Case Summaries

Law Offices of Jeffrey M. Bloom | West New York

Case Studies Regarding Divorce, Children, Custody, and other Family Law Matters

Mr. Bloom represented a West New York mother, an illegal immigrant, who was the principal caregiver of a young child. Mother had threatened to take the child out of the country and never permit the father to see the child again. The father went to court to seek custody of the child and prevent the woman from ever leaving the country. Mr. Bloom negotiated that the mother continues to be the parent where the child primarily lives. He was able to secure child support to benefit the infant and have the child receive medical care from the father. Additionally, Mr. Bloom got permission from the father to permit the mother and child to leave the country on vacation.

Our Bergen County attorney works with clients to determine the role that spousal maintenance should play in a final divorce settlement. Either the man or woman can receive alimony, depending on an analysis of the answers to questions such as those listed here. We also help clients who have lost their job or are unable to meet alimony obligations due to illness. We can evaluate your situation and explain what your options are in complying with support obligations in a down in economy.

A Secaucus father retained Mr. Bloom complaining that his children, who resided with the mother, were not treated properly and lived in unsanitary conditions. Mr. Bloom went to family court in Hudson County and, despite heated opposition by the mother and her attorney, was able to secure a transfer of custody of the minor children to their father. He was also able to have the wife undergo therapy, take parenting classes and clean up the environment where she lived. Thereafter, Mr. Bloom’s client consented to the return of the children to their mother knowing that they would be in a safe and healthy home.

A young Ridgefield bride with two children approached Mr. Bloom scared that her husband’s threats that she would be left on the street with no money, no car and no children would become a reality. Although involved in a short term marriage, the mother was not fluent in English, not well educated and her husband was an affluent entrepreneur. After a hotly contested series of negotiations, and numerous trips to court in Bergen County, Mr. Bloom was able to secure for his client the sole ownership of the family residence. He also negotiated that the husband would pay both outstanding mortgages on the property; provide health insurance for the children and wife as well as provide a luxury vehicle to the wife for ten (10) years, in addition to having the husband pay child support at levels far exceeding those required by the law. After several months, the now ex-wife, wanted to move to Florida. Again, after substantial negotiations, Mr. Bloom was able to facilitate the transfer of his client to Florida with the minor children as well as the Nanny that the father had been paying for.

In a nationally publicized case, Mr. Bloom was retained by a Union City single mother of a disabled child who was the beneficiary of a substantial medical malpractice verdict following her birth. After surviving for 22 years, the child unfortunately passed away without a Will. The father, who lived in New York, had no contact with the mother and never paid child support, appeared to claim his share of the inheritance. Although New Jersey did not have a law that was favorable to the mother and child support laws are usually interpreted to prohibit retroactive payments, Mr. Bloom defended the mother against the absentee father. After extensive arguments and lengthy briefs, the trial court Judge ruled in favor of the father and permitted him to collect ½ of the estate and not have to pay child support. Dissatisfied with this egregious result, Mr. Bloom appealed the issue to the Appellate Division. Unfortunately, the Appellate Division would not create a law that disinherited absentee parents. However, for the first time in a reported decision, the Appellate Division recognized that a parent might be entitled to retroactive child support under the appropriate circumstances. Previously Judges had ordered that a parent seeking child support will be awarded that support only retroactive to the date they filed papers with the court, and not to the date when the need for support arose. It is believed that this ruling will expand the ability of a parent to secure proper care and support for their child when confronted with a non-compliant parent.

An elderly man was estranged from his wife and forced to leave the family home. Although courts had ruled for years that he still had to provide alimony and maintain the home he did not live in, Mr. Bloom filed papers to reverse that trend. After a hearing, Mr. Bloom was able to secure an Order compelling the wife to either maintain all costs associated with the marital residence or that it be sold. This permitted the disabled client to eliminate the tremendous financial burden that had been draining all the money he had saved for his retirement.

A Bergen County woman, who served as a stay at home mom for many years, was suddenly confronted with her husband filing for divorce. The husband, who owned two (2) businesses as well as real estate, had been the primary provider for the entire family. The mother was anticipating being thrown out of the marital home and possibly losing custody of their child whom she could not provide for financially.

