New York Injury Talk Blog

Two men were killed in a Queens New York motorcycle accident after they crashed into a car. According to an ABC News report, the accident occurred at the intersection of 32ns Avenue and 88th Street. The 2008 Yamaha motorcycle, which was westbound on 32nd Avenue struck a Dodge Intrepid, which was going south on 88th Street. According to eyewitnesses, the impact from the crash sent the motorcycle's passenger flying down the street about 200 feet. That 27-year-old passenger was pronounced dead at the scene as was the 22-year-old driver. A man, his wife and their baby, who were in the Intrepid, were taken to an area hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

In this accident, as with any other car accident, there needs to be an official determination as to who is at fault for causing the crash. When two vehicles collide at an intersection, it is important to look into whether someone failed to yield the right-of-way or whether one of the drivers ran a red light. Usually, the at-fault party could be held liable for the accident and resulting injuries.

Continue reading "Two Killed in New York City Motorcycle Accident" »

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

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The New York Post reported recently that a Shirley man was hit and fatally injured by a pickup truck on the William Floyd Parkway near Sunrise Highway. The accident happened when a Center Moriches woman driving a 2004 Chevy Silverado hit the man and then fled the scene. The accident victim died at the site of the crash.

Suffolk County police say the woman, who turned herself in later, was driving while intoxicated (DWI) at the time of the accident. Police charged the woman with DWI when she did not pass a field sobriety test. Officials have identified the suspect as a Long Island teacher.

Statistics provided by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles reveal that there were 9,202 alcohol-related auto accidents in 2008. Out of these accidents in New York, 355 were fatal and 4,775 were injury-related. It is estimated there were 82 pedestrians killed in all New York alcohol-related accidents in 2008.

Continue reading "Long Island Auto Accident Kills Man" »

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

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Mitsubishi is recalling about 530 Endeavor vehicles from its 2010 model year because the retainer bracket used for the seat-mounted side airbag frames may not have been properly welded. The airbag could fail in the event of the crash by failing to deploy. This auto product defect in New York and throughout the nation applies only to Mitsubishi Endeavors manufactured between May 26 and July 28, 2009. During the recall, vehicle dealers will check the weld, and if necessary, replace the seatback assembly free of charge.

As motorists, we depend on airbags to protect us at the time of a crash. But when airbags fail to deploy the injuries can be catastrophic or lethal. If you or a loved one has been severely injured or killed as a result of a faulty airbag, you may be able to seek compensation from the manufacturer of such a defective product. Whether your injuries involve airbags that deployed when they weren't supposed to or a non-deployed airbag, the auto maker could be held liable for making the defective auto product.

Continue reading "Mitsubishi Recalls Vehicles for Possible Airbag Defects" »

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

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The number of New York City construction accidents has increased, but there have been fewer fatalities as a result of construction site accidents this year. According to a news report in the Insurance Journal, the number of reported construction accidents in New York increased by more than 40 percent compared to the same period in 2008. Reported injuries increased by more than 30 percent during that time. A majority of the injuries were a result of falls in construction sites. The number of deaths, however, decreased considerably. The number of construction accident deaths in 2008 was 19 and 12 in 2007. This year, there were only two through the month of June. City officials say the reduction in fatalities is due to an increased awareness of construction safety and better reporting of incidents.

In spite of strict safety standards, construction workers are always at risk when they are on the job. New York State does not allow employees to sue their employers for on the job accidents. However, contractors, sub-contractors, architects, manufacturers of defective products or property owners may be held liable for injuries or wrongful deaths that take place during construction work.

