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July 1998 I can take you and your girlfriend Michael Danza A fashion stylist says she took a punch in the face from Quentin Taratino, even if he - Godosky & Gentile New York, New York

Tarantino, who won the screenwriting Academy Award for “Pulp Fiction” in 1994, is starring on Broadway with Marisa Tomei in a revival of “Wait Until Dark.”

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Ground Zero Ill Thin FDNY Ranks

New York Daily News December 21, 2001 Ground Zero ill thin FDNY ranks Helen Peterson & Richard Weir, Daily News Staff Writers

As many as 300 firefighters who performed rescue and recovery duty at Ground Zero are suffering severe respiratory problems and may have to retire, fire union officials said yesterday.

Tom Manley, health and safety officer for the Uniformed Firefighters Association, said that of the roughly 500 firefighters who are on medical leave because of rescue-related injuries, as many as 300 have lung ailments.

Some of those may clear up with treatment, but many of those firefighters also have developed asthma, a potentially career-ending condition, Manley said.

“There’s a strong possibility that many of them may never be able to return to full duty,” he said.

“You can’t be fighting fires with asthma,” Manley added, “Smoke irritates asthma severely. And when you climb stairs, you are shot by the time you get up there. You’re going to be out of wind.”

FDNY spokesman Frank Gribbon agreed that “it’s critical that you have good lungs to do this job.” However, he added, it is too early to tell how many firefighters who worked at the Trade Center site may need to go out on disability.

About 500 firefighters retire each year, some after completing service and others on disability, he said.

Altogether, the department said, 750 firefighters are on medical leave, about 8% of its force of 11,100.

“That’s slightly above normal,” Gribbon said, adding that usually 6.6% are out sick at any given time.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 firefighters who worked at Ground Zero in the aftermath of Sept. 11 have filed notices to protect their right to sue the city for negligence.

“The theory is that the firefighters who worked at Ground Zero, particularly in the two weeks following the tragedy, were not given any or adequate respiratory protection other than perhaps little painters’ masks,” said lawyer Michael Block, who represents 80 firefighters.

He and other lawyers said the firefighters suffer from a series of ailments ranging from persistent coughs to asthma and other respiratory problems.

They’ve filed notices of claim against the city, the lawyers said, to protect firefighters who may not be eligible to receive benefits from the federal Victims Compensation Fund.

Block said he also wants to preserve his client’s right to sue in case they develop serious injuries.

Another 750 firefighters are represented by the law firm of Barasch & McGarry, and about 250 are represented by the firm of Godosky & Gentile.

People who intend to sue the city are required to file formal notice within 90 days of an incident, although that time limit is expected to be waived for incidents stemming from Sept. 11 attacks.

“They were working 12 hours on, 12 hours off. The only thing they were given were these dust masks,” lawyer Michael Barasch said. He said the masks don’t protect against some elements the firefighters may have been exposed to, including benzene, PCBs, lead, chromium, copper, asbestos, sulfur dioxide and fiberglass.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/ground-zero-ill-thin-fdny-ranks/

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Disabled Croton Woman Awarded $3.5 Million In Malpractice Suit

Gannett Westchester Newspapers October 19, 1988 Disabled Croton woman awarded $3.5 million in malpractice suit Richard Liebson, Staff Writer

A Westchester County jury has awarded $3.5 million to a Croton-on-Hudson woman who suffered permanent nerve damage after being treated for a broken foot at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in North Tarrytown in 1981.

In awarding the money to Cherrie DeAugustinis on Oct. 7, the jury found that physicians George Burak and Richard Fenton departed “from good and accepted medical practice” in treating her foot, causing her subsequent permanent injury. The jury also found the Phelps Memorial Hospital Center was “responsible for the malpractice.”

Lawyers for the hospital and the doctors said they would ask that the verdict be set aside or that the award be reduced.

“This isn’t over yet,” said DeAugustinis’ lawyer, Richard Godosky. “There’s been an award for $3.5 million, but we’re waiting for the judge’s decision on defense motions to reduce the verdict.”

Godosky said the lawyers would meet with New York State Supreme Court Justice Matthew F. Coppola next week to discuss the award.

