New York Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A New York State senator wants to pass a bill that would increase the percentage malpractice lawyers can receive for taking on medical malpractice lawsuits. Currently, lawyers can earn up to 30% of the first $250,000, 25% on the next $250,000 and 10% on settlements totaling more than $1.25 million. The state of New York is trying to place a cap of $250,000 on malpractice settlements, points out a New York Injury Lawyer. The senator, also a malpractice lawyer, said he opposes any type of cap.

Many states are trying to place limits on the amount of money those filing malpractice lawsuits can claim to reduce medical insurance costs and protect those in the medical community. High amounts sought in medical malpractice cases have driven some medical personnel to stop practicing or open a practice in a state with caps already in place. Capping the amount of those filing malpractice lawsuits may or may not stop the increase of medical insurance costs for medical personnel and patients.

The senator wants to increase the percentage lawyers can receive from a settlement to 33% by repealing an old law currently in use. While his efforts may or may not be successful, making changes to how much lawyers can charge for representing their clients and how much people can sue for medical malpractice will continue to be an ongoing debate.

Malpractice lawsuits cover a variety of items including medical error, database error, failure to alert patients as to the risks of certain procedures, botched procedures, lost wages, emotional stress and permanent injury which render patients unable to work and support themselves, explained a NY Personal Injury Lawyer. Placing a cap on malpractice lawsuits may prevent those who have been injured from receiving the monetary compensation they deserve. The state senate will continue to debate this issue and the issue of lawyer compensation until a final decision is reached. In the meantime, those who have lawsuits pending may be able to settle out-of-court for the full amount they are suing for or some other amount that seems reasonable for all parties involved.

Continue reading " New York State Senator Wants to Increase Malpractice Lawyer Compensation " »

A young girl suffered a variety of injuries after a car crash caused by her mother who may have been driving while intoxicated. The mother sustained minor injuries. The accident occurred on a Wednesday around 6:30pm on a California state highway. Police on the scene asked the mother to submit to a breathalyzer test, but she refused, instead opting for a blood test. A New York Injury Lawyer points out that those suspected of driving while intoxicated are given a choice between a breathalyzer and blood test in the state of California. The test results should provide additional information about this case.
If found guilty of driving while intoxicated, the mother may face a host of charges including driving under the influence and child endangerment. Even though the mother insists both she and the girl were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident, the police department will neither confirm nor deny her claim. Further investigation into this accident is needed before any charges are filed. The mother has since been arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. No other vehicles were involved.

The girl, who is in serious condition, was taken to a nearby children's hospital. It is unclear how long she will have to stay in the hospital. If the mother is found negligent, the girl may have to live with relatives or be placed in foster care on a temporary or permanent basis, claims a Nassau County Injury Lawyer. Future court hearings may be necessary to determine the best place for the girl. Depending on the severity of her injuries, the girl may need additional care after leaving the hospital.

Currently, the mother is in jail awaiting a court date to determine if charges will be filed. Bail has been set at $55,000. This situation is not usual for someone who may be charged with driving under the influence and child endangerment. Keeping the mother in jail prevents her from operating a vehicle while intoxicated for the time being. It is unclear if the girl will have to testify as to her mother's behavior the night of the accident.

If you have suffered injuries due to an accident including a head injury, broken bone, or back injury, it is important to you contact Stephen Bilkis and Associates for guidance. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries including reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of income.

Continue reading " Mother Arrested for Child Endangerment Following a Car Crash " »

The driver of the bus that flipped over in the Bronx, last Saturday was interviewed by federal investigators Tuesday, a New York Injury Lawyer was told. It was the first chance that officials had since the crash that left 15 of its passengers dead and 17 others injured.

Federal investigators made use of the 3-hour interview with the bus driver, and were very anxious to learn just how much rest the driver had before the trip to Connecticut, as well as the six-hours that he was there as he waited on his passengers to gamble. They want to know just how much of a role, if any, that fatigue played in contributing to the accident. Investigators have been hearing reports from witnesses and survivors since the accident of the bus having drifted off the traveled portion of the roadway onto the shoulder multiple times.

The bus driver has been including in his statements since the auto accident that a passing tractor-trailer had clipped the bus, which caused him to lose control of the bus thereby causing the crash. Investigators have had the opportunity to investigate both the trailer of the truck and have interviewed the truck driver. The truck driver is being treated as a witness and not as a suspect.

New Jersey investigators are trying to determine the cause of another fatal bus crash that occurred on the New Jersey turnpike on Monday night. This crash killed the bus driver and one passenger. The bus driver that was thrown through the windshield was not wearing a seat belt.

Many of the bus’ passengers were obviously frightened, and the thoughts of the Bronx bus crash was in their minds, while there were a few who thought the buses tires had blown as the cause of the crash, according to a Bronx Personal Injury Lawyer.

The company that owns the bus involved in this crash has a history of issues regarding the safety of its buses and the driver’s qualifications.Calls to the bus company for comment were not immediately returned.

Have you been involved in an accident regardless of who was at fault? If you answered yes, contact Stephen Bilkis and Associates who can help you on your road to recovery and ensure that your rights remain intact and you receive the best settlement afforded under the law. We have office locations throughout New York City, including locations in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. We also have offices in Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island, as well as Westchester County. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.

A multi vehicle car accident is not said to have been caused by gunfire that had preceded the accident, claim early reports.

A Chicago bus was sent crashing into a utility pole that left 11 people injured. The accident occurred Tuesday morning shortly before 10 am.

No one was shot, says a New York Injury Lawyer. The gunshots were fired on the south side of Chicago, according to local police. Two people have been sent to the hospital and are said to be in serious and critical condition at this time. The injuries are mostly said to have been caused by shattered glass, according to the local authorities.

The incident began when a car careened into a city bus, which then proceeded to run into a pole. Authorities haven’t made claimed anything for certainty, but it is widely believed that the shooting either caused the crash or possibly was aimed at one of the cars involved in the accident.

Chicago detectives are actively searching for and viewing any and all surveillance footage in the area to see if they can pinpoint the exact cause. It may never be known, but police are not going down without a fight.

Some of the available witnesses reported seeing some gunmen leave their vehicles and immediately start firing and their target appeared to be the first vehicle, although none said so with absolute certainty.

A couple of the witnesses said the perps were young and stepped out of the car and immediately began firing what they believed were Uzi’s or AK-47’s, shooting up the whole block without concern. Police and investigators would not, and could not confirm if this was in fact the case.

So far eleven people have been taken to hospitals, including the two in serious condition, say representatives from the Chicago Fire Department. There were three people who refused to be treated at the accident site.

According to an NYC Personal Injury Lawyer, no arrests have been made in this case.

If you have suffered injury due to the carelessness or negligence of another, it is important to speak with a lawyer promptly to ensure that your rights are protected. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries including reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of income. But it is important to act quickly to ensure that your rights are protected.

Continue reading " Gunfire Cause of Chicago Bus Accident " »

A Massachusetts state trooper was struck by a vehicle at approximately 4:50 a.m. Sunday morning during a traffic stop on I-93, a New York Injury Lawyer has learned. The trooper was injured when a driver slammed into the trooper’s parked vehicle, which then slid into the trooper. The 40-year old man taken into custody and charged with “operating under the influence, operating to endanger, failure to move over for an emergency vehicle and a marked lanes violation,” according to a police spokesman.

Within minutes, emergency medical personnel arrived on the scene to assist the injured trooper. Once he had been stabilized, he was then taken to Boston Medical Center. He suffered from leg injuries which may have included a broken bone and was listed in stable condition.

This is not the first crash that has left a State Trooper injured due to a traffic accident. As recently as this past Wednesday, a 54-year old trooper was seriously injured by a vehicle that had crossed the median and struck his police cruiser head on. It is unknown at this time what charges were filed in that incident, or as to the condition of the officer.

State Police have further commented that this makes at least the 12th serious crash that has occurred in the last 15 months. In each of these, a trooper received injuries because of erratic driving, speeding, or suspected impaired driving.

According to a Westchester County Personal Injury Lawyer, many states, including Massachusetts, have enacted laws that are designed to protect police, firefighters, paramedics, tow truck drivers, and all roadside emergency and maintenance professionals that as part of their job function are required to work along the sides of the roads and highways. These laws are often called “Move Over Laws.” The Massachusetts move over law was enacted on March 22, 2009. Of course, laws can mean very little to those drivers who have chosen to ignore or blatantly violate them. Just one case in point, those drivers on the highways who choose to drink and drive are likely to place everyone in danger, and lack the cognizance to recognize the situation and move over. These drivers are some of the greatest risks to everyone.

If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, it is important to ensure that your rights are protected. Speak to qualified legal counsel for advice. You may be entitled to receive just compensation for your injuries, which can include reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of income.

Continue reading " Alleged Drunk Driver Injures State Trooper " »

A local championship golfer was granted $15,000 in damages, indicated reports form a New York City Injury Lawyer. The woman was said to have suffered discrimination at a golf course owned by the town.

The woman was actually wanting $500,000, to close the case, but she settled for the smaller amount.

The sum will be paid by the local town. The city will also pay a portion of the legal fees as well as their own. The town apparently spent a good deal of money defending itself in this case, although the town’s insurer is expected to cover the costs.

The town apparently tried to negotiate with the woman over and over before it became a federal case and the woman would not settle. She claimed to be entitled to more money and would not settle until she got it. In the end she settled anyway.

The woman claims that the town discriminated against her when she was not allowed to play alongside her father in a men’s tournament at a golf course that is owned by the town. The woman actually lives in nearby but owns property in the town and plays with her single digit handicap there.

Public golf courses in Massachusetts are not required to have mixed gender tournaments according to the District Court. The woman’s lawsuit was not the first of it’s kind however. According to a New York City Personal Injury Lawyer, the court had found in favor of women who said they were treated differently than men in play at private golf clubs as well as country clubs. A decision was made last year to expand the decision to publicly owned golf courses too.

The golf course denies that the woman was discriminated because of her gender and repeatedly tried to settle the case, but the woman would not allow it. So the question went from whether she was actually discriminated against to how much the damages should be. The town originally offered much more than the $15,000 settlement.

Whehter you have been a victim of premises liability, or have been injured in a auto accident, or a motorcycle accident, it is important to consult with legal counsel right away. You could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. It is important not to delay however, the early you consult with qualified legal counsel, the better your chances for a postive outcome.

Contact Stephen Bilkis and Associates for guidance and a free consultation. We have offices located throughout New York City, such as locations in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. We also have locations in Suffolk County and Nassau County on Long Island, as well as Westchester County.

Continue reading " Woman in Golf Lawsuit Awarded Damages " »

Seven people were taken to the hospital after a truck overturned in Stellenbosch. Two of those people died as a result of their injuries. The other five are in serious condition. It is unclear how the accident occurred, but local police officials are continuing to investigate. They will have to interview the survivors and witnesses at the scene to get a better idea of how this tragedy happened, claims a New York Injury Lawyer. Few details are available at present.

Injuries from this accident range from broken bones to lacerations. Some of the injured have suffered fractures and broken legs while the driver has a serious head injury. When the injured will be released is unknown at this time. They may need out-patient care until their injuries heal. The two people that died were local workers who may have been working for the company that owns the truck that overturned.

A Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyer states that without more evidence, it will be impossible to determine the cause of the accident. No other vehicles were involved. Local police officials will have to inspect the scene of the accident, the truck and ask many questions of those who witnessed the events leading up to the accident. It is never easy to piece together an accident scene when little evidence remains. Mechanical failure, human error or carelessness on the part of the driver may have caused the deaths of two people.

The accident occurred on a Monday afternoon around 3pm. It is unknown if this time is a busy time on local roadways. It so, then it was luck that prevented other people from being involved in this accident. It is unclear why the truck was traveling on this road at this time. The truck may have been transporting workers, materials or both to local worksites or it may have been on its way to pick-up materials. Further investigation into the reasons why the truck was in the location is important. The company that owns the truck should be able to provide these important details.

