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.
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From our New York Sexual Abuse Lawyers’ Perspective

When a longtime New York City Department of Education employee is arrested at JFK Airport with alleged child pornography on his phone—including images of his own students—the public has every right to be alarmed. The recent federal criminal complaint against Alejandro Santos, a teacher’s assistant with over two decades of service, raises disturbing questions not only about the individual’s conduct but also about the systems in place to safeguard our most vulnerable children.

According to federal prosecutors, Santos was flagged by customs officials upon returning from a trip to the Dominican Republic. A search of his phone allegedly uncovered approximately 50 images and videos of child sexual abuse material, along with clothed images of his special education students—some of whom are nonverbal—interspersed within his camera roll. This disturbing detail, noted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Sise, signals a potential boundary breach that warrants swift and thorough investigation.

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the American dream school cafe sexual abuse accusationsThe recent indictment of a Bronx middle school teacher accused of repeatedly raping his 13-year-old student is another tragic reminder of the urgent need to protect children from predators in positions of power and trust. According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, William Jones, a 32-year-old seventh-grade math teacher at American Dream Charter School, is facing multiple charges after allegedly sexually abusing a student over the course of more than a month—acts that reportedly took place inside the child’s own home while her family was away.

As school sexual abuse lawyers representing victims and their families across New York City, we are appalled but not surprised by the details of this case. Abuse by educators is a betrayal of the fundamental trust that students and parents place in schools. It’s not just about the criminal conduct—it’s about institutional failure.

What Went Wrong?

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the-buidling-before-the-collapseThree people, including two young girls, were injured last week, when a large section of a building facade collapsed onto the sidewalk and parked cars outside a furniture store in the Bellerose section of Queens. The parapet wall—approximately 175 linear feet—suddenly gave way, prompting emergency response teams and an investigation by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).

At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our Queens personal injury lawyers are closely monitoring developments in this case. When building owners fail to maintain their properties, the consequences can be catastrophic. Tragically, this is not the first time innocent pedestrians have been harmed due to neglected structural hazards.

DOB inspectors issued an OATH/ECB violation to the building owner for “failure to maintain the building.” While the exact cause of the collapse is still under investigation, a prior complaint filed in June alleged the building was not up to code and had holes in the ceiling and floor. A contractor familiar with the structure noted that the parapet had rusted metal beams and may have required more extensive repairs than had been performed.

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the building where the victim was rapedOur NYC Premises Liability Lawyers Examine Legal Options for Victims of Inadequate Security

A 23-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in her own apartment in Jamaica, Queens early Saturday morning, according to the NYPD. The disturbing incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. in a building on 94th Avenue—leaving residents shaken and wondering how an intruder was able to gain access despite the building reportedly having security in place.

Police say the suspect entered the woman’s apartment and raped her before fleeing with her bed sheets. She was transported to Queens Hospital and is in stable condition. As of now, the suspect remains at large.

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Veteran-Head_down-Wheelchair-NishapurBy the NYC Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf

Veterans of the United States Armed Forces face unique and complex health challenges—ranging from physical injuries sustained in combat to long-term psychological trauma. Yet in many civilian healthcare settings, these distinct needs are overlooked, leading to missed diagnoses, improper treatment, and in some cases, preventable harm. As the veteran population grows and more rely on non-military healthcare, these oversights are emerging as a serious patient safety concern.

Civilian Healthcare Providers Are Often Unprepared to Treat Veterans

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dangerous-location-of-the-fatal-accident-in-ChinatownLegal options for families after the Chinatown tragedy involving an overdue Enterprise vehicle

The tragic crash that unfolded in Manhattan’s Chinatown last Saturday morning has left New Yorkers shaken—and two families in mourning. According to police and prosecutors, a stolen blue Chevy Malibu, overdue by 17 days from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was speeding through the streets when it struck and killed 63-year-old pedestrian May Kwok and 63-year-old cyclist Kevin Scott Cruickshank before crashing into an NYPD van.

The vehicle was reportedly filled with drugs, alcohol, and an illegal gun stashed in the trunk. Surveillance footage shows the horrifying moment the stolen vehicle mowed down the victims. The driver, Autumn Donna Ascencio Romero, 23, and passenger Kennedy Lecraft, 22, fled the scene but were caught shortly after and now face a long list of felony charges, including murdermanslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon.

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construction workers must be protectedConstruction employers have a legal duty to provide a safe workplace under both federal OSHA regulations and state workplace safety laws. This duty includes taking reasonable steps to prevent heat illness by providing water, shade, rest breaks, training, and emergency response plans.

If your employer fails in these duties and you suffer a heat illness injury, you may be entitled to:

  • Workers’ Compensation Benefits: These benefits typically cover medical treatment costs, rehabilitation expenses, and a portion of lost wages. You generally cannot sue your employer outside of workers’ compensation, but benefits should adequately cover your injury-related losses.

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LIRR TrainFrom the Perspective of the New York Train Accident Attorneys at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf

A critical vulnerability in U.S. railroad braking systems—one that could allow a hacker to remotely stop or even derail a train—was recently disclosed by federal authorities, raising serious concerns about passenger safety and operational integrity across the nation’s railroads.

According to a July 10 advisory issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the flaw—tracked as CVE-2025-1727—affects the radio-based communication protocols used in end-of-train and head-of-train devices. These devices are crucial to sending braking commands from the front to the rear of the train. The vulnerability stems from weak authentication within the protocol, which means a hacker with basic radio hardware could potentially broadcast fraudulent signals capable of halting a moving train.

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Benito died in a police chase accidentQueens Tragedy Raises Questions About NYPD Pursuit Practices and Accountability

At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our Queens car accident attorneys represent families whose lives have been shattered by high-speed police chases gone wrong. The recent death of 15-year-old Antonio “Anthony” Benitez—struck by an unlicensed driver during an NYPD pursuit in Queens—is the latest incident that underscores the dangers of police chases in densely populated neighborhoods.

According to the NYPD, the fatal incident began with a 911 call at 8:01 p.m. on Saturday reporting a knifepoint robbery outside a pharmacy on Hillside Avenue and 257th Street in Floral Park. Responding officers began canvassing the area and encountered a group of teens. One of them—Antonio—fled on an electric bike. Officers pursued him for over a mile until he was fatally struck by a Lexus driver who was allegedly unlicensed.

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location of the hit and run crashFrom the perspective of our Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers

Two men are dead and a young driver is facing manslaughter charges after a brutal hit-and-run crash in Sunset Park early Friday morning. The victims, 80-year-old Kex Un Chen and 59-year-old Faqiu Lin, were crossing Third Avenue at 52nd Street when they were struck by a speeding BMW allegedly driven by 23-year-old Juventino Anastacio Florentino.

Florentino fled the scene, leaving behind twisted car parts, debris, and human remains at the crash site. He was arrested later that day at his Staten Island home, where police found the front end of his BMW soaked in blood and body matter. He is now facing multiple charges, including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of a fatal crash.