Continue reading "New York City Construction Site Accidents Increase, Deaths Down" »

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Posted In: Construction Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Workers Compensation , Workplace Injuries , Wrongful Death

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Toyota Motor Corp. has issued a large-scale auto product defect recall involving 3.8 million vehicles, the company's largest ever recall in the United States. According to an Associated Press news report, the recall is being issued to address problems with a removable floor mat that could cause accelerators to get stuck and lead to a crash. Toyota has not been able to resolve the issue with the mat and is asking consumers to remove the mats and not substitute them until the company comes up with a fix.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has so far received 102 incident reports where the accelerator may have become stuck as a result of these defective floor mats. The recall was spurred by a fatal car accident in San Diego where a California Highway Patrol officer and three of his family members were killed after the floor mat of the Lexus he was driving slipped and the accelerator got stuck. The car barreled out of control and reached speeds of 120 mph before crashing and bursting into flames. The recall will affect 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry; 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon; 2004-2009 Toyota Prius; 2005-2010 Tacoma; 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra; 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.

Continue reading "Toyota Recalls Vehicles for Defective Floor Mats" »

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

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Thousands of sickened 9/11 recovery workers whose legal claims have been barred because of deadlines will now be able to join a large group suing New York City under a new law signed by Gov. David A. Patterson. According to a news report in Newsday, the law will allow more than 3,000 workers to revive lawsuits that were thrown out by a federal judge in July because they were not filed within 90 days of the workers' conditions being diagnosed.

These workers included carpenters, plumbers and construction workers who worked for months on the Ground Zero site because they were told it was safe to do so and that there were no environmental hazards. However, a number of these workers apparently developed health issues such as lung problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and sinusitis. The workers say that they were "lied to" that the air in Ground Zero was good to breathe at the time.

This is good news for these workers who got left out because of a technicality. There is no question that some of these workers have suffered serious consequences as a result of breathing the air at Ground Zero. They should have been informed about the poor air quality before they started work there. Many of these workers have been disabled and are unable to perform the jobs they were doing before. To have their claims tossed out because of a technicality is simply not fair.

Continue reading "Sickened 9/11 Workers Can Sue New York City" »

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Posted In: Personal Injury , Workers Compensation , Workplace Injuries

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Medical errors, especially those that involve prescription mistakes, are extremely tragic. They result in unnecessary injuries and sometimes even death. These are injuries and deaths that can be easily prevented by having supervision implemented and strict adherence to rules and regulations. But the reality is that prescription errors occur far too often in New York City hospitals and elsewhere in the United States.

According to a recent news report, a children's hospital has admitted that its doctors wrongfully prescribed a fentanyl pain patch for a 15-year-old autistic boy after a dental procedure. The teenager died in March when the pain patch was given after dental surgery. It proved to be the inappropriate drug and dosage for the boy. Since the boy was autistic and couldn't speak well or tolerate swallowing medicine, the hospital's dentist prescribed a fentanyl patch. Although his mother was concerned about it, doctors and nurses assured her that it would be fine. Well, it was not. That night, the 15-year-old died as a result of a fatal dose of fentanyl.

The boy's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital. Wrongful death lawsuits are usually filed against certain parties when negligence or wrongdoing is involved. In such cases, plaintiffs are not only eligible to seek compensatory damages, but also punitive damages. A number of medical malpractice victims tend to pursue these lawsuits also as a way to try to make sure that something like this never happens again.

Continue reading "Family Filed Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Hospital" »

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Posted In: Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Distracted drivers are one of the main causes of serious car accidents in New York City. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured as a result of someone else's negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries, damages and loss. Very often, accidents happen when someone takes their eyes off the road for a few seconds.

According to a recent news report in The Day, a well-known Connecticut woman was killed recently in a car accident on Route 32 caused by a New York woman who is accused of using a cell phone and driving under the influence of alcohol. The suspected drunk driver allegedly crashed into the back of a Toyota Sienna, which in turn collided with a Hyundai Elantra driven by the victim. The woman was taken to the hospital where she died of her injuries.

This is only one of many tragedies that occur on our nation's roadways as a result of distracted or intoxicated drivers. Recent studies show that distracted drivers are as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than intoxicated drivers.

