Personal Injury Attorneys - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and the Bronx

New York Governor David A. Paterson announced on July 8, 2010, the launch of a new State website on Federal health care reform. Several reforms take effect this summer, including a temporary high risk pool for people with medical conditions that are expensive to treat, an early retiree reinsurance program that will help offset the cost of providing health insurance to retirees age 55 and over who are not eligible for Medicare, and the mailing of rebate checks to Medicare Part D enrollees who reach the "donut hole" coverage gap. The website - www.HealthCareReform.ny.gov - includes descriptions of health care reform, how it will benefit New Yorkers, and the progress of implementation in the State. The website also includes information on how residents can obtain health insurance coverage and the public programs already in place in the State. The website also includes a timeline of when specific provisions of health care reform, not just the ones this summer, go into

The dreaded day when a family realizes that their loved one can no longer be cared for in their home, even with assistance, and must be confined to a nursing home will hopefully become less common and traumatic. Earlier this month Governor David A. Paterson announced that New York State will fund up to $150 million in projects to help communities develop alternatives to traditional nursing homes. The primary goal of this procurement is to help communities organize, finance and develop care alternatives by coordinating a variety of licensed residential programs in the development of residential options. It is hoped that this community-based care will provide the level of health care the elderly need while preserving the independence they hold dear. The funding will help communities/regions develop alternatives to nursing home care for long-term care populations while

Hyperthermia (heat-stroke) is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle deaths for children under the age of fourteen. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found at least 27 documented deaths per year. NHTSA research shows the risk of a serious injury or death during hot weather is heightened for children left alone in vehicles. The hot summer weve been having makes more pertinent the Consumer Advisory the NHTSA issued to remind parents and caregivers that summer heat can make it especially dangerous to leave children in cars. The Consumer Advisory contains safety tips from NHTSA to prevent hyperthermia. These safety tips include: Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle. Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that

New legislation that will immediately permit the introduction into evidence blood drawn by certified nurse practioners and advance emergency medical technicians without direct physician supervision from motorists who are suspected of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol was signed earlier this week by Governor David A. Paterson. Police officers will notbe permitted to draw the blood themselves. Under the prior law, if a police officer asked medical personnel to draw blood from a suspected drunk or impaired driver following a collision, and a physician did not directly supervise the procedure, the evidence was inadmissible. The prior law enabled some suspected drunk drivers to avoid punishment for causing accidents, even fatal ones. The new law, which amends Vehicle an

In August of 2006, Evan Marshall, who lived with his mother in a gated community in Glen Cove, New York, dismembered and decapitated his neighbor, Denice Fox, a retired schoolteacher who lived across the street. Marshall took her remains to his mothers home and dismembered them, stashing the body parts, along with two knives, in basement trash cans. He was arrested the next day as he pulled into his mothers driveway. Mrs. Foxs head was later found in the trunk of that vehicle. Marshall pleaded guilty to murder, assault and other charges, saying he was in search of money for drugs when he confronted the woman and repeatedly stabbed her. Foxs estate commenced a civil action against Evan Marshall and his mother, Jacqueline. Evan Marshall did not live with his mother on the date he murdered Denise Fox.He was out on a weekend pass. Jacqueline Marshall denies even knowing that her son was out on a weekend pass and maintains that she was not home on the date in qu

Earlier this year the New York City Department of Buildings had a No-Penalty Retaining Wall Inspection Program, in which homeownerscould call 311 to request an inspection of their retaining wall without the penalty of violations. Retaining walls are important because they are designed to hold back soil that would move to a more natural slope or incline if the wall was not in place. Were that to occur, damage could be sustained not only to the building's foundation, but to the foundation of an adjacent property. Additionally, there is a potential for injury or even death where construction work is being done below street level of the adjacent property and a retaining wall collapses.Similarly, when major excavation causes damage to adjacent structures, Administrative Code of the City of New York 27-1031(b)(1) (now Administrative Code 28-3309.4) imposes liability on an owner and contractor for s

In the early days of our blog, one of our earliest posts concerned a man who (unsuccessfully) sued his dry cleaners for $54 million for supposed consumer abuse for losing his suit pants and attempting to replace them with a different, cheaper pair that did not belong to him. Now a woman is suing Google because, after using her Blackberry to Google walking directions for a trip in Park City, Utah, she claims she was led onto a busy highway, where she was struck by a vehicle. She is suing the driver of the vehicle and Google for damages in excess of $100,000. Lauren Rosenberg used Google Maps on January 19, 2009, via her Blackberry, to get directions between 96 Daly Street,

Concerns about poor safety decisions behind the wheel and not paying attention to vehicle maintenance have prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a consumer advisory, including a list of the NHTSAS top safety tips for summer. The major concerns are distracted driving and improper tire inflation. Distraction is such a big problem that there is a website devoted to it: www.distraction.gov. The top tips are: Never leave children unattended in or near a vehicle, especially in hot weather when the temperatures inside a car can rapidly climb to deadly levels. Parents should make sure you know where your children are when moving a vehicle and pay particular attention when backing up. Always keep children, aged 12 and under, secured in age appropriate child restraints in the back seat where they are safest. Always buckle up, day and night a

Every homeowner is required by law to maintain their decks and their properties in a safe condition at all times. To prevent accidents from occurring, on June 21, 2010 the New York City Buildings Department launched the No-Penalty Deck and Porch Inspection Program, an initiative to help property owners throughout the City ensure their decks and porches are structurally sound and in compliance with City regulations. Under the program, there is no risk or violation for the initial visit by the Department. In the event that repairs are needed, or unsafe conditions that do not present an imminent danger are found, inspectors will defer issuing violations to allow property owners sufficient time to take corrective action. The program ends on August 1, 2010. The No-Penalty Deck and Porch Inspection Program is timed to coincide with the summer months when these structures will be used more frequently. Aging and seasonal changes in weather are significant factors that can make t