Many children in the welfare system suffer personal injury or or are even killed because they weren’t provided with stable and secure care. When a child is harmed while under the care of child welfare services, that child may have a viable cause of action in state or federal court. In the article “Ministerial Versus Discretionary Acts or Omissions in Child Welfare Litigation” recently published in the Capital University Law Review, 44(1), 103-125* Andrea MacIver, J.D., DePaul University College of Law, Appellate Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Nathaniel R. Howse, Jr and Daniel Pollack, M.S.S.A. (M.S.W.), J.D., Professor at the School of Social Work, Yeshiva University in New York City, and a frequent expert witness in cases involving child welfare and developmental disabilities, focus on state claims.
Two construction supervisors involved in separate fatal NYC construction accidents had their licenses revoked by the Department of Buildings
After a construction worker died and four others suffered personal injury in a construction accident in Brooklyn, NYC, in 2011, the negligent “special instructor” who failed to perform crucial safety inspections on the site of the accident had his license revoked by the New York City Department of Buildings on Friday.
Back in 2011, Steven Schneider, an engineer, was hired as a special safety inspector on the construction site of a 14-unit condo building in Brighton Beach. As part of his duties Schneider was required by the code to perform structural tests such as testing of steel and masonry construction, structural stability and underpinning of adjacent buildings. Investigations show that Schneider never performed any of these tests and therefore didn’t notice that construction workers had improperly poured concrete on unstable steel structures. This gross negligence led to the collapse of several floors of the building. During the accident several workers were buried in the debris. Among them was Ivan Lende, a 54 year old worker from the Ukraine who died in the accident. Four of his colleagues were injured. Investigation results also show that Schneider was unable to provide inspection documentation at many other NYC sites where he had been hired as a safety instructor. Not only did Schneider have his license revoked by the NYC DOB but his case was also referred to the state for “further disciplinary action”.
The DOB also announced Friday the revocation of the plumbing license of Andrew Trombetta. Andrew Trombetta is a master plumber who was involved in the East Village gas explosion that killed two people and injured many others in March 2015. Andrew Trobetta rented his licensed to the unaccredited plumber who installed the illegal hook up that led to the explosion. Earlier this month he was charged with falsifying inspection reports while four other people were charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
New York mother steals medical malpractice settlement from her 11 year old daughter to pay for plastic surgery
An 11 year old girl who suffered medical malpractice in New York received a settlement that was split $67,000 in a savings account and a structured settlement that provided for regular payments when the girl turns 18 year old. The money in the bank account could only be withdrawn with court approval. Last year her mother asked for $47,000 but the court turned her down. A few days later she falsified a court order and withdrew $47,000 out of the account of her daughter. She told the bank that her daughter needed additional surgery in San Diego. She then used the money for a tummy tuck procedure, a liposuction and a trip to Disneyland. According to the criminal complaint the mother also submitted forged court orders on three additional occasions for a total of $19,500. The girl had been born with a brachial plexus injury to her right arm. The mother has been charged with second-degree grand larceny and second degree possession of a forged instrument by The Queens District Attorneys office.
Read more in the New York Times
Major New York storm causes widespread damages, overturns tractor trailer truck and seiously injures man in the Bronx
A man suffered serious personal injury after a dozen bricks fell on his head in the Bronx and a tractor trailer flipped over on the George Washington Bridge yesterday night as a heavy storm ravaged the New York City Metro Area, New Jersey, Long Island, Southern Connecticut and the Lower Hudson Valley.
Strong winds with gusts over 50mph caused a tractor-trailer truck to flip over on the George Washington Bridge yesterday night a little before 10;00 pm. Thankfully nobody was injured in the truck accident. A man in the Bronx was less fortunate. As he was heading home bricks from a building fell on his head. He was seriously injured according to the NYPD. A witness said that after the accident the man could barely move and had blood all over his face. The police also investigated the possibility that the wind may have caused an entire building to collapse in the Bronx as well.
A sidewalk shed collapsed in Brooklyn.
New York scaffold accident leaves two window washers dangling 65 stories above ground
Thankfully nobody was injured in a scaffold accident that happened yesterday in Midtown Manhattan. Two workers were replacing glass windows at the Marriott Courtyard Manhattan hotel located at 1717 Broadway when an electrical problem caused the scaffold to stop operating. The two men were left dangling 65 stories above ground. The hotel had to call first responders to save the two workers. The two men had to wait an hour and half in very inclement weather before the first responders were able to secure them with ropes and to cut through the glass to bring them in.
Read more in the NY Daily News
DNA proves that creepy New York ER doctor committed gross medical malpractice by drugging patient and ejaculating on her
In another case of medical malpractice related to sexual assault in New York, a patient filed a lawsuit against the Mt Sinai Hospital and against Dr David Newman an ER doctor who allegedly drugged her and then ejaculated on her face. The patient had checked in at the Mt Sinai Emergency Room for shoulder pain. She was given morphine and was asked by the nurse to remove her bra and put on a gown to get an X-Ray. After the X-Ray, Dr. David Newman walked into the room where the patient was lying on a bed. He told her “I am going to give you a shot of morphine”. The patient told him that she was already given morphine by the nurse but she felt a burning sensation on her arm and believes she was administered another shot of morphine by the doctor. The patient alleged that when the doctor was examining her he started fondling her breast. She also alledged that after forcibly touching her he started masturbating and ejaculated on her face. She couldn’t move because she was heavily medicated. After he finished the doctor wiped the semen off her face. However when the patient woke up she found some left over semen on her face and on her chest and she wiped it with her gown. She then saved the blanket and the gown as evidence. DNA tests matched Dr Newman who was arrested last month and charged with sexual abuse and forcible touching. The doctor appeared in court yesterday.
