25-Year-Old Injured at Park Receives $450,000

A 25-year-old Sayreville man was walking his dog in the Borough’s Veteran War Memorial Park next to his townhome complex late one evening when he cut his left leg on a broken, jagged metal pole protruding from the grass. The man was taken to a nearby hospital emergency department where two deep lacerations were sutured.

The lacerations, however, failed to heal properly, and our client continued to have significant numbness and pain in his leg. The lacerations required multiple scar revision surgeries and, despite close monitoring and “aggressive scar protocol treatment,” both lacerations reopened. The scars became wider, causing ongoing pain.

The man underwent additional surgery to reduce the scar. During the procedure, the surgeons identified that two nerve branches in the skin were significantly damaged, requiring excision and repair of the nerve branches, including nerve grafting.

The trial court initially dismissed the case stating that Sayreville did not have an obligation to maintain the property. However, the personal injury team at Maggs McDermott & DiCicco appealed the trial court’s decision to the Appellate Court, arguing that Sayreville knew of the metal pole protruding from the grass and Sayreville was obligated, but failed, to maintain the area in safe condition. The Appellate Court reversed the trial court’s dismissal of the case, ruling that Sayreville did have an obligation to maintain the park free of hazardous and dangerous conditions.

Due to the negligence of Sayreville to remove the metal pole and the extent and nature of our client’s injuries, he received a settlement totaling $450,000.

For more information on the Personal Injury team at Maggs McDermott & DiCicco, click here.

*Results may vary depending on individual case facts and legal circumstances.