MyCentralJersey.com

MIDDLESEX COUNTY —A 53-year-old Parlin man was awarded $750,000 by a jury in Superior Court, New Brunswick for injuries from a fall he contended happened after he tripped on an arcade game at Funtime America in Cliffwood Beach.

Bruce Salem said he was at the indoor amusement park in June 2004 for the birthday of a neighbor’s child when his own child had to use the restroom. As he was walking with him, he turned around a blind corner and tripped over a game called Spyromania, said his attorney, Richard Galex of North Brunswick.

Salem suffered a broken nose and severely injured his neck, Galex said. The injury required the removal of two discs in his neck and the fusing together of vertebrae, Galex said.

But Funtime America contended that it was Salem’s pre-existing health condition, a mild form of muscular dystrophy, that caused his problem, Galex said.

Dennis Marconi, a Trenton attorney who represented Funtime America, declined comment other than to say he has already filed papers for an appeal.

The jury assigned Salem 25 percent of the liability in the incident. The award was for $1,048,500: $81,000 for medical expenses, $960,000 for pain and suffering and $7,500 for his wife for the impact on her life.

Galex said Salem now uses a walker and at times uses a four-pronged cane to get around. He was on disability at the time of the accident, but now works as an employee recruiter, Galex said.

The jury verdict came last month after a four-day trial before Judge Phillip Paley and a day of deliberations.

            Picture this: You are in your local grocery store.  You are pushing a shopping cart in the frozen food aisle.  In the blink of an eye, you are on the floor.  You hurt.  You are wet.  A worker from the store comes over and asks what happened?  What do you say?  Do you tell them you don’t know…it just happened so fast?  The worker takes your information and leaves.  You go home.  You are embarrassed about what happened.  You are still sore but surely that will go away.  When it doesn’t, you call your doctor and go in to get checked out.  Your doctor orders x-rays and m.r.i.’s.  You are worried.  Who is going to pay for this?  Even if you have health insurance, there are bound to be co-pays and deductibles.  Now you start thinking that you should call the store where you fell.  Surely, they will help with your bills.  First you are ignored.  Finally, an insurance adjuster calls to see how you are and let you know that they will not be paying your bills.  What should you do?

            You need someone who has seen this before, over and over again.  You need an attorney experienced in slip and fall accidents.  DON’T WAIT.  Surveillance tapes get taped over.  Leaky freezer cases get fixed.  Store employees leave and seem to disappear.  You need an attorney who will get the evidence you need immediately and will help you get your bills paid and get the compensation you deserve. 

Our firm has been representing slip and fall victims for over 25 years.  In that time, we have seen hundreds of slip and falls cases with injuries ranging from simple back sprains to injured knees and fractured hips. If you or a member of your family have been the victim of a slip and fall accident,  I invite you to visit my website at www.dreamlegalteam.com.  You can fill out an online consultation form or engage in an online chat.  Again, the website is www.dreamlegalteam.com.  Don’t wait. 

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