A Hudson County jury award of $4.735 million last May 16 to a man who injured his neck due to the rapid fall of an elevator was the largest product-liability recovery of 2013. The case was tried by Edward Capozzi of Seigel Capozzi in Ridgewood.

According to the suit, Ralph Thomas, of Wayne, was on his way down from the 27th floor of the 37-story Newport Tower in Jersey City on Feb. 27, 2009, on an elevator descending at 1,000 feet per minute, when it halted abruptly.