Red-light cameras, a pain in the rear-end
I was driving on Northern Boulevard, yesterday, heading westbound approaching Douglaston Parkway, when the traffic light at the intersection turned yellow. I was approximately twenty (20) feet away from the intersection traveling approximately 30 mph. Immediately, I realized that if I was going to bring my car to a stop at the intersection, I would have to make what would be an unusually abrupt stop. I immediately glanced into my rearview mirror and observed a van that was more than twice the size of my car was tail-gaiting my car by about ten (10) feet. It was clear to me that if was to hit the brakes I would surely be rear-ended by the van.
Normally, in such a scenario, the defensive driving move would be to go through the yellow light rather than risk being rear-ended; however in this particular instance, I knew that the intersection was controlled by a red-light camera; therefore, I knew that going through the light would almost guarantee me getting a fine for $50.00.
I made a quick decision to blow the yellow/red light regardless of the changing traffic light. I am glad I did. Sure enough, the van also barreled through the intersection behind me.
It is very likely that in a few weeks I will be receiving a summons in the mail with photographs showing me going through the red light. But I am also certain of the fact that if I had stopped for the light, I would have surely been a victim of a horrific rear-end impact.
Rear-end impacts are no joke. They are the number one cause of whiplash injuries in the world, i.e., injuries affecting the human cervical spine (the neck) as well as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Since the installation of red-light cameras, I have received an increased report of rear-end impacts attributed to the presence of such cameras or the fear of the presence of such cameras.
The City of New York as well as many other municipalities in the state of New York, not to mention the entire nation, claims that these red-light cameras are necessary to curb intersection accidents. I disagree. I submit that red-light cameras, while speciously create the image that our roads are safer, in reality are just a ploy for raising revenues by penalizing frequent drivers on the road.
Recently I observed a red-light camera at the intersection of Marcus Avenue and Lakeville Road on a weekday evening for a period of five (5) minutes. During this five minute period of time, the flash on the camera went off nice (9) times. That is 108 times per hour which equals 2,592 red camera summonses per day. At a rate of $50.00 per ticket, the total revenues equal $129,600.00 daily, for a total of $47,304,000.00 per year. This is from a single red light camera.
According to BIG John there are currently at least 320 red light cameras in NYC alone (54 in Manhattan, 47 in Bronx, 102 in Brooklyn, 90 in Queens and 27 in Staten Island). According to the Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, and Suffolk County, in Nassau and Suffolk Counties there are at least 94 intersections with red light cameras some of which have cameras covering two or more directions of travel.
Doing the math, the annual revenues generated from red light cameras in NYC and Long Island on an annual basis appears to be in the ballpark of $19,583,856,000.00. There are more red-light cameras being installed on a daily basis.
If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of an auto accident at an intersection, whether or not the accident is attributed to the presence of a red-light camera, I am interested in hearing from you. Please contact me at 212-529-7848 (that’s 212-LAW-SUIT) or email me through my link at www.omraniandtaub.com
Don’t let defective batteries burn you
Defective products injure thousands of people in New York each year. You should know how to avoid getting injured and what to do if you are injured. Earlier this year a number of laptop battery manufacturers expanded their recalls of defective batteries. Serious burns can be sustained due to exploding batteries. This is a bigger issue than most people realize. Today, more than ever, we rely on batteries to keep us connected to our lives and our work.
Do you get frustrated when your cell phone or laptop runs out of juice?
Sure you do. You miss calls, cannot check your emails, you’re disconnected and you lose precious time. It is always important to keep your batteries charged and properly maintained. Each type of battery has different ways to ensure longevity and healthy use so be sure to refer to your user manual for that important bit of information.
Exploding batteries are not a myth…
Although batteries are designed to operate in a wide range of conditions they can fail at certain temperatures and altitudes. Defective batteries, however, may spontaneously explode or burst into flames, even under normal conditions. This is not a myth, it happens all over the world, and it can happen to anyone, anytime. You must always take extra precautions to avoid getting skin burns to the thighs, knees, hands and even your eyes and face, from a defective battery.