If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to speak with legal counsel as soon as possible. You may be entitled to just compensation for your injuries, which can include reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of income. It is important to act promptly however, as there are strict filing deadlines with these types of cases.

Continue reading " Seven people were taken to the hospital after a truck overturned " »

A family involved in a fatal car crash is survived by the father who was injured after a pick-up truck hit their car. The man's wife and two young children were killed instantly after their car was cut in half by another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle was also killed, states an New York Injury Lawyer.

The father was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for his injuries. The extent of those injuries is unknown at this time. The father should be released soon and now has to plan a funeral for his family. The children, ages five and two, were killed instantly and did not suffer. They were pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical personnel. The wife was also pronounced dead at the scene as was the driver of the other vehicle.

It is unclear how this car accident occurred, but speed may have been a factor. The driver of the truck may not have seen the car or was trying to pass it which caused the accident. Further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause of the accident. The man in the truck may have suffered a medical emergency such as a stroke or heart attack at the time which caused him to lose control of his vehicle. A medical examiner's report should provide law enforcement with important details as to the man's medical condition at the time. This report will also reveal if the man was under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances.

A Nassau County Personal Injury Lawyer points out that regardless of how the accident was caused; a father must now lay his family to rest. This must be a very difficult time for the family. Funeral arrangements are unknown at this time. The area where the accident occurred is small so everyone in the community is mourning for the loss of a young family. The 5-year old boy attended a local elementary school and many in the community were fond of him. It is unknown at this time where the funerals will be held for the family or the driver of the truck.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it is important to speak to legal counsel right away. You could deserve compensation for your injuries, that can include reimbursement for lost income, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Act promptly however, as there are strict filing deadlines on these types of cases. If you miss these deadlines, you could lose your right to file an action.

Continue reading " A family involved in a fatal car crash is survived by the father " »

New York Fire Fighters were able to rescue those trapped in an apartment fire in Brooklyn and prevent any fatalities. While eight residents and nine fire fighters are in the hospital for injuries, all of the residents were able to get out safely. The fire was first reported around 5am, states a New York Injury Lawyer and was put out around 7:30am. Fire fighters worked tirelessly to help residents out of the building and put out the fire.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Further investigation by arson investigators will be necessary to determine the cause or causes. The building was a four-story apartment building with many residents. Since the stairwells were blocked by the fire, getting people out required the fire department to use ladders, trucks with buckets attached and other equipment. As residents were evacuated, the fire was contained. The deputy fire chief congratulated the fire fighters for their ability to work quickly as a team in saving people trapped inside the building.

A NYC Injury Lawyer claims that 31 people in total were injured in the fire. While only 17 were sent to the hospital, many people suffered from burns and other minor injuries. Local emergency medical services were called out to tend to the injured people. It is unknown at this time the exact injuries of those who had to be hospitalized. In a fire like this one, severe burns, damage to the lungs and other types of wounds are typical.

Learning more about the cause of the fire is now a concern. If the fire was set intentionally, the person or persons must be caught to prevent another fire. Those who start fires usually continue to do so until they are caught. If the fire was an accident, arson investigators should be able to pinpoint from which apartment the fire started. The fire may have also started in the basement or electrical room in the apartment building. There are many unanswered questions at this time as to the actual cause of the fire. The residents will have to relocate in the meantime until the building is rebuilt

If you are a burn victim that has been injured because of the carelessness of another, or have suffered an injury because of an accident or negligence, it is important to speak to skilled legal counsel as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries including reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering and loss of income.

Continue reading " New York Fire Fighters Put Out Apartment Building Fire and Save Lives " »

Two children were injured in a car accident and taken to separate hospitals where they are recovering from critical injuries. One child was not breathing and was unconscious when emergency medical personnel arrived and had to be transported to the hospital in a helicopter. The other child was also unconscious, but able to breathe without assistance, reported a New York Injury Lawyer. The parents of the children were also in the vehicle, but only suffered minor injuries. Both children were securely fastened in child seats at the time.

The driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident, a local church deacon, died at a local hospital from injuries he sustained after the car accident. It is unclear how the accident occurred, but the deacon ran off the road and hit the other vehicle while it was sitting at a stoplight. The deacon hit a utility pole which propelled his vehicle into the air. It then crashed into the other vehicle.

Further investigation is needed into the exact cause of this accident. Mechanical failure, driver error or medical emergency are potential causes, points out a NY Personal Injury Lawyer. A medical examiner's report should shed some light on the medical condition of the deacon at the time. He may have suffered a heart attack or stroke which could have caused him to lose control of his vehicle.

The deacon was a friendly, popular man in his church. Many in the parish are now mourning his sudden death. It is unknown when funeral arrangements have been made or where the funeral will be held. In the meantime, the community continues to mourn the loss of one of their leaders and hopes the children involved in the accident will recover soon.

Depending on the extent of their injuries, the children may have to spend time in the hospital and then participate in out-patient care. It may take many months before the children heal from their injuries. The damage to the vehicle the children were traveling in is unknown at this time. It is also unclear how badly injured the parents where after the accident.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident due to the carelessness or negligence of another, contact legal counsel right away. You could be entitled to just compensation for your injuries including reimbursement for hospital expenses, lost income from work, as well as pain and suffering. It is important to act promptly to ensure that your rights are protected at all stages of your legal proceedings.

Continue reading " Two children were injured in a car accident " »

A recent study of orthopedic surgeons suggests that many order unnecessary MRI's, bone scans, x-rays and other tests to protect themselves in the event of a lawsuit. The study, which was conducted on a volunteer basis, compiled anonymous responses from members of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society. A New York Injury Lawyer states that these responses demonstrate an overwhelming number of surgeons order tests on patients that are not essential to their care. These tests are expensive and increase the cost of health care for patients and health care centers each year.

The study claims that surgeons with at least 15 years of experience or those who have been sued in the past five years are most likely to order unnecessary tests. If sued, surgeons can better defend themselves by producing these test results, especially if sued for medical malpractice This is the first study published that relied mostly on responses submitted anonymously. Other studies have compiled outside data such as percentage of lawsuits, number of tests ordered per year and the concentration of surgeons in one area.

This information is valuable not only to surgeons and hospitals, but also to insurance companies and patients. Before agreeing to a test, patients may need to be more diligent in asking their physician why the test is necessary in the first place, a Nassau County Personal Injury Lawyer advises. As healthcare costs continue to rise, many insurance companies may be reluctant to pay for certain tests. This cost may fall on the patient's shoulders instead.

It is unclear if further studies relying on anonymous replies from surgeons in other medical societies will be conducted. While it is worth investigating how many surgeons use these tests to defend themselves from lawsuits, many still use these tests to help treat patients. Questioning why tests are conducted may limit patient care. And while some cite the rising costs of malpractice lawsuits as the reason for the rise in healthcare costs, others agree the quality care comes at a price. Further studies may need to be conducted to determine if surgeons from different regions order unnecessary tests and if this varies from region to region.

If you have been a victim of medical malpractice, or have been injured in an accident, it is important to speak with legal counsel promptly. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, including reimbursement for medical expenses, loss of income, as well as pain and suffering. It is important to not delay, because there are strict time deadlines for filing certain types of claims. If these deadlines are missed, you will permanently lose your right to file your case.

Continue reading " Surgeons May Order Unnecessary Tests and Scans to Protect Themselves if Sued Later on " »

A helicopter carrying a large air conditioning unit crashed into another building injuring the pilot, but not causing any fatalities. The aircraft was carrying the unit to a nearby office building, states a New York Injury Lawyer. When the helicopter crashed it caught fire. The first and second floors of the building were badly damaged due to the fire. Fire fighters were able to get to the scene quickly to put the fire out. No one was on those floors at the time.

The pilot was injured and taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated. The helicopter was not salvable and burned in the fire. The accident happened about one mile from the Los Angeles Airport, in the town of El Segundo, California. The accident occurred on a Sunday morning. It is unclear the extent of the pilots injuries or if he will require additional out-patient care after being released from the hospital.

Fire fighters quickly rescued the pilot from the cockpit before the fire reached him. According to the fire chief, it took about 30 minutes to put the fire out. The pilot's injuries would have been much worse if he had not been pulled from the helicopter at that time. No one else in the building or on the ground was injured.

It is unclear if pilot error caused the helicopter to crash or if it was a mechanical error or carrying if too much weight was the cause. Since the helicopter was destroyed in the fire, it may be impossible to know the actual cause of the crash. According to a Queens Personal Injury Lawyer, further investigation will be necessary to determine the cause or causes of the crash.

It is unknown if the air conditioning unit was salvageable after the fire was put out. Depending on the severity of the fire, the unit may have been destroyed along with the helicopter. It is uncertain whether a new air conditioning unit will be flown over to the same location. Fortunately, fire fighters arrived on the scene in a timely manner to put out the fire and prevent any additional injuries.

This pilot was lucky. Whether a helicopter crash, or an airplane crash, these types of accidents can cause serious injury and often death. They often pose unique and complicated legal challenges. Discovering the chain of events that caused the crash is often difficult, particularly when the plane has been destroyed in the accident. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident that has resulted in serious injury, seek legal guidance right away. You could be entitled to compensation for your injuries, including reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of income.

Continue reading " Helicopter Crashes into Building While Airlifting Air Conditioning Unit " »

Two practicing attorneys with a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania law firm have decided to leave and join a competing firm after a bar brawl in a local pub. Both attorneys deny their reasons for leaving had anything to do with the fight, claims a New York Injury Lawyer. The attorneys simply felt that after years of service moving to a new firm was the right decision for their careers. The new law firm is happy to take them in and is thrilled about the additional business.

The bar brawl started one night when one of the attorneys went to visit co-workers after work. Another lawyer from the same law firm stood up and punched the attorney in the face. The attorney fell into a nearby table causing the table to break. As stated by a NY Personal Injury Lawyer, the attorney got up and left the bar after being slapped in the face twice. He filed a complaint against the lawyer after the assault. He claims he will be dropping the complaint out of respect for the law firm partners.

The two attorneys resigned after the bar brawl to form their own law firm. After speaking with another established law firm in the Philadelphia area, the attorneys decided to merge their fledgling law firm with the larger firm. This arrangement will take at least a year to become official. In the meantime, both firms will share the same offices and clients. While this may seem unusual, law firms are always losing and acquiring new talent. Since the two attorneys are known in the area for winning a majority of their cases, any law firm would be happy to have them on board.

It is unclear at this time if the two attorneys will commit fully to becoming a part of the established law firm as they continue to describe the situation as an "engagement period before marriage." The partners at the law firm the two attorneys recently resigned from claim to harbor no hard feelings and wish their former co-workers the best of luck as they pursue new business opportunities with the competing law firm.

If you have been injured, whether because of a motorcycle accident, a slip and fall, or an accident at work, it is important to take prompt action and speak with legal counsel. There are strict filing deadlines with injury cases, which are called the statute of limitations. If you delay and miss these important deadlines, you will permanently lose your right to file a claim.

Continue reading " Two Attorneys Start a Law Firm after Bar Brawl " »

An 81-year old man was killed in a car accident with another vehicle. The man swerved into on-coming traffic and hit another vehicle. It is unclear at this time why the man moved into the wrong lane. Further investigation will be needed to determine if the man had suffered a medical emergency or was not paying attention to the road while driving.

The passengers in the other vehicle were taken to the hospital, but did not suffer any serious injuries. While the driver of the vehicle had been drinking before driving, alcohol did not play any role in the accident. It is unknown the extent of the injuries the driver and passenger have suffered or why they will be released from the hospital.

