PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF INJURED VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES

CENTRAL NEW JERSEY CIVIL TRIAL ATTORNEY

Arlen Law Firm, LLC is a full service civil trial firm. We are dedicated to providing high quality legal representation with personal attention, diligence and aggressive advocacy. The attorneys of Arlen Law Firm are highly respected by colleagues and clients in the community. We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and are frequently acknowledged in the New Jersey Law Journal. Geoffrey C. Arlen is Certified by the Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney. We are ready to devote our time and energy to you and your case today!

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CENTRAL NEW JERSEY CIVIL TRIAL ATTORNEY

PRACTICE AREAS

Personal Injury Attorney

PERSONAL INJURY

Criminal Defense Attorney

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Municipal Court Attorney

MUNICIPAL COURT

Slip and Fall Attorney

SLIP AND FALL

Medical Malpractice Attorney

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Frequently Asked Questions

As an experienced personal injury attorney (Hillsborough, NJ), I get numerous questions about injuries, lawsuits, and the changing legal landscape here in New Jersey. Below you will find answers to my most frequently asked questions. Please note that these FAQs provide general information purposes only, and should not be taken as legal advice.

My areas of practice include:

Personal Injury

“Personal injury” refers to physical, emotional, or psychological harm caused to an individual as a result of someone else’s negligence, intentional actions, or strict liability. Personal injury cases typically arise when one person’s or entity’s actions or omissions lead to harm or injury to another person. 

Common examples of personal injury cases include:

Motor vehicle accidents: When one driver’s negligence causes a car crash and injury to another driver, passenger, or pedestrian. Car accidents are among the most common types of personal injury law. The car accident attorneys at Arlen Law Firm file car accident claims, work with auto insurance companies and compile documents (like police reports and eyewitness statements) to support your case.

Slip and fall accidents: Injuries that occur due to hazardous conditions on someone else’s property, such as a wet floor, uneven surface, or inadequate lighting. In some cases, filing a lawsuit involves suing the person immediately responsible, the business owner, and sometimes the business entity itself.

Medical malpractice: When healthcare professionals provide substandard care, leading to harm or injury to a patient. Medical malpractice may involve birth injury; sepsis; misdiagnosis; surgical complications; prescription drug interactions; or issues involving anesthesia. In some tragic cases, these lead to the wrongful death of a patient.

Product liability: Injuries caused by defective or dangerous products. In some cases product liability cases involve permanent injuries sustained when the accident occurred. Product liability cases require product research and expert witnesses to testify on your behalf.

Workplace accidents: Injuries sustained while on the job due to employer negligence or unsafe working conditions. Supervisors, employers and the company’s landlords may be liable in this type of lawsuit.

Dog bites: Injuries caused by a dog’s aggressive behavior, often resulting in the dog owner’s liability. 

In a personal injury case, we may seek compensation from the responsible party for any and all damages our clients suffered. “Damages” may refer to medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, property damage, and/or other losses related to the injury.

Arlen Law Firm bills on a contingency basis. This simply means that you will not pay any fee unless I successfully resolve your case.

Criminal Defense 

Criminal defense refers to the legal representation and support for people who have been accused of a crime. As a Hillsborough NJ, criminal defense attorney, I advocate for a defendant’s rights. This means working to build a strong defense strategy, and challenging the evidence presented by the prosecution.

My role as a criminal defense attorney may include case investigation, interviewing witnesses, and document review. Services include legal advice, as well as plea negotiations, court representation, and sentencing advocacy.

It’s essential to remember that everyone has the right to legal representation. Criminal defense attorneys play a crucial role in ensuring that individuals receive a fair trial, and that their rights are protected throughout the legal process.

Municipal Court

Municipal court cases are legal proceedings that take place at the municipal court level. These local courts handle cases involving violations of city or town ordinances, minor criminal offenses, and civil matters. Common examples of municipal court cases include:

Traffic violations: These can include speeding tickets, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, running a red light, and other traffic-related offenses.

Ordinance violations: Municipalities often have their own local laws or ordinances that cover a range of issues: noise violations, building code violations, and zoning violations, to name a few.

