Staten Island Personal Injury Law Blog

Study examines motorcycle accidents and cellphone bans

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Thursday, December 13, 2018.

There are many motorcyclists on the road in Staten Island and throughout New York. There are also many drivers of conventional vehicles who are inattentive drivers and fail to give motorcyclists the adequate amount of room on the road and do not yield as they are supposed to. This can cause motorcycle accidents. Another issue that can lead to motorcycles crashes is distracted drivers. When combining the number of distracted drivers with motorcyclists, it is no surprise that there are accidents with injuries and fatalities. Researchers are examining this issue and trying to come with solutions to make the roads safer. Those who are on the road should pay attention to these potential solutions, as should people who were injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle crash.

A new study from researchers at the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University says that states where there has been a ban of people using devices while driving has reduced the number of deaths in crashes with motorcyclists. New York is a state that does not allow drivers to use devices when driving. Still, based on vulnerability, riding a motorcycle will put the rider in danger.

Auto accidents can cause serious injuries - legal help is needed

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, December 6, 2018.

In Staten Island and across New York City, auto accidents are an unfortunate fact of daily life. These can come in many ways with crashes between vehicles, a vehicle crashing into a bicyclist, and pedestrian-auto accidents. All can cause injuries and death. For people who have been in these crashes, their lives can be radically changed with medical costs, lost wages and the need for long-term care. Families are often confronted with caring for a loved one who needs attention all day, every day. It can be a financial and personal hardship.

A key part of handling these accidents is understanding the types of issues people can face in the aftermath. The types of injuries will be an important part of knowing what to expect and how the injuries will affect a person's life and future. Some are clearly more damaging and have longer-range ramifications than others, but all can cause major problems.

Multiple people hit by a car in New York, one dies

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, November 29, 2018.

Since New York is so busy, there will be frequent car accidents. Many will simply result in damage to the vehicle and no one will be injured. Those who are in these accidents and who avoid serious injuries are lucky. However, some of the worst kinds of car accidents in a large city involve pedestrians. As vulnerable as they are, there can be broken bones, head injuries, long-term damage and even death. Compounding a pedestrian being hit by a car is when it is totally unexpected. People in this type of crash should know their rights to a lawsuit after injuries and the loss of a loved one.

An evening accident between a vehicle and seven pedestrians led to the death of one and injuries to the others, according to recent reports. The accident occurred in Lower Manhattan not long before 7 p.m. According to the investigation, a Toyota Sienna being driven by a 70-year-old man went out of control and backed into fruit carts and hit the pedestrians. The man apparently thought he was putting his foot on the brake and hit the gas instead.

Crash between bus and fire truck injures several people

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, November 22, 2018.

Hearing the sound of sirens from emergency vehicles is a part of living in New York City. Since it is such a busy municipality, it is unavoidable that there will be accidents and incidents that require emergency services. That can include an ambulance to help those who are injured, law enforcement vehicles heading to a scene and fire department vehicles rushing to assist others. Coming across these vehicles generally leads to people moving their vehicles to the side to let them pass. However, there are instances when two vehicles are in the wrong place at the wrong time and are unable to react quickly enough to avoid an accident. This is when there can be injuries and fatalities.

An accident between an MTA bus and an FDNY truck led to multiple injuries recently. The incident occurred shortly after noon. The fire engine was on its way to an emergency when it collided with the bus. The fire truck had its sirens on and was turning. The bus hit the back of the truck. A witness stated that the bus driver suffered serious injuries and was bleeding. There were five FDNY members on the truck and 21 people - including the driver - on the bus. All were taken to hospitals for treatment. Most of the injuries were not believed to be serious. The investigation into the crash is continuing.

Did a cognitive, visual or manual distraction cause your injury?

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law on Tuesday, November 20, 2018.

When you get behind the wheel of a car to drive on New York roadways, you are legally obligated to adhere to traffic and safety laws. Doing so not only keeps you in good standing with the state, it also helps improve your chances of safely arriving to your destination. Your own driving skill, caution and alertness, however, may not be enough to keep you out of harm's way if another driver is cognitively, manually or visually distracted while driving.