The vehicles were traveling in opposite directions at the time of the accident. A Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyer points out that bad weather or slick road conditions were not factors. The extent of damage to both vehicles is unknown. Police officials may have to examine the vehicles to determine the exact cause of the accident. So far, no charges have been filed against the deceased or the driver of the vehicle. In some cases when accidents like this occur no one is held responsible.

Police officials will have to examine several factors such as the man's age, his ability to drive, road conditions the night of the accident and whether the man was taking any medication which could have caused disorientation or drowsiness. So far, investigators have shared little information with the media. It will be after an extensive investigation will police make any comments that could provide additional details about the accident to the public, claims a New York Injury Lawyer.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident. It is unknown when the funeral for the man will be held. He was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital. The injuries to those in the other vehicle were not life threatening, but may require additional out-patient care such as physical therapy depending on the types of injuries suffered and the length of time it will take to heal.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to the negligence of another party, it is important to take prompt action and speak to legal counsel. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries that can include reimbursement for medical expenses and lost income from work. There are strict time deadlines involved however, which is called the statute of limitations. Failure to meet these filing deadlines can effect your right to file a claim, so dont delay.

Continue reading " Elderly Man Killed During Head-On Collision " »

A public school bus driver and one student were injured when the bus collided with a car on a highway in North Carolina. The driver of the vehicle and three passengers were killed as a result of the auto accident. Apparently, the driver of the car was trying to pass the school bus at the time of the collision. Further investigation is needed to provide additional details. This is a tragic accident as the passengers in the car were a family.

The accident happened around 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon. The bus driver and student were taken to a local hospital for minor injuries. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. The bus driver, a 61-year old woman and the student are expected to be released soon. A New York Injury Lawyer points out that even though the bus driver and student only suffered minor injuries, they may need out-patient care and counseling to deal with the stress of being involved in a fatal accident. Local school districts have created counseling teams to help other students and those living in surrounding areas cope with the tragedy.

It is unknown where the driver of the vehicle and his family were going at the time of the accident. The driver attempted to pass the bus by moving into the center lane. The vehicle hit the bus at a fast speed which caused major damage to the vehicle and to the bus. While police believe excessive speed may have been the cause of the accident, police are still investigating to determine if poor road conditions, medical emergency or mechanical error may have contributed.

It is unknown if funeral arrangements have been made for the family or where the funerals will be held. The extent of damage to the vehicle and the bus is also unknown at this time. Police officials may have to examine the vehicle and the bus to determine the exact cause of the accident. In the meantime, the community mourns the loss of a family that has passed under tragic circumstances.

Continue reading " North Carolina Family of Four Dies in Collision with School Bus " »

A European football player was involved in a car accident when his vehicle was struck by a local bus. The bus, carrying about 40 passengers hit the player's vehicle around 8am. The player was on his way to train when the accident happened. Two teammates were driving in another vehicle behind the player and were able to get him out of the vehicle before medical personnel arrived on the scene. The teammates were able to safely remove the player without causing additional injury.

The player was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and remained overnight for observation. An MRI was given to determine if the player suffered a concussion or other internal injury such as head trauma or neck strain. The player was also checked for shoulder injury. The hospital has since stated that the player is in stable condition.

It is unclear at this time which driver caused the accident. No injuries were reported by those on the bus. The bus, a local public transportation bus, was making its usual stops when the accident occurred. It is unknown how much experience the bus driver had or if the bus experienced mechanical problems at the time of the accident. Further investigation into the accident will be needed to determine the exact cause. No charges have been filed so far, points out a New York Injury Lawyer, but may be pending if the player or the driver is found negligent.

The player has had an exciting career so far. It is unknown when the player will be allowed to return to the field. Depending on the extent of his injuries, he may need physical therapy and time to heal before returning to the game. In the meantime, the player is recovering without incident. The damage to the player's vehicle and the bus is also unknown at this time. Police may have to examine the vehicle and bus for evidence.

Continue reading " Football Player Injured After Collision with Bus " »

Several National Guard troops helped rescue two people trapped in a car after an accident. The car had caught on fire, but the troops were able to safely pull the people out before they suffered major injuries. The troops were also able to start emergency medical procedures before medical personnel arrived. The troops probably saved those people's lives, points out a New York Personal Injury Lawyer. The people involved in the accident were taken to the hospital and treated for their injuries.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident. The car was traveling alone on the highway when it flipped over. Two people inside were trapped, but not seriously injured. One of the National Guard troops had a combat lifesaver bag in his vehicle which he used to provide treatment to the car accident victims. The troops were on their way to a local air force base when they came upon the vehicle. It is unknown at this time what caused the accident. Both the driver and the passenger will probably be interviewed once they are well enough to do so.

The accident occurred in the morning hours. The roads were not slick and bad weather was not a factor. It is unknown if alcohol or illegal substances played a part in the accident. The driver of the vehicle will be issued a ticket and may face other charges as evidence is collected. Further investigation by local law enforcement officials is needed to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Luckily, the National Guard troops arrived on the scene to save the trapped passengers in the vehicle, The injuries the driver and passenger could have been much worse. The condition of the vehicle is unknown. It took clean-up crews several hours to remove the vehicle and leftover debris. The highway was then reopened to other motorists.

The driver and passenger of the vehicle were on their way to the airport at the time of the crash. The highway is a popular route for those going to and from the airport to use.

Continue reading " National Guard Troops Help Victims of Car Crash " »

A convicted sex offender accused of kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old girl, then holding her captive for 18 long years was expected to plead guilty. Instead, due to allegations from the kidnapper’s lawyer that the jury was improperly selected and acted in an inappropriate manner, the kidnapper entered not guilty pleas to charges of kidnapping, rape, and other charges, according to a New York Personal Injury Lawyer.

The kidnapper’s public defender claimed there were problems with the jury during a brief hearing where the kidnapper and his wife made their pleas. The public defender did state she had questions about the racial and geographical makeup of the jury that first indicted the couple for kidnapping and imprisoning the young girl, who is now 30 years old.

According to a Superior Court judge, the defense had raised “issues about the process itself before the grand jury” and whether the panel “acted appropriately during the proceeding.” He told the public defender that she had to submit her statement writing, and also told her he would seal the motion once it was submitted.

According to a New York City Personal Injury Lawyer, the lawyer for the kidnapper’s wife had stated earlier that the 60-year-old accused kidnapper intended to plead guilty, and that he had agreed to spend the rest of his life in prison. The public defender was not pleased with the other lawyer’s statements to the press.

“He shouldn’t have been speaking for [my client]. He should speak for his client”. The alleged kidnapper’s attorney explained that he only learned about the other attorney’s plans the day before the hearing. Neither one of them wished to comment further about just what problems they found in the grand jury.

The district attorney of the area said he was not bothered by the challenged to the grand jury. He expected everything to proceed as it had been.

“My responsibility is to see that these two are held accountable for the enormity of their actions,” he said to a Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyer. “We are determined to do that.”

If you have been hurt by another, it is important to act promptly and get legal advice as soon as possible. In many instances there are strict time deadlines within which you are able to file a claim. Be sure to contact legal counsel as soon as possible.

Continue reading " Unexpected Developments in Kidnapping Case " »

A tradition of San Antonio, Texas, is Fiesta, in which there is much consuming of alcoholic beverages. One Texas mother pleads for a bit of responsibility from revelers, however, requesting they think about what they’re going to do after drinking. Her daughter was killed by a drunk driver and she is very intent on seeing it does not happen to anyone else.

It might seem like plain common sense to make plans of what to do after drinking, like how to get home or where to sleep it off, but very few people actually ever do so.

In the San Antonio area, there were 5,769 arrests for drunk driving in 2010, which included 2,870 wrecks, and 55 deaths.

Due to Fiesta, April is a high point of drunk driving related deaths. It is difficult to create a direct link to official Fiesta events and actual crashes, but April is a month that sees a significant increase in fatal crashes in the San Antonio vicinity.

Reporters told New York Injury Lawyers that 10 people were killed in drunken driving incidents in April of 2008 and 10 more in April of 2009. There was only one less death in April 2010.

The mother pleading for some responsibility lost her daughter to just such an accident. Her 19-year-old daughter, a rising rodeo star, was killed in an auto accident with a drunk driver. The woman driving the SUV that struck the 19-year-old woman’s vehicle was driving on the wrong side of the road.

The 19-year-old woman was killed instantly and three friends in her truck were critically injured. She was buried a week before her 20th birthday.

The mother of the victim has no harsh words for the woman who caused the accident, who was a mother herself, with three children. “The drunk driver was killed as well, so we never got to hear her side of the story,” she told a Staten Island Personal Injury Lawyer. “All we know is she had some issues in her life to deal with. She chose to deal with those issues with alcohol, and she chose to get behind the wheel.”

These types of accidents leave scars that will take a lifetime to heal, if ever. Remember that if you or a loved one has been injured in an accident because of the negligence of another, you are entitled to just compensation for your injuries including medical expenses, and lost income from work. Be sure however, to act promptly. The sooner you contact counsel after your accident, the better your chances for a positive outcome.

Continue reading " Mother of DUI Victim Pleads Her Case in San Antonio, Texas " »

A camp counselor shot himself after allegations of child molestation surfaced. The day after police began an investigation into claims that the counselor molested a boy in 1985, the counselor committed suicide. The boy, now 35-years-old, says he was encouraged to come forward by the revelation in a senator's biography that the senator was also molested as a boy.

The senator attended the same camp as the accused counselor, when he was a boy. He was abused at an unnamed summer camp. It is now known that the senator attended the camp in question and they wrote a letter of apology to the senator.

The sentor spokeswoman told a New York Injury Lawyer, “the senator is aware of the reported suicide at [the camp], but wants to emphasize he does not know the deceased and has never met him.”

The camp also had a statement. “The [camp] family is deeply saddened by the loss of our long time employee. Our heartfelt prayers are with [the counselor’s] family.”

The state police began their investigation when an attorney faxed them a letter detailing the abuse his client suffered as a child, sources revealed to a NYC Personal Injury Lawyer. The police responded quickly.

After the suicide, the attorney received two phone calls from other adult men who claimed they had also been abused by the counselor.

“There were red flags,” the attorney said. “The questions remain: What did the supervisors know? When did they know? And what did they do about it?”

A former camp employee explained that camp administrators had been informed the counselor had child pornography on his computer in the late 1990s, but they did nothing about it. He even contacted police in 2002 and told them, but nothing ever happened.

“I know of two children personally who said that (the counselor) abused them,” the former employee said. He did not say anything further about the matter.The attorney is even now looking into filing a civil suit against the camp and finding out what the supervisors knew. “Children need to be protected,” he said.

It is always important to remember that if you or a loved one has been injured, whether it be from a car accident, defective product, or from an accident that results in a wrongful death action, you deserve compensation for your injuries or loss. This compensation can include reimbursement for medical expenses, lost time from work, pain and suffering, and more. It is extremely important to seek the guidance of skilled legal counsel right away. There are strict time deadlines to file personal injury claims, so act promptly to ensure you receive the benefits you or your loved one deserves.

Contact Stephen Bilkis and Associates for advice and guidance. We have offices located throughout New York, including locations in Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn. We also have locations in Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island, and Westchester County.

Continue reading " Camp Counselor Commits Suicide After Being Target of Sex Probe " »

A man drove his vehicle into a parked car, knocking down a power pole, police in Texas explained.

The car accident happened before 2 a.m., early in April 2011. The 40-year-old driver ran into a another car, then spun around and collided with a power pole, knocking it into a tree. Texas utility officials reported that customers suffered a loss of power and a crew was quickly at work to repair the damage.

The driver of the was taken to the hospital. His injuries were deemed to be non life-threatening and his blood was drawn to check it for blood alcohol content. He may yet be charged with driving while intoxicated, according to a NY Personal Injury Lawyer. As of last word on the driver’s condition, he was still in the hospital, but this information came only a few hours after the accident.

