New York Injury Lawyer Blog

New York injury lawyers have been keeping a close eye on the recent current events involving a hybrid vehicle manufactured by General Motors Co. On more than one occasion, a Chevrolet Volt has caught fire after damage was made to the lithium-ion battery and coolant line following a crash test. Researchers have been investigating the dangers of the plug-in vehicles that could put car accident victims at risk of a fire hazard following a car accident in Manhattan, Queens or elsewhere.

Investigators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have been working with General Motors representatives to determine the safety issues that Chevy Volt owners could face.

According to CBS News, General Motors Co. has offered to buy back Chevy Volts from owners who fear their safety and could be in danger if the car catches fire following a crash. The automobile manufacturer wants to keep customers happy. Consumers who have purchased the vehicle appreciate the fact that it can travel roughly 40 miles before electric power runs out and the gasoline engine takes over. The hybrid vehicle can travel almost 380 miles on electric and gas, and has been highly rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over other hybrid models. The Chevy Volt hit the market nationwide in October, and GM plans to produce 60,000 of these vehicles starting in 2012.

Following a full investigation, there could be more than 6,000 Volts recalled in the U.S.. The cars will be pulled in for repair once safety regulators determine the specific cause of the fire hazard. In previous incidents, fires have ignited seven days to three weeks following a side-impact crash. Some investigators are speculating that spilled coolant is one possible cause of the fires. Other areas of concern are circuit boards and how the battery cells are packaged in the form of a T-shaped pack. GM officials feel there is no immediate threat to a driver involved in a crash because no real-world crashes have caught fire to date.

One thing we are certain of is that consumers should always put safety features first when determining what kind of vehicle to purchase. The federal government puts vehicles through rigorous testing to make sure they are equipped to handle the effects of crashes involving forward, side or rear impact. Though the Chevy Volt is a highly rated hybrid vehicle, there were side-impact crash tests that lead to detecting the fire hazard and potential danger for consumers purchasing this vehicle.

One resource that consumers may find helpful is safercar.gov. Consumers can compare vehicles side by side and determine the best fit for you or your family.

Buying a safer car has been made easier in recent years with an annually published brochure that provides information on a vehicle's safety features, rollover and crash test results, and helps to determine which vehicles provide the most protection from injury or death when involved in a crash.

Vehicle shoppers should start the process by visiting the Frequently Asked Questions about 5-Star Safety Ratings. Understanding what each star rating means can help you determine which safety features are the most important to you.

Continue reading "Chevrolet Volt Owners in New York May Be Wise To Consider GM Buy-Back Offer" »

The National Safety Council (NSC) has recently announced the initiation of the HEARTS Network. The council is asking teens and family members to offer their personal stories of survival or tragedy following a car accident in Manhattan or elsewhere to help create awareness for the seriousness of this public health threat nationwide.

Queens teen car accident lawyers understand how parents want to keep their children safe from these tragedies. Losing a loved one is difficult under any circumstance, but the loss of a child in a tragic accident can be devastating.

There have been several recent teen car accidents in New York. Your News Now reports a car full of teens crashed in Johnstown recently, killing a 19-year-old passenger and seriously injuring his sister. The driver of the vehicle was going too fast to come to a halt at a stop sign while showing off the speed of his Ford Mustang. He passed through the intersection, hit an embankment and struck a pickup truck, which caused his Mustang to flip over to the other side of the pickup truck. The car landed wedged between the small truck and a house. The 19-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene while his sister was fighting for her life with severe head and spinal injuries. The teen driver sustained minor bruises.

Syracuse.com reports of a separate accident that has landed a 17-year-old female driver in the hospital with serious injuries after being involved in a two-car crash. The teen driver was struck in an intersection by a crossing vehicle as she passed through in Onondaga County. Rescue crews had to extricate the teen from her vehicle and transport her to Upstate University Hospital with multiple serious injuries.

These and other stories are why the NSC has partnered with The Allstate Foundation to create the HEARTS Network. HEARTS stands for Honoring Everyone Affected, Rallying the Survivors.

