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 Personal Injury

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house on fireOver the past week, multiple serious fires across the New York metro area have left families grieving and others hospitalized. These incidents—spanning Queens, Long Island, and Brooklyn—underscore how quickly a fire can turn catastrophic and how often preventable conditions play a role.

From the perspective of New York fire accident attorneys, these events raise urgent questions about building safety, code compliance, and accountability.

Recent Fires With Fatalities and Injuries

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2025 year in review for the NYC personal injury law firm of Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & MackaufThe 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

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Freezing cold temperature put New Yorkers at risk of personal injuryPeriods of extreme cold and sustained high winds significantly increase the risk of catastrophic personal injury in New York City. Recent incidents in Brooklyn and Manhattan illustrate how winter weather can compromise infrastructure, dislodge building components, and place pedestrians, drivers, and residents directly in harm’s way.

Infrastructure Failures During Arctic Conditions

In late January, a bundle of heavy communication cables detached from an elevated subway structure above Fulton Street in Cypress Hill, Brooklyn. Transit sources attributed the failure to extreme cold that weakened the insulators securing the cables to the elevated line. The wires fell to street level and damaged multiple vehicles below. While no injuries were reported, the outcome could have been far more serious had pedestrians or cyclists been passing underneath at the time.

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Fatal Crashes and Fatalities in Construction Work Zone 2012-23Transportation-related incidents remain one of the most dangerous hazards facing construction workers today. According to data published by The Center for Construction Research and Training, transportation incidents accounted for more than one-third of all occupational fatalities in construction in 2023. These incidents occur both on and off public roadways, often where moving vehicles, heavy equipment, and active work zones intersect. Highway and street construction zones are especially hazardous, placing workers at constant risk of being struck by vehicles or equipment.

Nonfatal Transportation Injuries Continue to Rise

Despite improvements in overall safety rates, the total number of nonfatal transportation injuries among construction workers has increased over the past decade. Between 2011–2012 and 2021–2022, nonfatal transportation injuries rose by nearly 15 percent. The majority of these injuries involved roadway incidents with motorized land vehicles, with trucks accounting for the largest share. These injuries frequently occur during routine jobsite activities such as deliveries, equipment movement, and vehicles entering or exiting work zones, where visibility and traffic control are often inadequate.

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ghost plateA 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.

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Location of the Long Island Hit and Run AccidentA 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.

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Bronx building where the fatal explosion occuredA deadly gas explosion inside a Bronx NYCHA high-rise has led to murder and multiple felony charges, highlighting once again how preventable gas-related incidents can devastate entire buildings and communities.

According to law enforcement sources, a man has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly stealing a gas stove from an apartment at the Boston Secor Houses in Baychester—triggering a gas leak that caused a massive explosion and four-alarm fire. One resident was killed, and at least 14 others were injured.

As NYC gas explosion attorneys representing victims of serious personal injury in the Bronx, incidents like this raise critical legal questions about accountability, safety oversight, and the rights of residents harmed by dangerous conditions inside residential buildings.

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Ben Rubinowitz will chair the Masters Series 2026 and Marijo Adimey will serve as a FacultyBen Rubinowitz will once again serve as Chair of the Masters Series in 2026, one of New York’s most respected in-person trial advocacy programs. Marijo C. Adimey will join the program as a faculty member, continuing the firm’s long-standing leadership in advanced trial education.

The Masters Series 2026 will take place Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM (ET) at Brooklyn Law School’s Forchelli Center.

This program brings together a select group of New York’s most accomplished trial lawyers—attorneys who, over decades, have consistently delivered exceptional verdicts in high-stakes litigation. Designed for experienced litigators, the seminar focuses on practical, courtroom-tested strategies that translate directly to real trials.

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Governor_Hochul_April_2022

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.

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Mount Pleasant where the fatal crash occuredA New York Car Accident Attorney Explains the Legal Implications

A fatal wrong-way crash on the Taconic State Parkway has left a 61-year-old Manhattan doorman dead and raised serious legal questions that a New York car accident attorney would immediately recognize—particularly when a law enforcement officer is involved in a deadly collision.

According to New York State Police, the crash occurred Thursday night in Mount Pleasant, Westchester County. An off-duty NYPD sergeant allegedly drove southbound in the northbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway and struck another vehicle head-on. The victim, Manuel Boitel, was pronounced dead at Westchester Medical Center.