New York Injury Talk Blog

New York City Fire Department officials are saying that 59 people suffered injuries in a three-vehicle pileup on New York City's Brooklyn Queen's Expressway. According to a news report in the New York Post, a casino bus, another bus and a tractor-trailer collided. Six people were taken to the hospital, but their injuries were not life-threatening. Other injured victims were treated at the scene of the auto accident in New York. Officials are still looking into the cause of this multi-vehicle crash.

Bus accidents in New York have the potential to cause major injuries and deaths. It is fortunate that this bus accident did not result in such devastation. Bus companies – private or public – owe their passengers the "utmost duty of care." What this means is that they owe their passengers the duty to take them to their destination safely. If the bus accident is the bus driver's fault or if it was caused because of the driver's negligence, the bus company can be held liable for injuries caused to passengers. That is also true for other motorists or pedestrians injured by buses.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York bus accident, truck accident, or car accident, you would be well-advised to consult experienced New York auto accident attorneys who will vigorously fight for your rights and make sure you receive fair compensation for your damages. Remember that it is best not to talk to insurance companies, attorneys for bus companies or sign any settlements until you have retained a knowledgeable New York personal injury attorney who can counsel you on the best course of action. Please call Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro today to find out more information about how to pursue your legal rights.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Bus Accidents , Personal Injury

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Timothy Otis, a 37-year-old man died in a New York motorcycle accident, according to this news report. Otis was driving west on Route 25 in St. James when he struck a sport utility vehicle that was turning left on to the roadway. The driver of the SUV was treated and released from the hospital. Otis died from his injuries. No one has been cited or arrested pending an investigation.

The most important part of any Long Island car accident investigation is the determination of fault. Who was responsible for the accident? It is extremely common for motorcycle accidents to take place when a vehicle is turning left. These accidents have devastating effects on the motorcycle rider because it is the motorcycle rider who is exposed to the elements and faces a higher risk than the motorist in the passenger vehicle. If the driver of the vehicle is determined to have been negligent, then he or she can be held accountable for the accident and resulting injuries or death. It is also important to find out whether the driver was operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. That would make it a criminal case as well.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident in New York, please call the skilled New York auto accident lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP for a free and comprehensive consultation. We will thoroughly investigate the incident, carefully examine police reports and gather the evidence necessary to help you secure fair compensation for your injuries and/or loss. Please call us today.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents

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Romano Dion Price, 23, was killed in a New York DUI auto accident the morning of April 23 after his 1993 Honda was struck by a suspected drunk driver, the Staten Island Advance reports. George Baldini Jr., a sex offender who has been accused of driving drunk and causing this fatal car accident, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter. Baldini apparently had a blood alcohol content of .082 percent when he broadsided Price's Honda at the corner of Forest Avenue and Manor Road. It is illegal in the state of New York, as it is in all other states, to drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more.

If you have been seriously injured or if you have lost a loved one as a result of another driver's negligence, then you could be entitled to compensation to cover medical/funeral expenses, loss of earnings, pain and suffering or other related damages. Where negligence or wrongdoing are involved, families of deceased auto accident victims can file Staten Island wrongful death claims, which will help them secure fair compensation for their loss. Drunk driving constitutes criminal negligence. Drivers who cause serious injury or death by operating a motor vehicle under the influence can be held civilly and criminally responsible for such negligence.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a drunk or negligent driver, because call the skilled and experienced New York personal injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP for a free consultation and case evaluation. We will fight for your rights and make sure you get the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accident , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Two Suffolk police officers suffered injuries in a Medford street intersection car accident after their marked patrol car was struck by a truck that had been hit by another car, which had run a red light. According to this news report (http://www.newsday.com/news/local/crime/ny-lidate1512651184apr14,0,638124.story), five cars were involved in the auto accident in Suffolk County at Route 112 and Express Drive South. The driver of an eastbound Mercury grand Marquis ran a red light and struck a northbound PT Cruiser. The Grand Marquis then hit a light pole and a Ford struck, which in turn crashed into the patrol car. The police car then struck a Toyota Corolla, officials said.

