The tragic Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem has now claimed six lives and sickened more than one hundred residents. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the outbreak was traced to contaminated cooling towers at ten different locations, including several city-owned properties such as Harlem Hospital.
For those who have been hospitalized, lost wages, or lost loved ones because of this outbreak, the question is clear: What are your legal rights?
A tragic car crash in Bushwick has brought renewed attention to the dangers of reckless driving and high-speed police chases in densely populated neighborhoods. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Juan Lopez, 33, of Cypress Hills, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges after causing a fatal collision while fleeing police in May 2024.
According to prosecutors, police attempted to stop Lopez for speeding around 5:25 a.m. on May 26, 2024. Instead of pulling over, Lopez accelerated his black 2018 Mercedes-Benz sedan to nearly 75 mph, running a red light at Gates and Wilson Avenues. Moments later, he slammed head-on into a Honda Pilot traveling lawfully through the intersection at Central Avenue and Gates Avenue.
An NYPD officer fatally struck a pedestrian in Queens this past weekend, raising questions about accountability when accidents involve police vehicles. The tragic collision occurred near the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, just a day before the U.S. Open was set to begin.
According to police reports, the officer was driving a marked NYPD squad car at around 10 mph on United Nations Avenue South when she hit a man lying in the roadway around 4:39 p.m. Emergency medical services rushed the victim to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The officer remained at the scene, and the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad is now investigating.
The 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® has once again recognized the attorneys of Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf among the very best trial lawyers in New York. This year, eight of the firm’s top-rated attorneys were selected for their excellence in personal injury litigation, medical malpractice law, legal malpractice law, and product liability litigation, while two rising attorneys earned spots in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®.
Marijo C. Adimey – Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its Five-Star Quality Ratings—a nationwide report card evaluating hospital safety, outcomes, and patient experience. The results for Bronx hospitals were deeply concerning: most received the lowest possible rating of just one star.
As medical malpractice attorneys serving the Bronx community, we believe these ratings shed light on potential risks to patient safety—and may support claims of hospital negligence.
In yesterday’s column in the New York Law Journal, our managing partner Ben Rubinowitz, assisted by James Rubinowitz of Rubinowitz Law and Evan Torgan of Torgan Cooper & Aaron, wrote about the art of turning juror bias into a challenge for cause.
In New York, civil trial lawyers have only three peremptory challenges, while challenges for cause are unlimited. The strategy is to save peremptories by guiding jurors to acknowledge bias—turning them into cause challenges.
Jurors rarely admit outright they “can’t be fair.” Instead, they hedge—“I’ll try my best” or “It depends on the facts.” Skilled attorneys use analogies and careful questioning to reframe this uncertainty. For example, comparing a juror’s “I’ll try” to a pilot saying, “I’ll try my best to land the plane” helps illustrate the risk, prompting candid admissions of bias.
Hospitals across the country have been warned to immediately stop using certain Draeger mechanical ventilation filters after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a high-risk recall notice. The affected devices — SafeStar and TwinStar filters — are used during anesthesia and mechanical ventilation to prevent bacterial and viral contamination.
According to the FDA, the filters can cause misleading carbon dioxide readings during procedures. Carbon dioxide monitoring (capnography) is critical in surgery, particularly under anesthesia, as it helps ensure that a patient is ventilating properly. When readings are inaccurate, medical teams may administer unnecessary or harmful interventions — or fail to provide urgently needed care.
A 52-year-old man tragically lost his life early Wednesday morning after being struck by a hit-and-run driver near JFK Airport. According to police, the victim was crossing 155th Street at South Conduit Boulevard in Springfield Gardens around 2:30 a.m. when a vehicle slammed into him. Medics rushed him to Jamaica Hospital, but he could not be saved. The driver sped away without stopping, and authorities are currently reviewing surveillance footage in hopes of identifying the vehicle. No arrests have been made.
Hit-and-run crashes leave victims and their families in a devastating position — facing serious injuries or the loss of a loved one, without the immediate ability to hold the at-fault driver accountable. In densely trafficked areas near transportation hubs like JFK Airport, the combination of high speeds, heavy truck traffic, and late-night driving can make pedestrian crossings particularly dangerous.
A 62-year-old man is fighting for his life after being hit by a luxury sedan in Queens earlier this week. The crash happened shortly after 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of 189th Street and Union Turnpike.
Police reported that the man was walking across the roadway when a 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580 struck him. Emergency responders transported him to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens in critical condition. The 31-year-old motorist stayed at the location following the collision, and authorities have not announced any charges at this time.
As medical malpractice lawyers in NYC, we are seeing an alarming rise in cases tied to substandard and falsified (SF) medications — counterfeit or fake drugs designed to resemble legitimate pharmaceuticals. The World Health Organization has called the fight against these dangerous products one of the most urgent health challenges of the next decade.
Globally, SF drugs have become a multibillion-dollar black market, with an estimated worth of $431 billion annually. Increasingly, these medications are purchased from unregulated online marketplaces posing as legitimate pharmacies — many using deceptive tactics such as Canadian branding or maple leaf logos to gain trust. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that approximately 95% of online pharmacies selling prescription drugs are operating illegally.
New York Personal Injury Attorneys Blog