Randall J. Richards is a member of the Management Committee and co-chair of the Personal Injury practice at Wilentz, Goldman, & Spitzer, P.A. He has been a shareholder since 1986 and serves as Vice Chairman of the firm.

As a seasoned trial attorney of 40 years, Mr. Richards has achieved verdicts and settlements in personal injury litigation on behalf of thousands of clients who have suffered injuries arising from automobile accidents, construction, and other serious accidents, and/or defective products or injuries resulting from negligence. Mr. Richards has also represented victims’ families in over 100 wrongful death actions and thus understands the suffering of families who have lost a loved one. Mr. Richards has obtained numerous settlements and verdicts in excess of one million dollars from insurance companies on behalf of his clients. Results achieved in prior matters are not meant to be a guarantee of success as the facts and legal circumstances vary from matter to matter.

Recognizing that traumatic accident victims may be overwhelmed by emotional issues and significant financial loss arising from costs associated with their injuries, such as medical bills, disability, lost wages, and/or property damage, Mr. Richards devotes his practice and Wilentz’s vast resources as one of New Jersey’s largest and long-established personal injury law firms to guide his clients through the legal system to secure the best possible outcome in the face of their injury and the circumstances of each case he accepts.

Mr. Richards believes in approaching each personal injury case as if it were going to trial. In this way, he can maximize the recovery for each of his clients. A swift settlement best serves the clients’ interests. Recovery is, however, maximized by demonstrating to the insurance company that you are prepared to proceed to trial.  Considering that in any injury case, the ultimate goal is to maximize recovery, Mr. Richards is adept at discovering the relevant facts through research and preparation, in turn, creating opportunities for significant recovery.

Mr. Richards’ practice includes a particular focus on representing victims of traumatic brain injuries.  Perhaps the most insidious type of injury, brain trauma affects the victim’s ability to function as a member of society, earn a living, enjoy functional relationships with friends and members of his or her own family, and satisfy the basic human need to socialize. Damage or injury to the brain changes a patient – not just temporarily, but forever – long after the interest and sympathy of others fade.  Often brain injuries are subtle, with no outward visible signs that juries can be sympathetic to. It is, therefore, essential that such victims engage an attorney who understands the mechanism and impact of such injuries.  Mr. Richards has earned his reputation as a trial attorney and a brain injury lawyer who has dedicated his entire legal career to advocating for the rights of victims and their families to get the compensation they deserve.

Since 2003, Mr. Richards has been consistently selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America list for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs. In addition, he had been selected for inclusion in the New Jersey Super Lawyers list for Personal Injury from 2006 to 2009.

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Results achieved in prior matters are not meant to be a guarantee of success as the facts and legal circumstances vary from matter to matter.

Motor Vehicle Accident Claim Cases

  • $12.5 million global settlement for victims of a truck/school bus accident
  • $8.4 million verdict in a claim against a municipality for a passenger injured in an intersection accident attributable to a malfunctioning traffic light
  • $3.5 million recovery for bus driver involved in an intersection accident with an ambulance
  • $1.65 million recovery for child suffering a lumbar fracture in a school bus accident
  • $2.6 million recovery for a young man who lost an eye as a result of a one car motor vehicle accident
  • $1.35 million recovery for a disabled man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in a motor vehicle accident
  • $3.0 million recovery for a passenger suffering a C6 fracture in a roadway design claim
  • $2.6 million recovery for children of a family in an intersection accident/roadway design claim
  • $1.65 million recovery for a man suffering pelvic and leg fractures in a motor vehicle accident
  • $1.25 million recovery for a woman suffering a fractured leg in a motor vehicle accident

Wrongful Death Claims

  • $11.5 million global settlement for death claims arising from an explosion at an acetylene manufacturing facility
  • $1.7 million post-verdict settlement in a wrongful death medical malpractice claim for a man with pre-existing M.S.

Products Liability Claims

  • $2.85 million recovery in a products liability claim arising from a construction site accident
  • $2.7 million recovery in a wrongful death claim arising from a residential gas explosion
  • $2.75 million recovery for a woman injured when her hand was caught in an industrial conveyer belt

Medical Malpractice Claims

  • $2.1 million recovery in medical malpractice claim for failure to diagnose an epidermal hematoma
  • $1.075 million recovery for woman with cervical hematoma requiring surgery
  • $1.2 million recovery in medical malpractice claim for death of a single mother of one
  • $1.25 million recovery in medical malpractice action for death of a divorced woman with adult children

Miscellaneous Litigation

  • $325,000 annual payments for remaining work life in a claim versus a disability insurance company (total payments to exceed $5 million)
  • $2.2 million recovery for a young man injured in a diving accident at a residential swimming pool