On December 25, 2015 at about 2 a.m., Raul Matos and Stephen Hiraldo were involved in a fight outside their apartment building at 161 West 108th Street in Manhattan. Mr. Matos, then 36 years old, claimed that Mr. Hiraldo punched him in the back of his head causing him to fall down stairs and sustain
Pain and Suffering Damages Award against Police Department Addressed on Appeal in Excessive Force Case
On February 13, 2009, at 5 a.m., Anthony Shimukonas was asleep in his East Harlem apartment when he was awakened by what sounded like an explosion. It was a squad of officers from the New York City Police Department forcibly breaching and ramming through the door to execute a no knock search warrant based upon
Assault and Battery Case Settled on Appeal
On August 25, 2012, Natalie Bar-Levy went with friends to Studio Square, a now closed sports bar in Astoria. She became involved in a verbal altercation with another customer and the bar’s bouncers were summoned to escort her out. While doing so, Ms. Bar-Levy, then a 25 year old schoolteacher, was shoved down a flight
Jaw Fracture Pain and Suffering Award Substantially Increased
On August 14, 2007 Remigiusz Nawrocki was working for a plumbing contractor at a construction site at 205 Huron Street in Brooklyn. While on a ladder drilling holes in a wall, Mr. Nawrocki, then 28 years old, fell to the ground sustaining significant jaw injuries.
At an inquest on December 9, 2015 in his
False Arrest, Malicious Prosecution and Excessive Force Claims against Police Officers Upheld and Damages Awards Affirmed
On June 15, 2007 at about 1:30 a.m., Gary Gill crossed the street at Flatlands Avenue near 87th Street in Brooklyn intending to go to his parked car. As he opened his car door, another vehicle pulled up and two men jumped out. In the ensuing moments, the men, undercover police officers with the New
Appellate Court Orders Increase in Pain and Suffering Damages in Facial Injury Case
On October 27, 2008 Robert Parrotta drove to Stacey Killon’s home in Minerva to confront him about Killon’s relationship with Parrotta’s ex-wife. Angry words were exchanged as they stood near an outside porch with Parrotta wielding a baseball bat and Killon a maul handle. Parrotta ended up smashing Killon in the face with the baseball
Jury Award Slashed in Case Involving Autistic Boy Injured at School
On March 25, 2002, Arrin Collins was injured when he fell in class at P.S. 168 in the Bronx. No one saw exactly what happened but one of his teachers noticed blood on eleven year old Arrin’s shirt. He’d sustained some severe injuries in and about his mouth and was taken to the school
Appeals Court Affirms Substantial Award in Excessive Force Case against State Trooper
On December 20, 2001, at about 8:30 a.m., David Reynolds was driving on Ridge Road in Wolcott, New York when he was pulled over and arrested by a New York State trooper for driving without a valid license.
An altercation ensued (there was a 10 year old history of hostility between Reynolds and the trooper)
TMJ Injury Results in Substantial Pain and Suffering Award
On April 20, 2004, Caridad Cuevas underwent surgical removal of a stone from her salivary gland. Afterwards, she was left with a severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injury.
Ms. Cuevas, a 21 year old medical assistant, contended that her TMJ injury was the result of her jaw being hyperextended by the anesthesiologist when administering general
Appeals Court Dismisses $2,750,000 Verdict for Facial Injuries; Student Assumed Risk of being Hit by Softball Bat
In 2009, a Bronx County jury awarded a 16 year old girl $2,750,000 for crush injuries to her face after a fellow student hit her with a bat during softball practice at Walton High School (shown below).
Now, in Navarro v. City of New York (1st. Dept. 2011), the entire suit has been tossed out.