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

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 →
Published on:

By

JFK airport where two construction workers were killedTwo construction workers lost their lives after being buried under rubble while moving utility lines at JFK airport. This incident highlights the importance of workplace safety, particularly in high-risk industries like construction.

According to The New York Times, 41-year-old Francisco Reyes and 28-year-old Fernando Lagunas Pereira were trapped under rubble after a 30-foot trench collapsed at the Calpine JFK Energy Center, a power-generating plant that supplies electricity to the airport. The accident occurred around 11:00 am. More than 60 firefighters, multiple units of police, and medics to try to save the workers. However, despite the efforts of emergency responders, it took two hours to recover the bodies of both workers who were pronounced dead at the scene.

While the exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, it is clear that a tragic loss of life has occurred. As attorneys who have represented numerous clients who have been injured or killed in construction accidents, we know all too well the devastating impact such incidents can have on workers and their families.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Medical Malpractice Lawyer Ben RubinowitzOur Managing Partner, Ben Rubinowitz, has been asked to share his expertise in Medical Malpractice cases at the National Conference of the American Urologic Association. More than 30,ooo urologists from around the world attend this conference. The 2023 AUA Annual Meeting will take place in Chicago from April 28th to May 1st 2023.

Ben will be a Faculty member for a course directed by Mitchell Benson, MD, from Columbia University and entitled “Avoiding Medical Malpractice. What you need to know. What you can do. Case Presentations and Review”

Course Description: This course will explore what constitutes medical malpractice and what differentiates medical malpractice from criminal conduct. You will learn about defining the standard of care as it relates to patient outcomes. Most importantly, you will learn about what steps you need to take to defend yourself if named in a malpractice litigation and who to trust.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

NYC Personal Injury Lawyer Anthony GairTony, as he was known to his friends, family and colleagues was a man who dedicated his life to helping those who were less fortunate. Tony was born on December 24, 1948, the son of one of the preeminent trial attorneys in the country Harry A. Gair, and one of the first women to graduate from NYU Law School Harriet E. Gair.

Following in his parent’s footsteps, Tony obtained his law degree in 1980, and became an associate at the firm then known as Gair, Gair and Conason. Tony immediately developed an insatiable appetite for the law, spending endless hours, reviewing trial transcripts and legal briefs in order to become the best possible advocate for his clients. Although already a successful attorney, Tony returned to school and obtained a Masters of Laws from New York University School of Law in 1985.

Throughout his over forty year legal career, Tony helped thousands of individuals obtain justice for the serious harm they suffered at the hands of others. In a career filled with noteworthy cases, Tony is most remembered for his zealous advocacy for the family of Amadou Diallo, a young unarmed black man who was shot 41 times by members of the New York City Police Department. When Tony wasn’t fighting for his clients, he enjoyed spending time gardening at his cottage in Putnam County. He will be missed by all of those whose lives he deeply touched, including his family, friends, loved ones, clients and colleagues.

Continue reading →
By
Posted in: Firm News
Published on:
Updated:
Published on:

By

Lithium ion battery can be dangerousOur personal injury law firm is concerned about the recent news regarding lithium-ion batteries causing deadly fires in New York City. According to reports, a 64-year-old man died in a Bronx apartment fire caused by a defective lithium-ion battery over the weekend, and the FDNY has reported 33 fires caused by these batteries this year, resulting in three deaths and 42 injuries.

To address this issue, Mayor Eric Adams signed  five bills into law aimed at preventing fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in New York City (see our previous blog about these bills related to e-bike battery safety). 

While the bills only address lithium battery safety in New York City, there is a need for federal legislation to ensure that batteries are safely manufactured and used. Currently, compliance with safety standards is voluntary, and the wide availability of uncertified or after-market tampered batteries is contributing to the problem. Additionally, a change in federal law in 2016 exempts imports below $800 from inspection and tariffs, which has made it easier for uncertified or unsafe batteries to enter the market.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Forbes Advisor Best Car Accident Lawyer NYC Diana Carnemolla

Congratulations to our partner, Diana Carnemolla, for her inclusion in the Forbes Advisor’s “Best Car Accident Lawyers in NYC 2023” ranking. Forbes selected Diana as one of the top 15 best car accident lawyers in New York City.

Rankings by Forbes are completely independent and free. Researchers at Forbes developed a mathematical module that considers and weighs multiple factors such as awards and honors, education and employment background, ethics, legal experience, legal thought leadership, scholarly lectures and writings, licenses, and certifications to create a guide to help victims find the right attorney for their case.

So why did Diana make the Forbes Advisor’s list?

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

protected bike lanes save livesAs personal injury lawyers and bicycle accident lawyers, we applaud the recent decision by the Upper West Side Community Board 7 to back crosstown protected bike lanes. This move is a significant step forward in promoting safer cycling and reducing the number of bicycle accidents in New York City.

Cycling is a popular mode of transportation in New York, and it is essential to have adequate infrastructure to support it. Protected bike lanes provide a safe and secure environment for cyclists to ride, reducing the risk of collisions with motor vehicles, pedestrians, or other obstacles on the road. Studies have shown that protected bike lanes can reduce the number of crashes by up to 90%.

Bicycle accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or death

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Crown Street and Nostrand Avenue where the accident occurred
Two people suffered serious personal injuries in a multi-vehicle car accident in New York City last Monday night. The accident occurred around 6:30 pm in Crown Heights, Brooklyn at the intersection of Crown Street and Nostrand Avenue.

An exclusive and jarring surveillance video from a nearby building was obtained by CBS2. The video shows a white car running a red light at high speed and T-boning an SUV that had the green light and was driving through the intersection. The impact was so intense that the SUV went airborne and crashed into another car further down the street, while the white car jumped the curb and nearly hit pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Only a few seconds later, an NYPD patrol SUV arrived in the same direction as the white car. An officer got out and ran towards the cars. CBS2 asked the police if the cruiser was chasing the white car. The police initially declined to answer but later said that the cruiser was not involved in an active vehicle pursuit at the time of the accident. In a busy city like New York, there is a policy for when a police car is allowed or not allowed to engage in a vehicle pursuit. This policy states that police should “terminate a vehicle pursuit if the risk to the public or fellow officers outweighs the risk posed if the suspect gets away.” However, too often police officers do not respect this policy and engage in reckless police pursuits that result in dangerous accidents, seriously injuring or killing civilians.

Continue reading →
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. ...
  11. 333
Badges
Super Lawyers Best Lawyers Martindale-Hubbell
SEE NEW JERSEY DISCLAIMER PAGE- AWARD METHODOLOGY