Gair Gair Conason Rubinowitz Bloom Hershenhorn Steigman & Mackauf

10/14/2026

A bicyclist was killed in a collision with an FDNY ambulance on Staten Island, raising an important legal question: what rights do pedestrians and cyclists have when they are struck by an ambulance or other emergency vehicle in New York?

Emergency vehicles are not automatically immune from liability. The legal standard can depend on whether the ambulance was actually responding to an emergency at the time of the crash and what the driver was doing immediately before the collision.

In this case, authorities reported that the ambulance was not transporting a patient and was not responding to an emergency when the crash occurred.

When an ambulance is not engaged in an emergency operation, ordinary negligence principles may apply. Investigators may examine issues such as speed, visibility, right-of-way, turning movements, whether the driver maintained a proper lookout, and whether the collision could have been avoided.

Even if a cyclist or pedestrian may also have violated a traffic rule, that does not necessarily end the liability analysis. New York follows comparative negligence rules, which means more than one party can potentially share responsibility for an accident.

When an FDNY or other municipal vehicle is involved, injured victims and surviving family members may also face special notice requirements and shorter deadlines for bringing a claim against the City.

Cases involving ambulances and other emergency vehicles can be legally complex and require careful investigation of dispatch records, surveillance footage, GPS data, witness statements, vehicle information and roadway evidence.

Our attorneys represent pedestrians, cyclists and families in serious injury and wrongful death cases throughout New York.

10/14/2026

A tragic pedestrian accident in Flushing, Queens, claimed the life of a 1-year-old child after a driver allegedly entered an intersection and struck the stroller in which the child was being pushed.

The case raises important legal issues involving pedestrian right-of-way, alleged impaired driving, negligence, and potential wrongful death liability under New York law.

When a fatal crash involves possible traffic violations or drug or alcohol impairment, a civil investigation may examine surveillance footage, witness statements, toxicology evidence, vehicle data, and other evidence to determine how the collision occurred and who may be legally responsible.

Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf represents victims and families in serious auto accidents, pedestrian accidents, impaired-driving crashes, and wrongful death cases throughout Queens and New York City.

Call 212 943 1090 for a free consultation.

10/01/2026

Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is pleased to remind colleagues that partner Marijo C. Adimey will serve as faculty at the New York City Bar Association Medical Malpractice Conference on Monday, October 26, 2026.

Marijo will participate in the session “Trial Practice – Presenting and Defending Damages,” scheduled from 3:40 to 4:45 p.m., alongside Hon. Suzanne Adams, Hon. Lewis J. Lubell, Jonathan Erman, Lisa Haniff, and Meryl Schwartz.

The panel will address one of the most important and challenging aspects of medical malpractice litigation: how damages are presented, evaluated, and defended at trial.

Marijo brings extensive experience handling complex medical malpractice and catastrophic injury cases. In 2025, she secured a $60,033,041 medical malpractice verdict in Nassau County. That result was later recognized by TopVerdict™ among the Top 10 Verdicts in New York, the Top 10 Personal Injury Verdicts in New York, and the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in the United States for 2025.

We congratulate Marijo on once again being selected to share her experience with fellow attorneys and members of the judiciary at this important New York City Bar program.

09/30/2026

A tragic A train accident at the Utica Avenue station in Brooklyn is raising serious questions about subway safety and potential MTA liability.

A 57-year-old man was killed after a bag he was carrying became trapped in the train doors as he exited. The train then began moving, reportedly dragging him along the platform before he was fatally injured.

The investigation will likely focus on critical questions: Did the train doors and safety systems function properly? Could the conductor see that a passenger was in danger? Were proper departure procedures followed? And should the train have been able to move with an object trapped in the doors?

These issues can be central in subway and train accident cases.

Our firm has substantial experience handling catastrophic public transportation cases. In one case, we obtained a $20 million settlement for a 23-year-old tourist who fell onto the tracks at the 14th Street PATH station and was struck by two trains. That case involved important questions about whether train personnel recognized the victim’s presence on the tracks and responded appropriately.

In serious subway accidents, surveillance video, train data, door-system records, employee statements, maintenance records and witness testimony can all become critical evidence.

The Utica Avenue investigation remains ongoing, and no final determination of negligence has been made. But incidents like this demonstrate why a thorough investigation of train operations and safety procedures is essential after a catastrophic transit accident.

Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf has extensive experience representing victims of serious subway, train and public transportation accidents throughout New York.

09/28/2026

A powerful nor’easter that struck New York City over the weekend resulted in several serious falling-tree incidents in Brooklyn, including one death and injuries to four people.

In East New York, 56-year-old NYCHA employee Leighton Brown was struck and killed by a falling tree at the Cypress Hills Houses. In Homecrest, four people were injured when a tree or large branch fell at Kelly Park Playground, including a 7-year-old girl who suffered a broken arm, a 1-year-old boy who sustained a cut to his cheek, and two women who suffered head and wrist injuries.

When a serious injury or death is caused by a falling tree during severe weather, an important legal question is whether the storm alone caused the accident—or whether the tree was already diseased, decayed, damaged, or otherwise dangerous before the storm arrived.

Under New York law, liability may depend on whether a property owner, government agency, or other responsible entity knew or should have known about a dangerous condition and failed to address it.