"Sharing these stories also can be of great benefit to people working through grief or recovering from a serious injury," said David Teater, NSC's senior director of Transportation Initiatives. "Trying to make something positive come out of a tragedy can be very helpful to survivors."

Teen car crashes are the number one cause of death for this age group. But, it is not only teens that are affected in these crashes as roughly two-thirds of victims killed in these crashes are not between the ages 15-20. Passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other motorists of all ages are often killed in a crash involving a teen driver.

Participants of the HEARTS Network are encouraged to work within their communities to share stories of survival and tragedy. Participants can create awareness about the dangers teen drivers face when they speed or drive distracted through stories of personal tragedy and can also relate stories of recovering from a serious accident.

New York is one of 10 states that receives funding from The Allstate Foundation and support from the NSC for advocacy groups like Teen Safe Driving Coalitions. Members of the HEARTS Network are encouraged to get involved and advocate for traffic safety groups to get the message out and help reduce teen tragedies nationwide. Other states receiving funding include California, Texas, Minnesota, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

If you want to connect with survivors, share your personal story involving a teen-related car crash or educate your community on the life-long impact these tragedies can have on families visit NSC HEARTS Network online to learn how to become a participant or get more information about this important movement.

Continue reading "New York Teens Share Stories of Tragedy and Survival Following a Car Accident" »

Family members planning to visit loved ones in a nursing home this holiday season should pay special attention to how residents are being treated. Staff members may be on their best behavior, but it shouldn't stop you from taking notice of signs of neglect or abuse at New York City nursing homes or elsewhere that you may be visiting.

Staff lay-offs due to budgetary constraints at long-term care facilities have New York nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys concerned about more cases of patients or residents being mistreated. Older people are easy targets, so staff may behave inappropriately when they are forced to work longer hours or take on more responsibilities.

A recent accident involving a resident at a Queens nursing home ended tragically. Justice News Flash reports a resident in a wheelchair fell down a flight of stairs and died from injuries. Police investigators are trying to determine if there was inappropriate behavior or whether it was an accident. Even if no one pushed the resident down the stairs, there could be negligence found on behalf of the staff on duty at the time. There are a set of doors that leads to the staircase that are supposed to be locked and can only be opened by the use of an employee code. The doors were allegedly left open, which could have led to the fatal accident. Nursing home administrators and police officials are conducting an investigation.

Staten Island Live reports of a separate nursing home abuse incident when a disabled patient was allegedly hit on the head numerous times by an aide. The incident was made worse when a supervisor allegedly attempted to cover up the incident. Both employees were fired but the nursing home has not been cited for any violations as a result of the misconduct. The two employees pleaded guilty to being in willful violation of public health law.

Nursing home residents who are victims of abuse or neglect may be too scared or unable to communicate what is happening to them. It is important that loved ones look for signs that indicate patients or residents are being mistreated.

Signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect at nursing homes:

-Inexplicable bruising, rashes, lacerations, broken bones or other injuries that can be caused by assault, battery or violence.

-Medical staff unable to answer direct questions when asked about a patient's conditions.

-Residents appear dirty. Hair not being washed or combed, dirty clothes, and strong body odor are indicators that a patient is not being hygienically taken care of.

-Noticeable change in personality. Mood swings or irritability can be strong indicators that something is going on.

-Patients suddenly seem drugged or over-medicated and unable to respond to visitors.

-Employees appear to be short-tempered or rough when attending to patients.

Family members are encouraged to visit loved ones often even beyond the holidays to make sure they are receiving the best possible care.

Continue reading "Visiting Loved Ones at New York Nursing Homes Can Reduce the Risk of Elderly Abuse and Neglect" »

New York City drunk-driving accident attorneys urge all motorists to be sober every time they get behind the wheel throughout the holiday season.

Holiday celebrations can often lead to a slew of accidents where someone is killed or seriously injured in a drunk driving accident in Nassau County or elsewhere throughout the state. Rather than risk a drunk-driving accident this holiday season, prepare to drink responsible or designate a driver so you can get home safely.