“I was really surprised at the verdict,” said Kevin Conboy, who represented the doctors. “I did not feel that the verdict was justified or that the award was justified. Throughout the trial I maintained that the medical attention given Mrs. DeAugustinis was excellent and had nothing to do with the subsequent complications.”

DeAugustinis, 37, broke her foot in September 1981 while playing with her daughter. She said a cast put on her leg by Burak had to be cut down by Fenton the next day to relieve pressure on her foot, which had become discolored and painful.

After three weeks, DeAugustinis said, the cast was removed and Fenton told her she had developed sympathetic reflex dystrophy – a nerve condition that made it extremely painful for her to put weight on her foot.

She filed the suit against the doctors and the hospital in 1983.

“I was very happy with the jury’s decision,” DeAugustinis said. “I’ve felt like I was on trial through this whole thing. It was a long, strenuous trial and I’m glad it’s over.”

She now walks with the aid of a cane and a full leg brace. A morphine pump implanted in her stomach allows to put weight on her foot.

Hospital lawyer Eugene McGuiness would not comment other than to say that he would submit motions by the end of the week. He would not say what those motions would be.

Hospital spokeswoman Linda Spear said, “There has been no resolution. The matter is still before the court and no further comment will be made until it is resolved.”

The $3,531,029.50 award calls for the doctors and the hospital to pay DeAugustinis $2.1 million for pain and suffering, $1 million for loss of enjoyment of life, $271,000 for impairment of earning ability, $88,529.50 for medical expenses and $71,500 for loss of earnings. The doctors, both orthopedic specialists, were partners in a Tarrytown practice when they treated DeAugustinis. Buran now has a practice in North Tarrytown. Fenton is retired.

DeAugustinis, a graphic artist, said she “was unable to work or do anything that required walking. I was never able to put weight on my foot without a tremendous amount of pain. I spent a total of a year in the hospital and have been receiving physical therapy on and off since 1981. I was on crutches for five years.”

A morphine pump was implanted in her stomach in 1985 by doctors at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. The pump, which must be refilled every two weeks, send morphine to her spinal cord. “The pump ultimately allowed me to put weight on my foot without pain,” she said. “The ultimate goal is for me to be able to walk without the pump. There is hope, but I really don’t know how much. I know the doctors will have to take the pump out eventually because there is a danger of infection and other complications.”

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/disabled-croton-woman-awarded-3-5-million-in-malpractice-suit/

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Commission Seeks Removal Of A Judge

The New York Times

November 23, 2005

By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct has recommended that a controversial New York City judge be removed from the bench for helping a robbery suspect in her courtroom elude a detective by allowing him to exit through a back door.

Justice Laura D. Blackburne of the State Supreme Court in Queens is only the fifth Supreme Court judge to be recommended for removal – the panel’s harshest penalty – since the commission was constituted in 1978.

In its decision, a majority of the 11-member commission said that Justice Blackburne had “set a reprehensible example for court officers and other court personnel” and “transcended the boundaries of acceptable judicial behavior.” Eight members voted for removal and two said she should only be censured. One was not present.

Richard Godosky, a lawyer for Justice Blackburne, said she would ask the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, to review the recommendation. That court has agreed with the commission in the four previous cases involving Supreme Court justices, and has affirmed the commission’s recommendations in the vast majority of cases.

“We think the majority missed the boat on this,” Mr. Godosky said. “There’s never been a judge removed for a single instance of aberrant conduct with no venal motive.”

He added, “I think that perhaps adverse publicity regarding the event led them astray.”

In her decade on the bench, first as a civil court judge and then on the Supreme Court, law enforcement officials have frequently accused Justice Blackburne of being biased against police officers.

In 1992, she resigned as chairwoman of the New York City Housing Authority after spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to take business trips overseas and redecorate her office with items including a $3,000 pink leather couch.

But Justice Blackburne, a former counsel for the state N.A.A.C.P. who remains well-connected in local political circles, did not lack for defenders yesterday.

“I’m surprised and chagrined to believe that they would take such an extreme step over this incident,” said Leroy G. Comrie, a city councilman from Queens. “I would encourage her to challenge it.”

Councilman Charles Barron of Brooklyn was even more vocal. He described the commission’s decision as “outrageous, extreme, unjust, straight up bogus.”

