New York Injury Talk Blog

A 51- year-old man was struck and killed by a FedEx truck in a Long Island pedestrian accident. The 25-year-old driver of the FedEx truck has not yet been charged. The man was killed when the truck struck him and then crashed into a line of parked cars. According to this CBS news report, the truck driver and a woman seated in one of the cars were hospitalized with injuries. Witnesses apparently saw the truck traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash. Long Island city police officials are investigating the fatal pedestrian collision.

If your New York auto accident or pedestrian accident was caused by a negligent driver, you may be entitled to significant compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages and other costs associated with your injuries. If the auto accident resulted in death, families of deceased victims may be able to file a wrongful death claim. If the negligent driver was on the job at the time of the accident, both the driver and his or her employer may be held accountable for the accident and resulting injuries.

Continue reading "Long Island Fatal Pedestrian Accident" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrain Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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BMW is recalling its 2008 model 1-Series and 3-Series because of an airbag defect that might prevent the side airbag from deploying, causing a serious injury hazard in the event of a car accident. According to this news report, BMW North America officials say the side airbag defect was caused by an incorrect crimp connector that was used on the side airbag and belt tensioner wiring.

As a result, sufficient contact between the crimp connectors and the corresponding plug may not occur, which could lead to an increase in the electrical resistance of that connection. If that occurs, the side airbag and/or the safety belt tensioner may not deploy, thereby failing to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury.

Auto product defects in New York can cause serious car accidents. As drivers, we count on airbags and seatbelts to protect us in the event of a car crash. However, when these components fail, when airbags fail to deploy or seat restraint systems unlatch, vehicle occupants can sustain catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident as a result of a vehicle defect, you may be able to seek compensation from the manufacturer of the defective auto to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings and other related damages. If such an accident results in death, the family of the deceased victim may be able to file a wrongful death claim.

Continue reading "BMW Recalls Vehicles for Airbag Defects" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Product Liability , Personal Injury , Product Liability & Recalls , Product Recalls

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Three serious injury-causing driving while intoxicated (DWI) car accidents in New York State have helped shine the limelight on DWI laws in the state. According to this news report, New York State ranks well when it comes to tough DWI laws, which experts say, are sufficient to curb the problem of drunk driving. However, enforcing those laws to prevent drunk driving accidents in NY is a different issue, they say.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) ranks New York State 13th in the nation for stringent DUI laws. But, group representatives say they would like to see a better utilization of the ignition interlock devices. Convicted drunk drivers are required to blow into the machines in order to start their vehicles. Several critics also say New York does not have mandatory jail time for DWI convictions, even if it involves repeat offenders. Jail time is only an option for judges to decide during sentencing in DUI cases.

Continue reading "New York DUI Car Crashes Cause Significant Injuries" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

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

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A woman was injured in a motorcycle accident in New York after the motorcycle she was riding crashed with a pickup truck on Route 611 in Tannersville, the Pocono Record reports. The injured victim was airlifted to the hospital because of the extent of her injuries. She was reportedly wearing a helmet. Police are still trying to determine the cause of this injury motorcycle accident.

In any New York auto accident or motorcycle crash, it is very important to thoroughly and completely investigate who or what caused the accident. Whether the accident involves two or more vehicles or it involved a single vehicle, it is important to find out what caused it. The most common cause of auto accidents include driver error, negligence, impairment due to alcohol or drugs, a defective auto product or a dangerous roadway condition.

Continue reading "New York Motorcycle Accident Injures Woman" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Personal Injury

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A worker was injured in a Manhattan construction accident when he took a fall at the World Trade Center construction site. According to this news report, the worker reportedly fell about five feet and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. The construction site accident occurred near the intersection of Liberty and West Streets. The worker was taken to an area hospital.

Some of the most serious construction site accidents occur when workers either slip and fall during work, or fall off a scaffold. These types of fall accidents can cause major injuries that can be devastating to construction workers and their families. These are also most often the types of injuries that result in death. Even when the worker survives, there are many tough challenges he or she is faced with such as expensive medical bills, loss of income resulting from missed work and in some case, continuing medical costs. Sometimes, workers are left with a permanent disability that leaves them unable to work for the rest of their lives.

