Category Archives: Miscellaneous

NY Boat Accident Lawyer Discusses Recent Seneca Lake Boating Fatality

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Michael Tangye (courtesy of The Palm Beach Post)

I was within minutes of witnessing a horrific boating accident on Seneca Lake that killed a boater.

Last Saturday night, I took a friend who was visiting from Colorado on the Sunset Cruise on the True Love schooner sailing excursion in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

After a nice dinner, we boarded my boat for the eight-mile trip to my Seneca Lake cottage. We motored north out of the Seneca Lake marina, not knowing that minutes later a tragic collision was to occur when a boat headed south drove into an unlit, concrete seawall.

Schuyler County Sheriff’s depuities said Michael Tangye, 42, of Boynton Beach, Fla., was killed Saturday evening when he was ejected from the boat he was operating when it struck the seawall, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper.

Deputies said two other passengers, 24-year-old Ashley Kay of Orland Park, Ill., and 25-year-old Joseph Hager of Montour Falls are in stable condition at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre.

Police haven’t said yet whether alcohol played a role in the crash. The investigation continues.

Two veteran boaters told WETM-TV that the concrete seawall is dangerous because it needs more lights.

Doug Viele of Horseheads and John Kizale of Sayre, who say they have been boating on Seneca Lake for 30 years, said they have seen and heard about many accidents at the seawall and are amazed there have not been more fatalities.

“The wall needs some type of lights in the center because it’s a big dark hole,” Kizale told WETM. “It has lights on each end but the middle is totally black and it’s easy to run into. It certainly is dangerous.”

“When it’s dark out, it’s very dangerous,” Viele added. “If you have headlights in your boat, turn them on because you can’t see that wall if you don’t.”

Let this accident serve as a tragic reminder of dangers in the water for all boaters. Let’s be safe out there!

Thanks for reading.

Jim

_________________________________
James B. Reed
NY & PA Boat Accident Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
Mailto: jreed@zifflaw.com
Office: (607)733-8866
Toll-Free: 800-ZIFFLAW (943-3529)
Web: www.zifflaw.com
Blogs: NYInjuryLawBlog.com and
NYBikeAccidentBlog.com

 


Tragic Death of Amputee at Darien Lake Raises Safety Questions, NY and PA Accident Lawyer Says

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An Iraq War veteran who lost his legs died last week in a fall from the Ride of Steel roller coaster at Darien Lake.

The death last week on a Darien Lake roller coaster of a U.S. Army veteran who lost both legs in Iraq is a horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members.

But now it’s clearly time for the park operators to review their safety regulations. A double leg amputee should not be on any roller coaster unless a safe ride is assured!

People without both legs are barred from at least two coasters at Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, the Motocoaster and the Predator, according to The Associated Press.

But rules on the resort’s website for the 208-foot-tall Ride of Steel – which James Thomas Hackemer, 29, was riding when he fell to his death Friday evening – only say that guests must be at least 54 inches tall. But it adds that people with “certain body proportions” may not be able to ride, the AP reported.

Hackemer had recently returned to his parents’ home in Gowanda, near Buffalo, after years in and out of rehabilitation hospitals. Hackemer lost his legs in a roadside bombing in March 2008 in Iraq.

Hackemer was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he got on the roller coaster, his family told The Buffalo News. Hackemer, who was divorced, had two daughters, 4 and 3. They were at the park with other family members Friday evening.

Hackemer had not been at the park since before he lost his legs in Iraq, the News reported. Family members said Ride of Steel was his favorite roller coaster and they said Hackemer was “very strong-willed” and likely would’ve argued to get on the roller coaster if denied.

“I have no doubt in my mind that he died happy,” Jody Hackemer, a sister, told the News. “He was doing what he wanted to do, and that’s the important thing.”

Other veterans said they could relate.

“Doing what he did, I completely understand that,” Jack O’Connor, a Vietnam veteran, told the AP. “He wanted to go on the roller coaster. He wanted to be normal again, like everyone else, and not be thinking about some of the things that probably happened to him overseas.”