“They made it sound like some dangerous criminal was being smuggled out the back door,” added Mr. Barron, who has often crossed swords with law enforcement officials over issues of police misconduct.

In its decision, the commission wrote that the facts of the case were “largely uncontested.”

On June 10, 2004, the defendant, Derek Sterling, appeared before Justice Blackburne to update her on his progress in a drug treatment program.

During the hearing, Detective Leonard Devlin arrived to arrest him in connection with a robbery the month before.

While the detective was outside the courtroom’s main entrance, Justice Blackburne ordered a court officer to remove Mr. Sterling through a private exit at the courtroom’s rear, giving him access to a stairwell leading to the judges’ parking lot.

Told by a prosecutor in the courtroom that her action was inappropriate, Justice Blackburne said she was angry that the detective had told a court officer he was there to question Mr. Sterling when he actually intended to arrest him, calling it a “ruse.”

Mr. Sterling was arrested the next day at his drug treatment center.

According to the commission’s report, when Detective Devlin arrived at the courthouse and while he was waiting outside Justice Blackburne’s courtroom, he told several court workers that he was there to arrest Mr. Sterling. He also told a lawyer, Warren M. Silverman, whom Justice Blackburne asked to represent Mr. Sterling after learning that a police officer was there to arrest him.

One court officer, Sgt. Richard Peterson, told the commission that the detective said he intended only to question Mr. Sterling. The detective insisted that he had told Sergeant Peterson he meant to arrest Mr. Sterling, however, and Sergeant Peterson told the commission that he assumed that the detective was going to arrest the defendant, as well.

Mr. Godosky, Justice Blackburne’s lawyer, disputed that account.

“The majority made up a fact when they said that when a court officer said to the judge that even though the detective was outside to question a defendant, everyone knows that means he was there to be arrested,” he said. “I’ve talked to 20 lawyers and none of them seem to know that.”

According to the commission’s ruling, Justice Blackburne, who never spoke with the detective, found the discrepancy insulting.

“I have directed that you be escorted out of the building by Sergeant Peterson because I – and I’m putting this on the record – specifically, I resent the fact that a detective came to this court under the ruse of wanting to ask questions when, in fact he had it in his head that he wanted to arrest you,” she said. “If there is a basis for him arresting you, he will have to present that in the form of a warrant.”

Justice Blackburne added that she was not trying to keep Mr. Sterling from being arrested, but was “trying to keep you from being arrested today in my courtroom based on obvious misrepresentation on the part of the detective.”

The judge later admitted that she had acted improperly and requested that the commission issue a disciplinary sanction no stronger than censure. But the commission disagreed, saying that her behavior was “such gross deviation from the proper role of a judge that it justifies the sanction of removal.”

Justice Blackburne was sharply criticized by an array of law enforcement and police union officials, including Raymond W. Kelly, the police commissioner, who called her action “outrageous conduct by any measure.”

It was the second time in recent years that Justice Blackburne drew the ire of police officials. In one 2002 case, she threw out a 13-count indictment against a man accused of shooting an officer and later refused to reinstate the charges, saying Queens prosecutors had taken too long to bring charges against the suspect. A state appellate court overruled her decision.

Officials from the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, which along with the Detectives Endowment Association had filed a complaint against Justice Blackburne before the commission, lauded yesterday’s decision.

“Laura Blackburne has demonstrated throughout her career that the only judgment she possesses is bad judgment,” said Patrick J. Lynch, the P.B.A.’s president. “She aided and abetted a felon in escape that was wanted for questioning for violently robbing the citizens of the city in Queens. She knew what she was doing.”

He was echoed by Commissioner Kelly, who said, “Her extraordinary conduct merited this appropriate sanction.”

But Mr. Barron, the councilman from Brooklyn, said the judge was the target of a “witch hunt” by the police unions.

“I think all New Yorkers need to support Justice Blackburne,” Mr. Barron said.

“She’s a woman of integrity, intelligence, competence and commitment to justice.”

Ronald L. Kuby, a prominent civil rights lawyer who has defended Justice Blackburne’s actions in the past, said that the commission’s decision was “no more than what we’ve come to expect from a commission more interested in public relations than in the administration of justice.”

