New York Injury Talk Blog

A construction worker was injured in the Upper East Side after a falling piece of concrete crushed his arm. According to a news DNAinfo.com article, a 10-by-13-foot piece of concrete fell from a parking garage ceiling. The concrete slab pinned the New York construction worker’s arm. Emergency crews were called and the worker was treated at a local hospital. While it is known that the injuries suffered are not life-threatening, we do not know the severity of the arm injury.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the construction industry ranks high when it comes to the most dangerous jobs in the country. Most construction workers have very physically demanding jobs. A lasting injury that affects your mobility and strength may render you no longer capable of doing your job. If you have been a long time construction worker, you know how exhausting and difficult a construction job can be. Any lingering injury may affect your ability to maintain the job you have and to be effective in the workplace.

Construction supervisors, construction companies and property owners have an obligation to the workers onsite to provide a safe work environment. When a NY construction site accident occurs due to unsafe conditions or negligence, workers can file a claim seeking compensation. Such claims are usually filed against parties other than the employer.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York construction accident, the New York construction accident injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP can help you understand your legal rights and options. Call 212-986-7353 for a free and comprehensive review of your claim.

One person was killed and two were injured in a New York SUV rollover accident after another vehicle made an unsafe pass in front of the SUV on Interstate 90 in Westfield. According to a news report from WGRZ, the SUV rolled several times ejecting the 23-year-old driver and one of his passengers, a 47-year-old woman, who suffered fatal head injuries. Another female passenger who was pregnant was also injured. The surviving passengers were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.

Rollover accidents often cause catastrophic injuries or fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about 10,000 fatal rollover accidents in the United States each year. That accounts for one-fourth of all traffic accident fatalities in the nation. SUVs in particular are prone to rollovers because of their design. SUVs have a high center of gravity and narrower track width, which increases their propensity for rollovers.

After any rollover crash, it is important to look into possible auto product defects and design problems, which may have led to the crash or caused the serious/fatal injuries. If it is determined that design or product defects caused or contributed to the injury or death, the auto maker or the manufacturer of the defective auto product can be held liable.

It takes an experienced New York SUV rollover accident lawyer, who has access to nationally renowned accident reconstruction experts, to thoroughly investigate an SUV rollover accident. The vehicle itself is the main piece of evidence and must be preserved in tact following an accident. If you have been injured in an auto accident involving a defective vehicle, please contact the NY auto products liability lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP at 212-986-7353 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

New York Giant Mathias Kiwanuka and his brother were involved in a motorcycle accident in Indianapolis. The Associated Press and NFL.com report that the Kiwanuka brothers were on separate motorcycles when a car pulled directly into the path of the NFL star's brother. The 32-year-old motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and is in critical condition. Kiwanuka was able to avoid a collision and was not hurt. The driver of the Honda reported minor injuries.

This type of accident is common with motorcycles and their riders. Motorcycles are simply smaller than other motor vehicles and are often overlooked, especially at intersections. Drivers pulling out of driveways and turning at intersections often times fail to consciously look for motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians.

Injuries most commonly sustained by motorcyclists include brain damage and other head injuries, neck injuries, spine injuries, broken bones and organ damage. All of these injuries may have significant effects on the victim’s life. An individual who has been injured as a result of someone else's negligence or wrongdoing can seek compensation for lost wages, medical bills, vehicle repair bills and even future income lost if the injuries result in a lifelong disability or inability to work.

If you’ve been injured in a New York motorcycle accident, you should know your rights. Please call the experienced NY motorcycle crash lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP. We can help you through the process of filing a claim and help determine fault and liability in your case. Call us at 212-986-7353 for a free consultation today.

A trailer being pulled by a dump truck separated from the truck and caused two NY vehicle accidents that injured 17 people near Syracuse. The Post-Standard reports that the raised box on the dump truck struck the Route 7 overpass while driving on the New York State Thruway in Manchester. The raised truck box then crashed to the ground.

As a consequence, a 47-year-old Brooklyn man driving a passenger van hit the fallen box. His van was carrying eight children and two adults. Two of the children in that van were airlifted to a local hospital with injuries. A second vehicle then hit the fallen dump truck box. A black SUV with three adults and four children collided with the box head-on.

