New York — Two weeks ago a police officer was involved in a car accident where he was struck by a car in Westchester, New York. He was working at the time, during a traffic stop, when a car hit the officer as he stood on the side of the road. The victim suffered severe injuries during the accident, including a head injury with traumatic brain injury. Officials report that the man is improving following surgery and will hopefully be moved out of the intensive care unit of the hospital. A top New York injury lawyer explained that this is a case of a car accident at work, which means that the victim’s injuries should be covered by workman’s compensation. A worker’s comp claim will need to be filed to provide insurance coverage for his injuries and for his short-term and permanent disabilities from the accident. An accident lawyer may also need to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver of the car and her insurance company. Find out more details about this police officer’s work accident and injuries here.

New York — A popular pizzeria was closed down by the New York City Department of Health this past week due to multiple health code violations. The Brooklyn, NY restaurant was cited for several health hazards, that the health department says can cause a health hazard to consumers. Included among the violations were improper refrigeration of food; signs of bugs, flies and mice; and improper washing or sanitizing of food areas. According to some reports, this pizza place has been cited several times for a dangerous health condition in the past. In 2006 and 2007, this restaurant was given multiple failing health inspections and closed several times due to the dangerous condition created by the violations. The pizza shop seems to have corrected the past violations in order to pass inspections to re-open the store but seems to rack up more violations not long after. A top personal injury attorney in New York City explained that the dangers involved with these types of health code violations can cause illness, disability and even wrongful death. If a patron becomes sick because of the restaurant, then the owners and business can face a serious personal injury lawsuit due to negligence. Read more about the pizzeria’s health department closure and re-opening here.

New York — A woman died in the Bronx, New York after receiving silicone injections from an unlicensed cosmetologist. The cosmetologist was found guilty of negligent homicide due to her negligence in the case and for claiming to be licensed to perform the injections. Plastic surgeons say that this is a potentially dangerous medical procedure that should only be performed by licensed providers with proper training. As can be seen with this case, silicone injections that are not performed properly can be deadly. A New York City personal injury and wrongful death lawyer explains that it is the responsibility of the provider to maintain a perfectly clean and sterile environment in order to prevent infections and complications. Certainly, the provider must ensure that they are using medical-grade supplies so as to avoid tainted and dangerous injections. In addition, it is important to note that some negligent providers reuse needles and this can inject chronic infections in to unsuspecting victims. HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases can easily be passed between patients when reusing a needle. This is a form of medical malpractice that can leave its victims sick, disabled, and can even kill. Some observers note that following the negligent homicide conviction, the unlicensed cosmetologist will likely face a civil malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit. You can find out more about this New York silicone injection death here.

A doctor has been found guilty by a jury in the wrongful death criminal lawsuit of famous singer, Michael Jackson. The doctor, a cardiologist, was charged with involuntary manslaughter after giving the singer an inappropriate medication, an anesthesia drug. Public health specialists say that the use of the anesthesia medication as a sleeping medication was negligent and medical malpractice. A personal injury and wrongful death lawyer in New York reports that this guilty verdict in the doctor’s criminal case reinforces the possibility that he will also face a large medical malpractice lawsuit. The malpractice lawsuit would likely contend that the doctor’s negligence lead to the victim’s wrongful death. Attorneys explain that high-profile cases like this get a lot of media attention but this is certainly not the only medical malpractice case that has led to the death of the patient. In fact, some advocates note that more needs to be done to prevent the negligent treatment of patients by doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in both medical offices and hospitals. They say that tighter restrictions should be in place to prevent a doctor from prescribing or using medicines inappropriately. Some note that even pharmacists are sometime to blame when not providing appropriate oversight in the use of medications that they dispense. Even hospital administrators share a responsibility in implementing protocols to prevent negligent use of medications and medical malpractice. Check out this article for up-to-date details on this negligent doctor and medical malpractice case.

New York — An elderly woman was killed in a pedestrian accident on a Manhattan, New York street this past week. The accident victim was struck and killed by a tow truck that was turning as she tried to cross the street. Investigators say that the woman was crossing at an intersection at the time of the tow truck accident but that further details were pending. Investigations were continuing to find out if any negligence was involved that may have contributed to the accident. The woman suffered severe injuries, including a serious head injury, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The victim died in the hospital due to a brain injury. Experts say that pedestrians being hit by a car or truck often cause fatal injuries. However, other victims suffer permanent injuries and may need to go out on disability. Many of these victims who are injured in an accident need a top accident lawyer in order to help them obtain care for their injuries, manage their bills and insurance claims, and to file an injury lawsuit. Check out this article for more information in the fatal pedestrian accident.