He added, “With all of the corrupt judges, the judges who engage in sexual misconduct, the judges who are non compos mentis, the judges who are alcoholics – all of whom remain on the bench and go unchallenged by the state commission on judicial conduct – to order removal of the judge who took strong affirmative action to prevent police misconduct in her courtroom is outrageous.”

The incident with Mr. Sterling took place while Justice Blackburne was presiding in drug treatment court, where judges have an unusual amount of contact with the defendants who appear in front of them, and often serve as cheerleaders and social workers as well as jurists.

The last time the commission called for the removal of a Supreme Court justice was in 2002, when Justice Reynold N. Mason of the Supreme Court in Brooklyn was removed for improper financial dealings.

The commission has sometimes been criticized for focusing on part-time judges in small-town courts, and by its own account only 36 of the 149 judges it has voted to remove were in full-time posts.

But the commission has gone after higher-ranking jurists, too, including Michael H. Feinberg, the Brooklyn surrogate judge, who was removed from the bench in February for awarding millions of dollars in fees to an old friend.

Leslie Eaton and Kareem Fahim contributed reporting to this article.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/commission-seeks-removal-of-a-judge/

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9/11 Ills Forcing Firemen Off Job

New York Post December 21, 2001 9/11 Ills Forcing Firemen Off Job John Lehmann & Philip Messing

About 400 of New York’s Bravest are on sick leave with serious respiratory problems after their round-the-clock rescue mission at ground zero, the firefighters union said yesterday.

Tom Manley, sergeant-at-arms for the Uniformed Firefighters Association, said some firefighters could be forced out of the department if their symptoms didn’t improve.

Medical tests have also found that one in four firefighters is experiencing respiratory problems, the FDNY revealed last night.

“Some of it is just a cough but some of it is more serious,” department spokesman frank Gribbon told the Post.

He said 6,500 firefighters had been tested since Sept. 11, but some of the health problems might have developed over many years in the job.

“You’re talking about people who have fought fires for many years, whose lungs have been taking a beating,” Gribbon added.

About 750 FDNY employees are on sick leave, Gribbon said. But not all of those illnesses are related to Sept. 11.

Since the terror attack, some firefighters have been off work for as long as 60 days because of severe coughs, fluid on the lungs and shortness of breath, said lawyer Anthony Gentile, whose firm is representing 200 firefighters.

He said some of the firefighters’ doctors are concerned that they are exhibiting the first signs of severe respiratory complications that could lead to cancer.

Palmer Doyle, of Engine Co. 254, who has been hit with bronchitis, said his parents don’t even recognize his voice then he answers the phone.

“Every morning I wake up with a sore throat and my voice is hoarse,” said Doyle, who was off for 16 days after working at ground zero for almost a week after the terror attack.

But Doyle said firefighters are concerned that their ailments may lead to more serious health problems, such as cancer.

“The air down there was horrendous,” he said. “It was so toxic – there was toner from photocopiers, tint from windows, benzene from jet fuel, acetone from plastics.”

Doyle is one of 200 firefighters who have filed a legal notice against the city, claiming that rescue workers were not issued adequate face masks for several days after the attack.

“This is not about us, it’s about our families. We have to make sure they’re taken care of,” Doyle said.

Gentile, of Godosky and Gentile, said the notice of motions had been filed to enable the firefighters to sue the city over the next year if their symptoms worsen.

Independent tests found the air in downtown Manhattan contained dangerous levels of asbestos and dangerous toxins after the attack, but the Environmental protection Authority maintained the air was safe.

Manley said the large number of firefighters battling respiratory problems was a further blow to the department’s strength, following the 343 deaths on Sept. 11.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/9-11-ills-forcing-firemen-off-job/

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$3 Million Awarded For Boy’s False Arrest

The City Housing Authority was held liable yesterday for $3 million in damages by a Manhattan jury for the false arrest and malicious prosecution of an 11-year-old boy two months after a personal injury claim had been brought on his behalf.

The award to Thomas D. Lewis, now 17, resulted from misdemeanor charges filed against him in May 1984 after the Housing Authority learned of the injury action involving the boy’s falling down an elevator shaft at the Frederick Douglass housing project on Columbus Avenue. Richard Godosky, the plaintiff’s attorney, said evidence submitted during the trial showed that the agency believed the filing of the charges would be “helpful” in defense of the injury action, which has settled for an undisclosed amount.