Misdemeanor offenses: Municipal courts also handle low-level misdemeanor crimes, like simple assault, shoplifting, or minor drug offenses.

Code enforcement cases: Matters related to violations of city codes or regulations, such as property maintenance issues or animal control problems, are often heard in municipal courts.

Municipal courts play a critical role in resolving these types of cases at the local level, providing a more accessible and informal legal forum compared to higher-level courts. In these courts, defendants are typically not entitled to a jury trial, and the structure and jurisdiction of municipal courts can vary significantly. As a local attorney serving Hillsborough and the surrounding area, I am highly skilled and experienced in municipal cases.

Slip and Fall

A “slip and fall” case arises when a person slips, trips, or falls on someone else’s property due to hazardous or unsafe conditions. These important lawsuits hold property owners or occupiers responsible for maintaining safe conditions, preventing foreseeable hazards that could cause harm to visitors or customers. Common examples of slip and fall accidents include:

Slippery or wet floors: Floors that are wet or slick due to spills, leaks, or cleaning can cause people to lose their footing and fall.

Uneven or broken flooring: Uneven surfaces, broken tiles, or damaged flooring can lead to trips and falls.

Poorly lit areas: Inadequate lighting can obscure hazards and increase the risk of accidents.

Icy or snowy conditions: In colder climates, icy sidewalks or parking lots can be dangerous and result in slip and fall incidents.

Obstructed walkways: Clutter, debris, or other obstacles in walkways can cause people to trip and fall.

When representing a slip-and-fall client, we establish the evidence necessary to show that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to address it. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, be sure to document the scene, gather witness statements, and seek medical attention immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice refers to a type of professional negligence that implicates doctors, nurses, surgeons, dentists, and other medical professionals. When they fail to provide a standard level of care, and someone is hurt as a result, medical malpractice occurs. We work with medical experts to ensure that your medical malpractice case is treated with the care it deserves. Examples of medical malpractice include:

Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis: A medical professional fails to correctly diagnose a patient’s condition (or provides a diagnosis much later than they should have). This leads to a worsened medical condition or delayed treatment.

Surgical errors: Mistakes made during surgery, such as operating on the wrong body part, leaving foreign objects inside the patient’s body, or performing unnecessary procedures. Effects may be permanent, and often include psychological issues.

Medication errors: Prescribing the wrong medication or dosage, administering medications improperly, or failing to recognize harmful drug interactions. These tragically common cases often involve medical support staff who are not paying attention, and/or an administration that fails to appropriately train or oversee their staff.

Birth injuries: Harm or injury to an infant or mother during childbirth due to medical negligence.

Failure to obtain informed consent: Performing a medical procedure without obtaining proper informed consent from the patient, explaining the risks, benefits, and alternatives.

Medical malpractice cases can be complex and Arlen Law Firm is extremely selective about the kinds of cases we accept. If you believe that you may have been a victim of medical malpractice, contact our medical malpractice attorney today to assess the strength of your case.

When filing a personal injury lawsuit in Hillsborough—or anywhere in New Jersey—the burden of proof falls to you. This means you will need to prove that the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries. Working with an experienced Hillsborough, NJ personal injury attorney will help streamline this process.

To obtain a settlement or verdict on your behalf, your Hillsborough, NJ personal injury attorney will need to show:

Duty of care. This means that the person responsible for your injuries, or “defendant”, owed you (the “plaintiff”) a degree of care that one would expect.

Breach of duty. This refers to the defendant’s act of carelessly or intentionally failing to to uphold their duty of care 

Causation. Your Hillsborough, NJ personal injury lawyer must also prove that the defendant’s breach of duty caused both (1) the accident and (2) the injuries you sustained.Damages. Finally, your Hillsborough, NJ personal injury attorney must prove that you suffered damages because of the defendant’s actions or inactions. Damages may refer to economic costs—hospital bills, lost wages—as well as non-economic costs, like pain and suffering (physical pain, mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, physical impairment, inconvenience, grief, anxiety, humiliation, emotional distress).

Yes, I offer a free initial consultation to prospective clients. Contact me today and I will reach out within 24 hours.

