Law Office of Stephen Z. Williamson, PLLC

04/24/2025

I’m excited to be co-chairing this jury selection CLE for NYSTLA on May 1. We will tackle many of the challenges that arise in jury selection and explore strategies and tactics that help lawyers pick fair jurors for their clients.

The other presenters are:

Victoria Wickman | Plaintiff Perspective – Medical Malpractice
Karen Grottalio | Defense Perspective – Medical Malpractice
Jared Hatcliffe | Defense Perspective – General Negligence

This webinar is free for NYSTLA members. Pre-registration is required to receive CLE credit and Zoom access. 3 CLE credits | 5-8 PM

Register at https://bit.ly/4itWclN

12/11/2024

Governor Kathy Hochul faces a crucial decision as the deadline approaches to sign or veto the Grieving Families Act, a reform to New York’s outdated 1847 wrongful death law. The current statute only compensates families based on the victim’s income, excluding children, seniors, and non-earning adults from fair legal recourse.

This antiquated law disproportionately affects marginalized communities, as seen in tragedies like the Tops mass shooting, where victims—largely working-class people of color—were often deemed ineligible for compensation. New York and Alabama remain the only states that don’t allow families to sue for grief. While Hochul has vetoed the bill twice, citing concerns from insurers and businesses about rising costs, advocates argue these claims rely on flawed data.

With revisions narrowing the scope of eligible beneficiaries, it’s time for Hochul to act and bring long-overdue justice to grieving families.

Read the full article for more details.

It’s crunch time in Albany as the deadline approaches for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign or veto hundreds of pieces of legislation that were approved this year. Many are worthy

11/19/2024

Bevorlin Garcia Barrios and Christine Fields died in childbirth at Woodhull Hospital due to medical errors and systemic racism.

Despite the passing of the Grieving Families Act, which would allow families to seek justice for emotional suffering in wrongful death cases, Governor Hochul has not signed it into law. This legislation is crucial to holding hospitals accountable for preventable deaths, especially among Black and Hispanic women, who face higher maternal mortality rates.

The partners of Bevorlin and Christine are urging the governor to act now to prevent more deaths and provide families with the legal means to seek justice.

Read the full article for more details.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/11/16/hochul-must-help-grieving-families/

As partners who have lost the most cherished people in our lives — our beloved companions, Bevorlin Garcia Barrios and Christine Fields — our hearts are forever heavy with grief. Our stories are tr…

10/17/2024

In this podcast, Steve discussed his approach to trying difficult cases. He described his philosophy of trusting juries to make the right judgments and finding the truth in cases when they have all the facts. Part of this, Steve explained, is being honest and transparent about all the issues in cases, the good and the bad, trusting that juries will appreciate this approach, be capable of understanding the imperfect, real-world nuances that are part of every case, and ultimately get to the right results, which is justice served.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-practices-with-kenny-berger/id1553923432
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/10TDfv5DL59T5kA1dkyT6x

10/07/2024

Ten months after the preventable death of Christine Fields during childbirth at Woodhull Hospital, another tragedy has struck. Bevorlin Garcia Barrios, a 24-year-old track-and-field star, also died after giving birth at the same hospital.

Jose Perez, Fields’ fiancé, continues to push for reforms to New York’s Grieving Families Act, which was vetoed by Governor Kathy Hochul for the second time. The updated bill would allow families to seek compensation for emotional grief, not just financial loss.

These tragedies highlight the alarming racial disparities in maternal mortality rates, with Black women in New York City being nine times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Families and advocates are calling for accountability, demanding that lawmakers meet with them to address these systemic issues.

Learn more about the new bill to update the Grieving Families Act here: nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S74

Read Full New York Times Article: nytimes.com/2024/10/03/nyregion/woodhull-hospital-childbirth-death.html

After the death of a 24-year-old woman, Woodhull Hospital could face questions, for the third time since 2020, about the safety of its labor and delivery floor.

09/23/2024

The family of 17-year-old Michael Kleinke Jr. has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Colonie and Thomas McGrath, the driver involved in their son’s tragic accident. They allege that local authorities failed to properly investigate McGrath’s condition before the fatal crash, contributing to their heartbreaking loss.

The Kleinke family is also advocating for the Grieving Families Act, which would enable families to seek compensation beyond lost wages in wrongful death cases, recognizing the emotional toll of such losses. Michael’s mother, Jessica, expressed, “There’s no amount of money that could put a value on my son’s life. But the Grieving Families Act would be beneficial to people who can’t go back to work after an incident like this.”