The charges, criminal trespass and mischief involving tampering with an elevator, were later dismissed in Family Court, Mr. Godosky said. The Housing Authority was represented by Michael Horowitz of Gilroy, Downes & Horowitz. Supreme Court Justice John Dier, a visiting justice from Lake George, presided over the trial.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/3-million-awarded-for-boys-false-arrest/

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Woman Gets $65M In Hospital Suit

New York Daily News July 22, 1986 Woman gets $65M in hospital suit Robert Gearty

A Brooklyn woman was awarded $65.1 million by a Bronx Supreme Court jury last night in a malpractice suit against a city hospital that misdiagnosed stomach pains as gastritis.

In fact, said her attorney, she suffered from an obstruction that forced the removal of most of her intestine.

The jury returned the verdict in favor of Agnes Whittaker, 55, formerly of the Bronx, in her suit against Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx after a three-week trial, said lawyer Anthony Gentile. The misdiagnosis occurred in July 1982, and the subsequent operation forced Whittaker to take food through a tube, he said.

Suzanne Halpin of the Health and Hospitals Corporation said she could not immediately confirm details of the award.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/woman-gets-65m-in-hospital-suit/

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David M. Godosky, Esq. Inducted Into The International Academy Of Trial Lawyers

International Academy of Trial Lawyers

 David Martin Godosky of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. in New York, NY was recently inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL) at their Mid-Year Meeting held July 27-31, 2016.

The Academy seeks out, identifies, acknowledges and honors those who have achieved a career of excellence through demonstrated skill and ability in jury trials, trials before the court and appellate practice. Members are engaged in civil practice on both the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s side of the courtroom, and the trial of criminal cases. The Academy invites only lawyers who have attained the highest level of advocacy. A comprehensive screening process identifies the most distinguished members of the trial bar by means of both peer and judicial review. Mr. Godosky has been evaluated by his colleagues and the judges in his jurisdiction and has been highly recommended by them as possessing these qualifications and characteristics.

Chartered in 1954, the Academy’s general purposes are to cultivate the science of jurisprudence, promote reforms in the law, facilitate the Administration of Justice, and elevate the standards of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/david-m-godosky-esq-inducted-into-the-international-academy-of-trial-lawyers/

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William Gentile comments in NY Post article | Dad of Bronx Man Killed By Cop’s Gun

The father of a Bronx man who shot himself with a cop pal’s gun is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the officer, the city and the NYPD.

Former Housing Bureau Officer Martinson Afari Yeboah, 28, “recklessly, dangerously and negligently” left his loaded gun on a coffee table while he played FIFA Soccer with Frederick Afoakwah on April 21, according to a notice of claim filed Monday in Bronx Supreme Court by Ransford Afoakwah.

Frederick Afoakwah, 21, picked up the gun to inspect it and it went off, striking him in the neck. The shot woke up his father, who rushed into the room to see his son mortally wounded.

He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“The family’s devastated,” Ransford Afoakwah’s attorney, William Gentile, told The Post on Tuesday. “He had to wake up to see his son shot, trying to figure out what happened. They’re trying to get answers for what happened, what exactly occurred. There’s only one person that knows that, and that’s the defendant.”

Afari Yeboah, a rookie at the time, was suspended without pay following the incident and later fired. He was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide last month, cops said.

His attorney did not immediately return calls for comment Tuesday.

Ransford Afoakwah, 58, was named administrator of his son’s estate last month. He has filed a “notice of claim” with the court, a document announcing his intention to file a lawsuit.

A notice of claim alerts the city of a person’s intent to sue. The father will seek $50 million in damages, according to the papers.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/in-the-news/william-gentile-comments-in-ny-post-article-dad-of-bronx-man-killed-by-cop-s-gun-plans-to-sue-city-officer/

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Sexual Harassment Claim

As a victim of sexual harassment, it is entirely understandable that you would feel a range of emotions on any given day. You may feel anger, shame and sadness. You may feel as though your workplace is no longer safe. You may also desire a strong legal advocate who can protect your rights during this difficult time.

