Seth A. HarrisVerdicts & Settlements
For more than 15 years, the New York law firm of Burns and Harris has successfully represented clients in cases of personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice and assisted in obtaining substantial Brooklyn injury settlements. Our dedication and relentless determination to help injury and accident victims has allowed us to win fair and extensive Brooklyn personal injury settlements and Bronx personal injury settlements for our clients.
Although personal injury settlements in Brooklyn and personal injury settlements in the Bronx will vary as cases are different, our law firm has provided some of our past settlements and case results in order to help better educate our clients.
Personal Injury Settlements
Vargas v. City of New York - $17,500,000 for violation of civil rights
A Brooklyn jury awarded Mr. Vargas $17.5 million for the City of New York's violation of his civil rights by failing to provide him medical care while in custody. Mr. Vargas, a type-1 diabetic, was in police custody for allegedly being involved in a drug transaction. While in custody he made several requests for insulin, all of which were denied. After over 58 hours without insulin, Mr. Vargas developed diabetic ketoacidosis, causing a seizure that resulted in a coma. Mr. Vargas remained in a coma for eight days, suffering disabling damage to his brain. The Jury found that the police officers involved failed to provide the necessary medical treatment and awarded $17.5 million to Mr. Vargas.
Mary Colon v. New York Eye Surgery - $2,253,714.00 verdict for trip and fall
A Bronx jury awarded Ms. Colon $2.25 million for a trip and fall accident. Ms. Colon was caused to fall when she moved to the right to allow another pedestrian to pass and her foot rolled to the outside due to the sidewalk being unlevel with the adjoining grass. Ms. Colon fractured right ankle with resulting reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a permanent condition causing hypersensitivity to the slightest touch. The jury found the defendant liable and awarded Ms. Colon $2,253,714.00 for her pain and suffering.
Samperisi v. Starbucks Coffee Co. - $3,470,670 for Espresso Machine Scalds Coffee Shop Customer*
The firm's client, a 33-year-old teacher's assistant, was scalded by an espresso machine which exploded while the defendant's employee was demonstrating how the machine worked. The client was a customer at defendant's coffee shop on the date of the accident, and suffered first-degree burns to her right (dominant) hand, resulting in chronic Stage III reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the right upper extremity. The jury awarded the client $3,470,670.
Sonia Calderon v. Macombs Village Associates – $450,000.00 Bronx injury settlement
Ms. Calderon, a wheelchair bound disabled woman was struck by a defective door in her apartment building causing injury to her left leg. The injury caused an infection and eventual below the knee amputation of Ms. Calderon’s left leg. The case was settled with defendants for a $450,000.00 injury settlement in Bronx.
Perales v. City of New York - Slip and Fall in the Bronx $2,995,000*
The firm's client, a 47-year-old male, slipped and fell on a public sidewalk in the Bronx. It had snowed four to five days prior to the date of the accident and the sidewalk was covered with ice. The client claimed that the city owned the adjacent parking lot and allegedly did nothing to prevent cars from riding over the sidewalk and parking the lot, which resulted in a ridge on the sidewalk creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians. The client suffered a lumbar fracture and a herniated disc. The jury found the city liable and awarded the client a $2,995,000 personal injury settlement in Bronx.
Juanita Young vs. City of New York - $1,350,000 verdict for excessive force *
A Bronx jury awarded plaintiff Juanita Young $1,350,000 for injuries caused by the use of excessive force during an arrest. Ms. Young was arrested and later acquitted for trespassing in her own apartment. During the arrest, Ms. Young, who is legally blind, was handcuffed from behind, with her children watching, and taken to the top of the stairs to exit the building. While Ms. Young was descending the starirs, the police officer shoved Ms. Young in the back, causing her to fall down the stairs. While she was on the ground, the police officer pulled Ms. Young up from the ground by the handcuffs and again pushed her down the stairs, causing Ms. Young to fall for the second time. Ms. Young was eventually taken to the hospital by ambulance. Ms. Young suffered a tear of a muscle in the right wrist that required surgical intervention. The jury awarded $600,000 for past pain and suffering. $500,000 for future pain and suffering, and $250,000 for excessive imprisonment.
Construction Accidents
Michael Brennan v. New Water Street Corp. $3,823,000 verdict for construction accident*
Mr.Brennan fell from approximately 25 feet while working at a construction project. He suffered a shattered bone in his right leg requiring surgery and hardware placement. Mr. Brennal also suffered two fractures in his facial bones, and a dislocated finger requiring surgical repair. Mr. Brennan spent 34 days in the hospital and as a result of the accident walks with a limp and requires the use of a cane. The jury rendered a verdict of $3,823,000, and the case was settled for $3,000,000.
Leon Griffin v. Clinton Green South, LLC and Bovis Lend Lease, LMB – Verdict $12,561,772
A Bronx Jury awarded Mr. Griffin over $12 million for an accident on a construction site. Mr. Griffin was working when a piece of 35 pound piece of scaffold fell striking Mr. Griffin in the lower back. Mr. Griffin suffered a herniated disc requiring surgical removal of a portion of the disc and permanent nerve damage. Mr. Griffin is unable to return to work and is in constant pain. The jury found defendants liable for Mr. Griffins pain and suffering as well as his lost wages and benefits in the amount of $12,561,772.
Wrongful Death and Medical Malpractice
Malcolm Ferguson v. City of New York - $10,500,000 verdict for wrongful death*
A Bronx jury awarded $10.5 million to the mother of Malcolm Ferguson, who was wrongfully shot and killed by the New York City Police Department. Malcolm Ferguson, who was unarmed, was shot point blank in the left temple of his head. The police officer, Louis Rivera, also a defendant in the case, was found to have used excessive force in violation of Malcolm Ferguson’s civil rights as protected under the United States Constitution.
The jury awarded a $3,000,000 Bronx personal injury settlement for pain and suffering. $7,000,000 for punitive damages and $500,000 for loss of support.
Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death - $4,000,000 with future value of $24,802,897.79 *
The firm represented the mother-decedent and her infant son. The mother-decedent came under the care of the defendant-hospital in connection certain medical, anesthesiological, and obstetrical care, treatment, and/or surgery to be rendered to the plaintiff by the defendants, its agents, servants and/or employees. During the decedent's admission to the defendant-hospital, the defendant dispensed anesthesia during an epidural to the decedent in an inadequate manner. The mother-decedent suffered personal injuries and wrongful death due to the defendant's failure to properly administer epidural anesthesia. The defendant was also found to be careless and negligent in the care, treatment, delivery, and management of the infant and his mother, prenatally, perinatally and postnatally, which caused brain damage to the infant. The case settled for $1,000,000 for wrongful death of mother and $3,000,000 for personal injuries of the infant due to the residue of the birth trauma sustained by infant.
Gerber v. Harry and Luisa Howard d/b/a Woodstock Manor Home for Senior Citizens v. Charnow Associates - Adult Home Negligence $1,677,835 *
The firm's client, a 63-year-old mentally incompetent man, slipped and fell in his own urine while attempting to walk to the bathroom at the defendant's senior citizen home. The client fractured his hip and as a result is confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. The client had a long history of incontinence of which the staff at the adult home where he lived was aware. The client claimed that the staff of the home failed to properly care for him, and the jury awarded $1,677,835.
John Doe v. Brooklyn Hospital Settlement - $2,750, 000 with a future value of $10,526,337 *
The firm's client was a child with cerebral palsy who was injured as a result of medical malpractice. The firm's clients claimed improper management of pregnancy, labor, and delivery resulting in brain damage and received a Brooklyn personal injury settlement.
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* Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
