Schulman Blitz, LLP settled our client’s case at mediation for $350,000 for injuries he sustained when he tripped and fell on a defective sidewalk in front of a building on West 86th Street in Manhattan. Our client was carrying his grandson on his shoulders when the accident happened and he sustained severe injuries which required surgery to his ankle and his knee. The accident was caught on video by the building’s exterior cameras which Schulman Blitz, LLP was able to retrieve and use to help prove our client’s case against the building’s insurance company.

Schulman Blitz, LLP’s client, who at the time of her accident was a a nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was crossing Richmond Avenue at the intersection of Leo Street in Staten Island when she was struck by a car that was making a left turn. She sustained several injuries, including a severe injury to her knee, consisting of a torn medial meniscus and an anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. As a result of these injuries, our client required surgery, consisting of an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction utilizing a patellar tendonautograft, as well as a medial meniscectomy. The surgery required insertion of metallic screws into our client’s knee. Because her injuries caused her to undergo such an extensive surgery, our client had to miss over a year of work. Schulman Blitz, LLP made a motion for summary judgment to have the court determine, as a matter of law, that because our client was in the crosswalk at the time, the collision was completely the fault of the driver of the car. In addition, the motion sought a determination by the court that our client sustained injuries that met New York State’s “serious injury threshold” for automobile cases. While the motion was pending, Fred Schulman, Esq. settled the case with the insurance company for the car for $240,000.

Broadway and 72nd Street, New York City On September 24, 2008, our client Marcia, a 65-year-old woman who was employed as a psychologist at a local New York City hospital, was on her way home from work and was heading towards her apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan. She was crossing 71st Street at its intersection with Broadway when she was struck by a car that was heading south on Broadway. As we all know, there are often three sides to a story. In this instance, we only had one side. We don’t know exactly how the accident occurred. The driver of the vehicle said that he was the first car in line waiting for the light to change for cars to proceed south on Broadway. The defendant driver claimed that when the light turned green, he began to move and Marcia “darted out” into the street, and he did not have a chance to stop before striking her. Yet the driver’s story didn’t make much sense. For one, Marcia had been living in Manhattan for 38 years, crossing that same street everyday, and had never “darted out” into the street before. Also, there was a witness to the accident who told a different version of events, yet this witness died shortly after the accident took place. Additionally, when the driver told his version of events at a subsequent deposition, there were many inconsistencies throughout his testimony regarding how the accident occurred. Unfortunately, Marcia never got to tell her side of the story. When the car struck Marcia, her head hit the pavement and she suffered a devastating traumatic brain injury. Marcia’s injury did not manifest itself right away. After the accident, Marcia spent three days in St. Luke’s Hospital where she was treated for her head trauma. As weeks went by after the accident, Marcia began to have headaches, started to forget things, and became unable to go to work and treat her patients. As the weeks turned into months, Marcia started losing the ability to recall basic facts. She would forget where she lived, what her name was, and the names of her family members. She would wake up to go to work and forget how to get to her office. Marcia’s family, based in Chicago, became concerned and flew to New York to help Marcia. Marcia started getting various treatments with neuropsychologists and traumatic brain injury specialists, all of whom were stunned by the decline in her memory and cognitive skills. Eventually, Marcia had to completely leave her psychology practice and was forced to move to Chicago where she entered an assisted living facility near her family. She resides there today and now requires 24 hour assistance with all aspects of her life. She has little memory of her life before this accident took place. Schulman Blitz, LLP brought a lawsuit on Marcia’s behalf against the driver and owner of the car that struck Marcia. The insurance company for the car claimed that that their driver was not responsible for Marcia’s accident and would not offer any money to settle the case. In the interim years, the cost of Marcia’s care became tremendous and increasingly burdensome on her family. Earlier this year, we began preparing for trial and the case was scheduled to go to trial this fall. We were eager to finally get a chance to tell what we believed to be Marcia’s version of events, yet we had many concerns as to the difficulties that the case presented at trial. For example, Marcia had no recollection of the accident, and by this point, she was not able to articulate herself in any meaningful way. As the trial approached, after extensive and intense negotiations with the car’s insurance company, Schulman Blitz, LLP was able to procure a settlement for Marcia in the amount of $250,000, which represented the vast majority of the car’s available insurance. When we at Schulman Blitz, LLP settle a case for our clients, there is always a feeling of gratification when we are able to hand the client their settlement check at the conclusion of a case. In this instance, due to Marcia’s condition, we never had that opportunity, and we sent her check to her brother in Chicago as he is responsible for taking care of Marcia’s legal and financial affairs. When Marcia’s brother Frank received the settlement check, he sent us a short note. The note replaces the feeling of satisfaction that we were unable to have since we could not hand Marcia her check personally.