The family does not believe the Genesee County theme park did anything wrong in letting Hackemer on the ride, Jody Hackemer added.

“We in no shape or form hold Darien Lake accountable,” she told the News. “They weren’t negligent. It’s nobody’s fault. It was an accident. James thought it wasn’t an issue.”

Amusement park industry consultant Dennis Speigel told the AP that two things should be considered when determining whether someone should be allowed on a ride.

“One is rider responsibility and then there is operator responsibility, and those two issues have to homogenize,” Speigel said Sunday. “This just seems to me that it was a bad decision on both parts.”

I respectfully disagree with the family, as I am sure anyone who has been on this ride will.  This roller coaster is all about speed.  After the first drop the coaster attains speeds in excess of 70 mph.  The car then goes over another, smaller hill.  At those speeds, as the car drops, centrifugal force pulls you up and out of your seat.  The same thing occurs on all the remaining hills.  A bar pushes down over your hips, and is supposed to hold you in place.  For people with two legs it is sufficient to do its job, although it still gives the sensation that one could be lifted right out of the car.  This roller coaster was not designed for, and is obviously not safe for, a double amputee.

Attendants for this ride never should have allowed Mr. Hackemer to get on.  I understand the sentiment of the family, that he died doing what he loved and likely would have argued with the attendants if they told him no, but that is not the test of what is right and wrong.

Darien Lake has an obligation to protect people from dangerous situations.  They are in a better position to know whether a ride is safe for a particular person than that person.  In this case, they were clearly in a better position to know whether the ride was safe for Mr. Hackemer than Mr. Hackemer was, and were obligated to prevent him from getting on this ride.  They failed miserably in that obligation.

Mr. Hackemer was a hero.  He lost both his legs serving his country and performing his job to the best of his abilities.  Darien Lake failed to perform their job to the best of their ability, and that cost Mr. Hackemer his life.  He deserved better.

 

Thanks for reading.

Adam
_______________________________
Adam M. Gee, Esq.
NY and PA Injury and Accident Attorney
The Ziff Law Firm, LLP
303 William Street
Elmira, NY  14901
Phone: (607)733-8866
Fax: (607)732-6062
Email: agee@zifflaw.com
www.zifflaw.com

 

 


“Hot Coffee,” the Movie, Highly Recommended For Those Who Want BOTH Sides of the Story

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Everyone has heard of the “frivolous” McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit – the one where a jury awarded millions of dollars for some spilled coffee. But have you ever wondered if you knew the whole story … whether there might be more to the story of why a jury might have returned a large verdict for a little spilled coffee?

I can tell you that I have been trying injury lawsuits in Upstate N.Y. for more than 25 years, and when I am picking a jury, I am always confronted by the idea of “runaway juries” and “ridiculous verdicts” and the McDonald’s case is always advanced as the poster child for where the personal injury system has gone wrong.

Many times I have explained the true facts behind the McDonald’s case. When people hear what really went on, they understand exactly why the McDonald’s case isn’t crazy after all:

  • I explain that the woman suffered horrible burns, leaving her with permanent scars.
  • I explain how this particular McDonald’s purposely kept its coffee hotter than other McDonald’s despite previous people who were injured by the scalding coffee.
  • I explain how the judge reduced the jury verdict for punitive damages from $2.7 million to $480,000.
  • I explain that the legal system actually worked as it should in that case because ultimately McDonald’s was only ordered to pay an amount that was just and fair to the victim as well as an amount that was just and fair to McDonald’s.

But better than any explanation I can provide is a new movie called “Hot Coffee,” which tells the real tale behind the McDonald’s case. This movie is playing on HBO right now and I strongly urge you to watch it if you get the chance.

Don’t worry – the movie is actually much more interesting and entertaining than it sounds.

So you can learn more …

Here is the movie website and the HBO website.

To read an interview with the filmmaker, click here.

And here is the trailer for the movie:

 

Below I have pasted a recent review of the movie by noted lawyer Gerald L Shargel.

