiest way to get tripped up in filing a lawsuit is to blow the statute of limitations. Below is a brief summary of the statute of limitations on many of New Jersey most frequently filed claims of action. To learn more about your potential case and for a free consultation please call Corey P. Morano, Esq at 201-598-5019 today!
New Jersey Slip and Fall Lawyer – Understanding Your Rights!
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident and want to know your rights, please do not hesitate to call me, Corey Morano, Esq. for a free consultation at 201-598-5019 or email me right away!
Slip and fall, in New Jersey tort law, is a claim or case based on a person slipping (or tripping) and falling. It is a tort, and based on a claim that the property owner was negligent in allowing some dangerous condition to exist that caused the slip or trip.
The first defense is that they were not negligent. For example, the owner may claim that the banana that a patron slipped upon had been dropped on the floor only moments ago by another patron, and that, in the exercise of due diligence, a typical store owner acting with reasonable care would not have had time to discover the danger and take steps to mitigate the danger.
Because of a general perception that slip and falls are at least partly the fault of the person injured, slip and fall injuries are usually worth less than injuries from other types of torts.
Are you a Contractor or Supplier considering a construction lien against someone who hasn’t paid? Please call me, Corey P. Morano at The Morano Law Firm, LLC for a free consultation today at 201-598-5019!
The American Arbitration Association is the leading authority on alternative dispute resolution. Below is brief overview of the New Jersey Construction Lien Arbitration Guidelines.
New Jersey P.L. 2010, c.119, the “Construction Residential Lien Law” (revision of N.J.S.A. 2A:44A-1, et seq.) provides a statutory scheme for private contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers to secure payment for their labor and materials on residential projects through a lien filing process. Part of the residential lien process requires arbitration through the auspices of the American Arbitration Association (AAA), unless the parties provide for an alternate dispute resolution mechanism. The purpose of the arbitration is to establish an efficient and fair process for determining the validity and amount of a lien claim. The AAA New Jersey Residential Construction Arbitration Rules have been developed specifically for this purpose.
The AAA is a private, not-for-profit, neutral administrative organization. The AAA does not provide legal advice or serve as a representative for any party.
A Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQ) document is provided as an addendum to these Rules.
The New Jersey Construction Lien Law (P.L. 2010, Chapter 119 – “Lien Law”) provides that as a condition precedent to the filing of any lien arising under a residential construction contract, the lien claimant shall first file and serve a Notice of Unpaid Balance and Right to File Lien (“NUB”).
Within 10 calendar days from the date the NUB is lodged for record, the lien claimant is also required to serve a Demand for Arbitration and fulfill all of the requirements and procedures of the American Arbitration Association to institute an expedited proceeding before a single arbitrator designated by the AAA, unless the parties have otherwise agreed in writing to an alternate dispute resolution mechanism.
These arbitration rules and any amendment of them shall apply in the form in effect at the time the administrative requirements for the Demand for Arbitration under the Lien Law are met and received by the AAA, except for any provision that may be inconsistent with applicable law.
All cases will be determined by the arbitrator by document submission only (called “Desk Arbitration”), unless a party makes a timely request for an oral hearing before the arbitrator and has paid any oral hearing fees. The arbitrator shall have the discretion to resolve any disputes with regard to the timeliness of a request for an oral hearing.
Arbitration is initiated by the filing with the AAA of two (2) copies of a Demand for Arbitration, including two (2) copies of the documentation described below and payment of the appropriate filing fees (see AAA Fee Schedule).
The claimant shall simultaneously, by personal service or registered or certified mail-return receipt requested, postage prepaid, serve or mail a copy of the Demand for Arbitration, including the required documentation, to the last known business address or place of residence of the property owner and, if any, of the contractor and the subcontractor, against whom the claim is asserted.
(8) if the claimant seeks consolidation, such request must be included with the Demand. See Section 8 of these Rules.
The AAA shall not be required to proceed with administration of the claim if the AAA determines that the Demand does not fulfill the administrative filing requirements.
The arbitrator shall resolve any disputes regarding the timeliness of the Demand for Arbitration.
Upon receipt of a Demand for Arbitration, the AAA shall appoint a single arbitrator from its panel of persons knowledgeable in construction.
(a) Any person appointed or to be appointed as an arbitrator, as well as the parties and their representatives, shall disclose to the AAA, as promptly as practicable, any circumstance likely to give rise to justifiable doubt as to the arbitrator’s impartiality or independence, including any bias or any financial or personal interest in the result of the arbitration or any past or present relationship with the parties or their representatives. Such obligation shall remain in effect throughout the arbitration.
(b) Upon receipt of such information from the arbitrator or another source, the AAA shall communicate the information to the parties and, if it deems it appropriate to do so, to the arbitrator and others.