Watch the Full Story Here: https://www.news10.com/news/parents-suing-colonie-for-sons-death-speak-out/

The family of 17-year-old Michael Kleinke Jr. has filed a lawsuit against the Town of Colonie and 72-year-old Thomas McGrath, the man charged in their son’s fatal crash. The suit accuses local auth…

09/04/2024

Join Steve this Thursday (9/5) for a live webinar where he will break down a pedestrian case he won—a record-setting $117 million jury verdict, the highest in New York State for 2022. The case involved a New Yorker with an asymptomatic, pre-existing spinal condition who suffered disabling injuries in a vehicle/pedestrian incident.

The TLU webinars this week feature Steve, along with attorneys Mike Morse, Robert Glassman, and Jonathan Davidi.

Says Steve:
Trial Lawyers University has revolutionized how trial lawyers learn and grow, both virtually and in person. The content available on the TLU platforms and at their conferences is unrivaled. TLU gives attorneys direct access to the finest trial lawyers in America while creating a wonderful community where lawyers feel supported and encouraged to push to their next level.

Don’t miss out—secure your spot today:

Over 50 top trial lawyers on every aspect of trial, including expert depos, taking and defending, jury selection, opening statement structure, directing & crossing experts, closing argument and rebuttal.

08/27/2024

Insurance companies often question the victim's honesty to cast doubt on the injuries and avoid responsibility for legitimate claims. At the Law Office of Stephen Z. Williamson, we expose these unfair tactics and work tirelessly to ensure our clients get a fair fight. This commitment enabled us to obtain the largest pedestrian verdict for that year in the whole United States.

If you're struggling with disabling injuries after an accident, don't let the insurance company intimidate you. Contact us today for a free consultation.

08/20/2024

Our client had a preexisting spine condition that was stable and asymptomatic but made him more vulnerable to injury if a trauma occurred.

Although his suffering and damages were significant, the insurance companies refused to acknowledge the true scope of his case. They blamed his suffering on his past medical history and refused to accept any responsibility.

Instead, the defendants dragged our client through years of litigation, while attacking him and his claims. It made a painful situation much harder for our client to endure. But he persevered.

We took the case to trial and, after a month-long fight, secured a record-setting verdict of over $117 Million Dollars.

In the courtroom, the biggest factor in obtaining this win was honesty. We presented the case honestly and put all the evidence in front of the jury in an open and transparent way, trusting that they understood the issues and had the good sense and compassion to reach the right result.

Honesty in presentation and trust in juries is the cornerstone of our strategy for obtaining justice for our clients.

If you find yourself in a similar tough spot, remember, you're not alone. We're here to help.

08/13/2024

Many people live with spinal conditions or injuries that make them more vulnerable to developing spine symptoms after an accident. Often, the accident aggravates the preexisting condition, causing the person problems and necessitating medical care.

While this may be understandable, insurance companies typically use preexisting spine conditions to deny claims and argue that the person was not hurt in a traumatic incident. They say that all the person’s problems are from prior conditions or injury. We see this all the time.

In this case, our client had a preexisting spine condition but it was stable and not causing any symptoms before the trauma. After the incident, he immediately reported spine pain and showed other symptoms. But the insurance company refused to recognize his claim and fought us for over 6 years of litigation and then in a month-long trial.

The jury's verdict? Not just a victory, but the largest pedestrian verdict for that year in the whole United States. This triumph shows that juries understand the basic truth that people with preexisting conditions are more vulnerable to having bad outcomes after a trauma.

08/06/2024

In a case that resulted in a record setting verdict, we represented a client with a pre-existing spinal condition that became painful and limiting after he was hit by a car at a low speed while the vehicle was reversing in a parking garage.

Although our client was living an active, pain-free life before the incident and there was strong evidence in his favor, the insurance company refused to acknowledge his injury and forced the case to trial.

We refused to back down or accept the insurance company’s false narratives about the case. The company’s lawyers attacked our client but we punched back hard. In a jury trial that lasted over a month, we fought tirelessly to bring the truth to light and obtain full justice for our client.

The result? The largest pedestrian verdict in the entire United States for that year.

11/15/2023

In the Bako trial, we again saw how insurance companies attempt to minimize the human story behind an injury case, depersonalizing the dynamic so that the person’s suffering is de-emphasized or ignored.

Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoBRKO0wIfw