Read more in the Gothamist
New York gynecologist who committed medical malpractice by sexual abusing patients loses his license but stays out of jail
In New York, sexually abusing a patient is not only gross medical malpractice but it is also a crime. Dr Robert Hadden, an Upper West side gynecologist who had been charged with sexually assaulting 6 pregnant patients, accepted a plea deal yesterday. The doctor admitted to sexually abusing two patients. He admitted to performing oral sex on a patient for no valid medical purpose while the patient was incapable of consent. He also admitted forcible touching another patient. Both are misdemeanors. As part of the plea deal, the doctor will have to register as a level one sex offender and will loose his medical license. He will not have to serve jail time or do community service.
Read more in the NY Daily News
Family of a woman who died in a storefront car crash awarded $32.4 million verdict against the store that failed to install bollards and safety barriers
43 year old Kimmy Dubuque was about to enter a Cumberland Farms convenience store when she was fatally pined against the store wall by an out of control SUV. The car accident happened in Chicopee, Mass, the hometown of the victim in 2010. Yesterday, the Dubuque family was awarded $32.4 million plus interest by a Massachusetts jury in a case that highlights the high frequency of storefront crashes and the negligence ofCumberland Farms in failing to protect clients from dangers they were previously aware of.
Cumberland Farms is a privately held chain of convenience stores and gas stations spread all over the state of Massachusetts. The Dubuque family sued Cumberland Farm on the basis that despite many previous issues with cars speeding in their parking lot, Cumberland Farms failed to install safety barriers and bollards which are a common safety fixtures in retail parking lots. The lawsuit revealed that the fatal accident was far from being an isolated event. According to records submitted during the lawsuit, between 2000 and 2009 there were 485 similar incidents at Cumberland Farms convenience stores. This is almost one incident every week. Lawyers for the family produced evidence that Cumberland Farms had looked into the issue and found that the best way to protect their customers would be to install arrays of 6-inch-wide bollards in front of their stores. This would cost $3000 to $3500 per store. The company picked narrower posts and thinner steel to reduce costs. Additionally this protection was only installed in half of the locations.
Storefront car crashes are common crashes. Fair Warning reports that 7-eleven had more than 1500 incidents in seven years and that similar incidents occur frequently at Starbucks and Dunkin Donut locations. There are no official statistics about this phenomenon but according to Fair Warning at least 16 people (employees or customers) died and at least 587 suffered personal injury including 121 who were seriously hurt between April 2013 and April 2014. Most of these crashes could have been prevented if the owners had installed bollards or other type of safety barriers in front of their stores. These types of safety measures usually cost less that $10,000.
Medical malpractice suspected after a man injured in a car accident died during surgery
After sustaining minor injury in a car accident, a 27 year old man died during surgery at a New York Hospital. This morning around 4:30 am Roy Webb, an employee for the catering hall Antuns in Quens Village, was driving a co-worker home. He was driving South on Laurelton Parkway when his lost control of his vehicle. He slammed into a guardrail near 130th Ave. The car caught fire and the passenger died at the scene of the accident. The passenger suffered such bad burns that an autopsy will be required to formally identify her. The driver suffered a broken neck and was transported to Jamaica Hospital. His girlfriend and his family said that he went for a first surgery and that he woke up fine and was expected to survive. He then went for a second surgery and died during the procedure. According to the NY Daily News, the hospital told the family that his pulse dropped and that was all they could do. The family suspects that the hospital committed medical malpractice.
HPV down by two-third’s in US teenage girls despite doctors reluctance to recommed the vaccine
Should primary care doctors be liable for medical malpractice if they fail to discuss the HPV vaccine with parents of teenagers? HPV (human papillomavirus) is a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer. Because it is related to teenage sexual activity many doctors don’t discuss it with parents to avoid uncomfortable conversations with them.
A recent study published in Pediatrics shows that the HPV vaccine introduced 10 years ago is extremely effective in combating the virus and therefore in fighting cervical cancer. The study indicates that a comparison of the HPV rate between the pre vaccine period and the post vaccine period shows a decrease of two-thirds of HPV cases among girls aged 14 to 17. The decrease occurred despite a very low immunization rate of 40% among 14 to 17 year old girls and 20% for boys of the same age. The rate of HPV cases among women between 20 and 24 years old also decreased by 34%. Among women older than 25 years the rate of HPV didn’t change.
Every year 14 million people in the US are diagnosed with HPV. According to the CDC there are approximately 100 strains of this type of virus. Around 40 of them can lead to an infection of the genital areas. Most of these 40 strains will turn into benign infections but a few of them can lead to serious conditions. Some HPV strains such as types 16 and 18 can develop into oncogenic high-risk infections. These specific infections cause most cervical, penile, vulvar, vaginal, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers and precancers. Other HPV strains such as types 6 and 11 cause genital warts and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
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