One thing I have learned as a trial lawyer is that there are ALWAYS two sides to every story, so it’s important that we always hear BOTH sides before reaching a final conclusion ….

Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think of the movie!

Thanks, Jim

_________________________________
James B. Reed
NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
Mailto: jreed@zifflaw.com
Office: (607)733-8866
Toll-Free: 800-ZIFFLAW (943-3529)
Web: www.zifflaw.com
Blogs: NYInjuryLawBlog.com and
NYBikeAccidentBlog.com

 

From Gerald L. Shargel’s review:

“While there may be no reliable data about the number of frivolous lawsuits filed each year, the civil justice system is largely self-regulating and the vast majority of frivolous lawsuits are weeded out early. The initial filtering process is the assessment of the case by lawyers who often take cases on a contingency basis, earning a fee only if there is a recovery; lawyers understandably will avoid a case where the claim is unlikely to succeed. Even after a jury verdict, a judge has the right to modify a jury’s damage award if the evidence does not support it. In Stella Lieback’s hot coffee case against McDonald’s, the trial judge reduced the $2.7 million punitive damages verdict to $480,000, while compensatory damages were reduced from $200,000 to $160,000.

“Tort claims serve the public good. More than simply compensating victims, meritorious lawsuits can force corporate or individual defendants to change or modify the behavior that caused the harm or injury. Hot Coffee lends a strong voice to those who favor fundamental fairness in redressing well-founded claims.”

To see the full review, go here.

 

 

Related articles

“New” Chemung County Court Schedule has Good Intentions, but Bad Implications, says NY Accident Lawyer

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Chemung County Couthouse, Elmira, New York

The new shorter court schedule will be bad for Chemung County courts.

 

Due to huge NY State cutbacks in the budget for NY courts, many courts are being forced to take drastic measures in an effort to reduce the cost of court operations.

One example right here in Chemung County is that ALL Chemung County courts will now be operating on a reduced schedule.

Chemung County courthouses will now be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but actual court hours will only be from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

This is a far cry from the hours the courts used to be open when I first started practicing 25 years ago. Back in the “good old days,” the court schedule varied from judge to judge but it wasn’t unusual if you were in a long trial for a judge to “start early and stay late” so as to get as many witnesses completed in a day as possible. Under this new system, all hours are mandatory with no exceptions unless you get written permission from the Administrative Law Judge.

The “new” operating schedule for Chemung County courts has whittled the court day down to a meager six hours (three hours in the morning and three in the afternoon).  We often hear judges at all levels complaining about the backlogs in their dockets.  One thing is for sure: the “new” court hours are only going to make things worse for our local courts by contributing to their already significant backlogs.

Specifically, limiting the court day to only six hours will increase the number of days required for trials.  Trials that would normally last three days under the “old” schedule now will last four or even five days under the “new” schedule.  This will, in turn, force courts to delay or push back other proceedings before the court to later dates.

I fear that the increase in backlogs will negatively impact our clients by further delaying the completion of their cases.  Even though obtaining compensation through our judicial system has always been a long journey, the shortening of the court day will only make things worse.

Now don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t blame our local judges for this mess as frankly this new schedule is not of their creation — it is required by the massive state cutbacks that have negatively impacted the courts in many different ways.  In fact, NY judges have the biggest beef of all because they have worked without a pay raise for more than 10 years, which simply isn’t fair (but that is a subject for its own blog post!).

Thanks, Jim

_________________________________
James B. Reed
NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
Mailto: jreed@zifflaw.com
Office: (607)733-8866
Toll-Free: 800-ZIFFLAW (943-3529)
Web: www.zifflaw.com
Blogs: NYInjuryLawBlog.com and
NYBikeAccidentBlog.com

 


NY Malpractice Lawyer Discusses “Wrong-Site” Surgery Cases: Did We Operate on the WRONG Leg?

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PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 10, 2007) - Lt. Cmdr. Ange...

It's up to you to be vigilant when you or someone you love faces surgery!

