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 Wrongful Death

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location of the fatal collision between the e-nike and pedestrian in BrooklynInsights from Our NYC Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Earlier this month, a tragic collision in Brooklyn claimed the life of 60-year-old Theresa Valenti, who was fatally struck by an illegal high-speed e-bike on Flushing Avenue near the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

According to Streetsblog New York City, the rider was operating a Movcan V30 — a motorized vehicle marketed as an “e-bike” but capable of reaching speeds exceeding 30 mph, far above New York City’s legal limit of 25 mph. The crash occurred at a hazardous shared space where a bus stop merges with a bike lane, highlighting the mounting safety risks for pedestrians in mixed-use corridors. Photos of the site show the so-called “bike lane” blending directly onto the pedestrian sidewalk without any pavement markings, creating a hazardous environment for people stepping off the bus.

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location of the deadly hit and run accident Belt Parkway BKLegal Analysis from our Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers

A devastating crash in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, claimed two lives late Sunday night after a white Mercedes-Benz collided with a motorcycle and flipped onto several parked cars before landing upside down, according to the NYPD. The impact killed both the 22-year-old passenger in the Mercedes and the 29-year-old motorcyclist, while the driver of the Mercedes fled the scene on foot.

A Fatal Collision Captured on Video

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location of the elderly accident in BrooklynAn afternoon tragedy unfolded in Brighton Beach on Tuesday, October 15, 2025, when an 89-year-old pedestrian was fatally struck and two other pedestrians were injured by a minivan that jumped the curb on Neptune Avenue.

According to police, the 86-year-old driver of a red Chrysler Town & Country minivan may have suffered a stroke before reversing onto the sidewalk near West Fifth Street and Neptune Avenue around 12:51 p.m. The vehicle struck three women standing near a flower bed outside 486 Neptune Avenue.

Witnesses described an emotional scene as paramedics performed CPR on the elderly victim while others comforted the injured women. All three were taken to NYU Langone Hospital, where the 89-year-old was pronounced dead. The 75-year-old and 43-year-old victims were listed in stable condition. The driver remained at the scene and was later hospitalized.

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Trump Village where the woman was killed by a solar panelA tragic accident at Trump Village in Brighton Beach has claimed the life of a 76-year-old woman after high winds from a powerful nor’easter tore a solar panel loose from a carport and sent it flying through the air.

According to reports, Lyudmila Braun was walking near Ocean Parkway and Brighton Beach Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Sunday when a large solar panel—measuring approximately 3½ feet by 7 feet—detached from a steel carport at an outdoor parking lot and struck her in the head. She was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 11 a.m.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) later issued a partial vacate order for the lot owned by Trump Village Apartments Two Owner LLC, citing unsafe conditions. Inspectors ordered the area beneath the carport to be cleared while investigators determine whether the solar installation or the carport’s construction failed to meet wind-resistance or building-code standards.

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accident-scene-1In the early hours of Sunday morning, tragedy struck in Rockland County, NY, when a gray Honda Civic left the roadway on North Little Tor Road in New City and collided with a tree. The crash caused catastrophic damage and claimed the lives of all three occupants—two men and one woman—who were pronounced dead at the scene.

As the Clarkstown Police Department continues its investigation, families are left to process unimaginable grief and uncertainty. Beyond the emotional devastation, questions often arise about what legal options exist to pursue justice and financial support in the aftermath of such accidents.

Wrongful Death Claims in Single-Vehicle Crashes

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location-of-the-deadly-bicycle-accident-in-BrooklynA Brooklyn woman, 32-year-old Alexandra Huggins, was killed early Saturday morning after being struck by a Tesla while riding her bicycle in Williamsburg. The crash happened at the intersection of Meserole and Leonard Streets, a roadway with a painted but unprotected bike lane. According to the NYPD, the Tesla driver fled the scene and has not yet been identified.

This heartbreaking case raises urgent legal questions about accountability and justice. As NYC bicycle accident lawyers, we know how devastating hit-and-run crashes are — and how crucial it is for families to take immediate steps to protect their rights.

Why Families Must Act Quickly After a Hit-and-Run

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the airport where the victim took offState Police have confirmed the tragic death of Gerald “Jerry” Cotter, an 80-year-old pilot from Milford, New Jersey, in a small plane crash on Saturday afternoon at Kobelt Airport in Wallkill, Ulster County, NY.

Mr. Cotter, remembered by his community for his generosity and lifelong passion for aviation, was the only person on board when his Glasair Super II FT aircraft went down during takeoff around 2:25 p.m. The crash sparked a brush fire that drew multiple fire departments to the scene. Sadly, Cotter was pronounced dead at the site.

Remembering the Pilot

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A devthe New York intersection where the tourists where hit by a carastating hit-and-run crash in Midtown Manhattan has left one pedestrian dead and another critically injured, underscoring the dangers of reckless driving in New York City and the legal consequences that follow.

According to police and prosecutors, 50-year-old Alexandra Sabine Lewalter Maric, a tourist from Hamburg, Germany, was fatally struck near Bryant Park last week. Her husband, 55, suffered a severe skull fracture and remains in critical condition at Bellevue Hospital.

The driver, Mohammad Abouzaid, 40, of the Bronx, was behind the wheel of a Toyota Sienna minivan that was blocking the intersection at West 40th Street and Fifth Avenue. Authorities say he suddenly reversed into the crosswalk, hitting the couple and a nearby box truck. After the collision, Abouzaid fled the scene, only to be later apprehended and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Surveillance footage confirmed his involvement.

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location-of-the-hit-and-run-truck-accident-in-BrooklynOn September 19, 2025, tragedy struck at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Schenectady Avenue in Crown Heights, when a tractor-trailer fatally struck 69-year-old Deborah Koonce. According to the NYPD, the driver of the 18-wheeler fled the scene, leaving the pedestrian to be pronounced dead on site.

Days later, police tracked the truck and its 50-year-old driver to Mine Hill, New Jersey—roughly 50 miles away. Yet despite locating the individual behind the wheel, authorities declined to make an arrest, citing the driver’s claim that he did not realize he had struck a pedestrian. The investigation is said to be ongoing.

Trucks Banned from Eastern Parkway

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Deadly Queens IntersectionA tragic crash in South Richmond Hill, Queens left one woman dead and another seriously injured on Saturday afternoon, underscoring both the dangers of reckless driving and the complex legal issues that arise in pedestrian accident cases.

What Happened at Van Wyck Service Road and Liberty Avenue

According to police, a Mercedes-Benz driven by a 65-year-old woman slammed into the rear of a Toyota Scion that had been stopped to make a left turn. The force of the impact pushed the Toyota forward into two women who were crossing the street.