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.
Published on:

By

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.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

CSX trains can cause dangerous accidentsAs train accident attorneys, it is concerning to see the devastation that can be caused by train-related incidents. The recent brush fires in Rockland County, New York have caused widespread damage and displaced hundreds of people. Officials are pointing fingers at CSX, the railroad company whose train tracks allegedly sparked the flames, and are demanding an investigation into the matter.

According to reports, around two dozen brush fires broke out along a CSX rail line on Friday afternoon, threatening homes and consuming 50-70 acres of land. The intense flames melted the siding on four homes, destroyed two sheds and other property, including fences and vehicles. Upwards of 100 people had to evacuate. Five firefighters suffered heat exhaustion, and one sustained a minor burn.

While it is still unclear what exactly caused the fire, preliminary reports suggest that sparks from a CSX train may have started the fire, which then spread to nearby fields, including a bird sanctuary. Officials are pointing towards negligence on the part of CSX and are calling for a meeting with the railroad company.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Factors in New York construction worker deaths in 2021Construction sites are inherently dangerous, and falls are one of the leading causes of death and injury in the industry. That’s why it is essential for construction companies to provide their workers with fall protection equipment and follow the safety standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Unfortunately, some companies prioritize profits over their safety, and the consequences can be deadly.

A recent case in point is the ALJ Home Improvement Inc. of Nanuet, New York. Despite being cited for 33 violations in seven federal workplace safety inspections in the last four years, including nine willful failures to provide required fall protection, the company was again found to be exposing its workers to potentially lethal harm just six months after an unprotected employee’s fatal fall. This time, an inspector with OSHA observed three employees on a roof 18 feet above the ground without required fall protection.

ALJ Home Improvement’s callous disregard for the law and the safety of its workers is unacceptable. OSHA Area Director Lisa Levy, stated that “the company repeatedly refuses to comply with OSHA standards and make worker safety a priority, choosing instead to put profit over the lives of its employees. The reality is that a safe workplace is actually a more profitable workplace.”

Continue reading →
Published on:

By
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

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

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

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

trucks can be dangerousAs truck accident attorneys in NYC, we understand the dangers that big rigs can pose to communities, particularly those of color and low-income neighborhoods. The current truck route map across New York City, comprising around 1,300 miles across the five boroughs, has remained largely unchanged since the 1970s, leading to increased asthma, cardiovascular disease, and increased number of deadly crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists in such areas. The Department of Transportation must take steps to redesign these truck routes for safety and environmental justice to reduce the number of big rigs that roll through such communities.

Council Member Alexa Aviles (D-Sunset Park) has introduced a bill, Intro. 708, which would force the agency to undertake a complete overhaul of the current truck route map, and the DOT has indicated its support for the bill. The DOT acknowledges the need for change. The pandemic saw a rise in truck deliveries, as e-commerce became more prevalent.

The rise in distribution warehouses in low income residential areas not only worsen pollution but also increase the risk of pedestrians and cyclists getting fatally struck by trucks in streets that have not been conceived for large vehicles

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

E-bike explosion kills 2 in Queens NYCAn e-bike powered by a defective lithium-ion battery caused a fatal fire in Astoria, Queens, New York City, killing two children yesterday afternoon. This tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of e-bikes and the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. According to reports, the e-bike was being charged in the vestibule of the home when it caught fire and caused an explosion. The victims did not have enough time to escape the intense fire that quickly traveled up the stairs to their second-floor apartment.

This incident highlights the ongoing problem of e-bike-related fires in the city. So far, there have been 59 e-bike-related fires in New York City this year, resulting in five fire-related deaths. The cause of these fires has been linked to the use of defective e-bikes lithium-ion batteries.

New action plan and and legislation

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

leading causes of NYC construction accident fatalities
Last year’s construction worker fatalities and injuries reported in the NYC DOT “2022 Construction Safety Report” reinforce the importance of the New York Labor Law Section 240, also known as the “scaffold law” or “scaffolding law”, that holds owners and/or general contractors strictly liable for construction workers who suffer injury or died as a result of missing or inadequate safety equipment at elevated work sites.

The report highlights a significant increase in construction activity in 2022 in every neighborhood in New York City, especially in Brooklyn and Staten Island, with an 11% increase in initial permits for new projects and a 122% increase in initial permits for new building projects. The increase in new building permits is attributed to developers obtaining permits before the implementation of the 2022 NYC Construction Codes and the expiration deadline of the 421-a tax program. Additionally, there was a 15% increase in initial demolition permits issued and a 9% increase in the issuance of Final Certificates of Occupancy for completed projects.

The rise in construction activity in the city also led to a rise in accidents, with falls remaining the number one cause of fatalities in the NYC construction industry

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

NYC Cyclists are at high risk of accidentsAs NYC bicycle accident attorneys, we are deeply concerned by the increasing number of cyclist deaths in New York City. According to the Department of Transportation, 10 cyclists have already died this year, which is a five-fold increase compared to 2022. This year’s grim death toll is unmatched since at least 2013, and it is alarming that the city is on pace to have the worst year for cyclists ever.

More needs to be done to protect cyclists

The injuries were concentrated in certain neighborhoods, including Harlem, the Upper East Side, Brooklyn’s Downtown, Williamsburg, Bushwick, East Flatbush, and Sunset Park, Queens’ Sunnyside, Astoria, and Elmhurst, and the Bronx’s Mott Haven, Soundview, and Kingsbridge. Advocates are calling on Mayor Adams and DOT to do more to curb this lethal trend. They are urging the city to build physical infrastructure to protect cyclists, especially in areas known to be dangerous, and to meet the NYC Streets Plan requirement of 50 miles of protected bike lanes this year.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By
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.

Continue reading →
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 14
  6. 15
  7. 16
  8. 17
  9. 18
  10. 19
  11. 20
  12. ...
  13. 347
Badges
Super Lawyers Best Lawyers Martindale-Hubbell
SEE NEW JERSEY DISCLAIMER PAGE- AWARD METHODOLOGY