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.

Articles Tagged with brooklyn wrongful death

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accident-scene-1Following the recent tragic incident in Brooklyn, where a speeding Mercedes-Benz collided with a garbage truck, resulting in the untimely death of the car’s driver, it is crucial to explore the legal and safety aspects surrounding such accidents, especially those involving private carting companies.

At around 12:30 a.m. in Gerritsen Beach, a 54-year-old driver for Cogent Waste Solutions was executing a U-turn when the collision occurred. The Mercedes driver, 42-year-old Patrick Donovan, did not survive the impact. This incident exposes the dangers posed by private garbage haulers in New York City. Historically, these companies have been scrutinized for their operational methods.

As garbage truck accident lawyers in New York City, it is important to highlight the legal complexities in such cases. While the garbage truck driver did not face immediate charges, and Cogent Waste Solutions has expressed cooperation with the ongoing investigation, the key questions revolve around the operational practices of private carting companies and the responsibility they bear in ensuring public safety.

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Stockholm and Irving in Brooklyn location of the deadly hit and runA passenger is dead and 3 other people are in critical condition after two cars collided in Brooklyn in the early hours of Monday morning. The accident was captured by surveillance cameras and showed three individuals fleeing the scene of the accident.

Surveillance footage shows a Toyota cautiously approaching and then partially crossing Stockholm Street’s intersection. Then, a Kia, speeding along Irving Avenue, collided with the Toyota. The force of the impact was so severe that both vehicles spun out of control, striking a nearby suburban vehicle with such intensity that it was pushed onto the curb.

Shortly after the accident at around 12:45 a.m., emergency responders arrived at the scene. Four individuals from the Toyota were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital. Sadly, a male passenger succumbed to his injuries, while two others, aged 34 and 29, remain in critical condition. The 26-year-old driver of the Toyota, now in stable condition, faces charges for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

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Location of the fatal NYPD tow truck accidentYesterday morning, a 7-year-old boy lost his life in Brooklyn, NYC, after being struck by a New York Police Department (NYPD) tow truck. The accident occurred at the northern border of Fort Greene Park.

The collision occurred at approximately 7:45 a.m. when the young boy and his mother crossed Myrtle Avenue in a marked crosswalk. The tow truck driver, identified as Stephanie Sharp, a 54-year-old traffic enforcement agent with the NYPD, attempted to make a right turn onto North Portland Avenue and tragically struck the boy, who was on his way to school. Despite the swift arrival of emergency medical workers, they were unable to save the young life, and the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Legal consequences

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The Brooklyn NYC intersection where the bus collided with the cyclistA school bus and a 44-year-old bicyclist were both traveling in the same direction along Fort Hamilton Parkway when the bus made a right turn onto 41st Street, resulting in the back of the bus striking the cyclist. Despite the immediate response of the bus driver, the bicyclist succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a grieving family and a community in shock.

Local residents and witnesses to the accident expressed their condolences for the victim’s family and voiced their concerns about the safety of this particular intersection. They highlighted the area’s reputation as a busy and potentially dangerous spot for both cyclists and motorists alike. Instances like this underscore the urgency of addressing safety concerns on our roads.

In the aftermath of such a tragic incident, investigations are launched to determine the exact cause of the collision. Bicycle accident lawyers play a pivotal role in assisting victims and their families during this challenging time. They:

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yearly pedestrian fatalities in New York CityA grandmother who was pushing her 2-year-old granddaughter in a stroller was fatally struck by the driver of a pickup truck who failed to yield to them. The pedestrian accident occurred yesterday afternoon around 1:00 p.m. at the intersection of Bay 25th Street and Bath Avenue in Brooklyn. The 56-year-old driver of the pick-up truck,  identified as Faheem Shabazz, was making a left turn when he struck the grandmother and her goddaughter. He remained at the accident scene and was later charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian. According to How’s my driving, the pick-up truck has a history of recklessness. In the last 9 months, the pick-up truck received 9 violations for a total of $850 in fines. 4 of them were school zone speed camera violations.

The 66-year-old grandmother was transported to the hospital in critical condition but she did not survive. Miraculously her granddaughter survived and was not injured.

