Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.
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Location of the deadly accident near LaureltownA Long Island man has been arrested more than a year after a fatal crash on the Belt Parkway in Queens that claimed the life of a 27-year-old woman.

According to police, Kenyatta Junior Weston, 31, was charged with manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired, reckless driving, and multiple speeding violations in connection with the February 8, 2025 crash.

The crash occurred around 3:47 a.m. on the eastbound Belt Parkway near 233rd Street in Laurelton, Queens, when Weston allegedly lost control of a Toyota while speeding and struck a row of sand barrels. Authorities say both Weston and his passenger, Elizabeth Vanessa Perla Hernandez, were ejected from the vehicle during the violent collision.

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NYC_DOE_LogoA Brooklyn public school teacher has been arrested after a 16-year-old student reported that he sexually abused her inside a Coney Island school. According to police, Steven Schnee, 48, was taken into custody at the school Wednesday afternoon and charged with forcible touching, endangering the welfare of a child, and sexual abuse.

The student told investigators that the teacher allegedly inappropriately touched her leg and made her feel uncomfortable. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the school or disclosed when the alleged incident occurred. Schnee, who earned approximately $140,000 last year working for the New York City Department of Education, was awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court.

While the criminal case will determine whether the accused teacher faces penalties under New York law, incidents like this also raise important questions about civil liability and the responsibility of schools to protect students from abuse.

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Canal street is dangerous to pedestrians and cyclistsCommunity members, street-safety advocates, and families of crash victims recently gathered on Canal Street to hold a vigil honoring the 21 people who have lost their lives in traffic crashes along the corridor over the years. The event was organized to remember the victims and to highlight the ongoing dangers faced by pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers traveling along one of Manhattan’s busiest and most complex roadways.

Canal Street stretches across Lower Manhattan, connecting major traffic routes including the Manhattan Bridge and the Holland Tunnel approaches. With heavy vehicle traffic, delivery trucks, buses, cyclists, and thousands of pedestrians moving through the area daily, the corridor has long been considered one of the city’s most challenging streets from a traffic safety perspective.

A High-Risk Corridor for Pedestrians and Cyclists

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CPWR Stand Down 2026Falls and struck-by incidents continue to be among the leading causes of traumatic injuries and deaths on construction sites across the United States. Safety experts and regulators consistently warn that these incidents are largely preventable when proper safety planning, training, and protections are implemented.

Each spring, national safety campaigns organized by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) encourage contractors and workers to pause jobsite activities and focus on preventing these hazards through targeted safety discussions and training.

From the perspective of experienced construction accident lawyers, these campaigns highlight a critical point: most serious construction accidents occur because established safety rules were ignored or not enforced.

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Brooklane Hospital in BrooklynBrookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn recently received a “D” safety grade from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that evaluates hospitals on patient safety, staffing, infection prevention, and medical error risks.

While the hospital achieved several administrative and procedural safety benchmarks, the overall grade reflects significant concerns in areas that directly affect patient outcomes, including nurse staffing levels, surgical performance measures, and maternity care practices.

For patients and families seeking medical care in Brooklyn, understanding what these grades mean and why they matter is essential.

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CLIENT TESTIMONIAL for Marijo AdimeyA recent client shared the following review:

“This firm saved my life. To my attorney/paralegal — thank you for everything you both have ever did for me. I’ll always be grateful.

Google only lets me leave 5 stars, I would leave 5 million if I could and that would not still be enough to reflect the true work this firm does on behalf of their clients. They are angels here.”

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drunk drivingMore than a year after a tragic crash on the Belt Parkway in Queens claimed the life of a young woman, prosecutors have filed serious criminal charges against the driver allegedly responsible. While criminal proceedings may bring a measure of accountability, families who lose a loved one in a drunk driving crash also have the right to pursue justice through the civil court system.

According to police, Kenyatta Junior Weston, 31, was arrested and charged Tuesday in connection with the Feb. 8, 2025 crash on the Belt Parkway near 233rd Street in Laurelton, Queens. Prosecutors charged Weston with manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and multiple speeding violations. Authorities also recovered a firearm from the wrecked vehicle.

Police say Weston was speeding eastbound around 3:47 a.m. when he crashed into a row of sand barrels along the parkway. The impact was so severe that Elizabeth Vanessa Perla Hernandez, 27, was ejected from the Toyota. Emergency responders rushed her to Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

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New York CityNew York City’s transportation policy continues to evolve as officials seek to reduce traffic deaths and redesign streets to prioritize safety. On March 3, 2026, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn appeared before the City Council Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to testify about progress under the New York City Streets Plan and the city’s next steps to improve street safety.

From the perspective of our NYC car accident lawyers, these policy discussions are significant because they directly influence the safety of drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders across the five boroughs.

Historic Drop in Traffic Deaths Since Vision Zero

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A wall collapse at a construction site on Jefferson Street near Central Avenue in Bushwick has left two families facing unimaginable hardship.

One 47-year-old worker lost his life. A 40-year-old worker was critically injured when rubble from a neighboring building’s foundation collapsed into a trench where the men were performing debris removal as part of foundation work. The Department of Buildings has issued a full stop-work order and partial vacate orders while the site is stabilized.

While the criminal or regulatory investigations move forward, the legal rights of both families must be protected immediately.

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MTA BX21 busA disturbing incident unfolded in Borough Park when an on-duty Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus driver was arrested after allegedly punching a 16-year-old boy riding a bicycle near Bay Parkway and E. 2nd Street in Brooklyn.

According to reports, the driver of a B6 bus became involved in an argument with the teenager, who was either blocking the bus, refusing to move, or riding alongside it while holding onto the vehicle. Police allege the driver exited the bus and punched the teen multiple times in the face. The boy was transported to Maimonides Medical Center in stable condition, possibly with a broken nose. The driver was charged with assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and reckless endangerment.

While the criminal case will proceed in Brooklyn Criminal Court, the teenager’s parents also have important civil legal rights.