The officers and a passenger in their car were treated at a local hospital. The driver of one other car was also treated for injuries from the New York car accident. The driver of the Grand Marquis was cited for running a red light.

Street intersection safety is a serious problem in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2005 alone, nearly 9,200 people died and about 1 million people were injured in intersection related crashes in the United States. In addition, about 40 to 45 percent of all crashes occur at intersections or are intersection-related. According to 2005 data from the NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, car crashes caused by red light running resulted in an estimated 805 deaths.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an auto accident caused by a red light runner or a negligent driver, please call New York's experienced auto accident lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP to find out how you can protect your legal rights and obtain fair compensation for your injuries, damages and loss. We always offer a free and comprehensive consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents

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A man was killed in a Harlem DUI auto accident in New York and his ambulance got into an accident as well as it was rushing him to the hospital, according to this news report. The 20-year-old DUI auto accident victim was struck at West 120th Street and Seventh Avenue. His ambulance, which was on its way to St. Luke's Hospital, collided with a car at Cathedral Parkway and Manhattan Avenue. A second ambulance then took the victim to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the car that initially struck the victim has been arrested for driving under the influence.

Every year, in the United States, 17,000 people are killed in alcohol-related auto accidents. The drunk drivers who cause these serious injuries and fatalities must be held responsible for their actions. According to 2002 New York traffic statistics, there were 1,522 traffic related deaths of which 478 (31 percent) were alcohol-related.

The New York attorneys at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro have experience in all areas of personal injury and wrongful death. Our firm works with experts to investigate your case and determine who was at fault. Our attorneys have an excellent understanding of the intricacies of New York's No-Fault Law as well as issues relating to uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, please contact the New York drunk driving victim lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accident , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that drug maker Genentech has withdrawn the psoriasis drug Raptiva from the market because of its link to drug related injury, one of which is a fatal brain infection. According to this news report, Raptiva could cause potential risk of patients developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or PML, which is a rare, serious, progressive neurological disease caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system.

Raptiva is an injection psoriasis patients take weekly to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Genentech estimates that 2,000 patients in the United States may be receiving Raptiva for chronic plaque psoriasis. FDA officials have told doctors nationwide not to initiate new Raptiva treatment and talk to their patients about alternative treatments and therapy.

All drugs have side effects, but when drugs cause serious or fatal side effects leaving you in worse shape than you were when you started treatment, something is horribly wrong. The New York pharmaceutical drug litigation lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP, have represented numerous clients and their families over the years that have been injured by dangerous and defective drugs put on the market by drug manufacturers without proper testing or research.

If you are the victim of a defective or dangerous drug in New York, you could be entitled to compensation to cover medical expenses, additional treatment costs, pain and suffering, and loss of earnings. Please call us today to schedule your free consultation. We will remain on your side, fight for your legal rights and make sure that these drug makers are held accountable for their negligence.

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Injury

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Vincent Frodella, 80, was killed in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident in New York after he wandered into Meadowbrook State Parkway. The Alzheimer's patient wandered away from his home onto the roadway, according to an article in the New York Newsday. Frodella was found in a southbound lane of the roadway and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The vehicle or vehicles that struck him did not stop or remain at the scene and are being sought by police. Frodella's family was just notifying Nassau police when officers told them about the fatal pedestrian accident. Anyone with information is asked to call 631-756-3300.

In New York, the law requires all motorists to stop at the scene of an accident – whether it involves other vehicles, bicycles or pedestrians. The law requires drivers to provide identification and insurance information. This is the law in New York whether or not the accident was the driver's fault. In this case, it is entirely possible that the elderly man wandered into traffic lanes and the driver who hit him could not stop in time to avoid the collision. But that does not give the driver the right to leave the scene of a car crash in New York and leave the injured victim lying on the roadway.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York hit-and-run pedestrian accident, please contact an experienced New York personal injury attorney at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro to find out how we can help you pursue your legal rights and obtain fair compensation for your injuries, damages and loss. We will investigate the incident thoroughly, carefully examine police reports and determine who or what caused the accident and resulting injuries. Please call us today to schedule a free and comprehensive consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrain Accidents , Personal Injury