The world can be a dangerous place and no one can know what’s going to happen next. Accidents can happen to anyone, but sometimes accidents that injure people could have been avoided. Instances of negligence, or recklessness, can cause immense damage or harm, resulting in loss of property, or even loss of money, or the ability to work. One simple accident can change the lives of those they affect. This is what makes a New York Personal Injury Lawyer so important in these situations.

Consider what happens when someone is out of work for even a relatively minor accident. Those are wages lost and time lost, not to mention pain and suffering that wasn’t necessary. Sometimes standard compensation just isn’t enough to support all those costs. Sometimes, for whatever reason, there is no standard compensation. Hospital bills can mount up, or maybe the victim is unable to work in the same way as before the accident. Families still need to be cared for, regardless of all this. Financial compensation is an absolute necessity, which might very well mean going to court to get that compensation. The voice you have representing you legally may make all the difference in the outcome of that trial.

If you have been injured, it is important to take prompt action and contact skilled legal counsel right away. While these accidents leave emotional and physical scars that can a lifetime to heal, you can receive just compensation for your injuries. There are stringent time deadlines on personal injury claims, known as the statute of limitations. If these deadlines are missed, you can lose your right to file a claim permanently.

Continue reading " Alleged Drunk Driver Collides with Pole in Corpus Christi, Texas " »

A unconscious woman, naked and beaten, was discovered in an undeveloped Miami cul-de-sac in Miami, in February 2005. Investigators, are still confused by the turns this case has taken.“She was dumped out and left for dead,” a Miami-Dade police detective said.

The victim was without identification, and even after canvassing houses near the site, the police were unable to turn up any new information. It was a day before the victim regained consciousness, but she had difficulty remember what happened, due to the savage beating she had received. While the extent of her injuries were unclear, the types of assaults can result in a broken bone, spinal injury or brain injury.

At the time, she couldn’t speak, but she was able to write enough to identify herself as a Ukrainian woman who worked for a cruise line. She also wrote down her attorney’s name and phone number, which the detective found “very unusual”, as told to a New York Injury Lawyer.
“Maybe they thought it was unusual that someone would ask for an attorney, but this woman had a horrific assault and probably was reaching for anything that she could,” an attorney explained.

The victim had been injured in the ship where she worked and had filed a suit against the cruise line. “I didn’t know nobody,” she said. “I was alone up here. So the only one person who I knew, that was my attorney.”

While she was recovering, the cruise line paid for her hotel, which was 10 miles from where she would be found.

“We have 16 cameras covering the whole perimeter of the hotel,” the hotel vice president told a Westchester County Personal Injury Lawyer. “Those cameras have a motion sensor detector. We have two security guards at night on duty. So we can see anything that happens.”

The police detective used the security DVDs to assist his investigation. The victim was seen walking to the lobby elevators at 3:41 am after buying a phone card to call her mother in Ukraine, and was not recorded again. Somehow she ended up 10 miles away, naked and beaten, where she was discovered five hours later.

“She has no clue what happened to her,” the police detective told Long Island Personal Injury Lawyer..

As mysterious as this case in, this women got off relatively lucky. These types of cases can result in emotional and physical scars that can last a lifetime. Injuries can run the gambit, from a back injury, to a skull fracture and even death in some instances. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a terrible accident, be sure to contact legal counsel for assistance as soon as possible. The sooner a qualified lawyer is on the case, the better. The injured party deserves just compensation for their injuries. Just compensation can include reimbursement for medical expenses, lost time from work, pain and suffering and more. Contact the skilled team at Stephen Bilkis and Associates to ensure that you case received the attention it deserves, and that your rights are protected throughout the legal process.

Continue reading " Mystery of Woman Left for Dead Remains Unsolved in Miami " »

According to a New York Personal Injury Lawyer, an accident on Interstate 30 in Fort Worth resulted in a fireball that killed a father. The suspect is now imprisoned and the highway is seriously damaged.

“Well, I’m really sorry,” said the 23-year-old suspect. The police received calls around 2:30 a.m. about a driver traveling in the wrong direction on the highway.

Only a few minutes later, a terrible car accident occurred, where a 45-year-old fuel tanker truck driver was killed when the suspected drunk driver collided with his vehicle.

The suspect had only a few stitches above his eye and felt remorseful when told about the surviving family of the truck driver, his wife and three children.

“I know I committed an accident, a real bad accident,” he a Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyer. “I feel sorry for the family that lost that person.”

The suspect had only been in the Fort Worth area for a few months, after arriving from Washington State, intending to start his own restaurant. He ended up at a bar, and had about 10 beers. He doesn’t recall anyone telling him not to drive.

“I am very sorry. Really, really sorry. My mistake. Bad decision that I made,” he said. “I am really sorry. Really sorry.”

The suspect said he did not remember getting on the road in the wrong direction. He does not remember the crash or the explosion that killed the truck driver. He only remembers being wakened by a police officer in the hospital who told him he was going to jail for killing someone.
“I wish someone could help me,” the suspect told a Bronx Car Accident Lawyer.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is investigating the bar and bartender where the suspect was drinking. If it can be determined that the served him after he was allegedly intoxicated, the owner may go to jail and its liquor license could be revoked.

There are going to have to be extensive repairs to the road, damaged by the explosion. The Texas Department of Transportation says these repairs may take months. Steel beams have to be made and the surface of the road has to be replaced.

These types of incidents hurt so many. Not only the defendant, who can face serious legal consequences for their actions, but also the unsuspecting victims whose live are often cut short by these offenses. If you have been charged with a DWI or similar offense, it is important to seek legal counsel right away. Whether you are guilty or innocent, these charges can have a lasting impact on your life. If you are found guilty, you may be facing prison time, substantial fines, probation, community service and loss of your license. Even if you are innocent, these types of charges can create problems with your personal and professional life.

Continue reading " Wrong-Way Driver in Fort Worth Apologizes for Crash " »

One man’s quest to find an inexpensive cab service led him to open his own business, an affordable transportation service which now operates in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, and Naples.

The service started by this man, only 23 years of age, and another recent college graduate, a 24-year-old woman, has already expanded to nine states.

The 23-year-old man actually lives near Cleveland. He remembers paying $60 just to go downtown to have food and drinks with friends. At the time, he resented paying all that money, but it was worth it to avoid driving home after drinking. His experiences led to his designated driver business.

“The idea came from catering to those professionals who have something to lose,” the young man said. “You wouldn’t want to work hard toward becoming a lawyer, doctor, or teacher and blow it over a DWI.”

Ohio is the biggest money making state for the company, but the other states are also doing well, the founder revealed to a Long Island Personal Injury Lawyer.

“People have really liked their drivers and return customers understand how beneficial [our business] really is,” he said.

They offer other services as well, including transportation to the airport and transportation for the elderly. Their big business still comes from the “night out” package, which costs $15 an hour for a personal chauffeur. The drivers go to the home of the customer and drive them wherever they like, using the customers’ own cars.

Those who have been out and have been drinking can also call for two drivers to come and pick them up and take their car home for just $25 plus mileage.

The company avoids the usual taxi restrictions since the use the cars of the customers. “There are a lot of companies doing that now in South Florida,” a licensing manager told a New York Injury Lawyer. “If it just entails driving a customer around in their own car then there’s no need for a license from us.”

One Miami bartender explained, “I see all these ‘Don’t drink and drive’ commercials, but they never tell people there’s an alternative.”

Driving under the influence can cause serious consequences. If you are found guilty, you could be facing criminal penalties, as well as civil penalties for personal injury if someone is hurt. Civil suits can include claims for wrongful death, a back injury, a head injury and more.

Continue reading " Designated Driver Service Starts in South Florida " »

A July 4th parade stampede in Bellevue, Iowa, has prompted not just one lawsuit. A second one has been filed.

A couple from Illinois is suing the owner of a set of horses and a buggy, which ran wild during the annual parade. The runaway horses injured dozens of people, including the Illinois couple’s daughter. The wife of the buggy’s owner was killed.

The Illinois couple filed on behalf of their daughter, who as 6 when the accident occurred. They want fair compensation for her injuries, and payment for the costs of the lawsuit they are pursuing. The couple has also demanded trial by jury.

On the day of the accident, the father was quoted as saying, “A friend ran to pull her out of the way, but couldn’t get there in time. She was so excited to be here and catching candy.”

According to the suit, the buggy owner was negligent when operating the carriage and did not have proper control of his horses. His rigging was also unsafe, they told a New York City Injury Lawyer, nor did he have a plan if the horses ran amok. As for the city, the couple believes they are also at fault for not having a safe parade route, for their failure to protect pedestrians, for their own lack of an emergency plan, and for allowing these horses to even be in the parade.

The buggy owner’s wife was killed in the incident when she was thrown from the carriage. An NYC Personal Injury Lawyer has been unable to determine what caused the horses to behave in that manner in the first place.

The couple has stated their daughter “has and will in the future continue to suffer injuries and damages.”

An orthodontist has filed a suit very much like that of the Illinois couple. His own daughter, who was 4 at the time, suffered a serious head injury. None of the attorneys representing the parties in the suit were available to speak to anyone.

These types of incidents can lead to not only physical scars, but emotional ones as well. If you have been hurt because of the negligence of another, it is important to know that you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Compensation can include reimbursement for unpaid medical expenses, loss of income, emotional distress and more.

Continue reading " Stampede Suit Filed in Iowa " »

Mark Zuckerberg, head of Facebook, has won yet another battle against his former classmates at Harvard who believe he stole the idea of the now-famous social-networking site from them.

The plaintiffs, twins featured in the movie about the ongoing conflict, “The Social Network”, are required to accept the settlement in cash and stock from Facebook, valued at $65 million, a federal appeals court ruled.

According to the twins, the deal should now be worth $160 million because of Facebook’s monumental success. They told a Suffolk County Personal Injury Lawyer that the deal was unfair because Facebook was not completely forthcoming with information as they negotiated the settlement.

The twins are very good negotiators and have a team of excellent attorneys at their disposal, noted a federal appeals judge. They tried to get more money, but now it’s time for them to turn the page. The decision of the court was unanimous.

“[The twins] are not the first parties bested by a competitor who then seek to gain through litigation what they were unable to achieve in the marketplace,” the judge wrote in his statement. "At some point, litigation must come to an end,” the judge continued. “That point has now been reached.”

Despite that, sources explained that the twins are still reviewing the decision and are consulting with their lawyers. They have not decided what their next step, if any, will be.

Some cases are certainly of higher profile than others, but that doesn’t make them more important than any other. To the people involved in the suit, their particular case is the most important in the world and a New York Injury Lawyer recognizes this. They will do all within their power to make sure their clients not only have their rights upheld, but that they get the compensation due to them. Fame, power, and the amount of money are irrelevant. What truly matters is if the client is given the solid legal protection and guidance that only a qualified professional can provide.

Continue reading " Mark Zuckerberg Does It Again " »

California Highway Patrol has reported two people who were injured in a head-on car accident on Highway 46.

The accident occurred on a Saturday, around 11:15 p.m. Officers reported that a 49-year-old man from Fullerton, CA, was traveling west when he drifted into the eastbound lane. Police are fairly certain this was due to intoxication. Another driver, a 41-year-old man from Visalia, was traveling in the eastbound lane. When he saw the Fullerton driver drifting into the wrong lane, he pulled over to the side. The Fullerton man still hit the other vehicle on the side, and continued driving on, only to hit the vehicle of a 37-year-old Fresno woman head-on.

Both the allegedly intoxicated driver and the woman had to be extricated from their vehicle by emergency responders. The woman was taken to a hospital in Templeton, then air lifted to a hospital near her hometown of Fresno. The suspect was also taken to Templeton, then transferred to another hospital to receive surgery.

