Paul W. Lanza

Practice Details

• Languages
  Proficient in Spanish
• Firm Information
  Position

  Shareholder

  Firm Name

  Marshall Dennehey
• Representative Cases & Transactions
  Cases

  Significant Representative Matters: Obtained a defense verdict in a trucking accident in New Jersey. The plaintiff claimed that our client merged into her lane at the George Washington Bridge toll plaza causing her to sustain neck
  back injuries for which she underwent two spinal surgeries. Our client testified that both of their lanes ended
  , because they were required to merge, he had the right-of-way since the front of his truck was ahead of the front of her vehicle. Our accident reconstruction expert confirmed that our driver had the right-of-way
  opined that plaintiff was the sole cause of the accident. We also disputed the causation of plaintiff's alleged injuries based on the very limited property damage to her vehicle, as well as the fact that she had prior, similar injuries. After a little more than an hour of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict finding that our driver was not negligent.
  Obtained summary judgment on behalf of our client. The plaintiff was injured when she fell from a 25-foot rock-climbing wall at our client's facility. After reaching the summit of the wall, plaintiff, a certified climber, pushed off to begin repelling down, only to realize that she forgot to connect to the auto-belay system. She proceeded to fall to the ground
  fractured both ankles for which she underwent open reduction internal fixation surgery. Plaintiff had previously visited the client's facility approximately 35 times
  had executed a liability waiver on each occasion, including the date of the accident. We moved for summary judgment to dismiss plaintiff's Complaint based on the fact that the liability waiver was enforceable. Plaintiff argued that the liability waiver was only enforceable as to her claims of ordinary negligence
  that the issue of whether the defendant was grossly negligent was a triable issue of fact. However, we successfully argued that no reasonable jury could find that the client was grossly negligent based on the client's testimony of the safety procedures, protocols
  equipment in place at the rock-climbing gym. Accordingly, the Court granted our motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff's Complaint, in its entirety, against the client.
  Successfully defended plaintiff's appeal in the New Jersey Appellate Division of an order granting summary judgment in favor of the client by arguing that plaintiff's claims were barred pursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act because plaintiff was a 'special employee' of the client. Holmes v. Zayas, No. A-0591-15T2, 2017 N.J. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 2568 (App. Div. Oct. 13, 2017).
  Obtained summary judgment in favor of the client, a non-profit charitable organization, by arguing that it was immune from liability under the New Jersey Charitable Immunity Act
  there was no evidence of gross negligence against the client.
  Obtained summary judgment in favor of our clients, a residential real estate agent
  company, by arguing that expert testimony was required because a jury could not be reasonably expected to discern the nuances of the st
  ard of care owed by the clients to the plaintiff on its own. Therefore, because plaintiff did not produce a liability expert report during discovery, he could not satisfy his burden of proof
  the Court granted summary judgment in favor of our clients.
  Obtained a defense verdict in favor of the client in a case involving plaintiff's allegations of negligent automobile repairs by proving that our client's repairs were performed in accordance with the industry's customs
  st
  ards.
  Negotiated a stipulation of dismissal with prejudice, without any monetary contribution, in favor of a local college in a premises liability matter. Plaintiff claimed that, as a result of her fall on snow
  ice on the sidewalk, she sustained severe injuries including a fractured ankle
  she underwent open reduction internal fixation. However, using video surveillance, we were able to dispute the location of the accident
  the condition of the sidewalk
  obtain this favorable result for the client.
  Published Works: 'Guide to Expert Testimony in Malpractice Cases Against Real Estate Professionals,' New Jersey Law Journal, October 21, 2019
  'The Implementation of Cyber Security Legislation: An Overview of the NYFDS
  NAIC Model Laws,' Claims Litigation Management, November 2017
  'How Secure Is Your Vendor? Protecting Yourself from Third-party Cyber Risks,' Claims Litigation Management, July 2017
  'Preventative Cyber Defenses: Laying the Foundation to Minimize the Risk of Breach,' Claims Litigation Management, April 2017
  'The Evolution of Cyber Insurance: How Did We Get Here
  Where Are We Headed?,' Claims Litigation Management, January 2017
• Additional Links
  http://www.marshalldennehey.com