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-deadly-accident-on-Eastern-ParkWayBy the Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf

An 8-year-old boy was recently struck and killed at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Albany Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, a tragic and avoidable death that underscores the growing threat posed by oversized vehicles on our city streets.

Mordechai Keller, a young pedestrian barely tall enough to clear the bumper of the SUV that killed him, was crossing Albany Avenue with the light when he was fatally struck by a 2011 Honda Pilot. Surveillance video shows the SUV advancing through the intersection as the light changed, hitting the child. The driver, a 69-year-old man with multiple prior speeding and red-light violations, was not charged.

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As New York City bicycle-accident attorneys, we question Mayor Eric Adams’s push to cap e-bike speeds at 15 mph. The proposal grabs headlines, but the data shows that speed-limited e-bikes aren’t what’s killing New Yorkers—multi-ton motor vehicles and policy inaction are.

What the Numbers Say

From January 2024 through May 2025 at least 16 fatal bike-related crashes occurred city-wide. Only one involved a cyclist striking a pedestrian. The rest were motorists striking cyclists or cyclists forced into harm’s way by car doors, trucks, or emergency vehicles.

Date Victim Bike Type Citi Bike Cause Category Specific Cause / Scenario At Fault
2024-02-22 Cyclist Private pedal No Driver Error Truck left-turn hit-and-run Motorist
2024-02-23 Cyclist Private pedal No Driver Error Speeding driver ran red light Motorist
2024-02-27 Cyclist Citi Bike e-assist Yes Dooring + Driver Error Doored, then hit by passing car Shared
2024-04-04 Cyclist Private (pedal) No Driver Error Truck “right-hooked” across protected lane Motorist
2024-06-07 Cyclist Citi Bike pedal Yes Driver Error Box truck struck rider Motorist
2024-08-19 Cyclist Private e-bike No Driver Error Box truck right turn into teens on e-bike Motorist
2024-09-01 Cyclist Private pedal No Driver Error Drunk, unlicensed van driver Motorist
2024-10-22 Cyclist Private pedal No Police Chase Fleeing pickup ran red light Motorist
2024-10-30 Cyclist Private (pedal) No Emergency Vehicle FDNY pickup struck cyclist Motorist
2024-11-02 Cyclist Private (pedal) No Police Chase Fleeing minivan ran red light Motorist
2025-02-25 Cyclist Private (pedal) No Driver Error MTA bus turning through intersection Motorist
2025-03-19 Cyclist Private e-bike No Driver Error Two cars in chain-reaction crash Motorist
2025-03-21 Pedestrian Delivery e-bike No Cyclist Error E-biker blew stop sign, struck pedestrian Cyclist
2025-04-19 Cyclist Private (pedal) No Emergency Vehicle FDNY fire engine ran red light Motorist
2025-05-01 Cyclist Private e-bike No Dooring + Driver Error Doored, then run over by box truck Shared

Ghost bike in New York City as a tribute to the cyclist who died at this location

Totals (Jan 2024 – May 2025)

  • Driver Error / Motorist at fault: 13 deaths
  • Dooring + Driver Error (shared fault): 2 deaths
  • Emergency Vehicle collisions: 2 deaths
  • Police-chase crashes: 2 deaths
  • Cyclist error: 1 death (pedestrian struck)

Why a 15 mph Cap Misses the Mark

  • Motor-vehicle violence—not e-bike speed—is the killer. Thirteen of sixteen deaths were caused by drivers of vans, trucks, buses, or cars.
  • Dooring remains lethal. Two fatalities started with a parked driver flinging a door open. No speed cap fixes that.
  • High-speed police chases and emergency-vehicle protocols need reform. Two cyclists died because drivers—fleeing or on emergency runs—blew through red lights.
  • Delivery workers will bear the burden. A blanket e-bike cap criminalizes low-wage couriers while leaving truck violence untouched.

What Will Save Lives

  1. Build the protected bike-lane network Mayor Adams promised. Paint alone isn’t protection; New Yorkers need concrete-separated lanes in every borough.
  2. Daylight intersections and end curbside parking at corners so cyclists aren’t hidden from turning trucks.
  3. Hold dangerous drivers accountable—especially for hit-and-runs, DWI, and dooring violations.
  4. Equip city and commercial trucks with side guards and better visibility tech.
  5. Re-evaluate NYPD pursuit policies that turn city streets into racetracks.

Lowering e-bike speeds to 15 mph may feel like action, but it’s a distraction. Let’s focus on the proven fixes that keep every New Yorker, cyclist, pedestrian, and motorist, alive.

Need legal help after a bicycle crash? Our team at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf has recovered record-setting verdicts and settlements for injured cyclists and their families. Call 212-943-1090 for a free consultation.

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A DEP vessel similar to the one that exploded in front of the Harlem FacilityAn explosion aboard a sewage transport vessel docked at the North River Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility in West Harlem has resulted in one fatality and two injuries. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, 2025, and involved three employees of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) performing work on the vessel.

The blast originated in one of the tank holds of the vessel, used to transport raw sewage, while it was docked on the Hudson River near 135th Street. The explosion generated a plume of heavy black smoke and reportedly shook the surrounding area. According to the FDNY, the force of the blast was so powerful that it threw one worker into the space between the pier and the vessel. That worker, identified as Raymond Feige, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two additional DEP workers were transported to area hospitals. Their conditions have not been released.

The U.S. Coast Guard indicated the explosion may be related to “hot work” operations, which often involve welding, cutting, or other activities using high heat in confined spaces. Such operations are subject to stringent safety regulations due to their high risk of ignition in enclosed or hazardous environments.