In the meantime, he was arrested for felony driving under the influence – the injuries the woman received raised the status of the crime from a misdemeanor. The second driver, the man from Visalia, was unharmed.

No one can possibly know when an accident will occur, changing lives forever. It is impossible to be truly prepared, no matter how good insurance might be, because there are always costs that are unforeseen – often emotional costs. While it is impossible to easily heal emotional suffering and trauma, there is still a need for justice, which means good legal representation is very important. There is no one better for that than a New York Personal Injury Lawyer.

Recovery could very well take more resources than insurance allows for, and even if it doesn’t, the one who caused the accident should be taken action against in such a way that ensures such an accident never occurs again. The accident could not have been prevented by the victim, but there are ways for a victim to help prevent future victims.

Continue reading " Two Seriously Injured in California in Suspected DWI " »

A Queens man who beat up a 4-foot-11 Bronx woman pleaded guilty even as the victim’s mother called him a coward, sources told New York Injury Lawyers. He is accused of beating the woman into a coma over a parking space in the East Village.

The 35-year-old Queens man had already apologized for the February 25 assault of the woman and even made a video-taped confession to the police, but he still pleaded not guilty.“So I punched her in the face and I saw her fall to the ground,” the Queens man said after his arrest. “I hit her because she hit me.”

The 25-year-old victim is still in the hospital, as if this writing. Her mother says she has emerged from her coma, however.

“It’s a huge miracle,” the mother expressed to Bronx Personal Injury Lawyers.

According to the mother, the victim has sustained a brain injury and has a long way to go to full recovery, if she ever gets there at all. Part of the victim’s skull already had to be removed to reduce swelling in her brain. She will carry a scar on the top of her head from ear to ear for the rest of her life.

“I don’t know if she will be able to work again, drive a car or walk without assistance,” the mother said.

The victim was unemployed, after a November layoff from her job as a social worker with an HIV-prevention organization.

The suspect explained that he was very sorry and that he hit the woman “out of reflex” when she swatted him for trying to back his car into a parking space she was trying to save for her boyfriend. He drove off when he saw the victim’s boyfriend coming at him from across the street. Apparently unbothered by the incident, the suspect attended a friend’s birthday party later that night.

“I find it so callous that he hit her and drove away like a coward,” the mother sadly recalled. “It’s absurd that this happened over a parking spot. It’s absurd that he hit a girl and that he went to a party after he watched her hit the ground.”

These types of incidents leave not only physical scars, but emotional ones as well. If you have been the victim of a personal injury incident, it is important that you ensure that your rights are protected though every stage of the legal process. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries which can include reimbursement for medical expenses, lost wages, and emotion distress.

Continue reading " Queens Man Pleads Not Guilty to Beating Up Petite Bronx Woman " »

Terrorists struck in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, setting off a bomb in an escalator packed with commuters. The blast killed 11 people and wounded 100.

The bomb exploded at the height of rush hour, at 6 p.m. as commuters were attempting to catch two trains in the busiest station of the city, which has a population of 1.8 million people.

Video captured by ordinary citizens, then posted online, showed passengers of the trains stumbling out of the Oktyabrskaya station, with smoke billowing out of the tunnels.

“I heard a muffled sound, like someone opening a champagne bottle, then the wave from the blast blew out the windows in the [train] carriage,” a witness reported.

One image shows a middle-aged woman with shopping bags all around her, propped up against a wall of the station. Her legs had been shattered by the blast. Her fellow commuters were attempting to tend to her until medical help arrived.

Part of the station was demolished by the explosion. A New York Injury Lawyer has learned the station is very close to the office of the president of Belarus.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the destruction, nor has there been any motive ascertained. Belarus’s neighbor, Russia, has a great many problems with jihad, but Belarus has never faced such enemies.

There is national tension in Belarus over the reelection of the current president to a fourth term. Many see the man as an autocrat and the most recent election sparked protests against what many feel was an unfair election.

When someone is hurt and unable to work, for however long that may be, it means loss of income. Compound that with medical bills, and it could mean financial disaster for any family. A Manhattan Personal Injury Lawyer will fight to prevent individuals and families from losing everything they have due to the actions or negligence of someone else, allowing clients to recover and take care of their families again.

Continue reading " Rush Hour Bomb Kills 11 in Belarus " »

Both members of a Maryland couple were charged with DWI, among other charges, after causing a three-car crash in Seaford, Delaware. The incident happened about 11:05 p.m. on U.S. 13, a state police spokesman told a New York Injury Lawyer.

The first driver, a 30-year-old man, was leading a second driver, a 31-year-old woman back to their home when the front car came to a sudden stop, which resulted in the 31-year-old woman slamming the rear of his car.

The impact pushed the front car into the rear of another car, driven by a 22-year-old woman. She was sent to a local hospital with with a possible back injury, then treated and released, the police spokesman reported.

After an investigation, it was determined that both the 31-year-old woman and the 30-year-old man had been driving under the influence of alcohol. Subsequently, they were charged with vehicular assault, driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving without a valid license.

The 30-year-old man was also charged with possession of more than alcohol – a small quantity of the drug MDMA, better known as Ecstacy, was found in his car, a Westchester County Personal Injury Lawyer discovered.

The 31-year-old woman was released upon posting $1,100 secured bail. Her partner, however, was sent to a correctional institution, since he did not pay his $1,600 in secured bail.

While others may classify injuries as major or minor, there are no minor injuries when they happen to you or a loved one. They take away precious time as you are treated and for many people time is money. And even minor injuries may cause lingering difficulties. The accident itself may cause mental or emotional trauma. Sometimes criminal law just isn’t enough or doesn’t have the means to handle such problems, which is where injury law comes into play.

Everyone deserves fair compensation when an accident occurs and someone else is at fault, because it’s impossible to tell what the consequences of such an event will be in the long term.

Continue reading " DWI Results in Three-Car Delaware Crash " »

A local ball park in Alabama was the stage for a grisly scene that was witnessed by more than seventy, including many young children. A woman ran over her husband’s ex-wife and daughter – not once, but three times.

According to police, the 43-year-old woman is charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of reckless endangerment. She is currently released on bond. A New York Injury Lawyer says that it is possible the woman will have additional civil charges brought against her.

Apparently, after a little league game, the two women got into an argument. The cause of their altercation is said to have been rooted in a child custody disagreement. According to a NYC Injury Lawyer, as the situation escalated, the current wife became violent and used the biggest weapon she could find – her car.

Authorities were called, and when the chief arrived at the city park in response to the emergency, he saw a large crowd forming around the attacker’s car. Supposing that the crowd was at the crime scene, he approached and after getting eye-witness reports, the chief ascertained that the accused woman did indeed use her vehicle as a violent means to end the argument. She, apparently, first ran over the daughter, pinning her against the car. She then backed up and ran over the mother. She backed up again and ran over her again. The woman attacked multiple times when after the first one, the victim was in no shape to retaliate.

According to reports from the victims’ family, the mother had to have surgery for a broken leg, a spinal injury, and a broken pelvis the next morning. Her recovery is sure to be a long process. Thankfully, the child suffered minor injuries to her leg but is otherwise physically fine.

Any psychological or mental trauma apparent in the child hit and the young witnesses is unknown at this time. Speculation will reveal that some children are probably in need of psychological help.

There has also been no word on the victim’s ex-husband. His location at the time of the incident has not yet been provided.

If you are involved in an altercation where injury results, it is important seek legal counsel to ensure that your rights are protected. Criminal cases often also contain a civil court component, where an injured party can seek damages for personal injury and be compensated for medical expenses, loss of income and emotional distress.

Continue reading " Ex-Wife Ran over by New Wife in Alabama " »

The worst oil spill in U.S. history was set off last year by the Deepwater Horizon disaster which claimed 11 men at sea. The tragedy exposed several weaknesses, including severely outdated limited liability laws that have protected the very players who should be claiming responsibility, according to a Brooklyn Personal Injury Lawyer.

Because the wrongful death of the 11 men occurred offshore, the corporations and its contractors were shielded by maritime laws of limited liability. According to these laws, the companies can only be sued for future wages, minus taxes and expected living expenses – not for pain and suffering and other damages commonly sued for in the case of fatal onshore activities.

Congress has been called upon to raise or completely lift the limit; it wasn’t long before Congressmen and women were being chastised for their inactivity in the affair. One champion of the victims’ families stated, “It hasn’t been changed in 20 years. It really shows you how inadequate it is. You’re in a situation where either taxpayers end up footing the bill, or injured parties do, which seems fundamentally unfair.”

The Oil Pollution Act caps the amount of damages a corporation has to pay out. Fortunately, under public pressure, some companies volunteer not to invoke those limits. This highlights the possible problem that is likely to arise again, stated a New York Personal Injury Lawyer. Another accident at sea will happen, but if the next affair is not highly publicized, the corporation at fault may then see it possible to maintain protection behind the liability limit. Without public opinion against them, companies will not feel it politically expedient to repair grievances to their full capacity; they will not make voluntarily larger settlements.

“It needs to be changed,” the father of one victim exclaims. “If all these companies can care about is money, then they need to keep in mind that when they put men at risk, that costs money too. If you can’t bring yourself to consider it for any other reason, think of it this way.”

Continue reading " One Year Later: Oil Companies Remain Shielded by Offshore Liability Limits " »

A 47-year-old man is charged with aggravated DWI after his vehicle crossed the center line and hit the motorcycle of a 51-year-old grandfather head on. The man’s 6-year-old granddaughter was riding behind him on the bike; fortunately, she was wearing a helmet.

The grandfather was taken to a local hospital with leg injuries; he was also complaining of chest pain. His granddaughter was rushed to a children’s hospital with serious leg injuries. Their conditions are unknown at this time.

The man, who was under the influence of alcohol, called emergency responders and appeared remorseful at the scene. While the reasons this man was driving under the influence are unknown, the consequences of it are blatantly visible. Perhaps the man just received horrible news and was consoling himself with liquor. Perhaps he had just finished celebrating a giant promotion with friends. Perhaps family troubles or a relative’s death had him seeking external relief. Any number of excuses or reasons are available, but he had choices. He chose where to drink, what he drank, how much he drank, and unfortunately he chose to drive afterward. One New York Injury Lawyer points out that, unfortunately, every drunk driving accident is preventable. The driver is expected to be arraigned later this summer.

Too many individuals and families nationwide are affected by the poor decision of some to drive after consuming alcohol. A Queens Personal Injury Lawyer points to a couple statistics gathered by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to illustrate the severity of drunk driving. They report that 1 in every 3 people, at some point in their lives, will be involved in an alcohol-related accident and that someone is injured every minute in a drunk driving collision – in the U.S. alone.

Driving requires a variety of mental and physical tasks, and when a driver consumes alcohol, he impairs a wide range of those necessary skills. Blood alcohol levels above the legal limit (which is proven to inhibit driving capabilities) can be reached within an average sized human body after only three or four drinks on an empty stomach.

Continue reading " Young Child Injured in Motorcycle Collision " »

A grandmother in El Reno, Oklahoma, has decided to settle a case she filed after local police shot her with a Taser in her own bed, a New York Injury Lawyer has learned. “I’m glad it’s over with,” said the 87-year-old woman.

“There’s one thing I told them, though. I wish that every person in law enforcement would have to take a full and complete course in paramedics. That way, maybe, they would think first before they shoot.”

The woman and her grandson sued the city of El Reno and the police officers after she was shot with the Taser in her own apartment. The grandson, 48 years old, explained that when he said “Don’t tase my granny!” to the officers, they threw him to the ground and handcuffed him.

There was going to be a civil trial on the matter, but the lawsuit was settled just days before the trial would have started. A Bronx Personal Injury Lawyer was unable to determine how much the settlement was, which would be paid to both grandmother and grandson out of the city’s insurance.