As a New York medical malpractice lawyer who has handled “wrong-site” surgery cases, I wasn’t too surprised to see the news report that estimates that 40 times a week (that’s more than 2,000 times a year!), doctors mistakenly operate on the wrong site.

Huh, the wrong site? Yup, that happens when a doctor is supposed to operate on a RIGHT knee and he operates on the LEFT knee. Or the doctor was supposed to operate on the left eye and he operates on the right. Can you say “Ooooooppppsss”?

But this is NOT funny. The victims of wrong-site surgery suffer all the dangers of surgery (bleeding, infection, scarring, disability, etc.) with none of the benefits of the surgery they were supposed to receive. In fact, many times, the patient is so weakened by the wrong-site surgery that they don’t have the strength to undergo the surgery they were supposed to have.

The Washington Post reported this week that seven years after the Joint Commission, the group that accredits our nation’s hospitals, unveiled mandatory rules to prevent surgery errors, the problem may actually be getting worse!

The good news is that progressive hospitals and doctors are implementing strategies to combat wrong-site surgery, according to the report. Some strategies are simple: require the doctor to physically mark the site of the surgery during the pre-operative preparation; make both doctors and nurses double-check one another as to the proper site of the surgery, and so on.

Medicare is also creating a very strong incentive for doctors and hospitals to ensure that they do not perform surgery at the wrong site by refusing to pay any of the expenses associated with the incorrect surgery. Nothing like hitting someone in the pocketbook to make them pay attention!

And finally, the prospect of an expensive medical malpractice lawsuit is also a strong deterrent to this sloppy mistake that simply shouldn’t occur. In NY and PA, where I routinely practice, it is medical malpractice for a doctor to perform surgery at the wrong site because the standard of care for proper surgical practice always requires the surgeon to confirm the proper site for surgery BEFORE operating.

According to the Washington Post report, based on state data, Joint Commission officials estimate that wrong-site surgery occurs 40 times a week in U.S. hospitals and clinics. In 2010 alone, 93 cases were reported to the accrediting organization, compared with 49 in 2004.

“Attention to the problem comes at a time of increased focus on the broader issue of medical errors, which a recent study found affected one-third of hospital patients,” the report said.

The federal government recently introduced a program aimed at reducing medical mistakes, the Post reported. Medicare requires reporting and does not pay for wrong-site surgery, and many insurers have followed suit, the Post added. Next year, Medicaid will begin a similar policy.

Wrong-site mistakes have multiple causes, experts told the Post: mixing up the left and right sides; operating on a patient who was accidentally given test results belonging to someone else; marking the incorrect vertebrae in spinal surgery; neglecting to mark the site at all. Some occur even though a member of the surgical team thinks something might be wrong but fails to speak up, fearful of slowing the process or challenging the surgeon in charge.

Please remember when you or someone you love is facing surgery – be watchful and ask questions!

Thanks, Jim

_________________________________
James B. Reed
NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
Mailto: jreed@zifflaw.com
Office: (607)733-8866
Toll-Free: 800-ZIFFLAW (943-3529)
Web: www.zifflaw.com
Blogs: NYInjuryLawBlog.com and
NYBikeAccidentBlog.com

 

 

 


Elmira Star Gazette Photo Features Ziff Law “Instructor”

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Talk about a small world. 

Two years ago Ziff Law Attorney Jim Reed and I spent several days shadowing Dorothy Clay Sims, an exceptionally bright and fiery attorney from Ocala, Florida.  Dorothy and Jim had met through a national Medical Malpractice organization, and she generously invited both of us to come to Ocala, stay in her home, and shadow her to learn her very particular method of building lawsuits and cross examining doctors.

Today, I opened by copy of the Elmira Star Gazette and saw a picture of Attorney Sims seated right next to Casey Anthony at counsel’s table!  Yes – that Casey Anthony.  Turns out Attorney Sims joined the defense team last fall and is expected to use her skills in cross examining doctors to help poke holes in the prosecution’s case and support the theory that Caylee Anthony drowned in her grandparent’s swimming pool.  Although Attorney Sims has not had a large role in terms of presenting the case, she has been photographed embracing Casey several times and cross examined Lee Anthony, Casey Anthony’s brother.

