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.

Articles Posted in Auto Accidents

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deadly traffic accidentsThe recent string of pedestrian accidents in Queens and Manhattan over the last week-end is deeply concerning as it seems that every week-end in New York City a few more people are getting killed in traffic accidents. Our pedestrian accident lawyers  are not the only one to express concerns about the increased number of traffic deaths in New York City. In a recent column for the New York Times, Ginia Bellafante  point fingers at the increased number of traffic fatalities in the city and highlights the dangers of Atlantic Avenue. Confirming these concerns, Transportation Alternatives just released today its quarterly traffic fatalities report showing 51 people died in traffic accidents during Q1 including a record 9 bicyclists.

Last weekend’s carnage

The first accident involved a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed Darryl Younger, a Department of Education employee who was on his way to work as a school lunch loader and handler. The driver who struck him was traveling south on Jackson Ave. and is still being sought by police.

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Teen driving crashes infographicAs car accident lawyers, it is heartbreaking to hear about the recent crash in Westchester County that left several teenagers seriously injured, some with life-threatening injuries. This tragedy once again highlights the dangers of teen driving and the devastating consequences that can result when young drivers are not properly trained and licensed.

According to reports, the crash occurred when an unlicensed 16-year-old driver lost control of his Honda Accord while driving with three passengers. The car crossed into the lanes of oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a school bus carrying multiple passengers, including several high school students.

The impact of the crash was severe, and several people suffered serious injuries

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Atlantic Avenue And Clinton Street where 3 fatal car crashes occurredOn Sunday night, a 27-year-old driver recklessly hit and killed a 31-year-old woman on Atlantic Avenue, making her the fourth pedestrian to die in a crash over the weekend. Reports indicate that the driver was speeding through a red light when he hit the victim, then collided with another vehicle and crashed into an outdoor dining structure. Tragically, the victim died at the scene, and the driver was subsequently arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide.

This accident highlights the driver’s dangerous disregard for traffic laws and safety, as he had been caught speeding in a school zone in Queens just a month prior. It is crucial that drivers understand the seriousness of their responsibility when operating a vehicle and adhere to traffic laws and safety measures. The consequences of reckless driving can be catastrophic, as seen in this heartbreaking case. We must continue advocating for safer roadways and harsher consequences for those who violate traffic laws and cause harm.

With 10 crash fatalities in 2021 alone, Atlantic Avenue is one of the most dangerous roadways in New York City

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accident sceneThree pedestrians were killed in car accidents in New York City over the weekend. These deaths are a clear reminder of the dangerous and deadly consequences of reckless and negligent driving, and of the urgent need for safer streets.

The first victim, 73-year-old Steven Aragona, was fatally struck while crossing North Conduit Avenue in Queens, last Friday afternoon . Conduit Avenue is notorious for its high speeds and dangerous conditions, with 127 crashes reported on just two miles of the road last year. The 25-year old driver who struck him remained at the scene of the accident and was not charged. (Read more in QNS)

The second victim, Domingo Dejesus, died after he was struck by a driver on Soundview Avenue in the Bronx on Saturday night around 10:45 pm. Soundview Avenue has a similarly troubling safety record, with 44 crashes reported on a mile-long stretch in 2022 alone. The driver involved stayed at the scene of the accident and was not charged.

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drunk drivingAs personal injury attorneys who have represented victims in drunk driving accidents, it is disheartening to read about the fatal crash on the Belt Parkway caused by a wrong-way driver who had two prior DWI convictions. Winston Ramdeen, a 52-year-old, drove the wrong way on the Belt Parkway, resulting in the deaths of both himself and the 79-year-old man he collided with. Ramdeen had previously been arrested for drunk driving in 2014 and was scheduled to appear in court in a few days for sentencing related to a another prior DWI accident that occurred in 2021.

While it is understandable that a judge may not have seen fit to lock up the defendant on a misdemeanor conviction, it is the responsibility of prosecutors to ensure that the defendant does not pose a danger to others while awaiting sentencing. One possible solution that could have been explored was setting conditions for the defendant’s release that would have prevented him from getting behind the wheel. For instance, the court could have ordered the defendant to install an ignition interlock device in his car, which would have required him to blow into a breathalyzer before starting the engine. This would have ensured that he was not driving while under the influence of alcohol.

