- Initial Offer: $30,000
- Final Settlement: $265,000
- Increase Secured: 9x
What happened
Our client, a woman in her late forties, was walking out of the main entrance of her Jersey City luxury apartment building when an 8-foot metal covering fell from 12 feet above and struck her in the head. Workers were replacing a metal frame directly in the building's main entry — the area was left completely open with no barriers, no warnings, and no closure to protect residents coming and going. The impact was caught on video. It caused an immediate, violent movement of her head, neck, and shoulder. She had done nothing wrong. She was simply walking out of her own front door.
The client was advised to settle her case at $30,000.00
The prior attorney evaluated this case at $30,000 and advised that our client should accept that offer. That number reflected a shallow read of the injuries: some physical complaints, some pain and suffering, and a quick resolution. What it missed was significant. A blow to the head in a building lobby is not just a neck injury. It is a neurological event. We rebuilt the case from scratch and developed neurological injuries, including post-concussion syndrome. These injuries, physical and psychological, were always there. A case worth $30,000 and a case worth $265,000 can look identical on the surface; the difference is knowing what to look for and building the evidence to prove it.
How Sadaka Law built the case
We started over. We retained experts, including a neuropsychological and orthopedic expert, who thoroughly documented her injuries We analyzed the surveillance video showing the moment of impact and established that the building's management conducted overhead work in the main resident entrance with no barriers, no warnings, and no closure. The result was $265,000, nearly nine times what the prior attorney was prepared to accept.
What this case means for you
If you were told your case was not worth pursuing, or a prior attorney gave you a number that felt wrong, a second opinion costs you nothing. Cases involving head trauma, psychological injury, and permanent orthopedic damage are routinely undervalued when the full picture is not documented — particularly when the psychological component is overlooked. Post-concussion syndrome, PTSD, and depression are real, diagnosable, and compensable injuries. At Sadaka Law, we have rebuilt cases that other firms undervalued or walked away from. We look at who you were before the injury, what the injury has taken from you, and what it will cost over the course of your life. If something was missed, we will find it.
“Another attorney told our client this case was worth $30,000. When we took over, we retained the proper experts and rebuilt the case from scratch. We proved the building had no business conducting overhead work in a main entrance with no barriers. The injuries were always there — they just needed someone to find them and prove their full value.”
— Mark Sadaka, Founder, Sadaka Law
Results may vary. Prior case outcomes do not guarantee similar results in future matters. This case summary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.