Pedestrian deaths had been on a decline since 1980 onward. However, since 2009, there have been a rising number of pedestrian deaths on America’s roads; this increase was bumped further during the pandemic. In fact, pedestrian fatalities have increased faster than other kinds of traffic-related deaths. According to the Governors Highway Safety Administration, which analyzed government data on this point, in 2022, a minimum of 7508 people died after being hit by U.S. drivers. The New York Times’s “The Upshot” tried to come up with answers to this surge in pedestrian death using the hivemind of ..read more

For two centuries, under New York’s wrongful death law, grieving families have been unable to sue for those damages arising out of the emotional injuries engendered by a loved one’s wrongful death. The powerful Retail Wholesale and Department Store Unions (RWDSU), which has around 100,000 members, recently joined a broad coalition of unions that have endorsed the Grieving Families Act and has asked New York Governor Hochul to sign it into law. The Grieving Families Act is a bill sponsored by a New York State Senate Judiciary Chair and New York State Assemblymember that would change the rule th ..read more

Yonkers and its police department have been sued for a car crash that resulted in the deaths of four teenagers in 2020. The teens were 18-years-old and had graduated from high school the prior spring. The families of the teenagers blame the police for the crash, arguing that they mishandled the pursuit of a man who attempted to evade them on Riverdale Avenue when they tried to pull him over for erratic driving. The man also died in the crash. The police department’s public information officer said that the officers chose to disengage and didn’t pursue precise to avoid a crash; they did not vie ..read more

Although the number of traffic deaths had been falling since the late 1960s, a change attributed to lower speed limits, vehicle improvements, and drunk driving declines, the New York Times recently reported that these deaths have been on the rise across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. Experts were surprised; they had anticipated a decline due to largely empty roads. However, the pandemic increased frustration and anger, which in turn triggered aggressive driving, and this aggression continued later in the pandemic when more people began driving again. According to analysis of federal ..read more

Recently, multiple tractor-trailer accidents in Westchester County have occurred. One tractor trailer left I-95 in New Rochelle before jackknifing. Another tractor trailer jackknifed one exit away, twenty minutes later, though in that case, nobody was injured. Additional police crews went out to the roads to help motorists. Poor weather can factor into truck accidents, as can negligence. If you were injured in a jackknifing accident, you should consult seasoned White Plains truck accident lawyer Mark Siesel about whether you have a viable claim for damages. Jackknifing occurs when the trailer ..read more

Distracted driving is a significant cause of crashes, including fatal accidents, across the country. This type of driving occurs whenever a driver is paying attention to something other than the road, such as when a driver is talking on the cell phone, texting, eating, applying makeup, grooming themselves, drinking a beverage, adjusting the radio or GPS, or driving while fatigued or sleep deprived. If you were injured and suspect that the other driver was doing any of the foregoing before colliding with your car, you should call the experienced White Plains distracted driving attorney Mark A ..read more

Slip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere, and while some people may be able to brace for the fall, these incidents can have serious consequences. While many people associate slip and falls and trip and falls with grocery stores or parking lots, New York slip and falls occur at various locations, such as construction sites, sidewalks, public offices, businesses, parks, playgrounds, and schools. In some cases, a renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policy may cover an injury victim’s losses. When the incident occurs at a business or construction site, compensation recovery becomes more on ..read more

Several bus crashes in upstate New York over the last few years have been cause for concern. Some of them involved recreation for vulnerable members of society. Crashes have occurred, for example, because elderly people gathered to ride a tour bus to Atlantic City or take another group pleasure trip. In a recent rollover bus crash west of upstate Syracuse, almost five dozen people had to go to the hospital right away for emergency care. The tour bus was traveling to Niagara Falls from Poughkeepsie. It crashed near Brutus on the New York State Thruway. In connection with the rollover, many acci ..read more

Construction sites present inherent dangers to workers and those in the vicinity; however, construction managers and companies should take all necessary steps to reduce the likelihood of injuries related to that danger. New York buildings department, in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), provides various safety requirements and protocols for construction projects. Those who violate these mandates may be liable for injuries related to their negligence. In New York, there are three primary legal theories under which an injury victim may commence a lawsuit ..read more

Drivers in Goshen and around Orange County in New York spend significant amounts of time in their cars commuting. In August of this year, two were killed and nine were injured in a crash that closed Route 17 between exits 118 and 119 in both the east and westbound directions. If you were injured or a loved one was killed as the result of an at-fault driver, you should consult experienced Goshen car accident attorneys. Mark Siesel has more than 35 years of experience representing clients who have been seriously injured in a car accident. The nighttime crash involved a Ford Escape and a Toyota S ..read more