Jersey City, New Jersey- Zavitsanos, et. al. vs. Meltzer Docket No. BER-L-12178-95
A Paramus youth who at the age of fifteen was a passenger in a double impact automobile accident where his father's vehicle was rear ended by a seventeen year old driver as the father was stopped waiting to merge onto Route 4 East settled his claim today after the trial had commenced before the Honorable James T. Murphy, J.S.C. in Bergen County for $500,000.
Apostolos Zavitsanos underwent a lumbar disectomy and subsequent fusion with a steel cage as well as three right jaw TMJ operations which currently at age twenty-one rendered him unable to eat other than soft foods. The defense had claimed that his TMJ injury was pre-existing since he was struck having been hit by a basketball in his backyard nine months before the automobile accident.
Although he had no wage loss claim, Apostolos' education had been interrupted and he was unable to participate in his normal activities such as sports.
Plaintiff was represented by Robert E. Margulies and Clifford A. Herrington of the law firm of Margulies, Wind, Herrington & Knopf of Jersey City and defendants were represented by John S. Guerin of the law firm of Melli, Guerin & Melli in Paramus. The defendants' insurance carrier, State Farm, agreed to pay the claim.