Fred Schulman, Esq. and Justin Blitz, Esq. recently settled a medical malpractice/wrongful death case for $2 million. Our client was the wife of a Our client was the wife of a 22-year-old man with two young children who went to his doctor complaining of various symptoms including rapid weight loss and excessive thirst.  The doctor didn’t realize that he was suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis and sent him home.  Three days later, he was unable to breathe and went to the emergency room of a local hospital where he was admitted and his condition continued to deteriorate until he passed away two days later. The doctor didn’t realize that he was suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis and sent him home.  Three days later, he was unable to breathe and went to the emergency room of a local hospital where he was admitted and his condition continued to deteriorate until he passed away two days later. Schulman Blitz, LLP sued the doctor and the hospital for medical malpractice and wrongful death.  We secured a $2 million settlement for the benefit of his wife and children.

Schulman Blitz, LLP’s client was a passenger on a BoltBus that was traveling from Baltimore to New York City. As the bus was exiting the Manhattan side of the Lincoln Tunnel, it collided with a car, dragging the car against the side of the tunnel exit wall. As a result of the impact with the car, our client was thrown into the stairwell of the bus, severely injuring her shoulder and knee. Our client’s knee injury required arthroscopic surgical repair, as did her shoulder injury. Arrow showing a SLAP tear Our client tore her biceps tendon and rotator cuff tendon developing a “frozen” shoulder. She required arthroscopic surgery to repair her SLAP lesion in her shoulder. After the completion of depositions, Schulman Blitz’s senior associate Stephanie Mastrocola, Esq. settled our client’s cases for $360,000 with the insurance company for the car and BoltBus.

Our client was a passenger in a yellow cab when the driver lost control and struck a parked vehicle. As a result of the heavy impact, our client’s face struck the plexiglass divider of the taxi, which caused her to sustain a fractured nasal bone and a deviated nasal septum. At the time of the accident, our client was an aspiring opera singer who was pursuing her Masters Degree at the Manhattan School of Music. After the accident, she began to have voice difficulties which affected her singing. Thomas Schiro, Esq. and Fred Schulman, Esq. settled our client’s case at mediation with the insurance company for the taxi cab for a confidential amount.

If you have been in a recent bicycle accident, you may be able to recover a large amount of  compensation that can cover most or all of your accident-related expenses. There are many things that you can do in order to avoid a bicycle accident, but unfortunately accidents can still happen no matter how hard you try to avoid them. Even if you ride defensively and obey all traffic laws, other people may choose to be reckless. As a lawyer can explain, here are some of the following contributing factors found in many bicycle accident cases. Weather When the weather is poor, it can make it challenging to see your surroundings and navigate the roads. When you are on a bicycle, you must take extra caution because other vehicles or motorists may be driving too fast, and it can make it difficult to avoid a collision. Extreme weather where there is rain, snow or strong winds can increase the chances of a bicycle accident occurring. Cyclists do not have much protection because they only have clothing, lights, and a helmet to keep them safe in case of an accident. Speed When drivers are disregarding speeding signs, it can lead to a serious bicycle accident. Excessive speed accounts for a large portion of bicycle accidents. Sometimes drivers become impatient around other cyclists because they are not able to travel as fast as them, such as when a driver is behind a cyclist. Drivers who are speeding can strike a cyclist because they lose control of their vehicle. According to a bicycle accident lawyer like one from Hall-Justice, you may be able to recover compensation to cover your injuries and losses from your bicycle accident. Reckless Driving If you have been in a sudden bicycle accident and were hurt because of a reckless driver, you may be eligible to recover compensation. Many bicycle accidents involve reckless driving, which refers to any kind of driving that involves a driver who is driving in a manner that involves wanton disregard for the safety of another person. A bicycle accident lawyer can help you recover the damages that you are eligible to obtain, and they can help you maximize your compensation amount. Alcohol Sadly, thousands of drunk driving accidents result in cyclists suffering severe injuries. When people consume alcohol and attempt to drive on the road, the consequences are often disastrous. Cyclists are the victims of many drunk driving cases, and they often suffer injuries such as head injuries, leg injuries, brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. If you have been injured due to a drunk driver’s actions, find out if you are able to file a valid personal injury claim with the guidance of a qualified lawyer. Don’t wait to contact a lawyer if you would like to know if you can file a personal injury claim following a bicycle accident. Request a confidential consultation with a qualified lawyer in your area now for affordable and quality legal assistance.

