New York Personal Injury Attorneys BlogArticles Posted in Auto Accidents
2025 Year in Review: Landmark Verdicts and Settlements by Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf
The 2025 Year in Review documents another extraordinary year for the NYC personal injury law firm of Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, marked by record-setting verdicts, precedent-shaping settlements, and litigation that advanced safety and accountability across New York.
Throughout 2025, the firm secured results in cases involving catastrophic injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, construction accidents, transportation disasters, premises liability, and sexual abuse, many of which rank among the most significant outcomes in New York State history.Record-Setting and Notable 2025 Results
Pedestrian Injury in Bronx DWI Sidewalk Crash Raises Serious Liability Questions
A late-night sidewalk crash in the Tremont section of the Bronx highlights the severe legal consequences that can follow when an alleged intoxicated driver leaves the roadway and strikes pedestrians. A Connecticut man has been charged with driving while intoxicated after police say he mounted a sidewalk and struck two pedestrians on East Tremont Avenue.
Incidents like this are not simply traffic accidents—they are pedestrian accident cases involving alleged criminal conduct, and they demand immediate legal attention.
Alleged DWI and Sidewalk Impact: Why These Facts Matter Legally
Toddler Fatally Struck by BMW Driver in Queens Parking Garage Raises Serious Legal Questions
A fatal incident inside a Queens apartment building parking garage has placed renewed focus on driver responsibility, property safety, and the legal rights of families after preventable tragedies. According to published reports, a 1-year-old child was struck by a BMW inside a parking garage next to the family’s apartment building in Rego Park, Queens. The child was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he later died from his injuries. The driver remained at the scene, and authorities continue to investigate.
From a legal perspective, crashes involving children in parking garages are among the most serious motor-vehicle cases handled by our Queens car accident lawyers. These incidents often involve complex questions of negligence, visibility, speed, vehicle design, and whether the garage itself was reasonably safe for pedestrians.
Parking Garages Are Not “No-Fault” Zones Under New York Law
Dozens Arrested in New York Ghost Plate Crackdown — Why This Matters for Road Safety?
A six-month crackdown on illegal “ghost plates” across Long Island and New York City has resulted in 1,044 summonses, 57 arrests, and 20 vehicles impounded in Suffolk County, according to the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office.
The enforcement effort was carried out by a multi-agency Ghost Plate Task Force that included the NYPD, MTA Police, Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments, and the New York City Sheriff’s Office.
From the perspective of our New York car accident attorneys, this operation addresses a serious and growing threat to public safety on New York roadways.
Brooklyn School Bus Accident Leaves 11-Year-Old Girl Dead; Driver Charged
An 11-year-old Brooklyn girl was fatally struck by a school bus in Bath Beach during afternoon dismissal hours, underscoring serious safety obligations placed on school bus drivers operating in dense city neighborhoods.
The victim has been identified as Amira Aminova, a Brooklyn resident. The collision occurred shortly after 3 p.m. at the intersection of 23rd Avenue and Bath Avenue, a time when children and families are routinely crossing local streets after school.
The video below reviewed by investigators shows Amira standing at the corner with the right of way before entering the crosswalk as a school bus made a turn. Police allege the bus failed to yield to the pedestrian and that the driver did not exercise due care. Sun glare and the size of the vehicle were cited by a witness as potential contributing factors—conditions that experienced commercial drivers are trained to anticipate and manage.
Long Island Hit-and-Run That Killed One Brother and Critically Injured The Other Highlights the Severe Consequences of Leaving the Scene
A Long Island man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that struck two brothers on the side of a Suffolk County roadway, killing one and leaving the other critically injured. The incident underscores the devastating consequences that follow when a driver leaves the scene of a serious crash and the legal options available to victims’ families under New York law.
According to Suffolk County police, Jonathan Shaver, 51, of Rocky Point, is accused of striking 31-year-old Edgar Meija and his 29-year-old brother, Omar Meija, shortly before 7 p.m. on Thursday near 1180 William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. The brothers were reportedly outside their vehicle changing a flat tire when Shaver’s 2012 Honda Accord struck them. Police say Shaver then fled the scene.
Edgar Meija was pronounced dead at the scene. His brother Omar was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Saturday morning.
SUV Driver Recalls Hitting “Something” in Brooklyn Crash That Killed Former Nickelodeon Star Kianna Underwood
A fatal early-morning crash in Brownsville has raised serious legal and safety questions about driver conduct, hit-and-run responsibility, and how multi-vehicle collisions are investigated in Brooklyn.
Kianna Underwood, a 33-year-old former Nickelodeon child actor, was struck and killed on January 16, 2026, near Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard. Police say she was first struck by a black Ford Explorer SUV and then run over and dragged more than two blocks by a second vehicle that fled the scene and has not been identified.
From a Brooklyn car accident lawyer’s perspective, this case underscores how quickly catastrophic harm can unfold—and how critical evidence preservation and accountability become when multiple drivers are involved.
Family of Queens Cyclist Killed by Pickup Truck Seeks Justice After Fatal Right-Turn Crash
The family of a Queens cyclist killed last week in Flushing is searching for answers — and accountability — after what police say was a preventable right-turn crash involving a pickup truck.
According to the NYPD, 48-year-old Xi Zheng was riding westbound on Sanford Avenue when he was struck by a Ford F-150 making a right turn from 160th Street. Zheng, who was biking to work as he routinely did, was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
“He was on his way to work on a bike,” said Zheng’s nephew, Jacky Huang. “He always biked to work. We’re just all trying to make sense of it.”
Gov. Hochul’s Budget Proposals: Protecting the Rights of Legitimately Injured Auto Accident Victims
Our attorneys are closely monitoring the Governor’s budget proposals concerning auto accident claims.
Any reform to New York’s insurance system must preserve the rights of legitimately injured auto accident victims to receive necessary medical care and fair and adequate compensation. Measures aimed at addressing staged accidents or fraudulent claims should not come at the expense of people who suffer real injuries through no fault of their own. New York already has criminal laws in place to prosecute false and fabricated claims; the answer is to enforce those laws—not to weaken protections for honest, injured New Yorkers.
New York’s civil justice system exists to ensure accountability and to protect injured individuals from bearing the financial consequences of negligence. We oppose any effort — whether direct or indirect — that would deprive injured victims of meaningful access to medical treatment or the ability to be fully compensated for their losses. Too often, insurance companies and large corporate interests are focused not on fairness, but on paying as little as possible on legitimate claims while maximizing profits. Using “fraud” as a broad brush to justify sweeping restrictions is simply a tactic that harms the “little guy” and shields wrongdoers from responsibility.