– Check with your device manufacturer to verify if there has been a battery recall issued for your specific device:
o Dell – http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com
o HP – http://www.hp.com/support/BatteryReplacement
o Toshiba – http://www.bxinfo.toshiba.com
o Nokia – http://batteryreplacement.nokia.com
o Check with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
o Check with http://www.saferproducts.gov
– Never use a laptop while wearing shorts or in direct contact with your skin. Try to use an additional barrier between the device and your body whenever possible.
– Never use your battery-operated device outside of its recommended parameters.
– Never use a battery-operated device if it has come in contact with any liquid, chemical, fire or extreme heat.
– Do not place batteries or devices in direct sunlight.
– Replace worn-out or old batteries as recommended by the device manufacturer.
That worst case scenario…
If you or someone you know gets burned or injured from a defective or exploding battery seek emergency medical attention immediately. The scarring or lasting effects of a burn can be minimized by getting to a burn center or treating the burn appropriately and quickly. Contact the fire department if there is a flame or continued smoke coming from the device or battery.
Once the danger has been eliminated, hold on to any evidence you can, take pictures of the defective product, the injuries and the surroundings, place the defective product in a plastic container and hold on to it.
Get professional, legal help…
Contact an attorney, as soon as possible after the incident. Do not contact the manufacturer on your own, they will only try and minimize their responsibility. The law office of Omrani & Taub, P.C. has experienced personal injury attorneys who are acutely aware of the laws and intricacies involved in recovering compensation for current injuries as well as future pain and suffering sustained from defective products. To speak to an experienced attorney who can fight for your rights call Omrani & Taub at 212-529-7848 (that’s the famous 212-LAW-SUIT).
What to do if you are on the scene of a bus accident in New York
You are a passenger on an MTA/NYCTA bus. The bus gets into a mass transit accident. You are thrown onto the floor of the bus. Luckily you are not that badly injured, but your friend who was sitting in the seat next to you struck his head on the pole then fell to the floor. He is unconscious. He is injured. The bus driver puts the bus out of service, walks over to your friend on the floor then begins to dispatch for help.
You know your friend is hurt. You know he has rights. You know he needs help. What do you do? You know that the bus driver was at fault for the accident because you saw him go through a red light. Is there anything you can do to help?
What happens at the scene on the accident…
Within the next few minutes, a multitude of uniformed officials arrive at the scene and step onboard of the bus, including paramedics, EMS/FDNY, police officers, MTA/NYCTA supervisors, as well as other officials who appear to be investigating the accident. You see officials interviewing the passengers as they let the ones who are not hurt off of the bus. You see the police officers at the scene question the bus driver. You feel reassured. Everything appears to be under control. But is it? … The answer is not what you would expect.
Here’s how we can help…
At the law offices of Omrani & Taub, P.C., we have handled numerous claims against various bus companies, including the MTA, NYCTA, MABSTOA, Metropolitan Bus Company, Bee Line Bus, Liberty Lines Express, Greyhound, Peter Pan Bus, Trans Express Bus and many more. Our experience has revealed that in accidents involving city buses, the response teams dispatched to the scene are carefully assembled by the bus companies and consist of individuals particularly trained in the field of loss control. In other words, these officials are specifically trained to limit and control the amount of liability that the bus company might face from the accident; therefore, contrary to what you might expect, the responders are not interested in preserving or documenting evidence that would help establish the victims’ claims. Rather, the only evidence they look to preserve is evidence that would limit a victim’s ability to recover for the full extent of damages.
If you are ever at the scene of a bus accident take the time to do the following:
– Obtain the names and telephone numbers of as many of the passengers as you can
– Take video or photographs of everyone at the scene, including the bus driver, the passengers, members of the response team, etc.
– Take video or photographs of the bus and other vehicles involved in the accident showing the damage sustained by each vehicle together with relevant evidence such as skid marks, scattered debris.
– Offer this information to the injured victims.
Anyone injured in a bus accident should contact a lawyer experienced in bus accident litigation. The personal injury attorneys at Omrani & Taub, P.C., have successfully handled numerous claims against various bus companies and are acutely familiar with the intricacies of bus accident litigation. Interested clients should contact the office at 212-714-1515 or 212-529-7848 (that’s 212-LAW-SUIT).