When rear-end collisions occur, it is presumed that the party that struck another motorist from behind is at fault. The second motorist can refute this presumption by producing evidence showing a non-negligent reason for the crash. If they cannot, however, judgment should be granted in favor of the plaintiff as…
Syracuse Personal Injury Law Blog
New York Court Discusses Proving Medical Malpractice Caused a Person’s Death
If a person suddenly dies shortly after a medical procedure, their surviving family members may be inclined to think their demise was caused by incompetent medical care. Belief alone is not sufficient to establish liability for medical malpractice, however. In other words, a plaintiff must produce sound evidence showing that…
Court Discusses Res Ipsa Loquitor in New York Medical Malpractice Cases
In many medical malpractice cases, the plaintiff can pinpoint the precise acts that led to their harm. In some matters, though, the plaintiff will rely on the fact that the harm they suffered would not have occurred absent negligence, in support of their assertion that the defendant committed medical malpractice.…
New York Court Orders a New Trial in a Medical Malpractice Case Due to Trial Court’s Preclusion of Expert Testimony
Expert testimony is essential in a medical malpractice case, and without it, a plaintiff most likely cannot establish liability or damages. As such, if the court refuses to allow a plaintiff’s expert to testify, it will most likely cripple their case. While there may be grounds for precluding some of…
Establishing Medical Malpractice Under New York Law
When a patient suffers harm after receiving medical care, their inclination may be to seek compensation from the provider that they believe caused their harm. Merely because a plaintiff sustained injuries does not mean that they will be able to establish that their losses were caused by medical malpractice, though.…
New York Court Explains Vicarious Liability in Medical Malpractice Cases
Patients that receive inadequate care in a hospital emergency room and suffer harm as a result may be able to pursue medical malpractice claims against both the hospital and the doctors that rendered their care. Whether a hospital will be deemed vicariously liable for a patient’s harm depends on numerous…
New York Court Explains Establishing That a Medical Malpractice Verdict Should be Set Aside
Typically, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice case will submit their claims to a judge rather than a jury. There is always a risk that a jury could issue a ruling that does not comport with the evidence presented, but in such instances, the law allows a party to move…
Court Explains the Shifting Burdens of Proof in New York Medical Malpractice Cases
A patient that seeks emergency care in a hospital and subsequently suffers a loss of a limb or other critical harm may have grounds for pursuing medical malpractice claims against the hospital and its doctors. Defendants in medical malpractice cases rarely concede liability, however, regardless of the gravity of the…
Court Discusses the Serious Injury Threshold in New York Car Accident Cases
Pursuant to New York’s no-fault insurance law, people can only file civil claims for damages if they sustain serious injuries in a motor vehicle collision. As such, regardless of whether a party caused a car crash, they will not be deemed liable for damages unless the plaintiff can meet the…
New York Court Discusses Liability for Three-Car Collisions
When drivers do not leave adequate room between their vehicles and the cars in front of them, they run the risk of causing a rear-end collision. In some instances, rear-end collisions have chain effects, causing a multi-car pile-up. Typically, however, the driver of the middle vehicle in a three-car accident…