New York, NY Personal Injury Blog

Construction work can be a dangerous job. For that reason, an extensive network of state and federal safety regulations is in place to protect construction workers from on-the-job injury. Unfortunately, though, these safety regulations mean little if employers do not actively enforce them.

Earlier this month, a fatal Manhattan construction accident claimed the life of a worker who was wrapping up his very first day on the job. The man, a 28-year-old father of two, was working atop scaffolding in SoHo when he slipped and fell more than 40 feet. He was not wearing a safety harness.

Canine companions are members of the family in more than 46 million American households. Naturally, when people travel, so do their pets. However, though nearly all of us understand that it's always a good idea for humans to buckle up, not everyone makes a similar effort to secure their pets.

Restraining a dog is about much more than protecting the animal in case of a car accident. Having an unrestrained pet in the car is distracting and can lead to dangerous driving behavior.

New York workers' compensation provides weekly disability benefits to injured workers who suffer partial permanent disability as a result of a work-related accident or injury. These benefits are capped based on a payment schedule.

Until recently, it was unclear whether workers who suffered partial permanent disability as a result of more than one workplace injury could recover several weekly benefits payments. This month, New York's highest court ruled that they could not. It held that the weekly maximum benefit applied regardless of the number of injuries the worker sustained.

The owner of a crane involved in a 2008 fatal construction accident was acquitted of all criminal charges last week after a bench trial in Manhattan. The judge in the case gave no explanation as to why he decided to clear the owner.

On May 30, 2008, a construction crane collapsed at 91st Street and First Avenue in New York City, killing two people. The crane accident has been blamed on two separate causes. The first is a poor-quality Chinese-made bearing in the turntable. The second is human error; reportedly, the operator picked up too heavy a load for the crane, causing the cable to snap and the crane to become imbalanced.

Last March, a tragic accident opened New Yorkers' eyes to the problems that can occur with lax oversight of discount bus companies.

The New York bus accident occurred in the Bronx and took the lives of 13 people. An investigation revealed that the driver had been going 78 mph at the time of the crash, 23 mph over the speed limit, and may have even been asleep in the moments before the accident. The investigation also revealed that the driver's license was fraudulent and that he had previously served prison time for both manslaughter and larceny.

Sadly, this accident is just one in a long string of fatal crashes involving low-cost bus carriers.

Last year, 21 bicyclists died on New York City streets. Now, the city's bicycle community is speaking out, saying that police and district attorneys are not doing enough to prosecute drivers in the wake of fatal accidents.

In about 40 percent of fatal car-versus-bike accidents, the driver doesn't even get a ticket. Sometimes, it is because police determine that the bicyclist shared in the fault. In other cases, there isn't enough readily-available evidence to bring charges.

Instead, accident victims' families are left to seek justice on their own in civil court.

Last week, a 30-year-old man died when a crane collapsed at the site of the No. 7 subway line extension in Manhattan. Four others suffered personal injury.

Authorities say the New York City construction accident occurred when the upper section of the crane broke loose. Two pieces of the crane came tumbling to the ground; one was approximately 80 feet long and the other measured 40 feet in length. Although the cause of the accident is still unknown, investigators are speculating that something in the back of the crane may have snapped, causing the entire apparatus to become unstable.

A man in Long Island was arrested for driving while high on drugs after he crashed his car while fleeing police on Thursday, February 17, 2011. The passenger was seriously injured in the crash in Deer Park. According to the Long Island Press, officers tried to pull over a Cadillac but the driver tried to escape from the police. He crashed into a GMC at the corner of Long Island Avenue and Deer Park Avenue. The passenger in the Cadillac was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition. Detectives are awaiting blood test results. New York car accident attorneys are waiting for more information to be made available.

According to CNN, Dorel Juvenile Group announced a recall on Monday, February 14, 2011 of nearly 800,000 child safety seats because they do not always lock properly. The recall covers certain infant, convertible and booster child restraint systems that were made between May 2008 and April 2009.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the harness locking and release button on the seats does not always return to its locked position. This can lead to loose straps and could result in injuries. In order to fix the problem, Dorel will send registered owners a small tube of "food-grade lubricant" that is designed to prevent sticking and ensure the harness button works properly. New York product liability attorneys are waiting for more information to be released.

According to the Long Island Press, a man in Long Island was arrested for drunken driving after he was involved in a crash that seriously injured his passenger. The car accident occurred on Route 231 in North Babylon on Tuesday, February 15, 2011. The alleged drunk driver tried to make a left turn into the Sunset Plaza when he was struck by a BMW at around 5:15 p.m. His passenger was seriously injured in the crash and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip. New York personal injury lawyers are waiting for more information to be made available.