“We settled it with them. We can’t divulge the money end of it. But, you know, I bet they won’t be doing it ever again,” said the grandmother’s attorney.

According to the police, they came to the apartment after being told the grandmother may have been attempting suicide through a drug overdose. She was 86 at the time. A police officer reported that when they arrived, the grandmother withdrew a knife from under her pillow. “[The woman] looked me in the eyes and said, ‘If you try and get the knife, I will stab you and kill you.’

This officer says he did not use his Taser until other officers arrived and the woman continued to threaten him. According to him, his first shot did not have enough effect, so a second officer also used a Taser.

The grandmother denied she ever made any threats. She also denied she was ever attempting to commit suicide, either. And the knife? She said was using it to slice an orange and eat it in bed as she watched TV, as she often did.

Continue reading " Tasered Grandmother Settles Suit in El Reno, Oklahoma " »

Not many details are known in the case of a recent crash in Thousand Palms, California, where a vehicle was found 50 feet off the road. At least one person had major injuries resulting from the possible drunken driving, according to a New York Personal Injury Lawyer.

All 50 states and Puerto Rico apply two statutory offenses to driving under the influence of alcohol. The first offense is known as either driving under the influence (DWI), driving while intoxicated/impaired (DWI), or operating a vehicle while intoxicated/impaired (DWAI). This original charge is based solely upon a police officer's observations at the scene. The second offense is called "illegal per se" and involves driving with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 g/dL or higher - which has been illegal in all states since 2002. BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is a percentage of alcohol per deciliter of blood.

An average sized individual will have an approximate BAC of 0.04 percent in just one hour after drinking just two alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach.

“Alcohol begins impairing mental and physical reactivity after the first drink, and at 0.08, a person has lost many of the faculties that make him or her a safe driver – like paying attention, remaining alert, reacting to changes in the environment, obeying traffic signs and posted limits, etc.” a Bronx Personal Injury Lawyer reports.

The problems associated with drinking and driving are so severe that initiatives are raising money to buy and place breathalyzers inside bars in order to help patrons realize when they’ve had too much and should call a friend or a cab.

Every last drunk driving accident resulted from someone’s conscious decision to drive after consuming alcohol. This choice is completely avoidable, but too many individuals and families nationwide are affected by these poor decisions. According to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), 1 in every 3 people, at some point in their lives, will be involved in an alcohol-related accident, and someone is injured every minute in a drunk driving collision – in the U.S. alone. How completely unfortunate that so many have to be affected when a simple ‘no’ to driving yourself home could save lives.

Making the choice to drive while under the influence of alcohol can cause a host of problems. Not only could the subject open themselves up to a DWI charge, if there is an car accident, the defendant can open themselves up to additional civil suits for personal injury.

Continue reading " DWI Causes Major Injuries " »

A car accident occured on a rainy night, resulting in the death of the victim. The woman who was behind the wheel, plead guilty to accident involving death or personal injury and was sentenced to one to five years in prison, the minimum mandatory sentence for a felony charge.

The defendant is eligible for the work release program offered at the prison where she is to serve. She also agreed to pay $500 to the scholarship fund set up in the victim’s name. The judge did point out that such a pledge was not legally binding.

The 17-year-old victim walked in front of the woman’s car and died because of injuries sustained at impact, according to a New York Injury Lawyer. The defendant was not impaired by either drugs or alcohol, but she ‘panicked’ after hitting the girl and kept driving. Her car was stopped less than three miles away where she admitted her involvement.

A Suffolk County Personal Injury Lawyer reveals that had the defendant stopped at the scene, she would not have been charged with a crime. The investigation ended up determining that the defendant was not the cause of the accident, but that the teen walked into the road herself.

The popular teenage high school student, who was active in lacrosse and field hockey, was out celebrating the school’s basketball championship with other students and had been drinking. The victim’s father said that the girl had been arguing with her boyfriend that night. The boy followed the young lady in his vehicle after she stormed out of his house on foot. He actually saw the hit and run.

An earlier charge was brought against the defendant stating that she was driving without a license, but that charge was eventually dropped. Apparently, when she moved from one state to another there was an administrative error following a paid traffic ticket.

The girl’s parents are trying to keep the memory of their daughter alive through scholarships and other means. The scholarship is to help student athletes and the Senior Class Trip Fund is to help students at her alma mater attend school functions.

“Going positive is a fight, but it’s the only way to go,” the victim’s father states. “She was the kind of kid when she walked into a room, she put a smile on your face.”

Continue reading " Driver Sentenced to Prison for Fleeing the Scene of a Car Accident " »

A police officer was simply not watching where he was going when he ran a sunbather over with his SUV, according to a police report uncovered by a New York Injury Lawyer. People screamed at him to stop, but he just kept going.

The officer’s story is different. He claims he looked before making the U-turn that resulted in him running over the victim with his 5,000-pound vehicle. The victim was sitting in a chaise lounge at the time.

The report has quotes from witnesses who said there were a number of other people at the beach shouting for the officer to stop.

Miraculously, the victim survived being run over by the SUV. “I cannot believe the police officer said he looked, and did not see me,” he said.

The victim’s wife told a Bronx Personal Injury Lawyer her husband was “just too upset” to read the full police report.

The victim’s lawyer stated that the report, along with a video re-creation of the accident showed that the officer should have been able to clearly see the sunbather.

“This is the most extreme example of negligence imaginable,” the attorney recalled during the investigation. He went on to say that his client sustained a spinal injury and damage to his heart which leave him unable to work and that the accident “ruined his life”.

While the report makes things look bad for the cop, it also concludes there were no criminal actions involved.

The victim can still sue for damages, however, and his lawyer intends to sue the city, since the perpetrator is still a police officer. They are pressing a suit against both the police officer and the city for unspecified damage, looking for compensation for the victim who may not ever be able to work again.

Legal counsel for the city declined to comment in the matter, so it is unclear what defense they intend to mount, if any. It is entirely possible there may be a settlement in what looks like a clear case of extreme negligence.

Continue reading " Report May Condemn Cop Who Crushed Sunbather " »

Prosecutors have revealed the plot of a New Jersey doctor who plotted to have his wife, his lover, and his former business partner – all three – murdered. The 63-year-old internist is still in jail with $2.5 million bail.

While the man was arrested last year as part of a Medicaid fraud investigation, authorities uncovered a disturbing series of plots. A New York Injury Lawyer reveals that it is not uncommon for police to question someone about one crime and inadvertently stumble onto information about another. Officials in the process of investigating one series of events will often find evidence of other wrongdoings, related and otherwise.

They learned that the doctor had long desired to hire an acquaintance of his to kill his lover. Why did he want to suddenly end this relationship? Because he owed her $250,000 and because he feared his wife would discover his philandering, according to a Queens Personal Injury Lawyer.

The discoveries didn’t stop there. Another plot to kill his former business partner was soon uncovered. Why did the doctor want this man dead? He needed to settle a long-standing dispute, and apparently he felt the death of the other man was the only sure way to do so.

Later, while the good doctor was in jail because of the earlier Medicaid investigation, yet another plot unfolded when he tried to hire a man to kill his wife. What was his reasoning in attempting to hire an inmate? He feared his wife would divorce him and take his money.

The doctor – a person charged with ensuring the sanctity of life - plotted to kill three people in order to save his money from the hands of others, and he now faces three counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. It is unclear at this time whether the doctor yet has an attorney.

There has been no word from the wife, the lover and the former business partner at this time. It is unclear if the plans to hire these people ever progressed to any actual act of violence.

Continue reading " Doctor Conspires to Kill Three to Save His Money " »

In 1993, Larry King propped a young man into the spotlight on a night when many extra had tuned into his show in expectation of political commentary. (It was the night after Inauguration Day in Washington, after all.) King introduced a young man from Florida who had filed a claim against a cellphone manufacturer, and a carrier of that cellphone brand. He claimed that radiation from their phones had caused or accelerated the growth of a brain tumor in his wife.

“The tumor was exactly in the pattern of the antenna,” a New York Injury Attorney remembers the man saying. In 1989, the man’s 31-year-old wife was diagnosed with a malignant astrocytoma, which is a brain cancer that occurs in about 6,000 American adults each year.

To the husband, the shape and size of the tumor unmistakably resembled a malignant shadow of the phone. He saw a hazy line swerving from the left side of her midbrain to the hindbrain, and like cloud watchers, assumed the shape was an exact replica of his wife’s phone antenna. According to him, his wife was known to hold her phone at exactly the angle shown in the images of the tumor.

She underwent surgery for the cancer, but it had little to no lasting effect. She died before she hit her 34th birthday. Her husband was convinced radiation from her phone was the cause.

This case was the first tort suit in the U.S. to claim a link between phone radiation and brain cancer; it illustrated the most complex conceptual problems in cancer epidemiology.

The Circuit Court was quick to discern just how complex the matter was. It empathized with the husband’s search for a tangible cause for his wife’s cancer, but it had to admit that there was too little information and scientific knowledge on the subject to pursue a case. The court rejected his case and told him he needed to supply testimony from an expert who had a deeper comprehensive knowledge of cellphones, brain cancer and any possible links between the two.

Information in such cases is hard to identify and link directly to an illness or injury. A Nassau County Personal Injury Lawyer commented that their office would be vigilantly watching for any and all news that affects their clients and the public at large.

Continue reading " Do Cellphones Cause Brain Cancer? " »

During lunch at a Texas elementary school last week, a loaded pistol dropped from the pants of a six-year-old male pupil and discharged, injuring him and two other students in the lower extremities. It is thought that one bullet or fragments of the same bullet caused all the injuries. All three children were reportedly in stable condition and were smiling and playing video games by that afternoon, according to a Brooklyn Personal Injury Lawyer.

At this time, investigators are trying to determine how the boy came into possession of a gun in order to bring it to campus without anyone knowing and stopping him. The boy’s parents have so far been unavailable for comment. Texas Child Protective Service officials planned to speak with the family within 24 hours.

The punishment for having a gun is expulsion for one year. It is unclear if that punishment is carried out in each case.

Approximately 25 kindergarteners were eating lunch when the gun discharged. As other students began coming into the cafeteria, officials at the school rerouted them back to their classrooms. The 470-student campus went into lockdown which lasted about 45 minutes.

As parents reached the school to pick up their children, they saw yellow police tape and numerous squad cars. The injured students were removed from campus via stretchers in ambulances. The school planned extra security for the following day and employed a crisis intervention team of counselors and psychologists.

The mother of one of the injured students was relieved that her five-year-old was safe. She said she didn’t feel any anger and believed in forgiveness. “I’m not upset,” she said. “I can’t explain it – probably because I’m just so happy my child is alive. That’s all I care about.” Her daughter had a minor foot injury.

The family of the other injured student reported to a New York Injury Lawyer that he suffered scratches and bruises and was already asking to return to school. “It is a sad situation that took place, but we are thankful our son is in good spirits.”

The grandparent of an uninjured student, however, insisted “This is a problem. This is a serious problem and it needs to stop.” Others invariably agree with her, and it appears that school officials followed protocol and will try to discover why this event took place and what they can do to prevent it in the future. This time, the injuries and disruption were minor; there is no guarantee next time will be the same.

Continue reading " 3 Injured when Six-Year-Old Brings Gun to School " »

A New York Injury Lawyer reports that a state appeals court recently reinstated a woman’s lawsuit. The wrongful death suit was in connection to a man she had considered to be her husband for four years, but who was not divorced from his previous wife before their wedding day. The plaintiff was completely unaware of this when she began seeking for compensation for her husband’s injuries and death.

The Sixth District Court of Appeal ended up ruling that someone who “believed in good faith” that he or she was legally married is, indeed, entitled to marital rights – including filing a wrongful death suit. This ruling opposes more than 20 years of rulings in the cases of “putative spouses.”