I can honestly say I have never met anyone quite like Dorothy Clay Sims.  She has the energy of five people, and is seemingly always engaged in several different activities — all at the same exact time.  When Jim and I were in her office she asked us to observe her take a doctor’s deposition by phone.  Although I vowed not to give away her secrets to success, trust me when I say I have never seen anything like it.  Her ability to find a way to get the information she needs when she needs it is unparalleled, and she puts the hammer to witnesses with just enough charisma to keep them talking.

Dorothy’s book, “Exposing Deceptive Defense Doctors” is a bible for a good deal of the plaintiff’s bar — and a must-read for anyone who handles medical malpractice cases.  My copy rests within arms reach, and I find myself consulting with it more than I do with any other source.  The trip was well worth the tiem and expense.  There is simply no substitute for learning from the best.

My husband is a prosecutor at the Chemung County District Attorney’s Office.  He has been following the Anthony trial very closely — and was floored when I told him we had stayed at Sims’ house.  Looks like her star is truly rising.  I am very excited to see what she can do for Casey Anthony.  If I were the state’s attorney, I would take notice that Dorothy is on deck.

Thanks, Christina
_________________________________
Christina Bruner Sonsire, Esq.
NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
303 William Street
Elmira, New York 14902-1338
csonsire@zifflaw.com
Office: 607.733.8866
Toll-Free: 800.ZIFFLAW (943.3529)
Web: zifflaw.com
Blog: NYInjuryLawBlog.com

 

 


UPSTATE NY AND NORTHERN TIER PA HOSPITALS GET QUESTIONABLE SUB-PAR MARKS FROM MEDICARE

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Talk about cause for alarm.

A recent Medicare study revealed patients at hospitals in Upstate New York and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania often get worse, instead of better, because they become victims of preventable Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs).

HACs are serious conditions that patients get during an inpatient hospital stay.  They include such events as such as patient falls, infections, foreign objects being left in patients after surgery, bedsores, poor blood sugar control for diabetes, and improper blood transfusions.

According to Medicare, if hospitals follow proper procedures, patients are should not acquire these conditions. Often referred to as “Medicare Never Events”, Medicare actually refuses pay for the treatment of any of these conditions, and patients can’t be billed for them.

The findings are nothing less than startling.  Below I parsed out the important statistics for several Upstate New York and Northern Tier Hospitals.  The first number is the rate of HACs per 1,000 discharges at each hospital.  The number is the national rate of HACs per 1,000 discharges.

In addition, Medicare provides a website that allows for head-to-head comparison of hospitals based on geographical location.

 

NAME OF HOSPITAL                                    HOSPITAL RATE           NATIONAL RATE

Upstate New York Hospitals

Arnot Ogden Medical Center

FOREIGN OBJECT RETAINED AFTER SURGERY 0 0.09
AIR EMBOLISM 0 0.003
BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY 0 0.001
PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV 0.557 0.135
FALLS AND TRAUMA 0.836 0.564
VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION 0.139 0.367
CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI 0.697 0.316
MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL 0 0.05

St. Joseph’s Hospital

AIR EMBOLISM 0 0.003
BLOOD INCOMPATIBILITY 0 0.001
PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV 0.296 0.135
FALLS AND TRAUMA 0.296 0.564
VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION 0.296 0.367
CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI 0.296 0.316
MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL 0 0.05

Corning Hospital

PRESSURE ULCER STAGES III AND IV 0.593 0.135
FALLS AND TRAUMA 0.593 0.564
VASCULAR CATHETER-ASSOCIATED INFECTION 0.593 0.367
CATHETER-ASSOCIATED UTI 0 0.316
MANIFESTATIONS OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL 0 0.05

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NY and PA Injury Lawyer: “Get distracted drivers off the road now!”

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In my opinion, it is not the act of talking on...

Distracted drivers are a danger to everyone. Are you one?