These are three of the main types of driving distractions. Thousands of deaths occur every year in this state and others when drivers take their eyes off the road or hands off the wheel. The more you know about such issues ahead of time, the greater chance you have of avoiding collision. If a distracted driver causes you injury, you can seek financial recovery for your losses because the state allows you to pursue litigation against negligent drivers.

Statistics show distracted drivers are a common cause of crashes

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

In New York and across the nation, distracted drivers are a growing problem that legislators and law enforcement are seeking to stop. The risks accompanying texting and driving, using the internet and performing other activities on a device are obvious, but people still tend to do it under the misplaced belief that they can multi-task and do so safely. Statistically, the numbers indicate how truly dangerous it is for distracted drivers to be on the road in New York. For those who have suffered serious injuries or lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident, this can be critical to a legal filing for compensation.

Data provided by the NYPD indicates that in Staten Island, distracted drivers or drivers who were not paying attention caused nearly half of the accidents that have happened so far in 2018. It was more than twice the next most common cause of car accidents, which was vehicles following too closely. Other reasons for crashes to happen include drivers making unsafe lane changes, improper turns, not yielding to right-of-way and unsafe backups. Overall, Staten Island had almost 10,500 crashes through October. Just short of 5,000 were due to drivers who were distracted or inattentive.

Daylight savings time can spark a rise in car accidents

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, November 8, 2018.

In New York and across the nation, opinions will inevitably vary as to the usefulness of daylight savings time. Moving the clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall might seem like it is simply a part of life, but there are certain issues that can arise because of it. Safety on the roads is one. Legislators and law enforcement are making sure to let people know about the dangers that accompany the sudden differences that go along with moving the clocks back. For those who are in auto accidents during or right after the clocks have been changed, it is important to know what research says about crashes related to the time adjustment.

After the fall time change, there is a statistical rise in pedestrian accidents. A legitimate spike is seen in the number of overall accidents and deaths due to a reduction in visibility. This is especially worrisome in the evening hours, when people have a hard time seeing, specifically when driving. Pedestrians are at the greatest risk of being in pedestrian-auto accidents from November 1 to March 15. The sun tends to shine right into drivers' eyes, causing them problems seeing things that are directly in front of them. That can place pedestrians at risk.

Teen auto accidents stem from variety of issues and distractions

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

With the number of dangers on the road in New York, teen drivers are starting out on one of the most difficult terrains in the world. Combine that with the natural inexperience and inevitable mistakes that teen drivers will make, and they as well as anyone they encounter on the road will be may be jeopardy. With National Teen Driver Safety Week having recently taken place, it is important to understand the statistics and research about teen drivers.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that when there is a teen driver with other teens in the vehicle, the chance of an accident happening increased by more than 50 percent. Part of this is due to distracted drivers. However, that goes beyond texting and driving, using devices for other purposes, changing the radio station or eating. Cognitive distraction is a big issue, especially with other teens in the vehicle. With that, making a small mistake while driving and the lack of experience to correct it can cause auto accidents.

Safely reaching the other side when crossing a road near traffic

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Although walking near the buzz of motor vehicles has some inherent risks, the benefits are equally as numerable. As a pedestrian, you may enjoy the freedom of ridding yourself of fuel costs and vehicle maintenance fees, and the exercise you get in the process can be a bonus.

With levels of traffic congestion in many areas of New York that can leave you waiting in line for hours to reach your destination, it might even be faster to travel via the sidewalk. However, should you choose your own two feet over the confines of a vehicle, crossing the street becomes infinitely more hazardous.

Pedestrian accident with sanitation truck leads to man's death

On behalf of Michael J. Gaffney, Attorney at Law posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

Anyone who has been out and about in New York will understand that trash collection vehicles are large, sometimes travel at high rates of speed and will frequently have drivers whose focus is getting their work done as quickly as possible and will ignore basic road rules and courtesies to do that. This will inevitably lead to an auto accident. These are dangerous in any situation, but when there are pedestrian accidents, it can cause serious injuries and fatalities.

In a recent incident, a pedestrian, 37, died after he was hit by a New York City sanitation vehicle. The accident happened at approximately 7:30 a.m. The accident appears to have happened because the driver of the sanitation vehicle drove against traffic on a one-way street. The pedestrian was hit while in the crosswalk and the truck ran over him. He was dragged. The driver continued and then stopped after turning the corner. The trash collection vehicle remained at the scene.