For over 20 years, the Law Firm of Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio LLC has handled hundreds of cases relating to personal injury and other practice areas. We are proud to have helped our clients get the justice and compensation they deserve. Browse a list of past verdicts below by selecting Defense or Plaintiff Cases.
Browse by Defense Cases
Browse by Plaintiff Cases
Accident with Hotel Shuttle – $595,000 Settlement
Anthony Locascio and Michael Williams recently obtained a $595,000.00 settlement for their client who injured his neck in a motor vehicle accident with a hotel shuttle.
Plaintiff Cases
Commercial Truck Accident – $750,000 Settlement
Michael Williams of our office just obtained a settlement in the amount of $750,000.00 for his client who injured his back, neck and shoulders in a motor vehicle accident involving a commercial box truck.
Lewis v. Milliman – $165,000 Verdict
In the matter of Lewis v. Milliman, Michael Williams recently obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $165,000.00 for plaintiff who was a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle while crossing a crosswalk suffering head and lower back injuries. This was a top 100 Jury Verdict for the year in the state of New Jersey.
Motor Vehicle Accident – $368,500 Settlement
Anthony Locascio and Michael Williams recently obtained a settlement for $368,500.00 for their client who was rear ended by another motor vehicle while at a stop light and suffered injuries to his wrist and lower back.
Accident with School Bus – $250,000 Settlement
Michael Williams recently obtained a settlement for $250,000.00 for his client who was rear ended by a school bus and suffered injuries to her neck and lower back.
Michael Williams recently obtained a settlement for $100,000.00 (policy limit) for his client who was in a motor vehicle accident with a taxi cab and suffered aggravations to his age related preexisting lower back conditions.
Meyes v. Inserra Supermarkets, Inc.
Plaintiff allegedly suffered two (2) lumbar herniated discs and underwent a 360-degree retroperitoneal interbody lumbar fusion with pedicle screw fixation. The injury was allegedly caused by a collapsing display. Plaintiff's demand was $350,000. After a week and a half of trial the jury returned a verdict for no cause of action.
There are numerous other cases that we could certainly summarize and provide to relative to our defense trial tactics and successes. Should you desire further information in this regard, kindly advise.
Defense Cases
Mitnick v. Collilo, Inc.
Plaintiff alleged to have fallen, suffered a torn medial meniscus in her right leg, and fractured right hip requiring hip replacement. Plaintiff alleged that the parking lot in which she fell was negligently designed, installed and maintained. Plaintiff's demand was $450,000. After one week of trial the jury returned a no cause of action against the plaintiff.
Palmisano v. Inserra
Plaintiff claimed to have suffered two (2) herniated lumbar discs and a torn right medial meniscus as a result of the failure of defendant to properly design the aisles in its retail establishment. Further, plaintiff claimed that the dangerous and hazardous condition upon which she was caused to fall was brought about as a result of the use of a dangerous and hazardous free-standing shelf that was caused to have been knocked over by another customer of the defendant. Plaintiff's demand was $650,000. After a week and a half of trial, the jury returned a verdict of no cause of action against plaintiff.
Motel v. Wakefern Food Corporation
Plaintiff claimed to have suffered comminuted fractures of the first, second and third metatarsals of his right foot when a forklift that he was using malfunctioned during the unloading of a truck containing perishable goods. It was alleged that the forklift was either manufactured with a defect or was not properly maintained by the warehouse. The demand for settlement of plaintiff's claims was $5 million. After a two (2) week trial the jury returned a verdict against plaintiff for no cause of action.
Adams v. Inserra Supermarkets, Inc.
Plaintiff claimed to have suffered congestive heart failure and a cardio-myopathy, which resulted in surgery and the insertion of a pacemaker from the failure to properly fill a hypertension medication prescription. It was alleged and established that the Shop-Rite Pharmacy failed to fill the Norvasc prescription and instead filled the prescription with Vasotec. Both of these medications are hypertension medications. Defendants stipulated to the liability and litigated the matter on proximate cause and damages. Plaintiff's demand was $5 million. After extensive medical testimony in the discipline of pharmacology and cardiology, which took seven (7) trial days, the jury deliberated for eleven (11) hours over two (2) days and found no cause for action and entered judgment in favor of defendants, Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., t/a Shop-Rite.
Cannon v. Inserra, Inc.