It is essential that we hold accountable those responsible for drunk driving accidents, whether they result in injury or death

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location of the deadly e-Citi Bike accident in Queens NYC
16-year-old Jaydan McLaurin was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding an electric Citi Bike in Queens on Monday night. The driver who killed him was later identified as 18-year-old Yaser Ibrahim, who was unlicensed and driving a BMW SUV. Police were able to track him down, and he was arrested and charged with driving without a license, leaving the scene of an accident, and having a tinted windshield.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the urgent need for improved safety measures to protect cyclists on New York City streets. According to reports, McLaurin was riding north on 21st Avenue in Astoria when he was struck by the car. The impact was so severe that it virtually severed the electric Citi Bike in half, and McLaurin was rushed to Harlem Hospital but sadly died from his injuries.

This incident marks the 11th cyclist death in New York City in 2023, with a record-shattering 10 people on bikes having died at the start of the year alone

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accident sceneSpeeding and reckless driving are major causes of car accidents in New York, and unfortunately, young drivers are often overrepresented in these statistics. The recent news of a 20-year-old driver who died in a car accident on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens is a tragic reminder of the dangers of speeding.

According to the police, the young driver tried to swerve around a previous crash on the parkway when he lost control of his SUV, which flipped over multiple times and crashed into a tree. The victim was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.

While we do not know the full details of this particular case, it is clear that speeding and reckless driving are often factors in car accidents involving young drivers.

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Forbes Advisor Best Car Accident Lawyer NYC Diana Carnemolla

Congratulations to our partner, Diana Carnemolla, for her inclusion in the Forbes Advisor’s “Best Car Accident Lawyers in NYC 2023” ranking. Forbes selected Diana as one of the top 15 best car accident lawyers in New York City.

Rankings by Forbes are completely independent and free. Researchers at Forbes developed a mathematical module that considers and weighs multiple factors such as awards and honors, education and employment background, ethics, legal experience, legal thought leadership, scholarly lectures and writings, licenses, and certifications to create a guide to help victims find the right attorney for their case.

So why did Diana make the Forbes Advisor’s list?

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Crown Street and Nostrand Avenue where the accident occurred
Two people suffered serious personal injuries in a multi-vehicle car accident in New York City last Monday night. The accident occurred around 6:30 pm in Crown Heights, Brooklyn at the intersection of Crown Street and Nostrand Avenue.

An exclusive and jarring surveillance video from a nearby building was obtained by CBS2. The video shows a white car running a red light at high speed and T-boning an SUV that had the green light and was driving through the intersection. The impact was so intense that the SUV went airborne and crashed into another car further down the street, while the white car jumped the curb and nearly hit pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Only a few seconds later, an NYPD patrol SUV arrived in the same direction as the white car. An officer got out and ran towards the cars. CBS2 asked the police if the cruiser was chasing the white car. The police initially declined to answer but later said that the cruiser was not involved in an active vehicle pursuit at the time of the accident. In a busy city like New York, there is a policy for when a police car is allowed or not allowed to engage in a vehicle pursuit. This policy states that police should “terminate a vehicle pursuit if the risk to the public or fellow officers outweighs the risk posed if the suspect gets away.” However, too often police officers do not respect this policy and engage in reckless police pursuits that result in dangerous accidents, seriously injuring or killing civilians.

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Mermaid Ave where the mother and son were struck by a hit and run driverSeveral  people were seriously injured or died in car accidents in New York City this last week-end. 2 pedestrians died. One cyclist was critically injured. Another pedestrian suffered serious injury and one motorist suffered minor injuries, all caused by reckless driving.

Young mother killed by drunk driver

The carnage started on Friday night with the death of a 23 year old pedestrian, identified as Tecinna Bahadur. The young mother was killed by a drunk driver on on the Van Wyck Expressway Service Road near 107th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. The driver who killed her was identified as 41 year old Athony Ramjit. He was arrested by the police and charged with DWI  (read more in 1010 WINS).