This case was originally handled by another law firm for over one (1) year. During that time numerous motions and filings were had with the Court just to determine visitation time of the two parents. Mr. Bloom took over the file and within weeks had orchestrated a detailed custody and parenting time plan that was acceptable to both parties. Within two and a half (2 ½) months, he helped secure the completion of a forensic analysis of the husband’s business and properties and, working through mediation, was able to craft a settlement of the divorce. Settlement resulted in his client being able to remain in the marital home with the young child. She was also given support that would permit her to pay the bills on the marital home and time to secure a job that would assist her in providing for herself and child in the future. Also, by resolving the matter without a trial, Mr. Bloom was able to save the parties saved tens of thousands of dollars in additional legal fees and costs.

A North Bergen mother of two (2) children wanted to relocate from New Jersey to another state with her fiancée and their baby. Unfortunately, the two (2) different fathers of her two (2) older children refused to permit her to leave. Mr. Bloom filed separate motions against each of the fathers to permit his client to leave New Jersey. After lengthy negotiations, one of the fathers consented to the move. The other, however, adamantly refused and a trial was held. Mr. Bloom presented evidence as to the tremendous benefits that child would have being with his mom and new family in their home state. After extensive testimony and presentation of evidence, the Court concurred that the move would benefit the child and an Order was granted permitting the mom to leave New Jersey.

Case Studies involving Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation

Recently Mr. Bloom represented a Passaic resident who worked on a loading dock. After a truck had been fully loaded and was preparing to leave the dock Mr. Bloom’s client jumped out of the open bay, instead of taking the stairs, landing right behind the truck. The truck suddenly backed up pinning the gentlemen against the building causing the amputation of his leg. Despite that the client had jumped into a zone of danger putting himself at risk, Mr. Bloom was able to negotiate a settlement in excess $750,000.00 for the injured worker, in addition to a substantial settlement of the workers’ compensation case.

Mr. Bloom was retained by a man, who, in his third day of the job, was working for a roofing company when he suddenly fell fracturing his skull. The roofing company’s insurance carrier claimed that they did not provide insurance coverage and would not be responsible for the loss. The case involved substantial issues of independent contractor liability, relationships of casual employees, subcontractors and general contractors, as well as when architects go beyond the scope of their role and act as general contractors. After a lengthy trial Mr. Bloom was able to secure full benefits for his client, including payments of over $270,000.00 of medical bills and 1 ½ years of retroactive temporary disability.

An Accountant, seeking to save some money, wanted to install a fire door in his home. He ordered an appropriate door from Home Depot and, when he went to the store to pick it up, the door fell off the cart slicing several fingers on his dominant hand and causing nerve damage. Although Home Depot argued that the door had been properly loaded onto the cart and the accident was solely the result of the customer, Mr. Bloom was able to secure an award of $125,000.00 for the damage to the small finger of his client’s hand.

A super in a building was significantly injured when he fell on his head fracturing the orbit of his eye and sustaining severe neurological injury. The gentleman he worked for stated that he was not an employee and would not provide any workmen’s compensation benefits. That person also did not have insurance which would cover the loss. After an extensive trial in which Mr. Bloom’s client was on the witness stand for five (5) days, six (6) different doctors testified and a myriad of other experts and fact witnesses were presented to the Court, a Judge of compensation found that Mr. Bloom’s client was an employee and was entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The Court ruled that the employer, which did not have insurance, had to pay all medical bills and permanent disability benefits to Mr. Bloom’s client from their own pocket. The result was Mr. Bloom’s client securing a substantial permanent disability award as well as the payment of tens of thousands of dollars for medical bills that were incurred by the client.

Contact Lawyer Jeffrey M. Bloom

Please contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey M. Bloom today to schedule your consultation on family law, workers’ comp, or personal injury legal matters. We serve clients in West New York, and throughout Ridgewood, Bergen, and Hudson Counties, New Jersey – call (855) 208-3650.