Evidence such as prior complaints, inspection records, maintenance history, visible decay, previous storm damage, or whether a tree had already been identified for removal can all become important.

Severe weather does not automatically eliminate the need for an investigation.

Our New York personal injury attorneys represent people seriously injured by dangerous property conditions, falling trees, and falling objects throughout New York City.

09/25/2026

New York is now issuing fines to drivers caught speeding through active work zones on MTA bridges and tunnels.

Under the expanded Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program, vehicles recorded traveling more than 10 miles per hour above the posted speed limit can trigger fines beginning at $50 for a first violation, increasing for repeat violations within 18 months.

The program applies to active work zones at MTA facilities including the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, Queens Midtown Tunnel, Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and others.

But the legal significance of speeding in a work zone can go well beyond the automated fine.

If a serious accident occurs, evidence of excessive speed may become part of a broader negligence investigation. Attorneys may examine the posted speed limit, vehicle speed before impact, surveillance footage, vehicle event data, police reports, construction signage, lane configurations, traffic-control devices and records connected to the work zone.

A camera violation by itself does not determine who is legally responsible for a crash. Liability may depend on the actions of multiple parties, including drivers, vehicle owners, commercial transportation companies, contractors, subcontractors, entities responsible for traffic control, and governmental or transportation authorities.

Work zones can be especially dangerous because lanes may narrow or shift, shoulders may disappear, workers may be positioned close to traffic, and drivers may have less time and space to react.

Claims involving MTA facilities or other governmental entities may also involve special procedural requirements and shorter notice deadlines, making early investigation and preservation of evidence particularly important after a serious accident.

Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf represents people seriously injured in motor vehicle, construction and transportation accidents throughout New York.

If you or a family member has been seriously injured in a New York work-zone accident, call 212-943-1090.

09/24/2026

We are grateful to Calvin F. for sharing his experience with Ben Rubinowitz, Peter Saghir, Nicole Hanna, and Angella Ibishaj.

At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, we believe strong legal representation means more than handling the legal aspects of a case. It means working together, staying closely involved, communicating with our clients, and making sure they know they have a team standing behind them throughout the process.

Being a client’s voice when they need it most is a responsibility we take seriously.

Thank you, Calvin, for your trust and your thoughtful words about our team.

09/23/2026

A fatal hit-and-run in the Tremont section of the Bronx is raising important legal questions about what happens when a driver leaves the scene of a deadly crash.

According to news reports, a 68-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed shortly before 6:00 a.m. on September 21 near East Tremont Avenue and Park Avenue. Witnesses reported that a white vehicle was speeding and traveling the wrong way on Park Avenue before striking the pedestrian. Police are continuing to search for the driver and vehicle.

Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 600, a driver involved in an accident causing injury or death has specific legal duties, including stopping and providing required identifying and insurance information. Leaving the scene of a fatal crash can result in serious criminal charges.

But the criminal investigation is only one part of the legal picture.

When a pedestrian is killed in a hit-and-run, the victim’s family may also have potential civil claims. If the driver is identified, a wrongful death investigation may examine not only the driver’s conduct, but also who owned the vehicle, what insurance coverage applies, whether the driver had permission to operate it, and whether any other person or entity may share responsibility.

Even if the driver is never identified, compensation may still be available in some cases through uninsured motorist coverage or, depending on the circumstances, the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC).

Hit-and-run cases also require fast evidence preservation. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses and residences can be overwritten, witnesses can become harder to locate, and vehicle debris, traffic-camera footage, registration records and other evidence can become critical to determining what happened and who may be legally responsible.

The Tremont crash follows other recent fatal hit-and-run incidents in the Bronx, including the August death of bicyclist Angelo Camara in Longwood and another fatal collision in Morrisania.

At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our Bronx car accident attorneys represent pedestrians, cyclists and families in serious and fatal motor vehicle accident cases.

In a hit-and-run case, families should not assume that they must wait for police to identify the driver before investigating their civil and insurance rights.

09/22/2026

A fatal NYC truck and bicycle crash is raising important legal questions about side guard waivers and liability.

The truck involved in the September 18 crash that killed a 15-year-old Citi Bike rider had reportedly received a New York City exemption allowing it to operate without a side guard. But does that exemption eliminate potential civil liability?

Our latest blog looks at the driver’s legal duties, the trucking company’s potential responsibility, the significance of the side-guard waiver, and why evidence preservation matters in a fatal bicycle and truck accident case.

The recent fatal truck crash involving a 15-year-old Citi Bike rider on East 14th Street is raising significant legal questions about commercial truck safety, driver responsibility, and the ...

09/21/2026

A 15-year-old girl was killed and another teenager was injured in a collision involving an electric Citi Bike and a sanitation truck in Manhattan’s East Village.

The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation, but the tragedy raises important questions about bicycle safety, large commercial vehicles, and how liability is determined after a serious bicycle-truck collision in New York.

Our latest blog examines the crash and some of the legal issues that can arise when cyclists are injured or killed in collisions with sanitation trucks and other large vehicles.

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A tragic collision involving an electric Citi Bike and a sanitation truck in Manhattan’s East Village has left a 15-year-old girl dead and a 16-year-old girl injured, once again highlighting the ...