New York Legal Blog

Last year, former patients of a once-esteemed endocrinologist who had practiced at Rockefeller University Hospital received a letter stating that the hospital had evidence of multiple cases of sexual molestation by the growth specialist, who worked at the New York City research hospital from the 1940s until 1982.

According to the hospital, it had learned that the doctor had engaged in "inappropriate" behavior with a number of his patients -- mostly boys. Many patients were brought to him by parents concerned that they weren't growing at a normal rate. Among his treatments were growth hormones. However, there are numerous reports that the doctor touched boys in a sexual manner and took nude photos -- some of which were close-ups of their genitals.

Many people would assume that firehouses are among the safest workplaces around. However, last year, one veteran firefighter with the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) noted that the building where he worked in Queens had no automated external defibrillator (AED). He believed it should, so he submitted a request to management and the AED was installed.

Several months later, in September, that AED likely saved his life. The 63-year-old firefighter went into cardiac arrest. His colleagues used the AED to resuscitate him and then got him to the hospital.

Allegations of sexual misconduct have followed R&B star R. Kelly for upwards of 20 years. Kelly, who was married to a 15-year-old girl, is accused of exercising cult-like control over women. Despite all of that, R. Kelly was never convicted of any crimes. Recently, however, Chicago prosecutors leveled 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual misconduct against him. The music icon pled not guilty before being brought into custody a second time for failure to make child support payments.

Although he was acquitted on 14 counts of child pornography back in 2008, he could face an uphill battle in the current climate. Kelly could also face a massive court fight under New York's recently passed Child Victims Act that extends the statute of limitations for survivors to seek justice through civil lawsuits.

Human error and mechanical problems are two of the most common reasons why car accidents occur. For instance, if a driver is under the influence of alcohol, that is generally seen as human error. The same could be true if a driver was in an unfamiliar part of New York state and was distracted looking at street signs. If an individual is traveling too fast for road conditions, that would also be human error.

Mechanical problems could result from a faulty car part or the fact that a person didn't maintain his or her vehicle. For instance, a person who is driving on bald tires may be at fault for an accident that occurs because it isn't safe to use tires without proper tread. The same is true if a person drove a vehicle that had squeaky brakes or other problems that a reasonable car owner would have known to remedy.