During this consultation, I will ask questions about your case, to evaluate its strengths and limitations, and offer some general suggestions about your next steps. While the initial consultation is not legally binding—you are free to get a second, or third opinion on your case—I make sure you leave this meeting armed with a better understanding of your legal rights and options. 

Contact me today to begin the process.

The timeframe for resolving a legal matter varies widely. Depending on the case, a resolution may be reached within days, weeks or months; highly complicated cases may take years to resolve. Regardless of your case’s complexity, I always provide my clients with an estimated timeline based on the specifics of their case. We strive to balance expediency with excellence, as we aim for prompt, fair resolutions.

For personalized legal assistance, please reach out to our New Jersey accident lawyers for a free consultation.

Absolutely. As your local Hillsborough, NJ personal injury attorney, I pride myself on being available to my clients as they need me. I also strive to maintain open lines of communication throughout the process of resolving your case. My staff and I will keep you regularly informed, answering your questions, and addressing any concerns you may have.

At Arlen Law Firm, we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence, personalized attention to each client, and the experience and expertise of our legal team. We prioritize client satisfaction and work diligently to achieve the best possible outcome. I truly care deeply for my clients and I see it as a tremendous privilege to be able to help them during their times of need.

In most personal injury claims, the statute of limitations in New Jersey is two (2) years from the date of your accident or injury. Failing to file a claim or lawsuit within this time will likely result in your case being time-barred. In these instances, you may not be able to recover financial compensation.

If you have been injured, do not delay in seeking legal representation. Timing could make all the difference. Contact us today to begin the process. There is no cost to you to begin the process of filing a claim. Contact us today to discuss your case.

Big-firm strength. As a certified civil trial attorney, I have the experience and resources to take on the biggest defendants.

Small-town touch. As the sole owner of my law firm, I take personal pride in every client and case I represent. After an accident or injury, you need a lawyer you can trust. I’m not just your lawyer; I’m your neighbor. I work to recover every penny that you deserve. 

Local knowledge. As a Hillsborough, NJ personal injury attorney, my job is to know your case—and know how to work within the community that will be called upon to evaluate it. 

A LEGAL CAREER DEVOTED TO PROTECTING MY CLIENTS

A compassionate advocate for your time of need. A relentless fighter for your day in court.

Arlen Law Firm brings small-town care with large-firm experience for legal matters of any size.

My name is Geoff Arlen, and I am a personal injury lawyer in Hillsborough, NJ. I am here to help represent you in personal injury, criminal defense, municipal court, and medical malpractice cases of any size.

As a New Jersey accident attorney, I have the honor of representing injured people from New Brunswick, Somerville, Freehold and throughout New Jersey. My team will investigate your case, identify the important issues, and make your case.

Personalized attention. Unlike some New Jersey car accident lawyers, I never outsource my workload to support staff or assistant attorneys. I use a hands-on approach to case management. I keep my caseload small so I can provide personalized attention to all my clients.

Big-firm strength with a personal touch. I combine large-firm experience and resources to fight for my clients, with an eye toward personal attention that bigger firms can’t match. 

A history of excellence. I pride myself on truly caring for my clients, and doing everything in my power to make their lives whole after a devastating loss.

Contact me today to learn how I can help.

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Why choose Geoffrey Arlen as your Hillsborough personal injury lawyer?

After a personal injury or accident, you need an experienced lawyer who understands what comes next. If the careless or negligent actions of another party have compromised your wellbeing, I stand ready to make things right. 

After a traumatic event, the odds may feel stacked against you. As medical care begins, medical bills begin to pile up, and the emotional strain begins to take its toll. Even knowing who to turn to for questions and support can be daunting. 

At Arlen Law Firm, we pride ourselves on providing competent, compassionate care to injured people. Our experience ranges from personal injury to criminal defense. We offer bold solutions that yield fantastic results. 

NOTE: the statute of limitations in New Jersey for personal injury claims is generally two (2) years, which means it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible. The longer you hesitate in seeking legal representation, the harder it will be to prove and collect on your case.

CONTACT US

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.