The experienced trial lawyers at Godosky & Gentile, P.C., represent employees throughout New York City and the entire tri-state region who are being victimized or have been victims of sexual harassment. If sexual harassment interfered with your work or resulted in a threatening or uncomfortable place of employment, you may have a valid claim. Take the time today to reach out and talk to an attorney about how you can address this serious issue. We offer free consultations and can be reached toll free at 212-742-9700.

Sexual Harassment Contributes To A Hostile Work Environment

Employees in the tri-state area are protected from sexual harassment by federal and state laws. While you may know that sexual harassment in the workplace is wrong, you may not know what to do about it. You may mistakenly think that there is nothing you can do if the individual who is harassing you was not disciplined.

You may have a valid sexual harassment claim even if the individual who harassed you was not terminated, demoted or disciplined for his or her harassing actions. Our lawyers strive for legal excellence and strive to prove that the harassing behavior interfered with your ability to perform your job or that the harassing behavior contributed to a hostile work environment.

Examples of sexual harassment may include:

Sending a co-worker sexually     explicit emails, videos, letters or texts

Telling sexual jokes

Asking sexual questions about     a co-worker’s sexual orientation, sex life or sexual history

Inappropriate touching of a     co-worker

Making sexual gestures or     comments

Our attorneys take great care to focus on the details of your sexual harassment claim. We tailor our representation to meet your needs and arrive at customized solutions for your situation.

Contact Us For Help In The Bronx And Surrounding Areas

Godosky & Gentile, P.C., does not charge to discuss your sexual harassment claim with a lawyer at our firm. To schedule your consultation, please call us at 212-742-9700, or contact us online.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/sexual-harassment/

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Medical Malpractice Claim

When illness or injury forces you to see a physician or to go to the hospital, you can generally be assured that the doctor’s years of experience and training will result in excellent treatment of your ailment. But physicians, nurses and other health care providers are human; they can, and do, make mistakes.

When these mistakes lead to injury, disability or other damages, it may be necessary to pursue a medical malpractice claim to hold the health care provider and the facility that employed him or her accountable for the harm you suffered. Due to the complexity of these matters — medical records must be examined in great detail, expert witnesses should be retained and extensive documentation needs to be collected — it is imperative to turn to a firm that has the experienced attorneys and financial resources to successfully resolve medical negligence cases.

A Pre-Eminent Injury Firm With A History Of Success

Godosky & Gentile is a recognized leader in the field of medical injury. The firm has been named as a Tier One medical malpractice firm (highest ranking awarded) by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms rankings. Our accomplished team includes a noted law professor and numerous other attorneys who are routinely asked to lecture on medical malpractice and other complex legal topics at law schools throughout the country.

We have achieved some of the largest recoveries in New York’s history for previous medical malpractice clients. These successful recoveries include:

A record $65 million verdict     in favor of a woman who was forced to have her intestines removed due to     medical negligence.

$10 million verdict for a     man who had most of his stomach removed due to a doctor’s error in     misdiagnosing stomach cancer.

$6 million settlement for     a 50-year-old man who suffered massive loss of small and large intestines     due to a failure to diagnose a clotted artery.

$1.7 million verdict in a     wrongful death medical malpractice action where a man died as a result of     a surgical mistake.

Permanent Injuries And Wrongful Death

Where permanent conditions or fatal injuries occur, almost any legal action will be aggressively defended by the medical providers in question and their insurance companies. This is especially true in cases involving birth injuries (such as Erb’s palsy), anesthesia errors and other situations that cause extensive, life-altering damages. In these cases, the litigation experience our lawyers possess is absolutely essential to your case’s chances for success.

Contact The Firm

You can call us at 212-742-9700, or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients in the boroughs of New York City and throughout the surrounding region.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/medical-malpractice/

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Premises Liability Cases At Godosky & Gentile

When a property owner fails to fix a dangerous situation or provide adequate warning of the property’s condition and someone is injured on that property, the injury victim may be able to pursue a premises liability claim. Unfortunately, many people, including some attorneys, regard these as straightforward, run-of-the-mill, simple cases.

