New City Law Blog

Fewer construction accidents reported in the last year

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in construction workers' accidents on Monday, September 28, 2020.

Those employed in the construction industry risk injury or death every day they go to work. Construction accidents simply happen far too often. The good news is that, at least in New York City, construction accidents are on the decline.

According to a recently released article, between July 2019 and June 2020, there was a 19% decrease in construction-related accidents. In that time, a total of 543 injuries were reported, as well as eight deaths. The previous year, the city management report showed a total of 646 injuries and 11 deaths. The shutdown of nonessential services earlier this year is believed to have contributed to the reduction in accidents.

A recent traffic stop leads to DWI charges

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in drunk driving charges on Friday, September 18, 2020.

Police in New York recently pulled a man over after allegedly witnessing him commit various traffic violations. This individual ended up being arrested and charged with various offenses, including driving while intoxicated. A DWI charge is not anything to treat lightly because, if convicted, the consequences can be fairly severe.

According to reports, on Sunday, Aug. 23, at approximately 11:30 a.m., state police initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 87 in Clarkstown. They say the stop was made after the driver had committed traffic violations, but they failed to state specifically what those violations were. When they confronted the driver -- a 56-year-old male -- they ultimately determined he was intoxicated and took him into custody.

Did workplace safety violations contribute to your injury?

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in workplace safety on Sunday, September 6, 2020.

Every year, numerous New York residents suffer injuries while on the job. For many of them, workplace safety violations are to blame. If you were hurt at work and you believe your injury was the result of a workplace safety violation, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your losses.

There are two ways you may go about seeking relief after suffering an injury on the job. First, you may file for workers' compensation benefits. You only have a short window of time to file for these benefits, and there are no guarantees that your request will receive approval. Legal counsel can help you with your filing so that it is submitted on time and error-free. If your claim is denied, your attorney may be able to help you appeal the decision.

What accidents are most likely to happen on a construction site?

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC on Friday, September 4, 2020.

Construction is a physically demanding and mentally taxing industry. Those who work on job sites across New York know that they can be working with powerful equipment, bad weather, heights, and countless other risky elements on a regular basis.

Considering how often workers are exposed to dangerous conditions, it should not be surprising that accidents happen on construction sites. And when they do occur, they can be quite severe. And some accidents are far more common than others.

Ready or not, another DWI crackdown is underway

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in drunk driving charges on Friday, August 21, 2020.

Summer is winding down, and Labor Day is fast approaching. This means that numerous New York residents are looking to enjoy their last few weeks of summer before school starts and cold weather sets in. This also means that law enforcement will be on the lookout for impaired drivers. Yes, ready or not, another DWI crackdown is already underway.

The Stop-DWI Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign started on Aug. 19 and will be in effect through Sept. 7. Law enforcement officers from all over the state will be looking for drivers who are driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. So, New Yorkers should expect to see a greater police presence when they are out and about.

Workers' compensation Q and A

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, August 7, 2020.

Most New Yorkers who get hurt while on the job know that they may not have to cover their losses on their own, but they may not be sure how to access the benefits available to them. Workers' compensation seems like it should be a pretty straightforward thing to navigate, but the truth is that it is anything but simple. Here are a few common questions people tend to have when wanting to pursue workers' comp benefits.

Question number one: What and who does workers' compensation cover? The vast majority of employers in the state of New York are required to have workers' comp insurance. This insurance can cover all types of work-related injuries and illnesses regardless of their severity. It can even offer death benefits to families of those who fail to survive their workplace injuries.

How accurate are breathalyzer tests?

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC on Thursday, July 30, 2020.

If you go out with your friends on a Friday night, have couple drinks and then later drive home, police may pull you over as a possible drunk driver. Most likely, when screening you, police will have you complete a field sobriety test and take a breathalyzer test, to record your blood alcohol level. If you register .08 or above on the breathalyzer, you could spend a night in jail and face DUI charges.

What you may not realize is that your breathalyzer test, a main factor that led to your arrest, may have been inaccurate. In fact, according to a recent New York Times report, breath tests can show a 50% difference in blood alcohol levels than blood tests do.

Construction accident leaves 3 injured, 1 dead

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in construction workers' accidents on Friday, July 24, 2020.

Investigators in New York are in the process of looking into an accident that left three construction workers injured and one dead. This event occurred in Manhattan on July 16. It is just another reminder of how quickly a construction accident can happen and how dangerous this line of work is.

According to reports, the workers were in the middle of a building facade repair when a portion of the parapet collapsed and fell. Some of the debris struck a rig holding two workers near the 11th floor. The rig then fell and hit the scaffolding below. Both construction employees in the rig as well as two on the ground suffered injuries in the event. One of them died at the scene, and the other three were transported to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.

Arrested for DWI over the recent holiday weekend?

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC posted in drunk driving charges on Friday, July 10, 2020.

The Fourth of July holiday weekend has come and gone, and so have the sobriety checkpoints that came along with it. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign ran from July 3 to July 5 with one sole purpose -- keep impaired drivers off the road. It has not yet been reported how many DWI charges were handed out during that time.

Sobriety checkpoints being placed all over the state is the norm for all major holidays anymore. It is just one of the things government officials feel they can do to keep New Yorkers safe from their fellow citizens who may get behind the wheel while intoxicated. Without fail, numerous people end up facing DWI charges as a result of the use of these checkpoints.

Airport ground crews encounter an abundance of job hazards

On behalf of Braunfotel & Frendel LLC on Wednesday, July 8, 2020.

Ground crew workers at airports do not get the most attention among airline employees. That spotlight is reserved for pilots and flight attendants. But such workers maintain crucial roles within an airport and airline’s operations, fulfilling a variety of tasks inside a terminal and outside a terminal.

Among their duties: checking in passengers for their flights, providing security checks, assisting disabled passengers, loading and unloading passenger bags from aircraft, stocking and cleaning the aircraft as well as helping passengers and crew get off the plane by providing the stairs once the plane lands. And all those tasks provide ample opportunity for an assortment of workplace injuries.