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Three people were injured in an April 24, 2009 car accident on State Route 9 in Queensbury, the Post Star newspaper reports in a story. The auto accident in New York reportedly occurred when a 1999 Mercury Mystique driven by 20-year-old Joshua Goshea failed to yield the right of way while he made a turn on to Route 9, Warren County Sheriff's officials said. Goshea's car apparently turned in front of a 2001 Ford Taurus driven by 34-year-old Charmaine Baker, who was traveling south. The impact from the car crash pushed Goshea's car onto the sidewalk and threw him from the driver's seat to the passenger side. Both the drivers and a passenger were taken to a local hospital with injuries.

If you have been injured in a New York auto accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced New York auto accident attorney who will thoroughly investigate the case and determine who was at fault. In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved on the part of the other driver, he or she could be held financially responsible for the damages and injuries caused as a result of the accident.

Victims are often entitled to compensation to cover medical expenses, cost of treatment or medication, pain and suffering, loss of earnings, and property damage. When drivers do not follow rules of the road such as stopping at a stop sign, running a red light or yielding right of way, those actions also amount to reckless driving or negligence. Call the skilled car accident lawyers in New York at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP to find out more information about your legal rights and options.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents

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Team-Tex America Inc. is recalling Babyride infant restraint systems (Model 374199) because of a labeling error, according to this news report. The belt routing label with the "horizontal reference line" is apparently incorrectly placed on the child restraint system. These improperly routed belts could result in injury to the child in the event of a crash. The products were manufactured on December 18, 2008. Team-Tex has started notifying owners and will be mailing labels along with instructions for proper placement of the label.

The term "product defects" not only means manufacturing defect, but also includes design defects, deceptive marketing and mislabeling of products. Improper warnings or instructions on a product's packaging can cause devastating injuries to the person using the product. The consequences of New York product liability accidents may cause a long-term effect on victims. If the product is proven to be defective in any of the above ways, the defendant can be held legally responsible for the plaintiff's losses.

Some manufacturers recall defective products when they learn about the defects through consumer complaints. However, a majority of defective products are not recalled. In fact, a number of manufacturers ignore product defects because a recall can be an expensive process. If you or a loved one has been injured because of a product defect, please call the skilled New York product liability attorneys Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP to find out whether you have a case. We always offer a free and confidential consultation.

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Posted In: Product Liability & Recalls , Product Recalls

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Michael Campisi, 47 of North Carolina, was killed in a Central Islip motorcycle accident in New York, according to a news report in New York Newsday. The incident happened following a collision with a Cadillac Escalade. Randy Bracciodieta, another motorcyclist who was hit, was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released. Michele Cordingley, 46, the driver of the Escalade has not been cited or charged pending an investigation.

Cordingley told police that after traveling about 100 feet on Connetquot Avenue, she heard something strike the side of her vehicle. She then saw the motorcyclists and the motorcycle. Apparently, Cordingley did not see the two motorcycles that were also traveling on Connetquot Avenue. Bracciodieta tried to swerve his motorcycle to avoid the collision, but wasn't able to do so.

It's very common for drivers of passenger vehicles or larger vehicles to miss motorcyclists or bicyclists. This could especially happen at an intersection where drivers of bigger vehicles tend to look for other bigger vehicles, but fail to look for motorcycles, bicycles or pedestrians. However, this is no excuse and would still amount to negligence and the likelihood of needing a skilled NY personal injury attorney. In almost all accidents, investigators also look into whether drivers were operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York motorcycle accident, please call a knowledgeable and experienced New York motorcycle accident lawyer at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro for a free consultation and review of your case. We will work hard make sure that your legal rights are protected and that the negligent driver is held accountable for his or her actions.

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Posted In: Motorcycle Accidents , Personal Injury

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Five people were killed in an auto accident after their car was struck by a tractor trailer in the New Jersey Turnpike and burst into flames, according to this Associated Press news report. The car had apparently been stopped in traffic in the right southbound lane in Mount Laurel when it was struck by the big rig. The car shot into the center lane with its occupants trapped inside triggering a chain reaction crash involving six other vehicles.

