Albany Personal Injury Blog

It was more than four years ago when Frankie Flora, a Hopewell Junction, New York, resident, was attacked by a pit bull. From the vicious attack he suffered from roughly 100 lacerations and has had surgeries to correct nerve damage and cosmetic damage from scaring. In total he has had 25 surgeries, with most surgeries lasting for seven to nine hours at a time.

The medical costs have also been rather high, and since it was the first time the pit bull that attacked him bit someone, his family was not able to try and hold the owner accountable. However, new legislation introduced by several New York state senators would change all of this.

The Capital District Trial Lawyers Association (CDTLA) is proud to announce the winners of its annual awards to be presented at a recognition dinner to be held at the Italian American Community Center on Thursday June 6, 2013. Cocktails will commence at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Arthur H. Thorn, Esq. will be the recipient of the Daniel Mahoney Memorial Award, honoring an outstanding trial lawyer. He will be introduced by the Hon. Richard T. Aulisi. The Hon. Thomas D. Nolan, Jr. will receive the Hon. Edward S. Conway Judicial Excellence Award. He will be introduced by the Hon. Thomas J. McNamara. Formal invitations will be mailed to members of the bench and bar in the coming weeks. Contact CDTLA president, John Harwick, Esq. at jharwick@hackermurphy.com or (518)783-3843 for further information.

In the ongoing quest to be healthier, thinner and more attractive, many New Yorkers turn to supplements. Many times, these supplements promise weight loss, more muscle mass or a stronger immune system. However, with consumers in the U.S. spending $60 billion a year on supplements, many have started to wonder just how safe some of these pills really are.

Dr. Ziv Harel led a study looking at supplement recalls in the U.S. From there it was found that supplements made up more than half of the Food and Drug Administration's Class I drug recalls between 2004 and 2012. To fall into this recall class, it means there were ingredients in the supplements that could have resulted in severe health reactions or even death.

While most New York residents know not to run up to an unknown dog and startle it, the truth is that a harmless action can be perceived as a threat by a dog, which can lead to a dog bite. These bites can result in serious and long-lasting injuries, including disfigurement and scarring. Infections from dog bites can also lead to a whole host of other medical issues.

Millions of people are bitten by dogs every single year. In some of these cases, the dog belongs to a friend or family member. However, in other cases the dog was a stray or one that got away from its owner.

James E. Hacker, Esq., Managing Partner of Hacker Murphy, LLP has been selected as the "Lawyer of the Year" in Albany for 2013 in the area of plaintiff's personal injury by U.S. News' Best Lawyers publication.

Over the past several weeks there have been three pedestrian accidents on Central Avenue in Albany. Of the three people hit by vehicles, two have died and one was taken to the hospital with injuries.

In light of these three pedestrian accidents, the public is now calling for safety improvements, pointing to the fact that with the new stores opening in the area there has been an increase in motor vehicle and foot traffic. However, while safety improvements may end up making a difference, it is also important to point out that drivers need to obey traffic laws and traffic signals and be on the lookout for pedestrians in the area.

When it comes to what to buy -- whether it is a car, a certain type of medication, or food -- residents in New York have a seemingly endless supply of options to choose from. Of course some of these choices, like what type of TV dinner to pick up for the night, are normally made rather quickly, while what type of car to buy might take a little more research.

Reading this, most New Yorkers can agree: There are simply some choices that are easier to make than others. However, while easier, this does not mean these choices are safer. In fact, there are plenty of products sold on shelves that are dangerous and can lead to serious injuries.

The Capital District Trial Lawyers Association in Albany, New York, named new officers for 2013.

The association elected John Harwick president.  Harwick is a partner at Hacker Murphy, LLP in Latham.

Also elected were:  Christopher Mills of Mills Law Firm, vice president; Thomas Mortati of Burke, Scolamiero, Mortati & Hurd, treasurer; and Mackenzie Monaco of the Carter, Conboy, Case, Blackmore, Maloney & Laird, secretary.

In 2011, like in all recent years, drunk driving accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all fatal accidents. Even so, more than eight percent of adults admit to ignoring the statistics and driving drunk.

That is why the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is pushing for laws that would require every convicted drunk driver to install an ignition interlock device (IID) on his or her car.

The NTSB also urged all states to pass similar laws to the laws of 17 states that require all convicted drunk drivers to use IIDs. New York implemented its law -- Leandra's Law -- in 2009. Other states require drivers convicted of multiple DWI charges or felony DWI to install the devices.