Plaintiff claimed to have suffered bilateral internal derangement of his knees with bilateral tibial plateau fractures and left knee distal femoral fracture of the left knee. These injuries resulted in bilateral knee replacements. Likewise, plaintiff suffered L-3,4 and L-3,5 disc herniations that resulted in a 360-degree retroperitoneal interbody fusion with pedicle screw fixation. Plaintiff claimed that the same was brought about as a result of a dangerous and hazardous condition of the premises upon which he was a business invitee. The trial lasted six (6) days and after seven (7) hours of deliberation the jury found no cause for action and entered judgment in favor of our client, Inserra, Inc.
Head v. 562 Bayonne Corp.
A female alleged that during her employment at 562 Bayonne Corp. she was a victim of employment discrimination. Plaintiff alleged she was the victim of a series of assaults and abuse that dated back to December of 1992. This allegedly took place while she was an employee at the 562 Bayonne Corp. Plaintiff claimed to have been raped by a 562 Bayonne Corp. employee in his home. The plaintiff sought attention for her complaints with the State Civil Rights Division. Plaintiff reported that the investigator assigned to the case lured her into a hotel and raped her. Plaintiff was claiming injuries of anxiety, depression and a 20 percent loss of functional capacity. Plaintiff was demanding $1 million in damages. This matter was tried over a period of 18 days and after one hour and 15 minutes of deliberation the jury returned a verdict in favor of 562 Bayonne Corp. and its employees and against plaintiff.
Modrzakowski v. Bell Food Markets t/a Foodtown
A male in his early 40s sustained a trimalleolar fracture of his right ankle as a result of a defective cellar door in the sidewalk in front of the supermarket. Plaintiff's medical bills were in excess of $40,000 for the surgical repair of the trimalleolar fracture with attendant physical therapy. Defendant contended that the cellar door met the required construction code of Jersey City, and after extensive collection and review of plaintiff's medical records, defendant contended that at the time of the incident, the plaintiff was intoxicated. In the third day of the trial, plaintiff accepted a $1,500 offer of settlement.
Carabello v. Wakefern Food Corporation
A female in her early 30s sustained loss of her left eye and a cerebral, neurological injury as a result of a bottle of Poland Springs water exploding and projecting a piece of glass through her eye. Plaintiff contended that there was a manufacturing defect in the bottle and/or the store was negligent in the handling and stacking of the glass bottles, which resulted in a compromise of the glass structure of the bottle and its ultimate exploding. Defendant, Wakefern Food Corporation, took the position that there was no mishandling of the product. Plaintiff settled with Poland Springs and the bottling company for $1 million and tried the case against Wakefern Food Corporation. The trial lasted nine (9) days and after four (4) hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Wakefern Food Corporation and against plaintiff.
Kersta v. Inserra t/a Shop-Rite
A male in his late 70s allegedly suffered bacterial endocarditis, with attendant mitral valve prolapse as a result of a 25-pound box of motor oil striking him in the face and causing dental injury. The box of motor oil was inadvertently knocked over by an employee of the store. Plaintiff underwent dental repair without advising his dentist of the need to have prophylactic antibiotics as a result of a mild mitral valve prolapse, which had previously been diagnosed. Defendant contended that the mitral valve prolapse was becoming more severe prior to the accident, that the left anterior descending artery blockage was unrelated to the mitral valve prolapse or the bacterial endocarditis and that the $103,000 in medical bills was primarily related to surgery to repair the mitral valve prolapse and the left anterior descending artery blockage.
Likewise, defendant contended that plaintiff was negligent in failing to advise his dentist of the need for the prophylactic antibiotics as a result of the dental work that was to be performed as a result of the accident. The trial lasted eight (8) days. The jury, after 2 1/2 hours of deliberation, returned a verdict in the amount of $35,000 assessing 75 percent liability against defendant and 25 percent against plaintiff for his failure to advise of the need to take prophylactic antibiotics. Accordingly, the net verdict was $26,250. Plaintiff's demand throughout the course of the trial was $500,000.
Caggiano v. Glass Gardens, Inc. t/a Shop-Rite
A female in her early 50s allegedly suffered fractured humerus and one lumbar herniated disc when she slipped and fell on snow and ice as she entered the defendant's food store. Plaintiff contended that defendant failed to properly remove the snow and ice from the entranceway to the store. Defendant contended that there had been shoveling and sanding of the area where the alleged incident occurred and that all reasonable measures had been taken to eliminate the snow and ice condition. The trial lasted four (4) days and after five (5) minutes of deliberation the jury returned a verdict in favor of defendant Glass Gardens, Inc.