In 2009, Mothers Against Drunk Driving New York (MADD) successfully passed legislation to keep repeat drunk-driving offenders off of New York roadways. "Leandra's Law" requires convicted drunk drivers to have ignition interlocks installed in their vehicle. The law also considers any drunk driver found with a child passenger in the vehicle to be committing a felony and charged accordingly.

The New York Daily News reported recently that MADD advocates want New York's Leandra Law to be a gold standard for all states in keeping kids and streets safe from drunk drivers. Leandra was an 11-year-old girl who was killed in a drunk-driving accident in 2009.

Far too many lives are taken from children riding in the back seat with someone who gets behind the wheel to drive after having consumed considerable amounts of alcohol. More than 1,400 drunk drivers have been arrested in New York on the basis of Leandra's Law since the law was adopted in 2009. To date, only three other states, Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona, have similar laws pertaining to drunk-driving violators. MADD advocates hope to change that as they address representatives in Washington and push for all states to pass legislation that deter drivers from getting behind the wheel intoxicated. MADD offices located in each state will also start by pushing local judiciary leaders to adopt their own version of the New York law.

Motorists are not the only ones who should be concerned about drunk drivers this holiday season. USA Today recently reported that new data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that pedestrians are at severe risk of being involved in a drunk-driving accident. In 2009, almost half of pedestrian deaths were caused by alcohol-impairment of either the driver or pedestrian. More specifically, 35 percent of the pedestrians killed were legally drunk in 2009, in addition to 13 percent of pedestrian deaths being caused by an impaired driver. Both driver and pedestrian were drunk in 6 percent of pedestrian deaths in 2009.

So as New Yorkers make New Year's resolutions this holiday season, keep in mind a solemn vow to drink responsibly and use extra caution every time you make plans to attend a party or gathering throughout the year. Staying sober can keep all motorists and pedestrians from being involved in a drunk driving accident.

Continue reading "Sober Behind the Wheel This Holiday Season Lowers Chances of New York City Drunk-Driving Accident" »

According to ConsumerReports.org, the electric Chevrolet Volt sustained several crash tests with flying colors back in June and was rated pretty strongly by government standards. The Volt received an overall vehicle rating of 5, which consisted of a 4 rating for overall frontal crash and a score of 5 for both rollover and overall side crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety even claimed the vehicle as its Top Safety Pick Award.

But if you own a Volt, you may be concerned about recent headlines associated with the vehicle. More than one fire has ignited from the lithium ion batteries used in the vehicle, potentially putting this Chevy model at considerable risk of future fire-related car accidents in New York and throughout the country.

Manhattan defective car accident attorneys understand that most consumers rely on crash ratings to help them determine which car to purchase. It is a little disconcerting when you find out that the vehicle you are driving has a defective part and could put you in considerable danger if you become trapped following a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently announced they have not put a recall on Chevy Volts, but they are conducting an investigation to get to the source of the safety defect problem.

The problem with the defective battery was detected following the side-impact crash test at a Wisconsin NHTSA testing site in May. Roughly three weeks after the vehicle was tested, the car caught fire. It turns out the vehicle's battery was damaged during the crash test and the coolant line was ruptured. Researchers concluded that the damage to the lithium-ion battery pack is what caused the fire to ignite. Since then, the agency has made efforts to gather more information from the Department of Energy, Department of Defense and General Motors about potential fire hazards in electric vehicles following a crash that contain lithium-ion batteries as a power source.

The NHTSA continues to support that electric vehicles have tremendous value in creating more jobs, showing long-term savings for consumers at the pump, and that these vehicles promote a safer environment for everyone.

Vehicle owners, first responders and tow truck operators are advised to take the following into account when responding to a crash involving an electric vehicle:

-Crash victims should exit the vehicle only if it is safe to do so. Wait for help to arrive if you are physically unable to get out of the vehicle.