At Godosky & Gentile, we do not; we know that premises liability cases require extensive documentation and innovative legal strategies in order to maximize the compensation that those injured by property owner negligence receive.

We use our decades of experience and results-oriented approach to litigation to build persuasive cases on behalf of injured clients and the families of those who have lost loved ones in premises liability situations. Our ability to successfully resolve even the most complex of cases has led to many awards and accolades, including U.S. News & World Report naming us a Tier One firm in their annual Best Law Firms publication. This is the topmost tier, and is reserved for the most prestigious firms throughout the nation.

Accidents Resulting From Property Owner Negligence

Our premises liability practice includes injuries occurring at hotels, grocery stores, office buildings, construction sites, on streets and sidewalks, and at virtually every type of commercial business or residential location. These cases can involve:

Slip     / Trip & Falls

Tripping     Accidents

Falls     on Icy Sidewalks

Construction Related     Accidents

Broken Stairways

Dog Bites

Swimming Pool Accidents

Elevator Accidents

Assaults in Parking Garages,     Stairwells, Poorly Lit Areas and Hotels

Inadequate Security

In any type of property injury case, our lawyers have the experience and resources necessary to pursue the full and fair compensation due to our injured clients. We have obtained many favorable results in property-related injury matters, including:

$6,000,000 settlement for     a 64-year-old man who suffered a head injury, fractured pelvis and     internal injuries when he was struck by a crane cable while jogging near     the FDR Drive.

$3,950,000 settlement on     behalf of a man who sustained spinal and head injuries in an elevator     accident.

$3,000,000 settlement for     a man suffering catastrophic injuries causing paraplegia after a fall from     bicycle on a city-maintained path.

$1,900,000 settlement on     behalf of a family of a woman killed in a high-rise apartment fire.

$1,600,000 verdict for a     man who fractured his jaw in a fall caused by a hole in the street.

Contact Godosky & Gentile

Our firm offers free initial consultations and flexible appointment scheduling for your convenience. Call 212-742-9700 to schedule a meeting with our premises liability attorneys. We represent clients in New York City and throughout all of the tri-state area.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/premises-liability/

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Motor Vehicle Accidents

At Godosky & Gentile, our lawyers handle personal injury claims on behalf of people harmed as the result of serious motor vehicle accidents in New York City.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a car accident happens to someone, somewhere in the United States, every 10 seconds of every day. Unfortunately, car accidents do not “just happen.” In almost all cases — especially in the most serious and deadly ones — someone is to blame.

At Godosky & Gentile, our lawyers handle personal injury claims on behalf of people harmed as the result of serious motor vehicle accidents in New York City and throughout the surrounding region. We help our clients hold accountable the parties who caused their accident and help them maximize the compensation they receive from personal injury claims.

Personal Service And Attentive Communication

The level of personal attention our firm provides is just as important as the quality of the legal representation we provide to injured parties and their families.

The key is being willing to accept fewer cases so that you can concentrate on giving the details of each case and each individual client more attention. By working as a team and drawing upon each other’s experiences, we ensure that whenever clients have questions or concerns, someone who is familiar with them and their cases will be available to respond.

Our approach has led to many multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements, including:

$9.1 million verdict for a     man with traumatic amputation of leg due to motor vehicle accident.

$4.6 million verdict for a     woman who sustained a fractured ankle in an automobile accident.

$3.4 million settlement     for a man who sustained a fractured pelvis and leg in an auto accident     with a defendant driver who was intoxicated.

Who Is Liable For A Car Accident?

Assigning fault (legal liability) for a motor vehicle accident is a matter of deciding who was negligent. In many cases, prompt investigation will reveal what rule or rules were violated — and by whom. In others, the answers may be harder to find such as where the design of a car or even if an intersection or road was the major cause of the wreck.

Because of this, our lawyers look at every possible source of information (police reports, statutes, etc.) to build a compelling re-creation of each auto crash, SUV rollover or other motor vehicle accident case we accept. To accomplish this, and to prepare cases to win at trial from the very beginning, our firm employs a full-time investigator and works with accident reconstruction specialists and other experts as needed.