The article identifies the deceased victims as follows – Jeanette Urbano, 72, Salvatore Urbano, 74, Anna Kane, 76, Rose Kane 75 and Francis Kane, 78. Three New York City area residents were also seriously injured in this fatal car accident. Police are looking into whether the driver of the tractor trailer was under the influence of alcohol, which is a routine part of the investigation.

Tractor trailer accidents in New York can have devastating effects on those involved, particularly occupants of passenger vehicles as evidenced in this auto accident. This is because these are large, heavy vehicles that can be hauling up to 80,000 pounds. If the big rig accident is caused by driver error, poor vehicle maintenance or an impaired driver, then both the driver and his employer, the trucking company, could be held liable.

It is very important that injured victims and families of decease victims contact an experienced New York auto accident attorney to find out more information about their legal rights and options. They could be entitled to significant compensation. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a New York auto accident, please call Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, LLP for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Truck Accidents

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According to a MSNBC report, the turboprop plane that crashed in a cemetery in Butte, Montana killing all 14 passengers on Sunday, March 22, 2009 was made to hold only ten people. At first, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said they thought the plane could hold eleven people. The plane left Oroville, CA and was heading towards Bozeman, MO when it changed course to Butte without the pilot indicating any problematic issues to air traffic controllers. Acting chairman of the NTSB, Mark Rosenker, said that investigators want to find out if the plane was over its weight restrictions; however, people should not jump to conclusions that overloading was the cause of Sunday’s crash.

Seven of the fourteen victims of this fatal plane accident were children under the age of ten. Passengers were on their way to a high-class Yellowstone Club for a family skiing holiday.

“We were going on a vacation with all the grandkids,” said Irving M. “Bud” Feldkamp, who lost two daughters and their families in the accident. “They were all excited about skiing.” According to the article, Feldkamp leased the airplane that crashed. He said he, his wife and another daughter had driven to Montana for the trip.

Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of those who died in this catastrophic aviation accident. It is such an unimaginable experience for anyone to have to endure the death of a loved one, whether because of a plane accident caused by the negligence of an airline, mechanical failure, or pilot error.

Continue reading "Tragic Aviation Accident Kills all 14 Aboard still Under Investigation" »

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Posted In: Aviation Accidents , Personal Injury

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Weight Loss Supplement Hydroxycut Recalled Due to Liver Damage, Injuries and Death

Hydroxycut, the number one weight loss supplement in the world, was recalled on May 1st by the FDA. The FDA reports that there are at least 23 reports of serious liver injuries and death (http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW02006.html), including jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a serious type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.

If you or anyone you know have been using Hydroxycut, stop using it immediately. Symptoms to watch for include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), brown urine, light-colored stools, fatigue, stomach cramps or pain, weakness, nausea, and vomiting.

This Hydroxycut recall applies to the following products, which are being removed from the market:
• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
• Hydroxycut 24
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
• Hydroxycut Natural

If you have any symptoms of liver injury you should see your doctor immediately. Keep any unused portions of the product for evidence in case you decide to pursue a claim for compensation.

If you have suffered any of these symptoms or injuries contact our experienced Product Defect and New York Personal Injury Lawyers and click here to visit our website for more information.

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Posted In: Pharmaceutical Injury

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Natasha Richardson, 45, died Wednesday at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. According to an article, Ms. Richardson’s death was announced Wendesday night by Alan Nierob, a spokesman for the actress’s husband, Liam Neeson.

“Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha,” a statement said. “They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.”

According to the report, Ms. Richardson suffered head injuries from a small fall during a skiing lesson on Monday north of Montreal. Ms. Richardson’s instructor and a ski patrol member accompanied her off the slopes.

A spokeswoman for the Mont Tremblant ski resort, Lyne Lortie, said that Ms. Richardson was not wearing a helmet during her beginner skiing lesson.

“It was a normal fall; she didn’t hit anyone or anything,” Lortie said. “She didn’t show any signs of injury; she was talking and she seemed all right.”

Continue reading "Natasha Richardson’s Tragic Death Caused by a Traumatic Brain Injury " »

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Posted In: Brain Injuries

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