A putative spouse is one who mistakenly believes he or she is married, explained a New York Injury Lawyer. California courts have recognized the rights of such spouses for more than a century. State legislation affirmed those same rights in 1969.

In 1988, however, a Los Angeles appellate decision instituted the requirement that those who claimed putative rights had to show that their belief was “objectively reasonable” and not simply sincere. This particular case in 1988 rejected a woman’s alimony claim based on marrying a man in a private religious ceremony that did not comply with state law. Her purported husband, at the time of the marriage, assured her that it was valid, but he changed his mind when he wanted to marry another woman two years later. The court, in this case, ruled that the woman’s belief was “unreasonable” and thus, she was not entitled to marital rights like alimony.

In the recent case in San Jose, the court ruled that the decision the court made in 1988 was a distortion of the law that was meant to protect those who were taken advantage of. The court sided with this ‘wife.’ Her ironworker husband died in a workplace accident. She believed she had been married to him for four years before his tragic death. She wasn’t aware that her groom was still married to a previous wife when they conducted their wedding ceremony. His divorce became final 3 months later. The defendant claimed she had never read the divorce papers closely and thus never knew about the overlapping date.

When she tried to sue a contractor for negligence that resulted in wrongful death, a judge dismissed the suit, saying she wasn’t married and should have been aware of it. According to a NYC Personal Injury Lawyer, the San Jose Appeals Court, however, unanimously ruled that she was, indeed, entitled to a trial. The presiding judge wrote that the law asks whether someone “honestly and genuinely (believes) that the marriage is valid” and not whether that belief is reasonable or not. And since she did honestly believe, she deserves the rights of a spouse.

The woman’s attorney called the ruling “good for the institution of marriage.”

Continue reading " Appeals Court Reinstates a Wrongful Death Suit " »

A high school youth was struck and killed on a rainy night by a 20-year-old woman about a year ago. That woman plead guilty to a car accident involving wrongful death and was sentenced to one to five years in prison, the minimum mandatory sentence for a felony charge.

The defendant is eligible for the work release program offered at the Montgomery County Prison where she is to serve. She also agreed to pay $500 to the scholarship fund set up in the victim’s name. The judge did point out that such a pledge was not legally binding.

The 17-year-old victim walked in front of the woman’s car and died because of injuries sustained at impact, according to a witness. The defendant was not impaired by either drugs or alcohol, but she ‘panicked’ after hitting the girl and kept driving. Her car was stopped less than three miles away where she admitted her involvement.

Had the defendant stopped at the scene, she would not have been charged with a crime. The investigation ended up determining that the defendant was not the cause of the accident, but that the teen walked into the road herself.

The popular teenage high school student, who was active in lacrosse and field hockey, was out celebrating the school’s basketball championship with other students and had been drinking. The victim’s father said that the girl had been arguing with her boyfriend that night. The boy followed the young lady in his vehicle after she stormed out of his house on foot. He actually saw the hit and run.

An earlier charge was brought against the defendant stating that she was driving without a license, but that charge was eventually dropped. Apparently, when she moved from one state to another there was an administrative error following a paid traffic ticket.

 In Brooklyn as well as Long Island these mistakes are often made.

The girl’s parents are trying to keep the memory of their daughter alive through scholarships and other means. The scholarship is to help student athletes and the Senior Class Trip Fund is to help students at her alma mater attend school functions. “Going positive is a fight, but it’s the only way to go,” the victim’s father states. “She was the kind of kid when she walked into a room, she put a smile on your face.”

Continue reading " Driver Sentenced to Prison for Fleeing the Scene of Accidental Run Over " »

Following at least five cases of controllers sleeping on the job and a controller suspended for watching a movie during his shift, the Federal Aviation Administration’s embarrassment is ever deepening.

So far, the FAA has suspended nine controllers and supervisors in the last two months. In nearly all the cases, the incidents occurred on overnight shifts when traffic is lighter and people naturally have a tendency to sleep. The rash of incidents has spurred late-night comedic mockery and has raised public concern about the safety of air travel.

Concerns about work schedules that don’t allow realistic sleeping opportunities are being addressed by New York City Injury Lawyers.

In the most recent incident, an air traffic controller was caught watching a movie early one morning while on an active shift. His microphone became stuck in the transmitting mode and for three minutes, the controller was unable to hear incoming radio calls because he was playing the movie audio on the airwaves set aside for him to monitor planes on. The FAA reported that the controller was made aware of the mishap when a military pilot made contact and told him of his gaffe.

Five recent cases involve controllers falling asleep. FAA administrator was quoted as being “infuriated” that these employees were caught snoozing. “None of us in this business can… tolerate any of this. It absolutely has to stop.”

In another case, the FAA is investigating why two controllers in another location were unresponsive to radio communications.

An FAA Administrator and the President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union that represents controllers, met with about 50 controllers and other FAA employees recently as the two men started a nationwide tour of the air traffic facilities. Their goal is to send a message to the public and the controllers: “Unprofessional behavior won’t be tolerated.”

Transportation Secretary of the United States repeated the same message when he was interviewed last week, according to a Bronx Criminal Lawyer. Even President Barack Obama reiterated on ABC News that the proper authorities were taking care of the situation.

These type of incidents can lead to serious personal injury. If your or a loved one has been injured in accident involving the negligence of another party, it is important to seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

Continue reading " More Embarrassment for Federal Aviation Administration " »

An NPYD precinct commander was savagely beaten by her ex-cop husband, suffering a broken bone and a hospital stay, but he managed to get escape time in prison by pleaded guilty to drastically reduced charges.

The ex-cop, 47, trailed his wife, a deputy inspector and commanding officer for a precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, to a home on Long Island, on March 21. He waited for her to emerge, and when she did, he confronted her and assaulted her there on the front lawn, police sources explained to a reporter. The attack broke several of the victim’s ribs.

Hearing the screams of the woman being attacked, a detective with the NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force came to her assistance and the ex-cop fled. According to the ex-cop, upon being questioned later, his wife, 46, was having an affair with the detective who rescued her.

Before a judge, the ex-cop pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, third-degree assault and trespassing. He also pleaded guilty to a violation, disorderly conduct. For these crimes, the Suffolk County judge presiding over the case ordered him to attend domestic violence classes and issued an order of protection for the ex-cop’s wife. The judge also gave the ex-cop three years of probation. After nearly a month, the precinct commander returned to work.

In some cases, legal system just doesn’t come through. The punishment may not be enough, or compensation may be required to pay for medical costs, time lost from work, or even pain and suffering.

Justice should be served in Manhattan as well as Staten Island and all should be done to make sure the perpetrator remembers the harm he or she has done, so it will never happen to anyone else.

Continue reading " Wife-beating Ex-Cop Escapes Jail Time " »

A woman was struck by a patrol cruiser as she walked home one rainy night in April. She died soon after from her injuries. As she walked home in the rain, the 63-year-old office worker was hit by a police car at 10:41 p.m. on a Saturday night.

She was taken to the hospital, but it was already too late – she was pronounced dead at 11:25 p.m. She was almost home – just a few blocks away, when the accident occurred, likely caused in part by the stormy weather which had been prevalent during that time.

The officer, from the suffered some minor bruises to his knees and also went to the hospital, but was later released. When he hit the woman, he was on patrol. His identity has not been released by Nassau police, and the investigation is still ongoing.

It was almost the first night of Passover and the victim’s family had been looking forward to spending it with her. Instead, they are arranging for her memorial.

According to the victim’s son-in-law, the victim was a warm and friendly person who enjoyed having family and friends over for holidays. He told a New York Injury Lawyer she was “very friendly and sunny, and just a happy person, fun to be around.” She “loved to celebrate the holidays, hosting holiday celebrations. We were supposed to go to her house tomorrow night for the first seder,” he said.

There is no amount of money that can erase a tragedy or make up for a loss in a wrongful death incident, but that doesn’t mean justice should be abandoned in the face of grief or pain.

Continue reading " Beloved Mother Struck and Killed by Patrol Car " »

A family has filed a $120-million personal injury lawsuit against an officer who allegedly killed a Pace University football player in the course of a late-night bar fight.

The 20-year-old student was allegedly shot by two officers as they removed a crowd of people, mostly Pace students, from a Mount Pleasant bar in the fall of 2010.

Prosecutors did not file charges against the two officers who shot the young man, claiming there wasn’t sufficient evidence to show they’d done anything wrong, sources told The public. The student’s family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in federal court against the officer who fired the fatal shot.

The father of the student said the civil suit will hold the officer responsible for what occurred that night. Police Depts. in Staten Island and Westchester face the same problems from time to time.

“We said from the beginning we didn’t think this would be investigated in a way that was fair. It wasn’t prosecuted that way either,” The attorney for the officer had no immediate comment.
It is the hope of the student’s father the lawsuit will uncover new evidence, such as 911 audiotapes and surveillance footage of the area where the tragedy took place.
The officers fired shots into the victim’s car as he attempted to drive away from the crowd. They are white, while the man shot was black. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether civil rights laws involving official misconduct were violated.

The municipality of Pleasantville is also a defendant in the lawsuit. The complaint says the employer of the officer did not properly punish him for his actions. The local police union has recently awarded the officer named in the lawsuit with its annual Officer of the Year Award.
Investigators could not reach Pleasantville officials for further comment.

No one can bring back something that has been lost, particularly the life of a loved one. That does not mean the cause of that loss should be able to escape justice. .

Continue reading " Family of Slain Man Sue Police for wrongful death " »

To keep a rival out of a talent show, five high school girls assaulted another girl, one of them beating her with a padlock inside a sock, a New York Injury Lawyer reported. "Yo, b***h. I got a lock,” allegedly the first attacker, before the assault began, according to a police source.

The 16-year-old girl with the lock and four of her friends are accused of attacking a 17-year-old student a Brooklyn High School, known for being a gifted singer. She was outside the home of her voice coach when the attack occurred. After it was all over, the victim was left with a head injury consisting of six stitches near her left ear, a cut on her face, and a bruised jaw.

“I wasn’t able to open my jaw. I wasn’t able to talk. I wasn’t able to sing,” the victim reported. She also said one of the girls attacked her “because I sang better than her… it was jealousy. It was all due to the talent show.”

The victim’s mother said that her daughter received a Facebook message the day before the attack. It said “they were going to get her and hurt her so she wouldn’t be able to sing again.”

After the attack, the talent show was canceled. Witnesses say the attack happened swiftly. The victim was outside the home of her voice coach when she was surrounded by her attackers. First the girl with the lock started, then the other four joined in.

“I could see them hitting her with something,” said one witness. She watched the whole thing from her apartment window. “She started out on the stoop, and you could tell she didn’t want to fight, but she came down and they fought her with everybody hyping it up. She was bleeding.”

The victim had a friend with her who tried to help, but she was also beaten, authorities explained in their reports. Four of the girls were arrested on the scene, while the fifth was captured a few days later.

Continue reading " Young Singer Attacked by Five Teenagers " »

A Queenboro off-ramp has been a big factor, if not the ultimate cause, in the death of a second person in a two-week time period. A mother of two who crashed due to a dangerous off-ramp died in the hospital, according to sources.

The 40-year-old woman happens to be the second death caused by crashes from the off-ramp. The last fatal car accident in the exact same location occurred only a week before. In the previous accident, one with very similar circumstances, a car lost control coming off of the ramp and hit a pedestrian, killing that person instantly.

“They should definitely fix that bridge exit. I think she would be alive today if they would have fixed it,” a sister-in-law of the victim said. The victim was survived by a husband and two teenage boys.

She was a passenger in the Volkswagen driven by a 39-year-old man, when it lost control while leaving the bridge into Queens. The vehicle hit the guardrail near the end of the outer-lane exit ramp and slid across Queens Plaza South, slamming into two storefronts. The accident severed the left arm of the driver and the passenger suffered severe head wounds. When the victim died, her estranged husband was at her side.