An Elmira high school track coach was right on target this week when he targeted distracted drivers, who pose a huge danger to his runners.

I’ll take Southside High School Coach Greg Grund’s plea one step further – texting drivers are a HUGE danger to EVERYONE — runners, cyclists, walkers, kids playing near the streets, other vehicles and so on.

Grund told WETM-TV that some of his runners have had to jump into ditches to avoid getting hit when they are training on area roads.

Most of the time, the coach said, his runners are almost hit because the drivers are using their cell phones to make a call or text.

The law is clear on this – no texting while driving, and only hands-free devices if you are talking on a cell phone while driving in New York state and Pennsylvania.

How many more people have to get injured or killed before our distracted drivers get the message?

Everyone should see this!

Keep an eye out for a very effective public service announcement about the dangers of distracted driving. It was written by a 15-year-old Oswego, N.Y., high school student.

Lauren Daniels made a 30-second spot that won the second annual Drive2Life PSA Competition, sponsored by The National Road Safety Foundation Inc. with National Organizations for Youth Safety. The PSA is airing nationally during National Youth Traffic Safety Month in May.

The spot shows two teens walking and talking. One of the girls is texting, the other is putting on makeup and she walks into a pole, which knocks her down. Her friend says, “Sarah, that’s so funny.”

The scene shifts to a car driving past, and the viewer hears the same dialogue between the girls. We see the driver texting as she’s driving and the screen fades to black as we hear the sounds of a crash and one of the girls keeps repeating her friend’s name, with no response.

To read more about the PSA, click here.

“Distracted driving is an epidemic on America’s roadways, and young people are among the most at risk,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “When you’re driving, your attention should always be on the road — not on a phone. And I applaud Lauren for creating such an effective video to drive this message home to teens.”

As high school graduation season arrives in the Twin Tiers, let Lauren’s PSA serve as an important reminder.

It is a matter of life and death.

Thanks for reading,

James B. Reed, Elmira Injury Attorney

_________________________________
James B. Reed
NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
Mailto: jreed@zifflaw.com
Office: (607)733-8866
Toll-Free: 800-ZIFFLAW (943-3529)
Web: www.zifflaw.com
Blogs: NYInjuryLawBlog.com and
NYBikeAccidentBlog.com

Sheer Stupidity Causes Pedestrian Death Says Elmira Car Accident Lawyer

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Pedestrian

Elmira Accident Lawyer Jim Reed says a driver high on marijuana and texting while driving was careless when she struck and killed a pedestrian.

Talk about stupid ….

Driving while high on marijuana?

Driving while texting?

Driving while high on pot AND while texting? What stupidity!

Stupidity is one thing when you are only exposing yourself to danger but stupidity takes on a whole different and repugnant perspective when you get behind the wheel of a big, powerful piece of metal that is capable of killing other innocent people.

A very tragic Elmira pedestrian death case illustrates the idiotic and lethal combination of driving while both high and while texting!

A 27-year-old Elmira woman pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor charge of driving while ability impaired by drugs in the Sept. 3 car-pedestrian death of a 71-year-old Elmira woman.

The District Attorney is urging that the driver, Kelly Boston, be sentenced in August to three years of probation, random drug and alcohol screening, community service, a substantial fine and attendance at a victim impact panel, according to the Elmira Star-Gazette newspaper report.  Frankly, I wish the penalties were even more severe…..

We have written many times before about the dangers of driving while impaired (either drunk or high) and distracted driving (talking or texting on a cell phone) but this case involved both types of impairment/distraction.

A pedestrian, Mary C. Klugo of Scio Street, was lost tragically. The driver’s life will never be the same. The next time you think about driving impaired or texting while driving, I hope you will remember this case.