-Anyone responding to the scene of an accident should first look to see if there are any indicators that the vehicle involved is powered by electric and exercise caution when it you determine that it is.

-Tow truck operators should proceed with caution when hauling the vehicle away and make sure it is stored outside, in an open area with no other vehicles in close proximity. Vehicle owners should not drive or have the vehicle towed to an enclosed garage.

If you own a Chevrolet Volt and have concerns about your vehicle, contact your local dealer to get more information.

Continue reading "Defective Parts in Chevy Volts Being Scrutinized for Post-Crash Fire Risks in New York, Nationwide" »

A recent announcement by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests that toy shopping for little ones should be easier this year when it comes to worrying about safe products. It is the opinion of the agency that stronger safety rules for toy products are putting children less at risk of toy-related injuries in New York and nationwide.

Toy recalls may be down in fiscal year 2011 but our New York City defective toy product accident attorneys know that far too many children are still injured because not every toy on the market gets tested against federal standards. Toys placed on retailer shelves fall through the cracks far too frequently before a defect is detected and causes a child serious injury.

Several safeguards for toy manufacturers have been put into place recently. One safeguard is that lower lead content and lead paint limits have been established. The use of certain phthalates has been strictly limited. What used to be voluntary toy standards have now been converted into mandatory standards. Toys meant for children 12 and under are now required to have third-party testing and certification done on them. Lastly, stricter standards are being met with tracking shipments from other countries with the intent of seizing imported toys that are deemed dangerous.

As a result of these safeguards, there has been a significant decline in toy recalls since 2008. There were 34 toy recalls in fiscal year 2011, 46 toy recalls in 2010, 50 toy recalls in 2009 and 172 toy recalls in 2008.

Fewer recalls should translate to fewer toy-related deaths in small children. On the contrary, there were 17 toy-related fatalities for children 15 and under in 2010 compared to 15 reported deaths for the same age group in 2009. The majority of deaths are related to choking incidents with small balls or balloons.

The CPSC also recently reported that there were 181,500 toy-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms for children 15 and under in 2010. One thing hasn't changed, which is non-motorized scooters remain the leading cause of child injuries related to toys. Many children showed up at emergency rooms with cuts, contusions or abrasions to their head and face from a toy-related accident.

Consumer tips for toy gift shopping this holiday season:

-Never purchase balloons for children under 8 years old. Balloons cause a severe choking hazard for small children, especially when deflated or broken.

-Magnets are easy for small children to place in their mouth and cause them to choke or potentially die from swallowing. Stay away from toys or play sets containing small magnets.

-When purchasing a scooter, inline skates or skate board, don't forget to buy the helmet, elbow and knee pads that go with it.

-Children under 3 should never be given small balls or toys that can easily fit in their mouth.

Once gifts are open, parents should get rid of plastic wrapping, tissue paper or excess cardboard that gifts are wrapped in. Don't allow toys appropriate for certain age groups to be mixed or shared among siblings. Always supervise your children when they start playing with a new toy to reduce the risk of injury caused by a potential defective product.

Continue reading "Consumer Safety Commission Says Toys are Safer This Holiday Season" »

New York motorists were warned that we could be in for a rough winter when it comes to storms and dangerous driving conditions. So far we have been lucky but it could just be the calm before the storm, so to speak. Manhattan car accident attorneys want to remind motorists to prepare for the worst so that you aren't taken off guard when the snow and sleet start to fall.

Winter driving conditions put motorists at risk of a car accident in Manhattan, Queens or elsewhere because it takes many drivers out of their comfort zone. Sliding on snow and ice or losing control of a vehicle can very easily put most motorists in a panic mode.

The New York State Department of Transportation offers an interactive website to help drivers in difficult driving situations like summer driving, construction zones or winter driving. New York motorists are encouraged to bookmark this page on their browser so that you can be reminded of valuable tips and check back occasionally as new safety experiences are added.

The safe winter driving icon can be clicked and launched to an interactive site which offers tips on how to be prepared, users can take a quiz, view a detailed movie of a skid\ and view a snowplow cam. It also offers a link for kids only.