Family and friends blame the accident on the ramp, part of a $44 million bridge-plaza reconstruction project. The city is already planning to reconstruct the ramp as part of improvements to Queens Plaza North and South. The process will take around three months.

In the meantime, traffic has been funneled into a single lane of Queens Plaza South, while workers attempt to make the off-ramps safer, New York Injury Attorneys have learned.

A 35-year-old driver suffered a similar accident coming off the same ramp not long ago, even to the point of severing his arm, as happened to a subsequent driver down the ramp. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital.

“I hear there’s been another crash,” he said to a New York Injury Attorney. “I’m in a lot of pain,” he added later.

Continue reading " Another Car Accident on the Queensboro Off-Ramp Takes a Life " »

Last week, prosecutors asked a U.S. District Court Judge to overturn a Magistrate Judge’s decision. The decision was to grant pretrial release to a man accused of sexually assaulting an underage cruise ship passenger.

In the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s filing, she labeled the 19-year-old defendant as a “dangerous serial child predator.” The young man has confessed to having sex with a 13-year-old on a cruise ship and to having sex with two additional minors. He also admits to forcing another girl into sex.

The defendant’s attorney said that the Magistrate Judge established strict conditions for his release to ensure that the public is protected while the case proceeds. He insisted that his client was not going to be left alone. According to the lawyer, his mother and stepfather will make sure that he follows the order so that there would be no problem.

In the complaint that was just recently released, the public got its first detailed look at the allegations formed against the 19-year-old.

According to an affidavit filed by the FBI, while on a cruise ship the man approached a young girl while she was on her way to dinner. He made plans to meet her later. The affidavit clearly says that she revealed her age as 13 to the man. The defendant admitted to having sex with this girl when he brought her back to a cabin he shared with his siblings. The siblings were not present during the affair. The defendant told investigators that the sex was consensual, but the young girl told authorities that she did not want to have sex and that the man hurt her.

“The affidavit also said other passengers reported the defendant spent an abnormal amount of time in Circle C – the section of the ship reserved for children between 12 and 14,” reports a New York Injury Lawyer.

The 19-year-old faces separate sexual battery charges involving another 13-year-old girl that he met through Facebook. After “friending” her, even though he did not know her, he began texting her and eventually showed up at her house when she was playing with a soccer ball. The girl rebuffed his efforts to kiss her and go inside the house. He returned on another day and sent her a threatening message which prompted her to leave the house with him. He then drove the minor to a nearby location and raped her. The defendant admitted to investigators that he coerced the girl into having sex with him. It is not uncommon in these instances to see multiple charges against a defendant, which can result in a criminal charge, as well a civil actions for personal injury to the victim.

He also confessed to having sex with another girl who is in the seventh grade and to forcing a former girlfriend to have sex after he became angry with her.

Continue reading " Serial Child Predator on Cruise Ship " »

A man from Marion who was working on a motorcycle in his garage was taken to the hospital for treatment, says a friend. The man was working on the motorcycle when there was an explosion in his garage. He is currently in the hospital and it is unknown when he will be released.

Firefighters were sent to his home somewhere between 9 pm and 10 pm that evening after someone called the police to report the explosion, stated the report.

The explosion did cause damage to the garage, which happens to luckily not be connected to the house that is on the property, reports the friend. The explosion also caused damage to the siding on one of the neighbor’s houses, although at this time it is not known exactly how much damage was caused or exactly how far the explosion reached. Fire investigators say that the explosion could possibly have reached houses and properties several houses down from the incident.

Investigators are currently looking into just what could have caused this explosion and are asking that anyone who may have been a witness or just thinks they might have some information to come forward right away, even if they think their info is meaningless.

Sometimes the seemingly insignificant piece of information can turn into a big break in a case and that is what police are hoping will happen in this case.

So far no foul play has been suspected, although investigators are asking around to see if the victim may have had any enemies who may have wanted to harm him in any way. So far, it has just been called an accident although that can change if any new info comes in.

Firefighters said the man was extremely lucky that his garage is not attached directly to his house; otherwise the injuries could have been much more catastrophic than they were. It is unknown at this time if anyone was in the house at the time of the explosion

Investigations are currently pending in this case. New York City and Westchester County would handle this the same way.

Continue reading " Man Treated After House Fire " »

The power of a large cruise ship was knocked out after one of the six generators caught fire a couple weekends ago. Nearly 750 passengers and crew members were forced to evacuate the vessel off the coast of Mexico. The 522 passengers and 226 crew members were evacuated by catamaran and brought to the port of Huatulco on Mexico’s West Coast.

A company executive was quoted as saying it was a “small, small fire.” The fire was quickly controlled and power was restored several hours later. No injuries were reported. However, many passengers upon reboarding were said to have spent the night on deck because of air conditioning malfunctions.

This accident happened just five months after another passenger ship was left dead in the water after a fire stalled it off the Mexican coast. In that mishap, more than 3,000 passengers were left adrift in the vessel.

This most recent incident involves a ship that has a capacity of over 1,000 passengers, but it only had 520 at the time of the accident, according to a New York Injury Lawyer.

Recently sold to a cuise line company, the nearly 40-year-old ship was on its second voyage. The new owners had recently renovated the ship to appeal to Mexican markets.

A full investigation is being led by the Secretariat of Communications and Transport. An onboard fire is a major safety concern although they do not happen with regularity. Almost all reported fires have limited scope. They are confined to specific areas and are quickly put out with no injury or death. There have been incidences however, of serious injury and even wrongful death due to onboard fire. Safety training, functioning fire safety equipment and the use of fire retardant materials are all efficient means of reducing fire on board a ship. Most cruise lines employ every measure possible to ensure a safe trip for their customers.

Continue reading " Fire Evacuates Cruise Ship " »

A lawsuit was filed by the family of an autistic teenage boy who jumped from an ambulance while it was moving, revealed a friend. The boy was killed a year ago and his family is still suffering from the loss and damages his death caused and hope to gain some relief from the lawsuit.

The teenager who was 16 at the time of his death, died on February 28, 2010 while he was moved by ambulance to a hospital in Columbia, claims the report. Mobile Care Ambulance is owned by Greenville Health Corporation, who also owns Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Someone close to the case allege that the teenage boy’s mother told reporters that two local psych hospitals had failed to admit him and that’s the reason he was being moved to Columbia.

The teenager was admitted to the emergency room of Greenville Memorial Hospital two days before his death. Records in the emergency department show that he became “extremely agitated and volatile and displayed symptoms of aggression” and that “he was most definitely going to harm himself. They said he displayed anger outbursts and screaming and crying fits when he was told he was being transferred to a psychiatric institute."

The lawsuit also claims that despite the teenage boy and his mother’s objections, the transfer was being arranged regardless. It also makes the claim that the form let them know the risks associated with the transfer and identified security as going along with personnel.

The lawsuit goes on to say that during his transport, the boy was able to remove himself from the stretcher and open the back door of the vehicle and fall out of the ambulance directly onto Interstate 85. Doctors report that he died of multiple head injuries and body trauma in addition to cardiac arrest.

The family is seeking compensation for his pain and suffering prior to his death, as well as for funeral and burial expenses. They are currently seeking jury trial.

Continue reading " Teenager Dies After Jumping From Ambulance " »

A federal Supreme Court in Utah modified charges against a Weber County judge to include retaliation against the woman filing a harassment suit, a source was told.

The woman filed the harassment suit February 2010 in the U.S. District Court for Utah in Salt Lake City. She named the county and the judge in the revised lawsuit. According to the document, the judge is accused of conducting unwanted sexual advances to his chief court administrator. The harassment occurred for about two years, a court reporter read from the lawsuit.

Her lawyer and the woman released a key piece of evidence in their case to the media after several failed attempts to hold the judge responsible. When the state’s Judicial Conduct Commission did not do anything about the harassment, the lawyer and his client released the 11-page love poem, which the judge wrote for the woman. The poem was single-spaced and mildly erotic. These cases are of great interest to courts in New York City and Nassau.

Not only does the lawsuit include physical evidence, but also it lists several advances where the judge harassed the woman. One advance noted in the lawsuit describes multiple times where the judge rubbed up against the woman. The woman also claims that the judge told the woman he dreamed of her naked from the waist up while doing dishes.

The updated lawsuit suggests that the retaliation against the woman was because she spoke up against the harassment, a collegue commented. Her position was eliminated April 2010 when the court was closed due to economic reasons. The suit states that the judge blamed the woman for costing all of the court’s officials their jobs. No court dates have been set in the case.

Continue reading " Harassment Lawsuit Adjusted to Include Additional Actions " »

A woman living in Napa has won her malpractice suit against a surgeon, says a rep. The woman sued the surgeon who removed her gallbladder two years earlier and who had a mishap while in surgery. The resulting mishap led her to have to have more surgeries and suffer through more pain as a result.

The woman was rushed to an ER after she had severe abdominal pain. Once doctors saw her, they decided to remove her gallbladder because it contained a gallstone and thickened walls. A board certified doctor was scheduled to perform the surgery, according to the report. When the doctor was removing her gallbladder, he mistakenly cut a duct that is in the abdomen, next to the gallbladder. Since the duct was cut, that needed to be repaired as well. Then the woman also had to have more surgeries to correct problems that stemmed from the duct incident.

Hospitals in New York City and in Queens try to prevent this from happening.

A source stated that the woman was awarded $250,000 total. That award included money for past medical expenses associated with other surgeries and then an amount for her pain and suffering. The woman also had to miss work and get help to care for her four young children while she was recovering and getting more medical treatment. The woman has now recovered but her lawyer says her recovery would have been much shorter if the surgeon had not made the mistake in the first place.

Continue reading " Napa Woman Wins Malpractice Suit " »

A Stockton bus driver was arrested after police found her weaving on a California highway, according to a report. The bus driver had also run several vehicles off the road while she was swerving and driving erratically. Police were alerted to the situation and arrived before the bus driver could seriously injure someone. The bus driver was using the bus during non-school hours as she was caught on a Saturday evening.

The observer says that luckily no children were on the bus at the time the incident occurred. If children were on the bus when the incident occurred, the driver would be facing even more and serious charges than just an ordinary DUI arrest. The driver has been charged with driving under the influence and for driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level higher than the legal limit of .08. There is no word on the status of the bus driver’s job.

The bus driver was charged and then later released. She will face possible jail time and fines for her crime. The judge will also decide if she will be allowed to drive the bus in the future for any school district. The police believe that the bus driver will face the charges later in the spring. Depending on if this is her first offense will determine the amount of her fine and if she has jail time or not in her future.

When drunk driving is discovered in Manhattan and The Bronx any injuries are going to cost the driver a lot of money.

Continue reading " Bus Driver Charged in DUI " »

A source says that a new law is probably going to be signed by the governor of Wisconsin. This law, which does not go in to effect until ten days after the governor officially signs it, greatly limits the amount of punitive damages a person can claim against another in a lawsuit for things like work injury.. Since the governor says he will be signing this bill in to law, many lawyers are hurrying up to file paperwork for their clients who might be able to collect bigger sums.

According to the person inside, the cases filed before the law goes in to effect will not have limited punitive damages on them. They will be able to sue for any amount they see fit right now. There is no formula on coming up with a dollar amount for damages, other than what expenses are, doctor fees, or what the lawyer thinks a person is entitled to. There are no limits as to what damages they can seek for the actions committed against them or a loved one. Just because they seek a specific amount does not always mean the judge will award that amount.

Many Wisconsin residents are upset over the bill, which limits how much they can collect in wrongful death suits, medical malpractice cases and other cases where injuries have resulted in no fault of their own. The source explains that once the bill goes in to law, there will be limits on punitive damages according to what the injury is. Parties in Queens and Staten Island are watching this situation.

Continue reading " New Wisconsin Law Limits Punitive Damages " »