In the unfortunate event of an accident, or incident, contact an attorney clients trust to assist in their legal needs. Although injuries occur all the time, those who suffer from another’s negligence or harm may be eligible for compensation according to a personal injury attorney from our friends at Ward & Ward Law Firm. If you or a loved one are unsure if you have a valid personal injury case, contact an experienced lawyer for a risk-free consultation today. Personal injuries can take place anywhere. From a collision on the road to a freshly mopped hotel lobby without proper signage, accidents can occur any place humans are present. Upon sustaining an injury, or ailment, the person in pain should see a medical professional as soon as possible. Even if the victim appears physically unharmed, there may be a chance of concussion or internal bleeding that should be ruled out by a trained, medical person. If a person is experiencing adrenaline during or after an accident, they may be unaware of the full extent of their injuries, as adrenaline tends to mask an individual’s pain. Attorneys understand that the injuries their clients sustain may not only be physical. Emotional and mental pain is often caused by an accident or incident and has the potential to greatly harm those suffering. Depression is often a result of an accident, as those trying to heal from injuries may experience chronic and debilitating sadness over their pain. Anxiety causes victims of personal injury a lack of control and may inhibit their travel, work, relationships, and ability to cope with everyday stressors. Post-traumatic stress disorder otherwise referred to as PTSD makes those who are suffering unable to move past the accident, as they relieve the experience and pain, often being triggered to a negative response. If a person is suffering mentally or emotionally, they should seek professional help from a licensed therapist. Pursuing mental and emotional health should not be a taboo thing or something someone is shamed for. Pain is pain, whether that be seen or unseen, and those suffering have the right to pursue healing, whatever that looks like. Although professional treatment and therapy may be expensive for some, victims are highly encouraged to put their health first. A skilled personal injury lawyer will strive for compensation that covers all medical bills, including those for mental and emotional treatments such as therapy. After an injury, many do not know where or whom to turn to. If you are unsure about the proper legal steps to take or what evidence is important in a settlement case or lawsuit, contact a personal injury attorney to find out. They have the knowledge and experience needed to answer their client’s questions, as well as formulate a strategy tailored to their client’s needs. Attorneys work hard so that their clients can focus on what is truly important following an accident, their healing, and overall health. Don’t wait to get the legal assistance needed to pursue compensation, but contact a personal injury attorney today, and start your journey toward justice and accountability.

