Category: Blog

Police officer injured in fire released from New York hospital

A deadly fire took the life of one New York police officer in April, and it put another one in the hospital. That officer was recently released from Weill Cornell Medical Center. She was proudly wearing her police jacket at the time, though she was riding in a wheelchair and breathing with the assistance of a oxygen tank.

There was much fanfare as she left. Other officers had come, and they clapped and cheered as she left the medical facility. Bagpipes could be heard, playing a song to celebrate her recovery. Also in attendance were both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Bill Bratton, the New York Police commissioner.

The woman, who thanked the crowd as they cheered for her, had fought significant injuries. She was in the hospital for around a month, recovering. When she first got there, she spent an entire four days in a coma.

Back in the beginning of April, when she was first brought to the Weill Cornell burn center, one of the officials would not give her any more than a 50 percent chance to live through the ordeal. Her partner, who also inhaled too much smoke and was overcome while responding to the call, lived for only a few days before passing away.

According to reports, the 16-year-old who decided to start the fire by burning a mattress said that he was feeling bored, which led him to set the blaze in a housing project. That teenager is now waiting for his trial, having been charged with murder.

Anyone who has been injured in a fire needs to know their rights when it comes to negligence and liability. Even if it is clear who started the fire, a case could still have significant grounds for a lawsuit if those who were injured in the fire show that negligence — such as missing or non-functional fire alarms — contributed to the injuries.

Source: Oneida Daily Dispatch, “NYC police officer badly hurt in fire leaves hospital” Verna Dobnik, May. 20, 2014

Slip and fall accident in New York leads to funeral

A funeral was held recently for Mark Shand, who passed away while in New York City. He was in Manhattan, at the Rose Bar, which is connected to the Gramercy Park Hotel. He slipped and fell, striking his his head against the pavement. The injuries were too severe, and he passed away from them.

He had been at a charity event before the fall and subsequent injury took place. He was the brother to Camilla Parker Bowles, who is the Dutchess of Cornwall. She is married to Prince Charles. She attended the funeral, which took place in Dorset, at the Holy Trinity Church. The ceremony itself was held on the first of May.

The fatal injury to Mr. Shand took place on the 23rd of April, in 2014. The man, who was involved in campaigns for the environment, was 62 years old when he died.

Slip-and-fall accidents can be tricky for those who own buildings where they take place, as it could be shown, in some cases, that the owner of the building was responsible for the accident. The owners have certain obligations, most of which revolve around doing what they can to reduce the risk of accidents by doing things like placing signs and doing maintenance.

If anyone is injured in a slip and fall accident or loses a loved one as a result of a fall, they should know what legal rights and options they have. While all cases are different, depending on who the police decide is responsible in their investigation, they could be able to get monetary compensation for damages and even the loss of a person’s life.

Source: New York Daily News, “Camilla Parker Bowles says emotional farewell to brother Mark Shand” No author given, May. 02, 2014

Some neighborhoods in New York are hindered in their development and upkeep by landlords who are not there, according to a new report, but new proposals could seek to combat these negligent homeowners. The issue stems from the fact that many homeowners in the area are proud of the houses that they own and the neighborhoods that they live in, and they no longer want to see property values held back because people who live elsewhere are not making repairs.

In the past, fines had been given to negligent landlords. However, some people felt that these did not go far enough. They were compared to a slap on the wrist, something that would not really force any action.

The new proposal would make it so that the outstanding money that was owed because of the fines could be looked at in the same way that a tax lien would be treated. If landlords did not pay, foreclosures could eventually take the homes away from them. The hope seems to be that this looming possibility would make landlords more likely to take better care of the properties.

When it comes to negligent maintenance and premises liability, those living in homes that have not been properly maintained, like the ones that are targeted by this new legislature, could have a case if they have been injured as a result of the lack of upkeep. They should also keep an eye on this proposal. If it passes and a landlord goes through a foreclosure due to negligence, that fact could be used in a court case after an injury.

Source: Buffalo Rising, “Legislative effort at state-level inspired by Buffalo’s Project Slumlord” No author given, May. 01, 2014

Officer’s death could lead to reformed policies in New York

A police officer in New York City died while responding to a fire. He got there before the firefighters, and he tried to help those who were in the residence. However, the smoke overcame him, and he passed away after battling for his life for three days in a hospital. This event took place on April 6.

Now, the officer’s death could have a large impact on the way that police policies are set up. Not having a policy of their own for this type of a situation, the New York City Police Department talked to other police departments to find out what they had written down. What they discovered is that fire response policies were lacking in multiple departments, not just the NYPD.

The departments are now considering amending policies that exist or putting them into place if they do not, citing the need for training for police officers. Some departments tell officers to be careful if they go into a burning building, but they do not necessarily train them in the way that they should proceed.

While many are interested, some departments are not as convinced that change is needed. The police department in Los Angeles is not planning on making any adjustments. According to reports, not a single officer has been seriously hurt on a fire response call in 30 years.

While emergency responders are covered under workers’ compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages resulting from a fire, the layperson is not. A property owner who is found negligent in preventing a fire could be held liable in a civil action for a variety of damages and losses.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, “New York City Police Death at Fire Spurs Policy Change” Pervaiz Shallwani, Apr. 22, 2014

2 4-year-old children perish in a New York fire

Three children in New York were exposed to a house fire in the middle of the night, and two of the 4-year old children perished as a result. The children were half-siblings. The other child, who was actually a twin of one of the two who died, lived through the event.

The fire apparently started late at night, and not very early the following morning, as officers from the New York Police Department reported getting to the scene just prior to midnight. The emergency responders were able to get the children out of the fire and took them to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, which is where the boy and girl, who had the same father, were declared to have passed away from their injuries.

The other girl who was involved was reported to be in stable condition. Two adults were taken to the hospital, a man and a woman, and they are also said to be in stable condition after getting treatment.

The authorities have not yet released a cause for the fire, as they are still moving forward with the investigation to figure out how, where and why it started.

The investigation after a fire is very important, as it is one of the only ways to determine who is at fault in the incident. It could be found that no one is at fault, but it could also be determined that a fire in a home or commercial area was the result of arson, negligent maintenance or something of that sort. Once the investigation has concluded, those who have suffered burn injuries or the families of those who died may have legal rights to exercise as they seek compensation.

Source: Fox News, “4-year-old half siblings die in overnight New York City fire” No author given, Apr. 20, 2014

New York gentrification sparks protests

In Bushwick, New York, gentrification has been an ongoing issue that is now sparking protests from people who live there. Gentrification is basically the process by which an area goes up in price, often due to improvements in the area, making it impossible for people who have lived there for years to afford it any longer. They are then pushed out by the economic changes.

One thing that protestors have talked about is the fact that landlords sometimes seem to want to force these low-income tenants out in any way possible. These protestors even claim that this has led to violations of the Housing Maintenance Code in the city. They claim that some landlords have been refusing to repair things that clearly need repairs, for instance. This is making for unsafe living conditions, with the landlords hoping, in the protestors’ eyes, that they will move out as a result.

This a dangerous situation, and it could even lead to some premises liability cases. Landlords have a responsibility to their tenants, and they need to provide them with safe places to live. If they neglect to do so, or if they refuse to do it on purpose, and the tenants are injured as a result, it could lead to a lawsuit. It is important for tenants to understand their rights, regardless of their level of income.

It is unclear how long these protests will last or exactly what impact they are going to have, but they will certainly bring attention to the situation. The protestors are also hopeful that the newly-elected mayor, Bill de Blasio, will aid them in their cause.

Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “Bushwick residents, elected officials march against ‘negligent landlords'” No author given, Apr. 08, 2014