Contact Our Law Firm

To have a potential accident claim evaluated by one of our experienced attorneys, call Godosky & Gentile directly at 212-742-9700, or contact us online today. We serve clients in the Bronx, Brooklyn and across the entire tri-state area.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/motor-vehicle-accidents/

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Construction Accidents Practice At Godosky & Gentile

Construction and workplace accidents are often the result of faulty equipment, improper use, inadequate training, lack of safety equipment and negligent individuals. This includes property owners who fail to take safety precautions or address safety issues, liable third parties and the manufacturers of manufacturing and construction equipment. Although workers’ compensation is the only avenue of recovery for many construction accident victims, for some it is not.

At Godosky & Gentile, we serve the needs of injured workers and family members who have lost a loved one due to a fatal work injury. Whether you or a loved one was injured by a negligent third party, due to lack of safety in the workplace or as a result of defective equipment, our firm has the experienced attorneys and financial resources to protect your rights. Our attorneys have achieved successful settlements and verdicts for clients in the Bronx and throughout the region.

Powerful Representation From Nationally Recognized Attorneys

Our attorneys are nationally recognized as leaders in their profession. In fact, we have been honored by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms publication as a Tier One firm. One of our firm’s partners is an editor for Warren’s Negligence in the New York Courts, a leading legal treatise that is cited in thousands of cases every year. Our vast experience and resources allow us to meet the unique needs facing our clients who have been hurt in workplace accidents.

Our building and road construction accidents practice includes:

Falls from unsecured ladders

Accidents     involving scaffolding

Falling crane injuries

Injuries from falling objects

Electrocution injuries

Heavy equipment accidents

Trench and wall collapses

Accidents and injuries caused     by defective     power tools

Section 240 And Section 241 Claims

The state of New York provides special protections to workers at elevated job sites. Codified under New York’s Labor Law Section 240(1) (the “Scaffold Law”) and 241(6) allow construction workers, who are hurt in job site accidents, to file a personal injury lawsuit against a contractor or owner, except owners of one- and two-family dwellings who contract for but do not direct or control the work.

Furthermore, these statutes impose strict liability. This means that workers injured in scaffold or ladder accidents do not need to establish that the contractor or owner was “at fault” or even that they knew about the dangerous condition. As long as the defective scaffold was the direct cause of the injuries, you can recover compensation.

For a general overview of these topics, please see:

New     York Scaffolding Accidents Information

Construction     Accident Victims and the Law

Contact Our Lawyers

Call our office at 212-742-9700, or fill out our online form to arrange a consultation. Our work accident attorneys serve clients in all boroughs of New York City, as well as all other parts of the tri-state region.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/work-accidents/

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Personal Injury And Litigation Practice At Godosky & Gentile

At Godosky & Gentile, we are knowledgeable and skilled in personal injury and related litigation for New York City.  

At Godosky & Gentile, we are knowledgeable and skilled in personal injury and related litigation for New York City and throughout the surrounding area. We can work to hold parties responsible for any injury you have suffered.

In addition to medical malpractice, premises liability, construction and work-related accidents and motor vehicle accidents, we also take on a number of other personal injury cases, including:

Products     Liability (including, defective construction or auto/truck parts)

Police     Misconduct (false arrest, assault-related injuries, police shootings)

Business     Litigation/Disputes

Sexual Harassment

Wrongful     Death Claims

Personal Service And Responsive Staff

We pride ourselves on giving personal attention to our clients and being responsive to their needs. This is just as important to us as the quality of our legal representation.

Our lawyers do not take a volume of cases, but rather we are selective and take a few so that each client receives more attention. At Godosky & Gentile, we work as a team and make sure you get the answers you need.

Some of our notable cases in personal injury and litigation have included:

$25 million verdict for a     Brooklyn man who was shot and claimed excessive force by a New York City     police officer.

$3 million verdict in     favor of an 11-year-old child falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted     by the New York City Housing Authority.

$2.75 million settlement     on behalf of the family of a man killed in an airline crash.

Our results speak to our experience and skill. Read more about our successful verdicts and settlements here.

Free Initial Consultations

If you would like an attorney to evaluate your claim, call Godosky & Gentile directly at 212-742-9700, or contact us online today. We serve clients in the Bronx, Brooklyn and across the entire tri-state area.

https://www.godoskygentile.com/personal-injury-litigation/