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Tiffany Cefuni killed in BK car accidentAs Brooklyn car accident lawyers with deep experience handling hit-and-run litigation, we are horrified by the senseless death of Tiffany Cifuni, a 32-year-old woman who was fatally struck after a minor crash in Bedford-Stuyvesant last Saturday night. The incident not only highlights the risks pedestrians face immediately after collisions, it underscores the urgent need for accountability when reckless drivers choose to flee.

According to the NYPD, the tragedy unfolded just before midnight near Van Buren Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard. Ms. Cifuni, who was in her first trimester of pregnancy, had just returned from the Beyoncé concert at MetLife Stadium. She stepped out of her Toyota 4Runner to inspect the damage after a minor collision with a 2016 Chevy Trax. That’s when the other driver allegedly accelerated, running her over and dragging her body before fleeing the wrong way down Lafayette Avenue.

The suspect’s vehicle—a maroon Chevy Trax with temporary paper plates—smashed into multiple parked cars and a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee before the driver abandoned the SUV and fled on foot. Ms. Cifuni was transported to Kings County Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

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Mexican Navy boat hits Brooklyn Bridge resulting in 2 dead and 23 injuredFrom the perspective of  the New York Personal Injury Attorneys at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf

On the evening of May 17, 2025, tragedy struck New York Harbor when the Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican Navy training vessel, collided with the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge. The crash claimed the lives of two crew members and injured at least 22 others—11 of them critically. For those injured and the families of the deceased, this catastrophic incident raises serious questions of accountability, safety protocols, and legal recourse.

How Could This Happen?

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Deadly Long Island CrashOur New York Car Accident Lawyers Discuss Legal and Investigative Issues Following Mother’s Day Fatal Crash on Long Island

Three lives were tragically cut short in the early hours of Mother’s Day after a 2022 Dodge Durango veered off the road and slammed into a tree near Bethpage State Park in Long Island. The vehicle immediately burst into flames, killing all three 20-year-old occupants inside. Nassau County police confirmed the identities of the victims on Tuesday: Gino Vicale of Seaford, Nicholas Rivera of Glendale, and Vincent Cavaliere of Bethpage.

The crash occurred around 1 a.m. on Stymus Avenue, as the SUV was reportedly heading eastbound. Authorities are still working to determine the cause of the crash, including who was driving at the time and how fast the vehicle was traveling.

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Accident sceneThe arrest of an ambulance driver nearly six months after a fatal crash in Manhattan has reignited serious questions about pedestrian safety — and accountability — in one of New York City’s most heavily trafficked corridors.

According to police, 69-year-old Miriam Reinharth was lawfully crossing W. 96th Street on November 12, 2024, when she was struck by an ambulance making a left turn from Amsterdam Avenue. Despite remaining on the scene and personally transporting Reinharth to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, the driver, 28-year-old Juan Santana, was charged this week with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care.

As pedestrian accident attorneys in New York City, we know all too well how long it can take for criminal or civil accountability to catch up after a deadly crash — especially when the vehicle involved belongs to an emergency service. But let’s be clear: emergency vehicle drivers are still bound by rules of the road, and pedestrians have the right to cross safely, even when ambulances are operating under lights and sirens.

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fatal-brokklyn-intersection-Scott-and-FlushingAs New York truck accident lawyers, we understand the devastating consequences that unsafe roadway design can have, not just for pedestrians and cyclists, but for drivers as well. A recent announcement by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to redesign a hazardous Bushwick intersection highlights a tragic reality: too often, meaningful safety improvements come only after a life has been lost.

Last August, 29-year-old motorcyclist Philippe Haussmann was fatally struck by a box truck driver at the intersection of Scott and Flushing Avenues in Bushwick. The collision took place at a complicated and confusing section of the roadway where poor visibility and unclear traffic controls have long posed a danger to motorists and non-motorists alike.

Following significant advocacy from Haussmann’s family and local officials, the DOT has proposed a series of long-overdue changes to improve safety in this critical area, which sits at the nexus of residential, commercial, and industrial zones along the Brooklyn-Queens border.

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Accident sceneAt Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, we are deeply saddened to learn of two fatal pedestrian crashes that occurred in New York City this past Friday — tragic events that underscore the persistent dangers faced by pedestrians across the five boroughs.

Upper West Side: 57-Year-Old Pedestrian Fatally Struck by Ford Van

Early Friday morning, Patrice Brooks, a 57-year-old resident of the Upper West Side, was struck and killed by a Ford van while crossing the intersection at 86th Street and Broadway. According to the NYPD, Brooks was crossing diagonally at approximately 4:27 a.m. when the eastbound van, operated by a 41-year-old woman who had the green light, struck him.

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Justin Diaz killed by a drunk driverThe recent arraignment of Michael Peña, a former FDNY firefighter accused of causing a fatal car crash in Kew Gardens while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, highlights the devastating consequences of reckless driving and the urgent need for accountability in our justice system.

On February 26, 2025, 23-year-old Justin Diaz (picture) was just a block and a half from his family’s home, driving to an early shift at LaGuardia Airport, when his life was tragically cut short. According to prosecutors, Peña—who was off-duty at the time—was traveling at 83 mph, nearly three times the speed limit, when he ran a red light at Northern Boulevard and 107th Street and slammed into Diaz’s vehicle. The crash proved fatal.

Our Queens car accident attorneys represent families devastated by senseless, preventable crashes like this one. No one expects that a loved one commuting to work will be killed by a driver allegedly intoxicated by alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine—especially not someone sworn to protect the public.

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