Here is another local news report on the driver’s guilty plea:

Elmira Woman Pleads Guilty in Pedestrian Accident

By Stacey Minchin
WETM-TV
Elmira, N.Y. - An Elmira woman has admitted to smoking pot the night she hit and killed an elderly pedestrian.
Chemung County District Attorney Weeden Wetmore says 26-year-old Kelly Boston has pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while impaired by drugs.
On Sept. 3, Boston was driving on Hoffman Street when she struck and killed 71-year-old Mary Klugo of Elmira.
Besides being high on pot, officials say Boston was reading a text message right before the crash.
In exchange for her plea, Wetmore is only seeking a sentence of three years probation.
Wetmore says there wasn’t enough evidence to charge her with vehicular homicide.

Thanks for reading,

James B. Reed, Elmira Injury Attorney

_________________________________
James B. Reed
NY & PA Injury & Malpractice Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
Mailto: jreed@zifflaw.com
Office: (607)733-8866
Toll-Free: 800-ZIFFLAW (943-3529)
Web: www.zifflaw.com
Blogs: NYInjuryLawBlog.com and
NYBikeAccidentBlog.com

Ziff Law Firm Hires Ace Paralegal from New York City

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Talented paralegals are essential to the smooth workings of a law firm. In our Ziff Law newsletters and staff descriptions online at ZiffLaw.com, I’ve always wanted to emphasize the smarts and dedication of our paralegals. They make us lawyers look great, they inspire confidence in our clients, and they manage a million details to make cases move forward smoothly.

Now there is a new name and face to add to our staff roster: Paralegal Corinne Acampora is joining Ziff Law.

Corinne recently moved to Ithaca from Manhattan with her husband, Brian, who is a 2012 Cornell Johnson School MBA Candidate.

In New York City, she had a stellar paralegal career with the powerhouse litigation firms of White & Case and Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman.

After interviewing with many other firms in the area, Corinne decided to join the Ziff Law team, and we are so pleased that she did so.

Corinne grew up in Framingham, MA, a suburb of Boston, but has been visiting family in upstate New York since she was born. Corinne is a graduate of a great upstate university, Syracuse, where she studied history and political science. She also spent a semester in China in the university’s prestigious program there, AND co-founded and edited Chronos, the Syracuse University Undergraduate History Journal.

In New York City, Corinne earned a Master of Arts in Modern Art, Connoisseurship, and the History of the Art Market from the famous auction house Christie’s.

She started her law-related career as a legal assistant with White & Case, where she managed the documentation, including trial preparation, for several cases. She was recruited by the firm of Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman as a paralegal and given a lot more responsibility, experience I know will be valued here at Ziff Law.

While at Kasowitz, Corinne was the lead paralegal on cases involving issues from an intellectual property litigation to an international art restitution case, and even anti-trust class actions. Her responsibilities included hearing and trial preparation, coordinating pleadings, correspondence, and client documents. Being a good communicator is an essential skill for a paralegal, and Corinne’s editing experience stood her in good stead as she was responsible for editing legal briefs.

As she was managing all this, Corinne was also in charge of developing and implementing a training program, The Paralegal Institute, for the 45 or more paralegals working at Kasowitz.

At Ziff, Corinne will be working with Christina Bruner Sonsire on medical malpractice and personal injury cases.

In her spare time, Corinne likes to cook, hunt for antiques and is excited to explore the Ithaca art scene.

For our part, we are very glad she chose our firm and we look forward to working with Corinne.

“Speaking with Jim and Christina made my decision very easy. I could tell right away that the culture at the firm was one of integrity, professionalism and respect,” Corinne says. “On top of those qualities, people here truly care about work/life balance which I think is very important.”

Our motto is “Local lawyers, big city results!” Now we have a big-city paralegal joining the team.

Thanks for reading,

Jim

______________________________________
James B. Reed, Esq.
NY & PA Personal Injury Lawyer
Ziff Law Firm, LLP
William St., Elmira, NY 14902
Tel. (607) 733-8866 Fax. (607) 732-6062
Toll Free 1-800-943-3529
mailto:jreed@zifflaw.com http://www.zifflaw.com
 E-mail me at FreeReports@zifflaw.com for two free books:
NY Car Accidents and NY Car Insurance Secrets YOU Need to Know.