(c) In order to encourage disclosure by arbitrators, disclosure of information pursuant to this Section 5 is not to be construed as an indication that the arbitrator considers that the disclosed circumstances are likely to affect impartiality or independence.
(iii) Any grounds for disqualification provided by applicable law.
(b) Upon objection of a party to the continued service of an arbitrator, or on its own initiative, the AAA shall determine whether the arbitrator should be disqualified under the grounds set out above, and shall inform the parties of its decision, which decision shall be conclusive.
(c ) The AAA is authorized to remove the arbitrator and to appoint another arbitrator if a vacancy occurs for any reason.
Before proceeding with the first hearing, each arbitrator may take an oath of office and, if required by law, shall do so. The arbitrator may require witnesses to testify under oath administered by any duly qualified person and, if it is required by law or requested by any party, shall do so.
In accordance with the Lien Law, the claimant, owner, or any other party may request consolidation in a single arbitration proceeding of the claimant’s NUB with any other NUB not yet arbitrated but lodged for record by a potential claimant who has satisfied the requirements of the Lien Law.
Requests for consolidation made by the claimant must be made in the Demand for Arbitration. If a person other than the claimant seeks consolidation, the request shall be made by letter to the AAA within five (5) business days of when the Demand for Arbitration is served.
The arbitrator shall grant or deny a request for a consolidated arbitration proceeding at the arbitrator’s discretion. Such determination shall be made no later than five (5) business days from the date the request is submitted to the arbitrator.
After filing of the arbitration, the Demand may only be amended with written consent of all parties, or with the consent of the arbitrator.
(d) shall, if an oral hearing is not requested by any party, serve two (2) copies on the AAA and one (1) copy on all other parties of all documents that respondent wishes to submit to the arbitrator.
Submissions pursuant to this Section should be received by the AAA within five (5) business days of the date of the AAA’s written notice.
Claimant may submit a written reply by (a) serving two (2) copies on the AAA, which should be received by the AAA within three (3) business days of the date of the AAA’s written notice, and (b) serving a copy on each party.
If a respondent submits a Setoff or Counterclaim in a document submission case and respondent did not request an oral hearing, claimant’s reply may include a request for an oral hearing, accompanied by the Oral Hearing Fee, to be paid to the AAA (see AAA Fee Schedule).
The arbitration proceeding shall be completed within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the claimant’s Demand for Arbitration by the AAA unless no response is filed, in which case the arbitration proceeding shall be completed within seven (7) calendar days after the time within which to respond has expired.
The time periods for completion of the arbitration shall not be extended unless agreed to by the parties and approved by the arbitrator.
Any party may participate without representation (pro-se), or by counsel or any other representative of that party’s choosing, unless such choice is prohibited by applicable law. A party intending to have representation shall notify the other party and the AAA of the name, telephone number and address, and email address, if available, of the representative at least five (5) business days prior to the date set for the hearing at which that person is first to appear. When such a representative initiates an arbitration or responds for a party, notice is deemed to have been given.
When an oral hearing is requested, the arbitrator shall fix the date and time of the hearing, which may be at any reasonable time on any day of the week in order to meet the time limitations of the Lien Law.
The hearing will be held at the business offices of the arbitrator or such other place as the arbitrator may designate, which may include the business offices of one of the parties or their representatives if such offices are available without cost to the other parties, or the property which is the subject of the claim.
In the event of an oral hearing, each party must provide to the AAA and any other parties a complete list of names and business affiliations of the witnesses the party will call at the hearing. This list is due from the party requesting an oral hearing at the time such request is due. All other parties must provide their witness lists no later than five (5) business days prior to the first scheduled hearing date.
Except for required filings under these rules, and as may be required by the Lien Law or determined by the arbitrator, there is no requirement that the parties exchange other information prior to the hearing.
The arbitrator and the AAA shall maintain the privacy of the hearings unless the law provides to the contrary. Any person having a direct interest in the arbitration is entitled to attend oral hearings. The arbitrator shall otherwise have the power to require the exclusion of any witness, other than a party or other essential person, during the testimony of any other witness. It shall be discretionary with the arbitrator to determine the propriety of the attendance of any person other than a party and its representative.
Hearings may be postponed only if the arbitrator finds good cause and only if the postponement will not place the decision time outside of the one hundred twenty (120) calendar-day lien-filing period. All requests for postponements shall be communicated to the arbitrator through the AAA.
There is no requirement that a stenographic record be made of the proceedings, but any party may make such arrangements at its own expense and shall notify the other parties of these arrangements in advance of the hearing.
The arbitration shall be conducted by the arbitrator in any manner which will permit full and expeditious presentation of the case by all parties. Generally, the oral hearing shall be completed within one (1) day but the arbitrator may, for good cause, schedule additional hearings.
An arbitrator or attorney of record authorized by law may subpoena witnesses or documents. The arbitrator may require witnesses to testify under oath.