Guardobasio v. RoNetco, Inc. t/a Shop-Rite
A female in her late 40s allegedly suffered two lumbar herniation when she slipped and fell in a clear liquid on the floor of the main aisle of the defendant's food store. Plaintiff contended that the defendant was negligent for failing to routinely inspect and clean the floors. Defendant denied notice of the spill and contended that the plaintiff's injury was either pre-existing or caused by a subsequent motor vehicle accident. The trial took five (5) days and after seven (7) minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of RoNetco, Inc.
Ruland v. Boston Celtics
Plaintiff, a professional basketball player with the Philadelphia 76'ers, alleged that he suffered a career-ending injury outside of the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, when two ball boys from the Boston Celtics allegedly struck him in the right rear ankle with a luggage cart. Plaintiff participated in three more professional basketball games and in the fourth game, suffered a total rupture of the Achilles tendon at the soleus/gastrocnemius junction. From the time of the incident that gave rise to the litigation to the time of the Achilles tendon rupture, plaintiff had been complaining of pain in the area and receiving medical treatment. The Boston Celtics alleged that plaintiff had failed to establish negligence in the handling of the cart and that the plaintiff was unable to establish proximate cause of the tendon rupture to the incident in Boston. Additionally, Boston Celtics alleged that plaintiff's Achilles tendon had pre-existing tendinitis and that as a result of radical left knee surgery in the past, inordinate pressure was placed upon the right leg and ankle by plaintiff thereby degenerating his right Achilles tendon. Plaintiff's demand throughout the trial was $25 million, which included compensatory loss for the contract that he had just signed with the Philadelphia 76'ers and pain and suffering. The jury deliberated for nine hours over two days and returned a verdict in favor of the Boston Celtics.
Suds on Wheels v. Roseland Properties.
Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio L.L.C. represented Roseland Properties. This case involved claims for tortious interference with business relationships by way of slander and defamation. The plaintiff is a valet dry cleaner. It alleged that defendant's staff interfered with his contractual relations with the residents of an apartment building by making defamatory remarks about his business and promoting competitors of the Plaintiff allegedly due to receiving gratuities from those other entities. The Plaintiff further alleged that as a result of these false and misleading rumors, many of Plaintiff's customers began to use other valet dry cleaning services. The defendants denied making the statements that the plaintiff alleged and further argued that the statements it did make were completely true and therefore could not form the basis of a claim as a matter of law. The matter was tried before Judge O'Shaunaghassy in Hudson County in May of 2007 with the jury returning a verdict in favor of the Defendant in less than two hours.
Ashby et al v. East Orange Police Department et als. Detective Reginald Butts, et al.
Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio L.L.C. represented Detective Reginald Butts. In the matter, David F. Ashby was the owner of a business known as "Bravo's Café," which he claims was a sports bar and restaurant. Plaintiff alleged that on December 1, 1998 at approximately 7:30 p.m., while they were in the process of serving approximately 20 customers at Bravo's, about 20 police officers entered the bar with guns drawn and shouted "don't move, get down on the floor, keep your hands on the bar" Plaintiff states that the officers pointed their guns at the customers, owners and employees. Plaintiff claims that the officers searched everyone in the bar without a warrant. Plaintiff's also claimed that the officers illegally strip-searched Plaintiff's Brenda Ashby and Barbara Hatcher in the ladies' room with the door open and in full view of the male police officers who were walking by. Plaintiff further claims that the officers terrorized customers in the bar and forced many of them to lie on the floor. Plaintiff's claim that defendant, Detective Reginald Butts, stated during the raid," see I told you I was gonna get you," which plaintiff's claim was a reference to an incident that occurred approximately two (2) months prior when Detective Reginald Butts and a companion were refused entry to Bravo's because both appeared to be too intoxicated — at which time Detective Butts told Mr. Ashby he would "get even" with him.
On December 1, 1998, plaintiff David Ashby was arrested on a charge of serving alcohol to a minor. Mr. Ashby claims that he was transported to the police department in the rear compartment of an animal transportation vehicle, which was filled with animal refuse and had no seating area. Mr. Ashby claims that he was held at the station for six (6) hours and released. The charge against David Ashby of serving alcohol to a minor was heard on East Orange Municipal Court on November 15, 1999 and dismissed after a short trial. The defendants vociferously denied the allegations. The matter proceeded to trial before Judge Leath in Essex County in February of 2007 and after two weeks of trial, resulted in a verdict in favor of the defense on plaintiff's claims of malicious prosecution, abuse of process and assault.
$5M for Industrial Accident
Johnson v. T. Glennon Inc.: A Jersey City man accepted $5 million to settle his suit alleging that machine failure led to an accident that crushed his legs.
