New York Personal Injury Attorneys BlogArticles Tagged with wrongful death NYC
Toddler Fatally Struck by BMW Driver in Queens Parking Garage Raises Serious Legal Questions
A fatal incident inside a Queens apartment building parking garage has placed renewed focus on driver responsibility, property safety, and the legal rights of families after preventable tragedies. According to published reports, a 1-year-old child was struck by a BMW inside a parking garage next to the family’s apartment building in Rego Park, Queens. The child was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he later died from his injuries. The driver remained at the scene, and authorities continue to investigate.
From a legal perspective, crashes involving children in parking garages are among the most serious motor-vehicle cases handled by our Queens car accident lawyers. These incidents often involve complex questions of negligence, visibility, speed, vehicle design, and whether the garage itself was reasonably safe for pedestrians.
Parking Garages Are Not “No-Fault” Zones Under New York Law
Brooklyn School Bus Accident Leaves 11-Year-Old Girl Dead; Driver Charged
An 11-year-old Brooklyn girl was fatally struck by a school bus in Bath Beach during afternoon dismissal hours, underscoring serious safety obligations placed on school bus drivers operating in dense city neighborhoods.
The victim has been identified as Amira Aminova, a Brooklyn resident. The collision occurred shortly after 3 p.m. at the intersection of 23rd Avenue and Bath Avenue, a time when children and families are routinely crossing local streets after school.
The video below reviewed by investigators shows Amira standing at the corner with the right of way before entering the crosswalk as a school bus made a turn. Police allege the bus failed to yield to the pedestrian and that the driver did not exercise due care. Sun glare and the size of the vehicle were cited by a witness as potential contributing factors—conditions that experienced commercial drivers are trained to anticipate and manage.
SUV Driver Recalls Hitting “Something” in Brooklyn Crash That Killed Former Nickelodeon Star Kianna Underwood
A fatal early-morning crash in Brownsville has raised serious legal and safety questions about driver conduct, hit-and-run responsibility, and how multi-vehicle collisions are investigated in Brooklyn.
Kianna Underwood, a 33-year-old former Nickelodeon child actor, was struck and killed on January 16, 2026, near Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard. Police say she was first struck by a black Ford Explorer SUV and then run over and dragged more than two blocks by a second vehicle that fled the scene and has not been identified.
From a Brooklyn car accident lawyer’s perspective, this case underscores how quickly catastrophic harm can unfold—and how critical evidence preservation and accountability become when multiple drivers are involved.
Fatal Bronx Gas Explosion Leads to Murder Charges After Stove Theft, Authorities Say
A deadly gas explosion inside a Bronx NYCHA high-rise has led to murder and multiple felony charges, highlighting once again how preventable gas-related incidents can devastate entire buildings and communities.
According to law enforcement sources, a man has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly stealing a gas stove from an apartment at the Boston Secor Houses in Baychester—triggering a gas leak that caused a massive explosion and four-alarm fire. One resident was killed, and at least 14 others were injured.
As NYC gas explosion attorneys representing victims of serious personal injury in the Bronx, incidents like this raise critical legal questions about accountability, safety oversight, and the rights of residents harmed by dangerous conditions inside residential buildings.
Family of Queens Cyclist Killed by Pickup Truck Seeks Justice After Fatal Right-Turn Crash
The family of a Queens cyclist killed last week in Flushing is searching for answers — and accountability — after what police say was a preventable right-turn crash involving a pickup truck.
According to the NYPD, 48-year-old Xi Zheng was riding westbound on Sanford Avenue when he was struck by a Ford F-150 making a right turn from 160th Street. Zheng, who was biking to work as he routinely did, was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
“He was on his way to work on a bike,” said Zheng’s nephew, Jacky Huang. “He always biked to work. We’re just all trying to make sense of it.”
Why St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, Received a “D” Safety Grade from Leapfrog
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway recently received a “D” rating from the Leapfrog Group, a nationally recognized nonprofit that evaluates hospital safety using objective, data-driven measures. Leapfrog safety grades focus on preventable medical harm—including infections, staffing, surgical safety, and outcomes—not bedside manner or community reputation.
This article is part of a broader series examining every New York City hospital rated by the Hospital Safety Grade program of The Leapfrog Group—not only top-rated institutions, but also those receiving failing grades. Drawing on the experience of our NYC medical malpractice lawyers, the goal is to help patients and families understand what these grades mean in real-world terms and how hospital safety data can affect clinical outcomes.
While St. John’s performs well in several important areas, the Leapfrog data reveals systemic safety gaps that likely contributed to its low overall grade. For patients and families, understanding these risks is critical.
Brooklyn Hit-and-Run Accident on Linden Boulevard Highlights Ongoing Pedestrian Safety Failures
A fatal hit-and-run on Linden Boulevard in East New York underscores the persistent dangers pedestrians face on Brooklyn’s widest and fastest corridors. Just after midnight on New Year’s Day, a 68-year-old Brooklyn resident was struck while crossing near Linden Boulevard and Ashford Street. The driver stopped briefly, then fled. The victim was transported to Brookdale University Hospital, where he died hours later.
According to court records, the vehicle involved—a Mercury Grand Marquis with Pennsylvania plates—hit the pedestrian at approximately 12:55 a.m. Police later arrested a 70-year-old local resident, who admitted he fled because he “got scared.” He has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and released pending further court proceedings.
A Known Dangerous Stretch of Roadway
Two Lives Lost in Staten Island Crash: Examining Fault, Liability, and Wrongful Death Claims Under New York Law
A devastating two-vehicle collision in Staten Island has left a family shattered and once again underscores how quickly a routine drive can turn fatal. As NYC car accident lawyers, cases like this are a painful reminder that serious crashes often result from ordinary traffic movements — and that the consequences are borne most heavily by innocent passengers and families.
The crash occurred last Friday morning at the intersection of Forest Hill Road and Rockland Avenue in New Springville. A Honda SUV traveling south collided with an Audi Q5 making a left turn. Inside the Honda were 6-year-old Anheli Vasquez and 90-year-old Gerardo Avila, who was on his way to a chemotherapy appointment. Mr. Avila died shortly after the crash. Anheli remained hospitalized with catastrophic injuries and passed away Sunday morning, 48 hours later.
For Anheli’s mother, Marlene Trinidad, the loss is unimaginable. She never left her daughter’s bedside and described returning home without her “princess.” The child, a first-grader born in Staten Island, was remembered as loving, bilingual, and deeply connected to Mr. Avila and his wife, whom she considered her grandparents.
Bronx Hit-and-Run Crash Highlights Critical Questions for Loved Ones Seeking Justice and Compensation
A tragic hit-and-run in the Bronx has once again raised pressing questions for families about their rights, available legal remedies, and how to pursue compensation when a reckless driver causes a fatal pedestrian crash and flees the scene.
Early Saturday morning, 27-year-old Shariq Bryant was struck and killed while crossing E. 222nd Street near Boston Road. Police say the driver of a 2025 BMW M8 was speeding down the block before hitting Mr. Bryant and crashing into a telephone pole. Instead of staying to help, the driver ran off, leaving behind an injured passenger and a shattered community.
Loved ones describe Mr. Bryant as optimistic, supportive, and someone who brought people together. He had returned to his old Bronx neighborhood to visit friends when his life was taken without warning.