Testosterone According to our friends at Cohen and Cohen, testosterone is something that both males and females produce naturally in their bodies. Testosterone does things differently to both males and females but generally increases someone’s libido and increases their muscle and bone strength. Many men, as they get older, decide to do either testosterone replacement therapy or take certain drugs to increase their testosterone. They typically do this to help regulate their bodies to have more energy and muscle to carry out activities as if when they were younger. If you would like to learn more about testosterone and issues that may come up with it then keep reading. Issues With Testosterone-Related Drugs and Replacement Therapy One of the main issues with taking a testosterone replacement drug is the side effects they produce. It has been stated through various studies that men who take these types of drugs put themselves at a much higher chance of stroke and heart attack. They also have a higher chance of getting heart disease when taking these drugs. If you or someone you know have taken these kinds of drugs and have had an adverse reaction then it may be time to consult with a legal professional to see if there is a compensation package available for this kind of problem. How a Lawyer Can Help With Testosterone-Related Issues A lawyer can make a great deal of difference for people who have taken testosterone drugs for testosterone replacement therapy. Side effects of taking the multitude of testosterone drugs on the market include a higher chance of stroke and heart attack. Men of a certain age range, usually over 65, have even been stated as having a 2 times higher chance of heart attack than men who don’t take those types of drugs. For those who are younger than 65, the studies have also shown that heart disease occurs at an elevated rate than normal for takers of these types of testosterone supplement drugs. If you have been diagnosed with heart disease or suffered a stroke or heart attack after taking these kinds of drugs then you may be able to file a lawsuit against the drug company. Many people have filed these types of lawsuits and gained compensation and other benefits for their troubles. Legal Help Legal assistance is available for testosterone-related problems. Many people, especially men, have gone through issues with testosterone replacement therapy and taking certain drugs to increase the levels of testosterone in their bodies. Find a firm that has helped many clients get through issues they have faced with issues relating to testosterone. A firm like this one has testosterone attorneys who will work with people dealing with these issues and establish a firm strategy to get the results they need with a legal case. Some companies may produce drugs that don’t do as they state in their documents that have led to side effects for people. If this happened to you then it may be time for legal help.

Probate Lawyer A last will and testament are vital to protecting your assets and ensuring your loved ones receive them. While most Americans agree that creating a will is essential, unfortunately, many Americans fail to do so, including needing the proper estate planning documents. Furthermore, many Americans need to update their wills. Having a probate attorney helps you avoid potential issues following your passing away. We’ll look for five crucial factors to consider when naming a probate attorney. The Required Knowledge and Expertise It’s best to name an attorney that already has plenty of experience under their belt. More specifically, you want to hire an attorney with years of experience in estate planning and probate law. While a fresh face may do a professional job, you learn a lot as the years go by. They Have Empathy Estate planning and probate cases often carry some amount of mourning. Therefore, you want to work with an attorney who is empathetic to your needs and mental condition. Besides dealing with the loss of a loved one, the probate process can also be stressful due to its legal requirements—especially if you’ve been named executor. Someone Who Can Remain Objective Of course, recently losing a loved one also means it can be difficult for families always to see things objectively. As a result, emotions and tensions can run high, and arguments can break out, even for a family that usually doesn’t argue. These arguments can even turn into contention with family members threatening litigation. An attorney can help you and your family see things objectively—even if it means dealing with uncomfortable truths. Again, a professional attorney will be emphatic during this process, but they also won’t be afraid to be objective and tell you what you may not want to hear. They Can Communicate Effectively Being able to communicate effectively comes in handy in many ways. First, of course, you want an attorney that can effectively communicate with the courts, executor, other family members, and creditors. But, of course, you also want an attorney that you can easily talk to. Like many professions, the law can have a lot of jargon and confusing language for someone unfamiliar with the law. An attorney shouldn’t try to impress you with hard-to-understand terminology or concepts. Instead, they should be able to take any confusing concepts or terms, break them down in a way you can understand, and answer any questions you have. They Have Perseverance and Confidence Settling an estate and completing the probate process isn’t a walk in the park. Even smaller estates with clearly laid out wills can encounter their fair share of difficulties. A professional attorney, however, will be able to stick through the process no matter how messy it gets and will always be available to take your call. But, of course, alongside perseverance comes the confidence that the probate lawyer can resolve the case—something our friends at the Theus Law Offices agree with.

