New York Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

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" »

A high school teacher under investigation for misconduct with a student was involved in a car accident after local police searched her home. A search warrant was issued to the teacher on a Monday afternoon, a few hours before the accident. It is unknown if the teacher intended to harm herself or if she was suffering from extreme stress which caused her to crash her car. Extreme stress can cause people to become disoriented and lose control, points out a NYC Injury Attorney. The teacher was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
It is unknown how long the teacher will be in the hospital. The accident occurred after the car hopped over an embankment and landed in a ditch on the other side of the street. A helicopter was used to transport the teacher to the hospital. Her injuries may range from minor to serious and could include broken bones, cuts and bruises, torn muscles or damage to her head, spine or neck. These injuries could take many months to recover from. Whether the teacher will need out-patient care such as physical therapy remains unknown.
As to the charges of misconduct with a student, inappropriate photos of the teacher were posted online which prompted an investigation by the school district and local police. It is unclear if the student posted the photos or if the teacher posted them. The extent of the misconduct is also unknown as this time. Further investigation will be needed as will the teacher's full cooperation after she recovers from the car accident.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident. The teacher may have to give interviews about the alleged misconduct before she leaves the hospital, claims a New York Injury Lawyer. Being able to gather evidence of misconduct while it is still fresh is important in clearing the teacher's name or substantiating other evidence.
The teacher has been placed on administrative leave until the investigation is complete. This would also be the treatment if this happened in New York City or Queens. It is unknown if the teacher will face any charges in the car accident since no other vehicles were involved and no other injuries reported.

Continue reading "High School Teacher Involved in Car Accident and Possible Misconduct with Student" »