The arbitrator shall be the judge of the relevancy, materiality and admissibility of the evidence offered, and conformity to legal rules of evidence shall not be necessary.
Except when all parties otherwise agree in writing, there shall be no direct communications between a party and the arbitrator other than at the oral hearing, or during telephone conferences arranged by the AAA in which all parties are given the opportunity to participate.
Unless the law provides to the contrary, the arbitration may proceed in the absence of any party or representative who, after due notice, fails to participate or fails to obtain a postponement. An award shall not be made solely on the default of a party. The arbitrator shall require the participating party to submit such evidence as the arbitrator may require for the making of an award.
Any party who proceeds with the arbitration after knowledge that any provision or requirement of these rules has not been complied with and who fails to state objections thereto in writing shall be deemed to have waived the right to object.
(a) With the exception of the Demand for Arbitration, which shall be served as set forth above, any papers, notices, or process necessary or proper for the initiation or continuation of an arbitration under these Rules; for any court action in connection therewith, or for the entry of judgment on any award made under these rules, may be served on a party by mail addressed to the party or its representative at the last known address or by personal service, in or outside the state where the arbitration is to be held, provided that reasonable opportunity to be heard with regard thereto has been granted to the party.
(b) The AAA, the arbitrator and the parties may also use overnight delivery, electronic fax transmission (fax) or electronic mail (email) to give the notices required by these rules. Where all parties and the arbitrator agree, notices may be transmitted by other methods of communication.
(c) Unless otherwise instructed by the AAA or by the arbitrator, any documents submitted by any party to the AAA or to the arbitrator shall simultaneously be provided to the other party or parties to the arbitration.
(d) The parties shall also accept all notices from the AAA by telephone, including voicemail. In view of the time limitations established by the Lien Law for completing the arbitration, the parties are obligated, once having filed or having received notice of the Demand for Arbitration, to maintain contact with the AAA to stay apprised of the hearing or document submission schedule.
The arbitrator shall render a decision in accordance with the provisions of the Lien Law.
When making determinations, the arbitrator shall also consider all determinations made by the arbitrator in any earlier proceedings pertaining to the same residential construction.
The award shall be in writing and shall be signed by the arbitrator. It shall be executed in the manner required by law.
Parties shall accept as notice and delivery of the award the placing of the award or a true copy thereof in the mail addressed to the parties or their representatives at the last known address, personal or electronic service of the award, or the filing of the award in any other manner that is permitted by law.
(a) No judicial proceeding by a party relating to the subject matter of the arbitration shall be deemed a waiver of the party’s right to arbitrate.
(b) Neither the AAA nor any arbitrator in a proceeding under these Rules is a necessary or proper party in judicial proceedings relating to the arbitration.
(c) Parties to an arbitration under these Rules shall be deemed to have consented that neither the AAA nor any arbitrator shall be liable to any party in any action for damages, injunctive or declaratory relief for any act or omission in connection with any arbitration under these Rules.
(d) Parties to an arbitration under these Rules may not call the arbitrator, the AAA, or AAA employees as a witness in litigation or any other proceeding relating to the arbitration. The arbitrator, the AAA and AAA employees are not competent to testify as witnesses in any such proceeding.
The arbitrator shall interpret and apply these rules insofar as they relate to the arbitrator’s powers and duties. All other rules shall be interpreted and applied by the AAA, as administrator.
The AAA shall, upon the written request of a party to the arbitration, furnish to that party, at its expense, copies or certified copies of papers in the AAA’s possession that are not determined by the AAA to be privileged or confidential.
All fees, including fees for oral hearings or additional parties, are due at the time of filing either the Demand or the Setoff or Counterclaim.
In the instance where a Claimant has not requested an oral hearing and a Respondent subsequently requests an oral hearing without the filing of a Setoff or Counterclaim, the Respondent must pay an Oral Hearing Fee at the time of making such request (see AAA Fee Schedule).
Filing Fees presume a case involving only one claimant and one respondent. An Additional Party Fee is payable by the party seeking to add a third or more parties (See AAA Fee Schedule).
AAA administrative fees and arbitrator compensation will be paid from the filing fees as shown in the Fee Schedule.
The parties will be charged an additional amount, payable in equal shares, for additional arbitrator compensation should the hearing be continued past the first day.
The parties will be charged, payable in equal shares, for the cost of any room rental or other ancillary charges for an oral hearing and required travel and other expenses of the arbitrator.
Fees are not refundable except that if the AAA is notified that a claim is settled or withdrawn before the AAA has received the notice of appointment from the arbitrator, the apportioned arbitrator compensation listed in the Fee Schedule will be refunded to the party from which it was received.
All fees are subject to allocation among the parties by the arbitrator in accordance with the Lien Law.

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