Medical Malpractice Lawyer When a doctor or other medical professional is negligent, the injuries that a patient can suffer can result in serious health consequences. This negligence can even cause the patient to die. These negligence actions are legally referred to as medical malpractice. Malpractice victims should consult with a medical malpractice lawyer to find out what legal options they have. In order to be successful in a malpractice lawsuit, the lawyer will need to prove it was the negligent actions of the doctor or other medical professional which directly caused the patient’s condition. Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is a complex, time-consuming, and often stressful process. This is why it is critical to have a skilled medical malpractice lawyer advocating for you and your family. Contact a personal injury law firm if you think you or a loved one has been a victim of malpractice. Medical Malpractice Claim According to national statistics, approximately one million patients are victims of medical malpractice each year. The following are some of the more common acts of negligence that malpractice attorneys see in many cases: Misdiagnosis or Missed Diagnosis When a doctor fails to properly identify a patient’s medical condition, it is referred to as a misdiagnosis. If a doctor misdiagnoses what is wrong with a patient, there is a potential for serious injury or even death. For example, a patient goes to the doctor because they are dealing with aches, pains, and other flu-like symptoms. The doctor diagnoses them with the flu and prescribed acetaminophen, fluids, and bed rest. But it turns out that the patient really has Lyme disease and weeks and weeks go by – with the patient’s symptoms worsening – and finally the doctor orders blood work that verifies the Lyme disease. This delay in treatment for Lyme disease allowed the disease to progress, causing the patient serious physical damage. A jury could find the doctor guilty of malpractice if there were other signs the doctor should have considered when the patient first came to them, such as a tick bite mark with a red bull’s eye surrounding it. Surgical Error When a patient has surgery, they have an expectation that the surgeon, surgical team, and hospital will ensure that the surgery will be done with the expertise, attention, and care all patients expect. If there is a breakdown in staff communication, such as incorrect information provided to the anesthesiologist, the result can be tragic. Examples of surgical errors include the incorrect amount of anesthesia, the wrong body part operated on, surgical instruments left inside the patient, or the wrong patient operated on. Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence, you may be entitled to pursue damages for financial compensation for the losses the injuries you suffered have caused. A skilled medical malpractice lawyer will fight to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Thanks to each medical malpractice lawyer from Disparti Law Group for their insight into medical malpractice and the legal options for victims.

If you’ve recently been involved in a car accident, you may – very understandably – be feeling disoriented and overwhelmed. Even a relatively minor car accident can be jarring. As a result, it’s important to connect with an attorney as soon as you can to explore your rights and options. Depending on the nature of your circumstances, you may be entitled to considerable compensation and an attorney can help you to pursue every dollar you’re owed. Additionally, an attorney can assist you with the practical tasks that must be addressed in the wake of a car accident. For example, they can field calls from your insurance company. In doing so, they’ll save you the stress of having to deal with them on your own and they’ll utilize their experience to secure a fairly-valued settlement offer on your behalf. They can also answer any questions you have about your legal, financial, and practical situation post-crash. For example, they can advise you in re: whether you can continue to use a child’s car seat that was in your vehicle at the time of the accident or whether you’ll need to replace it. Child Seat Considerations Post-Accident As an experienced car accident lawyer – including those who practice at MartinWren, P.C. – can explain in greater detail concerning your unique circumstances, some car seats can be used after they’ve been impacted by a crash scenario and others must be replaced. Whether your child’s seat can be used safely moving forward or whether it will need to be replaced is dependent upon a few factors related to your crash. Generally speaking, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that any time a car seat is in a vehicle at the time of a moderate or serious crash – regardless of whether a child was seated in the safety seat at the moment of impact or not – the seat should be replaced. A moderate or severe crash is broadly defined as one in which at least one occupant of the vehicle sustained injuries, air bags deployed, there is visible damage to the car seat, and/or the door nearest to the car seat is visibly damaged. In the event of a minor car accident, the NHTSA advises that vehicle operators check with the manufacturer of their car seat(s) before determining whether to replace them or keep using them. Some car seat manufacturers advise that vehicle owners replace safety seats following a minor accident, while other manufacturers give vehicle owners the green light to keep using their safety seats. A minor crash is broadly defined as one in which no one was hurt, no air bags deployed in the affected vehicle, the vehicle was safe and sturdy enough to be driven away from the accident scene (as opposed to towed away), there is no visible damage to the affected seat, and the door nearest the seat didn’t sustain visible damage. If a seat must be replaced, an attorney can potentially secure its replacement cost from the car owner’s insurance provider.