In New York City,  the Right of Way or Failure to Yield Law was passed in May 2014 to reduce pedestrian fatalities. Under this law drivers who fail to yield to a pedestrian or a cyclist can be subjected to a fine of up to $150 and up to 15 days in jail.  While this law and other initiatives such as the lowering of the city speed limit and the installation of speed cameras in school zones have led to a decrease in pedestrian fatalities in the city, large vehicles driven by reckless drivers remain a significant danger for pedestrians. Last year 116 pedestrians died in car accidents in New York City and 8,500 of them were injured.  While these numbers are lower than in 2013, before Vision Zero,  when 168 pedestrians were killed and 11,978 were injured they are far from the “zero” fatality goal of the Vision Zero program.

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The dangerous intersection of Shore Parkway and Shell Road

The dangerous intersection of Shore Parkway and Shell Road

On the morning of August 4th, Yelena Gervolskaya, a 75-year-old pedestrian and a beloved family member, lost her life after being struck by both a dump truck and a Jeep at the intersection of Shore Parkway and Shell Road in Gravesend, Brooklyn. Both drivers fled the scene; however, they have now been identified by the police. As of now, no charges have been filed against either of them.

Both vehicles hit the victim while making a left turn

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Bicycle accident deaths NYC Q1 2023Bicycle accidents are unfortunately all too common in New York City, and the recent tragedy that took the life of Adam Uster, a Transportation Alternatives member,  is a painful reminder of the dangers that cyclists face on our streets. As bicycle accident lawyers in New York City, we know all too well the impact that these accidents can have on victims and their families.

In this case, Uster was simply riding home with his bike trailer full of groceries when he was struck by a flatbed truck that made an abrupt right turn without signaling, causing fatal injuries. The fact that Uster was in an unprotected bike lane highlights the urgent need for better protections for cyclists on our streets.

The family and friends of Uster have been calling on the city to do more to protect cyclists, and it’s clear that their voices must be heard. The statistics are alarming: there have been 111 reported crashes on the less-than-a-mile stretch of Franklin Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street since 2020, causing one pedestrian fatality and injuries to 15 cyclists, 14 pedestrians, and 33 motorists.

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Atlantic Avenue And Clinton Street where 3 fatal car crashes occurredOn Sunday night, a 27-year-old driver recklessly hit and killed a 31-year-old woman on Atlantic Avenue, making her the fourth pedestrian to die in a crash over the weekend. Reports indicate that the driver was speeding through a red light when he hit the victim, then collided with another vehicle and crashed into an outdoor dining structure. Tragically, the victim died at the scene, and the driver was subsequently arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide.

This accident highlights the driver’s dangerous disregard for traffic laws and safety, as he had been caught speeding in a school zone in Queens just a month prior. It is crucial that drivers understand the seriousness of their responsibility when operating a vehicle and adhere to traffic laws and safety measures. The consequences of reckless driving can be catastrophic, as seen in this heartbreaking case. We must continue advocating for safer roadways and harsher consequences for those who violate traffic laws and cause harm.

With 10 crash fatalities in 2021 alone, Atlantic Avenue is one of the most dangerous roadways in New York City

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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

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The New York City hospital where the deadly medical error occurredA mother about to give birth died from medical malpractice in a New York City Hospital.  On July 2020, Sha Asia Temple, a 26 year old pregnant woman was at Woodhull Medical Center about to give birth to her daughter. Dr Dmitry Shelchkov, the anesthesiologist who was in charge of giving her the epidural inserted the catheter to deliver the anesthesia 13 inches deep in her back instead of the recommended 4 inches and administered a full dose of anesthesia neglecting to first administer a test dose and check on the patient before administering the full dose. As a result the anesthesia liquid was injected into the cerebrospinal fluid. The patient complained that she could not breath anymore and died shortly after. According to the federal hospital inspection report, a doctor who rushed to the rescue screamed at Dr. Schelchkov “I can’t believe this is happening again!”. Sha Asia Temple died but her baby, Khloe, survived.

The causes of the death of Ms. Temple were only recently made public and the investigation report indicates that over the two years preceding the death of Ms. Temple, 6 patients in  labor at Woodhull Medical Center “suffered adverse outcomes related to the administration of anesthesia” and Dr Shlchkov was involved in most of them. The same errors of pushing the epidural  needle too deep and mixing the anesthesia with cerebrospinal fluid as well as not proceeding to a test before administrating the full dose were reported. Despite the obvious pattern, the hospital did not take any measures to monitor the doctor who was finally stripped of his medical license in 2021.

Epidural complications are rare and while epidural complications started to occur regularly at Woodhull Medical Hospital, the system was so dysfunctional that cases went unreported. It took the death of a mother for the administrators of the hospital to notice the pattern.