Queens Personal Injury Law Blog

Some Queens intersections are more dangerous than others

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, February 15, 2019.

Just last year, researchers with the website Localize.city published a report on some of the most dangerous intersections in Queens. Some in Jamaica, Flushing, Corona, Ridgewood and Jackson Heights had three-times the pedestrian or cyclist injury or death rates of all other ones in the New York City borough.

The Jamaica intersections deemed to be most dangerous were the ones located on 89th and 90th Avenue between 164th Street and 168th Place. It's here that at least 351 pedestrians and 46 cyclists were injured. Four people were killed in or around these intersections.

How do I obtain a guardianship over an incapacitated individual?

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Estate Planning on Friday, February 8, 2019.

Article 81 of New York's Mental Hygiene Law describes an incapacitated person as being anyone who struggles to take care of his or her financial affairs or property. In instances where it can be proven that they're unable to do this, the state allows for a guardian to be appointed to oversee the handling of these matters for them.

Before a petitioner is allowed to serve as guardian to another adult, a judge will have a court evaluator appointed to the case. That individual will be responsible for setting up a meeting with the alleged incapacitated adult to see what decisions that they're capable of making.

When construction sites pose hazards to the public

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.

Construction sites are generally subject to high levels of safety. Anyone entering a construction site will most likely be ordered to wear hard hats and high visibility jackets. However, construction sites can closely interact with public spaces, especially when workers are repairing sidewalks or the exteriors of buildings.

If you have been injured as a member of the public when near a construction site, you may have, unfortunately, suffered injuries that led you to seek hospital treatment. In addition to the pain, suffering and distress caused, you may have suffered financially because of the incident.

Workers often suffer winter injuries in Queens

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Personal Injury on Friday, February 1, 2019.

A new study published by the workers' compensation insurer MEMIC Group captures how cold temperatures and snow appear to have an adverse effect on the number of injuries that employees are suffering.

Data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that in 2014, as many as 42,480 workers suffered slip and fall injuries on icy or snowy surfaces in New York and around the country. All of them had to miss at least a day of work to convalesce.

An 88-year-old Astoria man is struck, killed by a Queens motorist

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, January 25, 2019.

An 88-year-old man was struck and killed by a 40-year-old motorist as he walked about his Astoria neighborhood on Jan. 11.

A spokesperson with the New York Police Department notes that the octogenarian has only traveled approximately five blocks down the road from his home when he was struck by a car. He was reportedly crossing the street at the intersection of Broadway and Crescent Street when the driver of the 2016 Toyota sedan collided into him.

No, it's not safe to try to multitask while driving to work

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP on Wednesday, January 23, 2019.

The demands of modern life can make people feel like they need to be in two places at once. It's no wonder that so many people divide their attention between more than one thing at a time. This process, called multitasking, can help people survive in the cutthroat modern workforce.

However, the practice of multitasking doesn't help you survive when you are driving somewhere. In fact, it could increase your chance of experiencing a serious car crash. While you may know better and keep your focus on arriving safely, other drivers are likely attempting to multi-task at the wheel.

A fire rips through a Rego Park apartment building killing 1

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Personal Injury on Friday, January 18, 2019.

A fire that ripped through a high-rise apartment building in Rego Park on Jan. 13, 2019, claimed the life of one resident and left many others with serious injuries.

The fire got underway just before 11:40 p.m. on a Saturday night at the multi-story 62nd Ave. apartment building in the Queens neighborhood.

Your wishes may not be upheld when you prepare your will online

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Estate Planning on Friday, January 11, 2019.

Many think that they can simply go online and learn how to do virtually anything. They tend to think that everything that they find there is written by someone who's qualified to speak authoritatively about it. This is far from the case though,especially when it comes to legal documents, like a will.

Although it may seem easier and less costly to draft your will using a do it yourself (DIY) approach you find online, it may prove to be disadvantageous to you to do so in the end.

Parents don't know the risks teenage drivers take

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

The number of fatal car accidents involving teenagers is typically disproportionate to the number of teen drivers on the road. They crash at a higher rate than other age groups and many of these accidents are incredibly serious. Even non-fatal wrecks lead to significant injuries, both for teens and others.

One thing you may think when looking at these dire facts is that parents should step up and make sure that teens drive safely. The problem, though, is that parents may think they're doing just that. Teenagers may even drive safely with adults in the car, but they can fall into some bad habits on their own. As some experts have worryingly put it: "Their parents generally don't even know there's a problem."

Why you should take an ambulance to the hospital post-crash

On behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Sunday, January 6, 2019.

Should you take yourself to the hospital after a car crash or let an ambulance take you? If you're only bumped and bruised and your car is functional, you may be tempted to take yourself. However, there are many benefits to taking an ambulance to the hospital as opposed to driving yourself.

Often times symptoms don't show up immediately following an accident, but instead can take several minutes, hours or days to rear their ugly head. It's dangerous when people to try to self-diagnose their own injuries. Without medical training, you can't make accurate assessments about your condition. Without appropriate blood tests or imaging, you can miss something important.