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A tragic Central Park horse carriage incident that resulted in the death of a teenager has led to a major lawsuit against New York City. The case is another painful reminder that when safety precautions fail, the consequences can be catastrophic—and determining who may be legally responsible can become complicated.
For people injured in accidents throughout New York City and Westchester County, cases involving multiple potentially responsible parties demonstrate why experienced legal representation can be so important.
Serious Accidents Can Lead to Complex Liability Questions
According to reports referenced in the underlying story, the family of a teenager killed in a Central Park horse carriage accident filed a lawsuit seeking $105 million from New York City.
While a horse carriage accident is different from a typical automobile collision, the legal questions that can follow have similarities to many serious personal injury and wrongful death cases:
- Who had a duty to keep the victim reasonably safe?
- Was that duty violated?
- Could the accident have been prevented?
- Did the actions or failures of multiple parties contribute?
- What evidence exists to establish negligence?
- What damages resulted from the accident?
These questions are especially important when an accident involves a government agency, commercial operator, transportation company, property owner, or multiple defendants.
New York City and Westchester Accidents Can Involve Multiple Parties
Drivers throughout the New York metropolitan area encounter complicated traffic conditions every day.
From Manhattan and the Bronx north through Yonkers, White Plains and the rest of Westchester County, heavily traveled roads and intersections can create opportunities for serious crashes. Major routes such as the Cross Bronx Expressway, Hutchinson River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway, Saw Mill River Parkway, I-287 and I-684 carry enormous amounts of traffic.
A collision may initially appear to be the fault of one driver. A detailed investigation, however, can sometimes uncover additional contributing factors.
Depending on the circumstances, potential defendants in a motor vehicle accident could include another driver, the driver’s employer, the owner of a commercial vehicle, a bus or transportation company, a contractor or another responsible entity.
That is one reason victims of serious accidents should avoid assuming that an insurance company’s initial assessment tells the entire story.
Evidence Can Determine the Outcome of a Personal Injury Case
After a serious car accident, evidence can disappear quickly. Vehicles are repaired or destroyed. Surveillance recordings can be overwritten. Road conditions change. Witnesses become harder to locate, and memories can fade.
An experienced car accident lawyer may investigate evidence including police reports, photographs and videos, witness statements, vehicle damage, medical records, available surveillance footage and other information surrounding the collision.
For catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, attorneys may also work with appropriate experts to analyze how an accident occurred and the extent of the resulting damages.
The goal is to understand not simply what happened, but why it happened and who may legally be responsible.
35 Years of Trial Experience Representing New York Accident Victims
Attorney Norman Gershon has spent 35 years representing personal injury victims throughout the New York City metropolitan area and surrounding counties.
He has recovered tens of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured clients and has developed a reputation as a go-to trial attorney for difficult cases. Norman is the attorney other lawyers call to try some of their toughest cases.
His motor vehicle results include:
$16.5 Million Verdict — Betancourt v. NYCTA
An automobile passenger was injured in a collision with a bus and suffered fractures of the L1 and L5 vertebrae requiring fusion surgery.
$5.445 Million Verdict — Mungo v. Traviseo et al.
A motor vehicle accident resulted in cervical and lumbar fusion surgeries.
$5.068 Million Verdict — Young v. Bal and Nissan Lift of NY
A sideswipe motor vehicle collision resulted in a cervical fusion.
$3.75 Million Verdict — Hernandez-Santos v. Egg Depot Inc. et al.
A motor vehicle accident resulted in a lumbar spine injury requiring fusion.
$3 Million Verdict — Carmona v. Esther Transportation Inc. et al.
A motor vehicle accident resulted in a lumbar spine injury requiring fusion.
Norman has also achieved a $2.5 million verdict in Westchester Supreme Court in Yurkovic v. Cepin, an intersection motor vehicle accident involving cervical disc herniations and fusion.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in another case. Every personal injury claim depends upon its individual facts and circumstances.
What Clients Say About Norman Gershon
Trial experience matters, but clients also need an attorney who communicates with them and understands what they are experiencing.
One former client described Norman as:
“Smart, experienced, compassionate.”
Another client who watched Norman represent them at trial said he was:
“thorough, well prepared” and “comfortable and confident.”
Other clients have praised his accessibility, attention to detail, courtroom preparation and commitment to keeping them informed throughout their cases.
That combination of personal attention and courtroom experience can become particularly important when an insurance company refuses to make a reasonable settlement offer and a case must be prepared for trial.
What Should You Do After a Serious Car Accident?
If you’re involved in an accident in Westchester County or New York City, your first priority should be your health and safety. Seek appropriate medical attention and report the collision to authorities when required.
When possible, preserve photographs and videos of the vehicles, roadway and surrounding conditions. Obtain contact information from witnesses and keep documents associated with your medical treatment, lost work and other accident-related expenses.
Be cautious about giving detailed statements or signing documents presented by an insurance company before understanding your legal rights.
Most importantly, serious injuries deserve serious legal attention.
Looking for a Car Accident Lawyer in Westchester County or NYC?
Whether a collision occurs on a busy Manhattan avenue, in the Bronx or Queens, on a Yonkers roadway or along one of Westchester County’s heavily traveled highways, an accident can change someone’s life in seconds.
Medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, chronic pain and uncertainty about the future can place tremendous pressure on an injured person and their family.
The Law Offices of Norman Gershon represents people injured in car accidents and other personal injury matters throughout White Plains, Yonkers, Westchester County, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and the greater New York City metropolitan area.
With 35 years of trial experience and tens of millions of dollars recovered in personal injury verdicts and settlements, Norman Gershon knows how to investigate difficult cases, prepare them for trial and fight for the compensation his clients deserve.
When the stakes are high, experience in the courtroom matters.
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