Continue reading "New York Auto Accident Lawyer Concerned about Distracted Drivers" »

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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New York work accident injuries can be devastating. Workers or employees who get injured on the job can suffer debilitating injuries that can cause them to lose their job and their livelihood. In such cases, injured victims need representation from an experienced New York workers compensation attorney who can uphold their rights and make sure they get the compensation they rightfully deserve.

There are a number of New York on-the-job injuries where victims are left disabled for life or unable to perform the job they were performing before. A New York police officer, who was injured on the job four years ago in a car accident that caused him to quit his job, has settled his civil lawsuit for $1.2 million, the Staten Island Advance reports.

The 32-year-old officer was a passenger in the back seat of an unmarked Chevy Impala that was responding to a burglary on September 23, 2005 when the driver, another police officer, went on opposing lanes of traffic and collided with a car that was making a turn. The officer suffered injuries to his shoulder, back and neck. He was able to return to his job two months later, but could remain on the force only for two months before he had to get further surgery and treatment.

Continue reading "New York Police Officer Compensated for On-the-Job Injury" »

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury , Workers Compensation , Workplace Injuries

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A pedestrian was killed in what was an apparent hit-and-run car accident in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. The man was in his 20s and was found partially in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Police said the man must have been struck by a vehicle that left the scene. Anyone who saw the accident or knows the identity of the victim or the driver is asked to call 800-244-TIPS.

It is illegal in New York to leave the scene of an accident, especially when the accident has resulted in personal injury. The law states: "Any person operating a motor vehicle who, knowing or having cause to know that personal injury has been caused to another person, due to an incident involving the motor vehicle operated by such person shall, before leaving the place where the said personal injury occurred, stop, exhibit his or her license and insurance identification card for such vehicle…and give his or her name, residence, including street and street number, insurance carrier and insurance identification information including but not limited to the number and effective dates of said individual's insurance policy and license number, to the injured party, if practical, and also to a police officer, or in the event that no police officer is in the vicinity of the place of said injury, then, he or she shall report said incident as soon as physically able to the nearest police station or judicial officer."

Continue reading "New York Fatal Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident" »

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Law & Information , Pedestrain Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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The New York Police Department has suspended two police officers who were involved in a DUI car accident that killed a pedestrian in Brooklyn. According to an ABC News report, one of the officers who was driving the car, was charged in the drunk driving accident that killed a young girl who was crossing the street at East 56th Street and Avenue N. The pedestrian accident victim was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. The suspected drunk driver, the police officer, was off-duty at the time of the crash, officials said. He has been charged with DWI and vehicular manslaughter.

In New York, driving under the influence is a serious crime. It is illegal in New York to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent. It is always disheartening when an individual who is supposed to uphold the law, breaks it. In this case, it resulted in the death of a young girl.

As New York drunk driving victim lawyers who fight for DUI victims' rights, it is our belief that drunk drivers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law regardless of their title, position or status in society. Victims of DUI accidents can seek compensation to cover various expenses such as medical costs, lost earning and other damages.

Continue reading "NYPD Officer Faces DUI Charges in Fatal Brooklyn Pedestrian Accident" »

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

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Fatal auto accidents dramatically rose in New York City in 2008, according to Department of Transportation statistics released recently. According to a news report in the New York Post, one person died every 30 hours in New York City as a result of fatal traffic accidents. New York City crashes killed 292 pedestrians, drivers, passengers, bicyclists and motorcyclist in 2008. That's 18 people more than in 2007. While most cities around the country saw a drop in traffic accident deaths, the trend went the opposite way in New York City.

Experts say that so many lives do not have to be lost and that auto accidents are entirely preventable with sound engineering and better enforcement.

Most of the fatal traffic accidents occurred at major intersections including Webster Avenue and Fordham Road in the Bronx (14 pedestrian injuries); Atlantic Avenue and Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn (43 auto accidents); Houston Street and Lexington Avenue at 34th Street (five bicycle accidents). Overall, pedestrian fatalities last year jumped to 147, seven more than in 2007.

Continue reading "Auto Accident Fatalities Increase in New York City" »

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Law & Information , Pedestrain Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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