How attorneys can help after an accident
If you have sustained a severe herniated disc in an accident in northern New Jersey because of the negligence of another, our lawyers at the Law Offices of Richard S. Greenberg can help you obtain relief. Medical treatment can be costly, and a painful slipped disc may make you miss work or render you unable to do the job you did previously. The pain and suffering can be excruciating and affect all aspects of your life. Our attorneys understand your situation, and we put our knowledge and vast network of professionals to work to help you obtain the medical care you need and the monetary damages for your harm that you deserve.

What are the causes of herniated discs?
The spine is made up of individual bones, called vertebrae, which have rubbery cushions, called discs, between them. The discs are soft inside with a harder exterior. In an accident, the exterior may crack and the soft inside the disc may push out, creating a herniated disc, also called a slipped or ruptured disc. Herniated discs can irritate nearby nerves and cause severe pain, numbness or weakness, not only in the back but also in the arms and legs.

At the Law Offices of Richard S. Greenberg in Bergen County, we help accident victims obtain compensation for all types of back injuries resulting from accidents caused by another, such as:

Sciatica, a lower back injury that causes pain and numbness in the buttock and down the leg
Cauda equina syndrome, a serious herniated disc injury in which the bundle of nerve roots at the end of the spinal cord is squeezed, causing bowel, bladder, genital or intestinal problems, tingling or loss of feeling to the lower pelvic area and legs, or loss of function in leg muscles

How are herniated discs treated?
After an accident, if you suffer ongoing pain or numbness in the spine or limbs, you need to seek medical attention. A doctor may diagnose a slipped or ruptured disc through a physical exam or need to conduct tests, such as:

X-rays
CAT scans
MRIs
Myelograms
Nerve tests, such as electromyograms
Once the location and severity of the injury is determined, you may need treatment, including:

Over-the-counter pain medications
Narcotics, such as codeine or Vicodin
Nerve pain medications
Muscle relaxers
Cortisone injections
Physical therapy
Heat or ice
Traction
Ultrasound
Electrical stimulation
Short-term bracing for the neck or lower back
In a few severe cases, you may need surgery if other treatments fail and a disc fragment is pressing on a nerve, causing progressive weakness, or you have trouble performing basic activities, such as standing or walking. A surgeon may need to remove a portion of the disc or the entire disc and fuse the vertebrae together or implant an artificial disc.

Treatment for spinal cord injuries may be costly and time-consuming, resulting in significant financial harm. Our attorneys strive to help you recover compensation from any negligent parties that will cover your initial and long-term treatment and your lost income from missed work and other damages. Whether you were in car or motorcycle accident, slip and fall accident or construction accident, we have the knowledge and skills to help you through your lawsuit or settlement.

Focusing on legal and financial problems after a deadly accident
An accident that takes the life of a loved can devastate you and your family. Often, families are too grief-stricken after an unexpected fatal auto accident, workplace injury or fall to think about monetary compensation for their lost loved ones. However medical bills, burial costs and other financial problems can mount quickly, particularly if your loved one was a wage earner. The financial repercussions of your loved one’s death can soon overwhelm you and your family.

Our lawyers at the Law Offices of Richard S. Greenberg understand what a difficult time this is for you. We work hard to help you obtain the money you need and deserve after an accident to help make your loss less of a financial struggle. Through personalized service, accessibility and a passion for justice, we are proud to have obtained more than $100 million in settlements for our clients in Bergen County and northern New Jersey over our years of practice.

Who can file a wrongful death claim in New Jersey?
When loved ones are killed in fatal accidents, certain family members may recover compensation for their resulting financial losses under New Jersey laws. Surviving family members who may file for wrongful death include the heirs under intestate law:

Spouse
Children and grandchildren
Parents
Siblings
Dependents
If you are an heir who was dependent on the deceased victim at the time of his or her death, you may recover an award as if you were the sole heir in a proportion determined by the court, which considers such factors as the age of all dependents, physical and mental condition, educational needs, finances and other sources of support. In any case, beneficiaries can only recover monetary damages for their own losses, including:

Loss of current and future financial support, including wages and benefits
Loss of assistance, guidance and companionship
Medical costs
Funeral expenses
In addition, a survivor’s action can be joined with a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages that the deceased suffered. When a person is killed because of a wrongful act, neglect or default, the administrator of the deceased’s estate can sue to recover damages the deceased would have been able to recover if he or she had lived. These are basically personal injury damages and include the pain and suffering the deceased victim went through before death.

What types of wrongful death cases does our firm handle?
At the Law Offices of Richard S. Greenberg, our attorneys have experience and skills in all types of wrongful death claims in New Jersey. If you lost a loved one in any type of accident caused by a wrongful act, neglect or default of another, we can help you seek compensation for your loss. Some of the most common fatal accidents that may give rise wrongful death claims involve all types of motor vehicles collisions:

Auto accidents — There were 17,442 fatal auto accidents involving passenger cars recorded in 2011.
Motorcycle accidents — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded 4,749 fatal motorcycle accidents in 2011.
Truck accidents — There were 16,740 fatal accidents involving light trucks and 3,608 large truck accidents in 2011.

Aggressive defense to fines, penalties and license suspensions
Though most traffic offenses in New Jersey are not technically crimes, they still carry harsh penalties, including fines, license points, license suspensions and even jail time. At the Law Offices of Richard S. Greenberg, our attorneys have the knowledge and experience to fight your ticket and minimize the damage done to your driving record. While success in any case depends on the facts, we have a strong record of positive results that reduce overall costs to our clients.

How New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission points affect you
The point system tallies your driving infractions. It can affect your driving privileges and cost you money:

Receiving six points within three years results in a surcharge of at least $150 that can last for three years.
After you receive 12 points, the state suspends your license.
Points on your license may result in increases to your insurance premiums.
You must go one year without a violation or enter an approved driver education program to get three points off your license. It is always easier to accumulate points than to get them off your record. If you’ve been cited for a traffic violation, you must fight that ticket to protect your driving record.

Experienced municipal court attorneys fight NJ traffic charges
An experienced attorney can help you by exposing weaknesses in the state’s case against you so the prosecutor either reduces the charges or dismisses the ticket. Our attorneys know how to fight a speeding ticket. Whether you were racing on the highway or speeding, or accused of reckless driving or careless driving, we may be able to keep points off your license and help you avoid a license suspension. We also have extensive experience helping young people charged with probationary license violations preserve their driving privileges.

Contact our Bergen County defense attorneys to fight your traffic citation
A moving violation in New Jersey is costly in many ways and may even include jail time. For an aggressive defense that can save you money and preserve your driver license, call the Law Offices of Richard S. Greenberg at 201.371.5276 at any time or contact us online. Our office is just 1 mile north of the George Washington Bridge, Exit 1 off the Palisades Parkway, and it’s easily accessible by bus or New Jersey Transit.