DRUNK DRIVING: IGNITION LOCKS As a follow up to our Drunk Driving series of blog postings, we note that as of January 1, 2009, six states (Alaska, Illinois, Colorado, Nebraska and Washington) began requiring those convicted for the first time of drunk driving to have an ignition lock installed in their vehicles. This follows similar [...]
TEXTING WHILE DRIVING: UPDATE In a follow up to our posting (January 12, 2010) regarding the Presidential Executive Order banning federal employees from texting while driving government vehicles, the Federal Government has just (January 26th, 2010) banned all texting by drivers of buses and large commercial trucks. This ban is enforceable by fines of up [...]
WORKERS COMPENSATION: THIRD PARTY ACTION As a general rule, as we have stated previously, if there is a possibility of bringing a lawsuit against some party OTHER THAN one’s employer or co-worker (“THIRD PARTY ACTION”), for a injury sustained on the job, the recovery will almost always be greater than the worker’s compensation award that [...]
Jill Mattice, a six-year veteran of the New York State Troopers was fatally injured in a head on collision with a tractor-trailer on the evening of Wednesday, January 20th. Mattice was pronounced dead on Route 23 where the accident took place. “Her community was enhanced by her service,” Governor David Paterson said in a written [...]
POLICE MISCONDUCT | SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICERS In 1998 the New York City Police Department assumed direct responsibility for safety in the New York City public school system. While there are some police officers assigned to schools, the overwhelming number of Police Department personnel assigned to the public schools, for the purpose of maintaining a safe [...]
CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS IN NEW YORK CITY | 2009 UPDATE Construction activity in New York City, as almost everywhere else in the nation, has experienced a drastic slowdown during this past year. The reason is not difficult to fathom: the Recession, and the consequent constriction in financing by banks. One piece of good news accompanies this [...]
ELEVATOR ACCIDENTS | WORKERS COMPENSATION | THIRD PARTY ACTIONS | NEW YORK LABOR LAW CASES In an effort to repair an elevator in a five story cooperative in Manhattan, a repairman lost his life on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. While the exact method of the repairman’s death is not yet determined, speculation is divided between [...]
DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED | CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING | TEXTING WHILE DRIVING On January 11, 2010 the New York Times, in its “Technology” section, published some interesting, yet disturbing, statistics: 11% of drivers, at any one time, talk on their cell phones while driving (per a federal study); Drivers using cell phones cause 2600 [...]
LEAD POISON IN BUILDINGS: 2009 UPDATE In 1960, New York City was the first city to ban lead paint. Since then, New York City has strengthened that law on two occasions. The last time the law was upgraded was in 2004, when the NEW YORK CITY LEAD POISONING PREVENTION ACT (Local Law 1) was passed. [...]
“COVERAGE” Why can’t I get more for the injury I suffered? “Coverage” is a term used by personal injury lawyers to refer to the amount of money that is available to pay a client for the injury they sustained. In almost every instance the “coverage” available is equated with the policy limit of an insured’s [...]
