New York City New York Legal Blog

Many of the vehicles on New York's roadways are business vehicles. Semi-trucks, delivery trucks, vans, and even some passenger vehicles that are driven for business purposes can surround an individual while driving. Sadly, just because a person is driving for business doesn't mean that he or she will drive safely. Distracted, drunk and tired driving knows no bounds, meaning that even those who drive for a living can cause a devastating accident that leaves innocent and unsuspecting motorists seriously injured.

While a car accident victim may be able to recover compensation for his or her damages from the individual driver who caused the accident, the truth of the matter is that these negligent drivers often can't adequately pay for the harm they have caused. This means that victims are oftentimes left with judgments that they can't recover. If a negligent driver was performing job duties at the time of the accident in question, though, then a victim may be able to pursue compensation from his or her employer.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that New York is filled with pedestrians. For many, walking is the best way to get to where they're going, while others must walk to find another mode of transportation, be it a taxi, rideshare or subway, to go further distances. While walking in our city shouldn't be a dangerous endeavor - after all, one would think that New Yorkers would be used to driving near pedestrians - this simple act can prove fatal. Sadly, a recent study has shown that pedestrians are at a greater risk of being injured or killed in car accidents than they have been at any other point in the last 30 years.

The study conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association found that more than 6,200 individuals were killed in pedestrian accidents last year. Of course, some of these accidents are attributed to jaywalkers and those pedestrians who are distracted by cell phones. However, reckless and negligent drivers cause a significant number of them. While poor sidewalk and crosswalk infrastructure has contributed to these preventable deaths, smartphone use amongst drivers and the increasing utilization of SUVs seem to be playing an increasing role.

A lot of things can go wrong in health care. There's usually a lot at stake, too, meaning that improperly handled medical emergencies can result in serious injuries, reduced chances of survival and even death. You may think it would be easy to determine the exact reason why medical emergencies arise or patients are left harmed, but it can actually be a tricky thing to decipher. Oftentimes, medical professionals point to pre-existing medical conditions or other demographic issues as the main culprits in these instances. However, in at least some instances, these claims are inaccurately hide the real cause of harm: medical malpractice.

A USA Today investigation found that, especially in maternity wards, patients are susceptible to misdiagnoses, delayed medical treatment and safety measures that aren't adhered to by those who are treating them. After analyzing seven million records from 13 states, the investigation found 120 hospitals that have increased rates of severe complications during childbirth. The women at these hospitals are at double the risk of being harmed by seizures, heart attacks, strokes or require additional treatment, such as hysterectomies, due to inadequate medical care during childbirth.

Distracted driving seems to be an ever-increasing problem throughout New York and across the country. Motorists are becoming far too confident in their ability to multi-task while driving, which means that they take their eyes off the road for disturbingly long periods of time. In these seemingly fleeting moments when their attention is diverted, these motorists can swerve into oncoming traffic, blow through a stoplight or fail to yield to a pedestrian.

Unfortunately, there's no end in sight when it comes to distracted driving. In fact, a recent study from the Insurance Institute for Highway safety found that cell phone use amongst drivers is riskier than ever. While the study found that overall cell phone use has decreased, it also found that drivers are manipulating their phones by texting or surfing the Internet 57 percent more frequently compared to 2014.