Lawrence Minasian & William Greenberg
We are very pleased with the verdict. The two of us lived with this case since the accident and saw firsthand how devastating the injuries were to Angelique.
West Orange, New Jersey (PRWEB) May 07, 2014
Case: Baker v. New Jersey Transit, et al. ESX-L-6516-11
Greenberg Minasian, LLC, a West Orange, New Jersey based personal injury law firm recently obtained a verdict after a six week trial involving a New Jersey Transit bus passenger, Angelique Baker, who was run over and severely injured as she exited the bus.
According to court documents, the accident occurred at a bus stop on South Grove Street in East Orange, when the bus driver prematurely closed the door, catching her string bag in the process. Ms. Baker was dragged for approximately 25 feet before breaking free, only to slide under the bus. The rear wheel of the bus ran over her midsection crushing her pelvis, left arm and internal organs. It would be nine months before she was able to return to her own home.
Angelique was forced to endure twelve surgeries over the course of a three month hospitalization. The doctors and nurses were able to save her arm and leg, however, she is essentially confined to a wheelchair because of the extensive amount of hardware required to repair her many fractures. After one of her surgeries, she stopped breathing. She had to be intubated and placed on a respirator, but not before the lack of oxygen caused an injury to her brain. She now lives with a cognitive deficit which limits her ability to understand or remember common concepts and recent events.
Six-Week Trial
William Greenberg and Lawrence Minasian employed a unique strategy during the trial by having Mr. Greenberg put in all of the Plaintiff’s proofs and Mr. Minasian rebut the entire defense case. The strategy was highly successful.
According to the court documents, the six-week trial included the testimony of twenty witnesses. The bus driver testified that he remembered checking to see if the area around the bus was clear before pulling away, however, two years earlier he stated that he did not remember checking that day. Ms. Baker also testified, but because of her brain injury, she was unable to recall exactly how the accident happened. The police were unable to locate any eyewitnesses during their investigation. Therefore, Mr. Greenberg called an accident reconstruction expert to explain to the jury how the accident must have occurred. Greenberg Minasian also used eight different medical experts to detail all of the devastating injures caused by the accident as well as the astronomical costs of medical care Ms Baker will need for the rest of her life.
NJ Transit argued that Angelique’s history of heroin addiction and AIDS contributed to the accident and shortened her life expectancy. In response, Mr. Greenberg called Ms. Baker’s treating infectious disease doctor. The doctor refuted the defense’s claims with recent blood test results that clearly showed Angelique was showing consistent and steady improvement due to the new medications he had prescribed. The jury rejected the defense arguments and awarded future medical expenses commensurate with a normal life expectancy.
Quick Verdict
In the end, the jury deliberated only a little more than an hour before returning with their verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The jury found the NJ Transit bus driver 100% at fault and awarded 5 million dollars in past and future medical expenses and 12 million dollars for her pain and suffering.
“We are very pleased with the verdict. The two of us lived with this case since the accident and saw firsthand how devastating the injuries were to Angelique. This verdict reinforces our belief that a person’s past history must not overshadow the devastating injuries and pain with which Angelique continues to suffer. These monies will allow her to get the proper medical care and home care she so desperately needs for the rest of her life.”
Greenberg Minasian, LLC is located at 80 Main Street, Suite 450 West Orange, NJ 07052