On Oct. 31, 2006, Charles Johnson, then 36, was making repairs to a rail-road track in Mansfield for his employer, T. Glennon of Hillsborough, when the brakes failed on a tamping machine, which removes and replaces ties. The six-ton machine ran over his legs, says his lawyer, Robert Gold of Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio L.L.C. in Morristown.
Johnson suffered leg fractures and extensive soft-tissue damage, and had 16 surgeries to debride wounds, set bones, and reconnect tendons and muscles. He also developed deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli, and still has a bone infection, which has required more than a dozen debridement since he left the hospital. He is 100 percent disabled and unable to work, says Gold.
Johnson alleged in the Middlesex County Superior Court that T. Glennon failed to properly maintain the machine.
Gold says testimony by the person hired to repair the machine – that he informed the company that the brakes were shot but was told replacements Cost too much – would have overcome the workers' compensation bar.
T. Glennon settled in June and paid the $5 million in September, says Gold. Since then, he has been dealing with workers' comp liens, and on Feb. 6, sought approval of his fees because the settlement exceeds $2 million.
T. Glennon's lawyers, Joseph Fuoco of McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter in Morristown and Victor Rotolo of Lebanon, did not return calls.
Products liability claims against machine maker Plasser American Corp. based on lack of a dual brake system and a mechanism to warn when it was moving – will be mediated on March 6 by former Judge Mark Epstein. now with Hoagland Longo Moran Dunst & Doukas in New Brunswick.
Plasser's attorney, Thomas Mulcahy of Purcell Mulcahy O'Neill & Hawkins in Bedminster, confirms the settlement.
The Parker Case
I recently won a $450,000.00 binding arbitration award for our client, Ms Parker. One morning, Ms Parker was going to drop off her baby at a friend's apartment before she went to work. It was raining that day, and because there were no rain absorbent mats inside or outside the complex, water accumulated at a staircase. Ms. Parker, with her baby in her arms, slipped on that water, and was unable to stop her fall because the handrail she grabbed was loose and wobbled away from her, causing her to continue her fall with her baby. Ms. Parker held tight to her child, and while she protected her baby from injury, Ms. Parker sustained serious fractures to her ankle requiring surgery. With the help of engineering experts, and our own investigation, we were able to successfully prove that the apartment complex was negligent in the care and maintenance of their property. We look forward to helping all people who are injured when others violate important rules of safety.
Candace Reed v. Windsor Mills Association
Anthony Locascio, partner of the firm, recently resolved a case for $262,000.00 where our client fractured her ankle when she slipped on ice. In this case, the day before the accident there was a significant snow fall and knowing there would be freezing temperatures the following morning, the snow removal company recommended that the association pay for an "ice watch" which the contractors would perform the following morning to the benefit of the residents. However, the association chose to save money instead of protecting their residents and refused the ice watch. The following morning our client slipped and fell because of refreeze and ice which developed over the evening and fractured her ankle. Our office prides ourselves in protecting our clients when they are needlessly endangered by entities which prefer to save money over protecting people.
Buhler v. Shadow Lake Village
Anthony Locascio, partner of the law office, has recently settled a case for $240,000.00 wherein our client was an owner of a condominium unit and injured when she fell from a hidden step in their club house. With the use of our expert we were able to prove that the club house, and its hidden step, was needlessly endangering all residents via the failure of warning signs and proper lighting. Through depositions we were able to prove there was complete lack of inspection and attention to the area by the property manager. Our client sustained a fracture of her knee which required surgery to fix. We look forward to investigating all cases where people sustained injuries when another person or company violates an important safety rule.
1.3 Million Dollar recovery-Hurley v. McNally
Anthony Locascio, partner of the law office, recently settled a case where his client was riding his motorcycle when another vehicle failed to properly observe the rules of the road and needlessly endangered his life by turning into his lane of travel. Anthony's client was thrown from his motorcycle and sustained multiple injuries including a fractured leg and skull. While Anthony's client recovered from this accident, he still has difficulty with his memory focus and concentration because he sustained a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries can be difficult cases unless they are pursued by a law office that has extensive experience in handling them. The symptoms for traumatic brain injuries can be difficult to recognize and from the very start of any symptoms our office works with our clients to not only help them through their difficulties but to make certain they are with the right medical professionals that specialize in these life changing injuries.
Michael Williams obtains a $170,000 settlement for client
Michael Williams obtained a $170,000 settlement for his client who slipped and fell on an icy driveway fracturing her wrist. Plaintiff was working as an EMT who responded to a 911 call for an elderly man during a snow storm. It would have been plaintiff's burden to prove that the elderly man was negligent by failing to keep his driveway free of hazards.