Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.
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NYC Health Hospital WoodhullNYC Health + Hospitals Woodhull, located at 760 Broadway in Brooklyn, received a “D” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group based on data submitted June 30, 2025.

A “D” grade does not mean that every aspect of care is unsafe. In fact, Woodhull performs well in several important areas, including medication safety, leadership accountability, and hand hygiene. However, Leapfrog grades are driven by patterns of risk, and Woodhull’s score reflects persistent safety vulnerabilities that patients and families should understand before undergoing treatment—especially for complex or invasive care.

Below is a clear, patient-focused breakdown of what drove the lower grade and what it means in real-world terms.

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Location of the Long Island Hit and Run AccidentA Long Island man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that struck two brothers on the side of a Suffolk County roadway, killing one and leaving the other critically injured. The incident underscores the devastating consequences that follow when a driver leaves the scene of a serious crash and the legal options available to victims’ families under New York law.

According to Suffolk County police, Jonathan Shaver, 51, of Rocky Point, is accused of striking 31-year-old Edgar Meija and his 29-year-old brother, Omar Meija, shortly before 7 p.m. on Thursday near 1180 William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. The brothers were reportedly outside their vehicle changing a flat tire when Shaver’s 2012 Honda Accord struck them. Police say Shaver then fled the scene.

Edgar Meija was pronounced dead at the scene. His brother Omar was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Saturday morning.

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location of the fatal hit and run accident in BrownsvilleA fatal early-morning crash in Brownsville has raised serious legal and safety questions about driver conduct, hit-and-run responsibility, and how multi-vehicle collisions are investigated in Brooklyn.

Kianna Underwood, a 33-year-old former Nickelodeon child actor, was struck and killed on January 16, 2026, near Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard. Police say she was first struck by a black Ford Explorer SUV and then run over and dragged more than two blocks by a second vehicle that fled the scene and has not been identified.

From a Brooklyn car accident lawyer’s perspective, this case underscores how quickly catastrophic harm can unfold—and how critical evidence preservation and accountability become when multiple drivers are involved.

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HandcuffsAn off-duty New York Police Department employee was arrested in Manhattan following allegations of non-consensual sexual contact inside a Lower Manhattan office building. According to published reports, the incident allegedly occurred in the Two Bridges area and resulted in charges including forcible touching, sex abuse, and harassment. The criminal case is pending in Manhattan Criminal Court.

While criminal proceedings determine whether a crime occurred under New York law, adult victims of sexual abuse often have separate and independent civil legal rights that deserve careful consideration.

Civil Claims Available to Adult Victims of Sexual Abuse in New York

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Bronx building where the fatal explosion occuredA deadly gas explosion inside a Bronx NYCHA high-rise has led to murder and multiple felony charges, highlighting once again how preventable gas-related incidents can devastate entire buildings and communities.

According to law enforcement sources, a man has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly stealing a gas stove from an apartment at the Boston Secor Houses in Baychester—triggering a gas leak that caused a massive explosion and four-alarm fire. One resident was killed, and at least 14 others were injured.

As NYC gas explosion attorneys representing victims of serious personal injury in the Bronx, incidents like this raise critical legal questions about accountability, safety oversight, and the rights of residents harmed by dangerous conditions inside residential buildings.

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Ben Rubinowitz will chair the Masters Series 2026 and Marijo Adimey will serve as a FacultyBen Rubinowitz will once again serve as Chair of the Masters Series in 2026, one of New York’s most respected in-person trial advocacy programs. Marijo C. Adimey will join the program as a faculty member, continuing the firm’s long-standing leadership in advanced trial education.

The Masters Series 2026 will take place Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM (ET) at Brooklyn Law School’s Forchelli Center.

This program brings together a select group of New York’s most accomplished trial lawyers—attorneys who, over decades, have consistently delivered exceptional verdicts in high-stakes litigation. Designed for experienced litigators, the seminar focuses on practical, courtroom-tested strategies that translate directly to real trials.

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A high-profile sexual abuse and sex-trafficking case involving three brothers from a wealthy Florida family is set to proceed to trial in Manhattan, where federal prosecutors have filed charges alleging years of sexual assault and exploitation involving dozens of women.

The case, brought in the Southern District of New York, accuses Tal, Alon, and Oren Alexander of engaging in a long-running scheme in which women were allegedly lured through social settings and dating apps and then sexually assaulted. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Allegations Include Conduct in New York

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location of the fatal queens bicycle accidentThe family of a Queens cyclist killed last week in Flushing is searching for answers — and accountability — after what police say was a preventable right-turn crash involving a pickup truck.

According to the NYPD, 48-year-old Xi Zheng was riding westbound on Sanford Avenue when he was struck by a Ford F-150 making a right turn from 160th Street. Zheng, who was biking to work as he routinely did, was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

“He was on his way to work on a bike,” said Zheng’s nephew, Jacky Huang. “He always biked to work. We’re just all trying to make sense of it.”

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St John's episcopal hospital has a D ratingSt. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway recently received a “D” rating from the Leapfrog Group, a nationally recognized nonprofit that evaluates hospital safety using objective, data-driven measures. Leapfrog safety grades focus on preventable medical harm—including infections, staffing, surgical safety, and outcomes—not bedside manner or community reputation.

This article is part of a broader series examining every New York City hospital rated by the Hospital Safety Grade program of The Leapfrog Group—not only top-rated institutions, but also those receiving failing grades. Drawing on the experience of our NYC medical malpractice lawyers, the goal is to help patients and families understand what these grades mean in real-world terms and how hospital safety data can affect clinical outcomes.

While St. John’s performs well in several important areas, the Leapfrog data reveals systemic safety gaps that likely contributed to its low overall grade. For patients and families, understanding these risks is critical.

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Governor_Hochul_April_2022

Our attorneys are closely monitoring the Governor’s budget proposals concerning auto accident claims.

Any reform to New York’s insurance system must preserve the rights of legitimately injured auto accident victims to receive necessary medical care and fair and adequate compensation. Measures aimed at addressing staged accidents or fraudulent claims should not come at the expense of people who suffer real injuries through no fault of their own. New York already has criminal laws in place to prosecute false and fabricated claims; the answer is to enforce those laws—not to weaken protections for honest, injured New Yorkers.

New York’s civil justice system exists to ensure accountability and to protect injured individuals from bearing the financial consequences of negligence. We oppose any effort — whether direct or indirect — that would deprive injured victims of meaningful access to medical treatment or the ability to be fully compensated for their losses. Too often, insurance companies and large corporate interests are focused not on fairness, but on paying as little as possible on legitimate claims while maximizing profits. Using “fraud” as a broad brush to justify sweeping restrictions is simply a tactic that harms the “little guy” and shields wrongdoers from responsibility.