Introduction Legal malpractice occurs when an attorney breaches their duty of care, resulting in harm to their client’s interests. Proving legal malpractice in New York State requires establishing four essential elements, each of which must be meticulously supported by evidence and legal expertise. This article will outline the steps and…
Central New York Injury Lawyer Blog
Congratulations to Mahogani Counts, the 2023 Lee S. Michaels Award & Scholarship Winner!
Several years ago, Lee Michaels, our senior member, was asked and agreed to endow a significant scholarship and award at Syracuse University College of Law recognizing a second-year top trial or appellate advocacy student. The primary goal in initiating this scholarship/award was to help a worthy student, but it was…
Central NY Trucking Accident Personal Injury Lawyer on the Importance of Alleging Violations of Federal Trucking laws and Regulations
If you are injured, or if your loved one is killed, in a trucking accident, you need to make sure the attorney you hire to bring a personal injury or wrongful death case is familiar with federal trucking law safety regulations and laws. Proving that one or more safety rules…
NY Bicycle Law Reminder by NY Injury Lawyer
As my regular blog readers know, this Central New York personal injury lawyer is also a huge bicycle devotee. I have been cycling for pleasure and exercise for decades. I have also been representing injured cyclists for decades. But since I’d rather save my fellow cyclists from the heartbreak of…
Syracuse Personal Injury Lawyer on How to Present a Trip or Slip and Fall Case to a Jury
Here is a rough summary of your New York slip-or-trip-and-fall lawyer’s tasks: Gathering Evidence The first step in presenting a trip or slip and fall case starts long before trial. It is to gather evidence, including photographs and videos of the accident scene and the specific hazard that caused the…
Syracuse NY Personal Injury Lawyer on Car Insurance
Hello blog readers! Today I’m blogging about car insurance. As a Syracuse and Central New York personal injury lawyer, this is something I know a lot about, and which I think many people need to learn more about. Let’s start with the obvious: Car insurance provides financial protection against accidents…
How to Properly Represent Injured Undocumented Immigrants in New York
Photo above: Me putting a farmworker injury case into storage. I am one of the only personal injury lawyers in Upstate New York (Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo) who speaks fluent Spanish. I’m also married to a Guatemalan and move comfortably in the Latino community here. It’s no wonder, then, that over…
Governor Nixes Grieving Families Act which Would Have Righted A Wrong in New York’s Wrongful Death Law
At midnight on January 30 a clock ran out. That was the deadline by which our Governor had to sign the Grieving Families Act bill – S74A into law. Her failure to sign the bill into law is what is known as a “pocket veto”. The Governor’s deliberate failure to put…
MICHAELS & SMOLAK HAS CHANGED! (and other news)
It’s been quite a while since this Central New York Injury Law blogger has posted anything. In fact, almost a year. It was a busy year and blogging gave way to serving our clients’ pressing needs, always our number 1 priority. But to quote Arnold Schwarzenegger (sort of), “we’re back!”…
Dog-Bite Insurance Coverage Gets a Boost in New York
Dog bite victims’ lawyers (like me) have noticed a disturbing trend in recent years: Severe dog bite injuries are growing while insurance coverage for them is shrinking. Why? Two intersecting trends are the root cause: Trend number 1: Dogs are getting meaner, and meaner. The percentage of new dogs that…