New York — Another car accident on the New York State Thruway near Sloatsburg caused injuries and one death this past week. Officials report that six cars and trucks were involved in a chain reaction set of accidents after one car crashed in to a car that was broken down on the highway. One accident victim died during the crash according to reports. Of note, this accident occurred only a short distance away from a bus accident that hit a tractor-trailer truck. That bus versus truck accident left multiple victims injured when the bus driver rear-ended the truck on his way driving to New York City. Investigations in to these accidents are still underway but leave some safety advocates concerned. They say that some negligent drivers make the roads unsafe for others and cause too many accidents, injuries and wrongful death cases. An accident and trauma specialist in New York explained that some injuries from a crash are not always evident at the time of the accident. For example, a neck and back injury, ligament injury, a subtle traumatic brain injury or a non-displaced broken bone can leave an accident victim severely injured or even disabled even though the person is able to initially walk away from the collision. A victim of an accident that still feels pain or problems after an accident still has the right to see a doctor who specializes in accident injuries. This is true even if the person initially refused treatment at the scene or told the police or insurance company that they were not injured. Some wounded people find it necessary to speak to a top accident lawyer for advice. Check out this article for more on the recent multi-car motor vehicle accident in New York.

New York — A bus accident this week sent several injured accident victims to the emergency room. The bus crash occurred on the New York State Thruway when the bus crashed in to the back of a tractor-trailer truck. The bus driver was trapped in the accident and was extricated by fire-rescue personnel. The driver was not the only person injured in an accident, as several bus passengers suffered injuries as well. Investigators say that the bus company involved in the accident had a satisfactory safety rating but there was no apparent cause of the rear-end accident. The weather was apparently not a factor and the mechanical condition of the bus was apparently intact prior to the accident. An accident attorney noted that the initial investigation findings point toward negligence on the part of the bus driver who was possibly not paying attention. The truck driver involved in the crash apparently reported that he had slowed down for another car that was entering the highway when the bus hit his truck. Public safety advocates explain that often times with a bus accident or truck accident, the negligence arises when the driver is tired or fatigued from too many hours on the road. State laws govern the required amount of rest time truck and bus drivers must get between driving shifts. However, a top personal injury lawyer in New York says that some drivers and some companies ignore these basic safety regulations, leading to serious accidents and injuries, sometimes even death. Check out this article for up-to-date information on this most recent bus accident.

New York — An organization in New York State, called the Brain Injury Association of New York State, is dedicated to the support of victims of brain injury and their families. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are often caused during an accident, such as a car accident or slip and fall, but many recent cases have also been caused during war. A traumatic brain injury, sometimes referred to by the common name concussion, can leave its victim with lifelong and permanent symptoms. These symptoms can include memory and concentration problems, headaches, dizziness and a variety of other problems. These accident-caused problems may not be visible like a broken bone or crush injury from a car accident but they are still considered a permanent injury. In fact, this injury is estimated to have caused 5.3 million Americans to have become disabled. The non-profit New York brain injury organization is holding a fundraising event to help the cause. They note that one person in the United States is estimated to suffer a TBI every 23 seconds. Trauma doctors and accident specialists explain that many types of accident can cause a concussion and leave the accident victim with a mild to severe brain injury. They report that many of these accidents are the result of negligence and could have been prevented. A personal injury lawyer in New York reinforced that notion by noting that victims of traumatic brain injury accidents often need to file an injury lawsuit due to the negligent actions or inactions of others. To find out more about head injuries and TBIs check out this article.

New York — An elevator accident in Manhattan, New York a week ago left one worker dead and his family wondering why. The work injury occurred while the workman was trying to fix the broken elevator 10 stories high in the New York City building. The injury occurred when the man, only in his forties, apparently slipped in to the elevator shaft and plunged to his death. Worker’s comp investigators were looking in to specifics in the case, including whether or not the worker was issued the appropriate safety equipment for the hazardous condition within which he was working. Labor law advocates explain that many workers are not given proper safety equipment and instructions for their work or construction site. This is a recipe for injury and disaster. Injured workers often suffer needlessly because of negligence on the part of their employer. Some safety specialists say that an elevator injury should never happen if proper safety precautions are taken and routine repair maintenance is followed. However, in the case of negligent maintenance, the consequences can be disasterous. You can check out updated details on this New York elevator work accident here.

New York — Scaffolding being used by workers at a construction site in Harlem, New York collapsed on to a New York City Transit bus. The building was being demolished when the accident occurred, crushing the bus beneath the scaffold and construction debris. Large bricks were reported to have fallen off the side of the building and investigators are looking in to the cause of the construction accident. Up to 17 accident victims were injured in the accident and were taken to New York City hospital and trauma centers for their injuries. Police and fire officials noted that the site had the appropriate permits but they were unsure if all safety precautions were being followed. A personal injury lawyer who is familiar with construction accidents explained that sometimes contractors receive proper permits but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they follow safe practices. A dangerous condition created at the construction site could easily pose a public danger and could place the construction company at risk for a negligence lawsuit. Another scaffold construction accident occurred two years ago when a van crashed in to it. During that car accident there was one construction worker injured and 6 bystanders were hurt as well. Find out more details about the recent scaffold accident here.