Continue reading "Manhattan Construction Accident Injures Worker" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Construction Accident , Personal Injury , Workers Compensation , Workplace Injuries

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Eight people were killed in a three-vehicle New York car accident, including four children, according to this CNN news report. The car crash involved a minivan carrying five children and one adult that was heading the wrong way on a northbound lane of the Taconic State Parkway, New York State Police said. The minivan crashed head-on into an SUV carrying three adults. The minivan then slammed into a third vehicle before rolling over and bursting into flames. One child in the minivan survived with major injuries. Two adults in the third vehicle sustained minor injuries.

In any New York traffic accident case, it is extremely important to conduct a thorough and independent investigation to determine all the facts of the case and whether there was any negligence. In cases where there is negligence or wrongdoing, families of deceased victims may be able to file wrongful death claims that generally compensate these families for medical or funeral expenses, loss of earnings and other related damages.

Continue reading "New York Car Accident Kills Eight" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Seven people were injured in a NY pedestrian accident when an out-of-control car in West New York collided with them, according to this CBS news report. The car apparently crashed into a bevy of shoppers who were gathered for a sidewalk sale on Berginline Avenue. Several victims said they were helpless as the SUV came right at them. One pedestrian was pinned against a street pole. The most seriously injured victim was a 44-year-old man who was hospitalized with several broken bones. The driver of the SUV, a 43-year-old man, has been charged with driving under the influence.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – be it recreational or prescription drugs – is against New York law. It is illegal in New York and most other states to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. In such cases, if the drivers are determined to have been drunk or intoxicated at the time of the crash, they could be held civilly and criminally liable for the accident and injuries caused. Victims could seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of pay and other related costs.

Continue reading "New York Pedestrian Accident Injures Seven" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Drunk Driving Accident , Pedestrain Accidents , Personal Injury

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Seven bodies were recovered by divers from the Hudson River on Monday, August 10, 2009 after the wreckage of a plane and sightseeing helicopter was found. According to a report, nine people were tragically killed in the New York air disaster that took place over Manhattan on Saturday, August 8, 2009, with the body of an adult passenger and the small plane’s pilot still missing.

Those killed in this accident included members of a Pennsylvania family and an Italian tour group from the Bologna area. The single-engine Piper was discovered less than a quarter of a kilometer from the New Jersey side of the river in 15 meters of water. Reduced visibility forced divers to hold off the search Monday morning due to the river’s strong current and murky waters.

As the family members of those lost in this tragic and unexpected aviation accident grieve for their loved ones, we send them our warmest sympathies during this emotional and difficult time. Any accident involving an airplane or helicopter can bring a lot of shock to not only the families of those involved, but the community as a whole. No one should ever have to endure the loss of a family member or friend because of an aviation accident and it is indeed tragic when such cases force one to have to.

Continue reading "New York Plane and Helicopter Crash Kills 9, 2 Bodies Still Missing" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Aviation Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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New York auto accident attorneys know that texting while driving is a dangerous activity responsible for hundreds of New York car accidents. Distracted drivers can cause accidents resulting in serious personal injury or even death. New York State's texting-while-driving ban is "not serious," observers and experts say. Why? According to this new column, a proposed law heading for the Governor's desk states that if a police officer sees a driver texting, he can't turn on the red lights and siren.

The anti-texting law approved recently by the New York state Legislature bans texting while driving, but it only makes it a secondary law. What that means is you can be cited for texting if you are pulled over for something else or if it turns up as part of an investigation into an auto accident. Recent research from Virginia Tech demonstrates the dangers of texting while driving. The study states that an accident is 23 times more likely to happen if the driver is sending a text message that if he's got his eyes on the road and both hands firmly on the wheel.

Continue reading "New York's Texting Ban Not Serious, Experts Say" »

Posted by Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Law & Information , Personal Injury

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