That is blog post #1.  Then I need a follow-up blog post in a couple days with my video interview from WETM-TV Law Talk last week embedded.  I will send you the video file via SendThisFile.  Hopefully, it won’t be too hard to embed the video. Just take a look at the video and you will see my reaction to the idea from some Elmira City Councilpersons who thought it would be a good idea to require licensing and insuring of skateboarders, bicyclists, pedestrians, motorized wheelchairs and baby strollers.  Talk about idiocy! This is a classic example of blame the victim.  The skateboarder (like the other two pedestrians) was well within his rights to use the road and rather than focusing on the conduct of the innocent victims, why aren’t the politicians focusing on the careless drivers?That is blog post #1. Then I need a follow-up blog post in a couple days with my video interview from WETM-TV Law Talk last week embedded. I will send you the video file via SendThisFile. Hopefully, it won’t be too hard to embed the video. Just take a look at the video and you will see my reaction to the idea from some Elmira City Councilpersons who thought it would be a good idea to require licensing and insuring of skateboarders, bicyclists, pedestrians, motorized wheelchairs and baby strollers. Talk about idiocy! This is a classic example of blame the victim. The skateboarder (like the other two pedestrians) was well within his rights to use the road and rather than focusing on the conduct of the innocent victims, why aren’t the politicians focusing on the careless drivers?
Ziff Law Hires Ace Paralegal from New York City

Talented paralegals are essential to the smooth workings of a law firm. In our Ziff Law newsletters and staff descriptions online at ZiffLaw.com, I’ve always wanted to emphasize the smarts and dedication of our paralegals. They make us lawyers look great, they inspire confidence in our clients, and they manage a million details to make cases move forward smoothly.

Now there is a new name and face to add to our staff roster: Paralegal Corinne Acampora is joining Ziff Law.

(Corinne, I saw a different last name on your resume. Did you just get married? Congratulations if you did! May I mention your husband’s name and what he does?)

Corinne recently moved to Ithaca from Manhattan.

(What brought you to the area?)

In New York City, she had a stellar paralegal career with the powerhouse litigation firms of White & Case and Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman.

After interviewing with many other firms in the area, Corinne decided to join the Ziff Law team, and we are so pleased that she did so.

(Corinne, are you from upstate? What’s your hometown?)

Corinne is a graduate of a great upstate university, Syracuse, where she studied history and political science. She also spent a semester in China in the university’s prestigious program there, AND co-founded and edited Chronos, the Syracuse University Undergraduate History Journal.

In New York City, Corinne earned a master’s degree in modern art, connoisseurship, and the history of the art market while interning at the famous auction house Christie’s.

She started her law-related career as a legal assistant with White & Case, where she managed the documentation, including trial preparation, for seven cases. She was recruited by the firm of Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman as a paralegal and given a lot more responsibility, experience I know will be valued here at Ziff Law.


While at Kasowitz, Corinne was the lead paralegal on cases involving issues from intellectual property litigation to an international art restitution case, and even anti-trust class actions. Her responsibilities included coordinating pleadings, correspondence, attorney’s paperwork, and client document files. Being a good communicator is an essential skill for a paralegal, and Corinne’s editing experience stood her in good stead as she was responsible for editing legal briefs.

As she was managing all this, Corinne was also in charge of developing and implementing a training program, The Paralegal Institute, for the 45 or more paralegals working at the large Kasowitz firm.

At Ziff, Corinne will be… FILL JOB DESCRIPTION

(Do you know which attorneys you will be working with … or all? I know some of the paralegals specialize and assist particular attorneys.)

In her spare time, Corinne likes to FILL INTERESTS

(Would you like to list any hobbies? Or In their spare time, Corinne and her husband like to…)

For our part, we are very glad she chose our firm and we look forward to working with Corinne.

“FILL QUOTE” (Corinne, could you tell me one factor in your decision to take the job at Ziff? What gave you a favorable impression of the firm?)

Our motto is “Local lawyers, big city results!” Now we have a big-city paralegal joining the team.

Thanks for reading,

Jim

FILL JIM TAGLINE