Articles Posted in Auto Accidents
Can You Sue the City of New York If You’re Injured After a Protected Bike Lane Is Removed?
What Cyclists Need to Know About Legal Recourse After the Bedford Avenue Lane Rollback
The New York City Department of Transportation is set to remove three blocks of the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue between Willoughby and Flushing Avenues—just months after the agency itself testified that the protected lane made the corridor safer for cyclists. This decision, made in the face of strong safety data and vocal opposition from advocates, raises serious legal concerns.
As bicycle accident attorneys representing injured cyclists across New York City, we want to be clear: if you are injured in a crash that occurs after the removal of a proven safety measure—such as a protected bike lane—you may have a legal claim against the City.
NYPD Cracks Down on Cyclists While Letting Dangerous Drivers Slide, Advocates Say
As NYC car accident lawyers who have spent decades representing the victims of reckless driving, we are deeply troubled by the NYPD’s current enforcement priorities.
According to recent data, NYPD officers issued 13% fewer traffic tickets to motorists between April and June 2025 — even as criminal summonses against cyclists skyrocketed. Criminal court summonses (C summonses) against bike and e-bike riders surged from approximately 600 before the spring crackdown to nearly 6,000. Meanwhile, traffic tickets for motorists dropped by over 20,000 in the same timeframe.
This shift in enforcement is not only unjustified — it’s dangerously misguided.
Who Is Liable When a Stolen Rental Car Kills a Pedestrian and Cyclist in NYC?
Legal options for families after the Chinatown tragedy involving an overdue Enterprise vehicle
The tragic crash that unfolded in Manhattan’s Chinatown last Saturday morning has left New Yorkers shaken—and two families in mourning. According to police and prosecutors, a stolen blue Chevy Malibu, overdue by 17 days from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was speeding through the streets when it struck and killed 63-year-old pedestrian May Kwok and 63-year-old cyclist Kevin Scott Cruickshank before crashing into an NYPD van.
The vehicle was reportedly filled with drugs, alcohol, and an illegal gun stashed in the trunk. Surveillance footage shows the horrifying moment the stolen vehicle mowed down the victims. The driver, Autumn Donna Ascencio Romero, 23, and passenger Kennedy Lecraft, 22, fled the scene but were caught shortly after and now face a long list of felony charges, including murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Did a Police Pursuit Lead to the Death of 15-Year-Old Antonio Benitez?
Queens Tragedy Raises Questions About NYPD Pursuit Practices and Accountability
At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our Queens car accident attorneys represent families whose lives have been shattered by high-speed police chases gone wrong. The recent death of 15-year-old Antonio “Anthony” Benitez—struck by an unlicensed driver during an NYPD pursuit in Queens—is the latest incident that underscores the dangers of police chases in densely populated neighborhoods.
According to the NYPD, the fatal incident began with a 911 call at 8:01 p.m. on Saturday reporting a knifepoint robbery outside a pharmacy on Hillside Avenue and 257th Street in Floral Park. Responding officers began canvassing the area and encountered a group of teens. One of them—Antonio—fled on an electric bike. Officers pursued him for over a mile until he was fatally struck by a Lexus driver who was allegedly unlicensed.
Fatal Multi-Vehicle Crash in the Bronx Underscores the Devastating Impact of High-Speed Collisions
A tragic three-car crash in Co-op City, the Bronx, has once again highlighted the severe consequences of traffic collisions in New York City. According to the NYPD, the crash occurred around 5:25 p.m. on Bartow Avenue, near The Mall at Bay Plaza. The violent chain-reaction collision left one woman dead and six others—ranging in age from 11 to 79—hospitalized.
At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our NYC city car accident lawyers are closely monitoring developments in this case. Our team of Bronx car accident lawyers has decades of experience representing victims of large-scale, multi-vehicle crashes across the borough. We understand the complexities these cases present—from unraveling conflicting witness accounts to identifying all potentially liable parties.
What Happened in Co-op City?
Deadly Belt Parkway Crash in Queens Raises Alarming Questions About Reckless Driving
As Queens car accident lawyers, we’ve seen firsthand the devastation reckless driving can bring to families and communities. The recent fiery crash on the Belt Parkway that killed 24-year-old driver Noah Thompson and his 22-year-old passenger Jewel Perez is a heartbreaking reminder of just how deadly these incidents can be — especially when speed, alcohol, and failure to wear seat belts may be involved.
According to reports, Thompson was driving a BMW eastbound on the Belt Parkway around 6 a.m. on Saturday when he lost control near the Cross Bay Boulevard exit in Howard Beach. He slammed into a concrete divider, causing the vehicle to go airborne, land on the opposite side of the highway, strike two other cars — a Honda CR-V and a red Hyundai — and burst into flames. Tragically, neither Thompson nor Perez survived their injuries. Three other passengers in the BMW miraculously escaped with minor injuries.
At the time of the crash, none of the BMW occupants were wearing seat belts. Police sources have indicated that authorities were seeking a warrant to test Thompson’s blood for alcohol before he died.
Hit-and-Run Driver Injures Six Pedestrians in Bronx Sidewalk Crash: What Victims Should Know
From the Perspective of our Bronx Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers
A shocking hit-and-run incident in the Melrose section of the Bronx sent six people to the hospital after a vehicle careened onto the sidewalk and into a sidewalk shed at the busy intersection of East 149th Street and Courtlandt Avenue . Surveillance footage captured the driver of a dark-colored Ford Mustang briefly pausing at the intersection around 11 a.m. before striking a pedestrian, jumping the curb, and crashing into five more people.
Instead of stopping to render aid, the driver backed up and fled the scene. Both the driver and a passenger allegedly abandoned the heavily damaged vehicle and ran off on foot. The NYPD is actively searching for the individuals involved.
Brooklyn Hit-and-Run Hero Fatally Struck While Protecting Woman in East New York
From the Perspective of our Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers
Another life was lost to reckless driving on the streets of Brooklyn—and this time, it was a man who reportedly died saving someone else.
According to authorities, a 36-year-old pedestrian was fatally struck in a hit-and-run crash Thursday night at the intersection of East New York Avenue and Broadway in East New York. Witnesses say the driver of a silver sedan was speeding down the roadway around 10 p.m., hitting multiple construction barriers before slamming into the man at the intersection and fleeing the scene. Tragically, the victim was later pronounced dead at the hospital.