Dangerous trailers that break loose on the freeway have had devastating consequences on our nation's roadways. These freeway vehicle accidents usually have deadly consequences. Some of the issues to investigate in such cases include whether the trailer was properly secured, and why a truck driver would drive under an overpass without knowing or understanding the height restriction. If the law was broken or if the truck driver or the truck's owner had been negligent, the injured victims could seek compensation from the trucking company.

Injured New York truck accident victims in cases where negligence is involved may be able to seek compensation to cover medical costs, loss of earnings and other related damages. If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York truck accident, please contact the New York truck crash lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP for a free and comprehensive consultation.

An earthen bank collapsed and a construction worker was trapped and killed in Holland, New York. WKBW reports that the Holland Fire Department tried to help the worker and had him flown to a nearby hospital, but it was too late.

The 34-year-old Silver Springs victim was working in the basement of a home with other workers when the New York workplace accident happened. The earth bank fell and he was pinned underneath it. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officials are currently investigating the fatal NY construction accident.

Unfortunately, this type of tragic fatal New York construction site accident is not uncommon. In New York, in 2007, 4.7 out of every 100 construction workers suffered an on-the-job injury serious enough to report. That adds up to 16,200 construction industry injuries in New York in 2007 alone. Also in New York during the same year, construction accidents claimed 51 lives.

Continue reading "New York Construction Worker Killed On Site" »

We all know that driving under the influence is a serious offense in New York. In December 2009, Governor Paterson signed a law that makes an extremely strong statement against drunk driving. The new law, while primarily protecting children from the dangers of drunk driving, also includes a provision that mandates all DWI offenders to install an ignition interlock device or IID in their vehicle. This is a device which will not allow a driver to start the vehicle without taking a breath test.

Leandra's Law basically makes it a felony to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs with a child passenger 15-years-old or younger. A person violating this new law could be charged with a Class E felony. He or she could also face up to four years in state prison, a license suspension for up to a year, and a fine of up to $5,000. The convicted DWI offender under Leandra's Law will also be required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle.

While this is good news to help curb drunk driving accidents, it remains to be seen whether these tough drunk driving laws actually prevent people from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Thousands are killed nationwide each year because of alcohol-related auto accidents. Getting behind the wheel while under the influence is not an "accident" - it is a choice, and a very bad one. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a NY drunk driving accident, please remember that you have rights. Call the experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorneys in New York at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP at 212-986-7353 for a free consultation. We have an excellent track record of holding drunk and negligent drivers accountable for their actions.

Federal officials have announced programs in New York and Connecticut to hone-in on drivers texting and talking on cell phones. According to The Boston Globe, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood believes that these programs will send a message to the communities that they will see distracted driving laws enforced. The programs, to be piloted in Syracuse, New York, and Hartford, Connecticut, are based on other successful efforts to encourage seatbelt use and curb drunk driving.

In New York, texting and driving is a "secondary offense," meaning that you cannot be stopped just for committing that one violation. A texting while driving citation must be attached to another offense such as speeding or running a red light. Governor David Paterson has now introduced a bill that would make texting and driving a primary offense.

According to national statistics, distracted driving is responsible of 20 percent of auto accidents. There were 6,000 fatalities and 515,000 injuries in 2008 as a result of auto accidents in which distracted driving was a factor. According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, 1.6 million tickets were issued between December 2001 and December 2008 for handheld cell phone use while driving.

Continue reading "New Federal Program in New York Cracks Down on Distracted Driving" »

The Huffington Post reports that a construction crane collapsed in New York and hit a 25-story building on Maiden Lane near Wall Street. When the crane crashed into the 23rd floor, debris scattered. Fortunately in this incident, there were no reported injuries. Crane accidents at New York construction sites are a common occurrence and very often, workers, residents and even pedestrians may be seriously injured or even killed as a result.

The most common causes of crane accidents in NY range from lack of training of the crane operators to crane instability. Defective cranes and improper equipment maintenance can also lead to fatal or potentially serious crane accidents.

Construction workers put their well-being at risk every day on the job. New York law has many safety regulations and standards in place to help protect construction workers from being injured in wide range of accidents. If you work on construction sites, you should know that New York law prevents workers from suing their employers. Injured workers can, however, pursue compensation from architects, contractors, equipment manufacturers and property owners, in addition receiving workers’ compensation benefits from their employer.

If you have been injured in a New York crane accident, the New York crane accident injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro LLP can help. We deal with construction injuries, crane accidents and other personal injury cases. Call us at 212-986-7353 for a free consultation and comprehensive evaluation of your construction accident claim.