Be Prepared: encourages motorists to be prepared for all conditions at any time. Plan ahead by knowing when winter weather is about to hit and making sure your vehicle is in good condition to handle it.

Take the Quiz: is a series of questions about driving in winter weather conditions and how to handle certain situations.

Anatomy of a Skid: users can watch a movie that shows what happens when a vehicle skids from the front or rear wheels and what can be done to counteract the loss of control.

Snowplow Cam: puts users right inside the cab of a snowplow truck and lets you see how blinds spots affect vision and weather conditions make it difficult to operate and maneuver a much larger and less mobile plow truck.

Kids Only: is an animated display of facts and safety tips for kids.

NYDOT also offers these safe driving tips to motorists:

-Allow enough of a cushion between you and a snow plow to stop safely in an emergency if needed.

-Let someone know where you are headed or what time you think you will return when a snow storm hits.

-Only travel as fast as the weather conditions allow.

-Stay alert for black ice or a wintery mix under snow-covered roads. Unexpected patches of ice can cause a vehicle to lose control.

-Keep an emergency supply kit in the vehicle throughout the winter months.

-If you drive into a snow bank, wait for help to arrive rather than risk getting out and getting hit by another motorist passing by.

-Keep a cell phone handy for emergency situations.

When forecasters predict a snow storm, visit Winter Travel Advisory before you travel to get the most up-to-date weather predictions, maps of cleared roadways and weather-related road conditions.

Continue reading "Winter Weather Puts Motorists at Risk of a Car Accident in New York City, Elsewhere" »

Thousands of New Yorkers use escalators or elevators every day whether going to and from home, work, school and government buildings, for instance. This time of year you're probably sharing elevators and escalators with shoppers at the mall.

New York City Department of Buildings supervises more than 63,000 escalators and elevators. On average, these slow-moving apparatuses make about 500 trips daily. New York City escalator and elevator accident attorneys know that with roughly 30 million trips daily, the risk of serious injury increases when the devices are not maintained or they become overcrowded.

We want to remind New Yorkers who are injured in an elevator or escalator accident in Manhattan, Queens or elsewhere that they should consider taking steps to hold property owners accountable. Owners or managers of office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, school buildings and housing facilities among others have an obligation to make sure the moving devices are working properly in an effort to prevent injuries.

An elevator or escalator may suddenly malfunction causing it to stop because of a faulty pulley system, wiring or door operation. These malfunctions may cause riders to fall, which can lead to head trauma, internal bleeding, broken bones, or severe cuts and lacerations. Stepping into an empty elevator shaft or getting clothing or other items stuck in an escalator are other common causes of injury.

Elevator and escalator operators and owners are required to have the moving apparatuses inspected five times every two years. Three of the inspections are performed by the NYC Building Department and two are conducted by private inspection agencies. Once the inspection is complete, a copy needs to be posted on the escalator or elevator or kept in the building owner's office.

The Department of Buildings spent a week in November educating children in schools throughout the five boroughs about the dangers and how to stay safe while riding on escalators and elevators. Brooklyn Daily Eagle reports children spent the week learning about and discussing the following safety tips:

-Step carefully when entering or exiting an elevator or escalator. Be careful that the steps or floor is level before you step.

-If you are riding in an elevator and it gets stuck, push the emergency button and wait for help to arrive.

-Closed elevator doors should never be forced open with your fingers or other body parts.

-Always face forward and hold on to the handrail while riding a moving escalator.

-Don't stand between the open doors of an elevator or attempt to stop them from closing automatically. If the doors begin to close, wait for the next elevator to arrive.

-Keep your hands away from the sides of an escalator below the handrails.

-Do not run up or down an escalator or jump around inside an elevator.

-Keep loose clothing, shoelaces, backpacks, or cords from electronic devices like iPods from catching in an elevator door or escalator step.

Continue reading "Keep Safety in Mind to Reduce New York City Elevator and Escalator Accidents This Holiday Season" »