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Lauren P. Raysor Presents Preliminary Findings on Call for Reform of the Mount Vernon Police Department

MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK — On September 29, 2020, attorney Lauren P. Raysor presented a report on behalf of the Mount Vernon Coalition for Police Reform to the Mayor of Mount Vernon, members of the City Council and other elected officials. Ms. Raysor formed the Mount Vernon Coalition for Police Reform, a group of former police officers, civil rights attorneys, former City Officials and several others seeking ways to improve the practices of the Mount Vernon Police Department.

The report pointed out that there is a lack of trust in the police department. Citizens refuse to cooperate with the police during investigations, which explains how the city has the highest rate of unsolved homicides in Westchester County.

In its report, the Coalition made the following recommendations: the formation of a Civilian Complaint Review Board; requiring police officers to become more involved in the community, including living in the city where they work; statistical tracking of misconduct by officers based on race and gender; use of body and dashboard cameras; elimination of chokeholds, no-knock warrants and stop and frisk; review of police guidelines to ensure new rules and new compliance; more anti-bias and de-escalation training, including training to combat racial profiling; and using money from the police budget to pay out settlements from police misconduct lawsuits.

The Coalition also urges police officers to report a fellow officer who is engaged in a criminal act. Failure to do so would result in arrest. Citizens who use their cell phones to record instances of police misconduct would be provided whistleblower protection.

“In combating the systemic problems that are plaguing this police department, we are introducing some recommendations that are long overdue,” Ms. Raysor said. “I strongly urge the city council and the Mayor of Mount Vernon to review our findings and seriously consider implementing our recommendations.

For more information, call (914) 733-8080 or visit www.laurenpraysor.com.

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About Lauren P. Raysor

Lauren P. Raysor is an attorney concentrating in personal injury, civil rights, bankruptcy, matrimonial and family law. She has litigated numerous cases over the years, taking more than 35 cases to verdict and has argued before the Appellate Division in the case of Makeda Barnes Joseph v. Universal Music Group. She served as Corporation Counsel for the City of Mount Vernon, where she was in charge of the city’s Law Department. Ms. Raysor is currently outside counsel for the New York State Dormitory Authority, and served as the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Upper Manhattan Region, outside counsel to the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone and counsel at a Wall Street law firm.

 

Duffy & Duffy Law Available to Speak on New York Nursing Homes’ Handling of the COVID-19 Pandemic

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK — Attorneys from the law firm Duffy & Duffy Law are available for comment on how New York nursing homes failed to prepare for the coming COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to more than 6,600 deaths.

The firm filed a series of lawsuits on behalf of the residents’ families, claiming the facilities willfully failed to implement an infection control program as required by the 2016 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule and its accompanying 2019 memorandum. Further, the nursing homes violated New York State Public Health Law by failing to properly train their staff on infection control and emergency preparedness. In addition, they did not heed the warnings from the New York State Health Department back in February that the virus would hit the state.

On April 3, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill that protected nursing homes and hospitals from legal liability during the pandemic, except in instances of willful gross negligence or reckless misconduct. However, in response to the increase in COVID-19 related deaths at these facilities, the state Legislature approved a bill on August 3 that would roll back certain legal protections for hospitals and nursing homes.

On July 28, the state Legislature began holding a series of hearings to investigate how the coronavirus spread through the nursing homes and, specifically, if it was related to a state order requiring nursing homes to take in residents who had the virus. Currently, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division also began its investigation to determine if the state directive contributed to the residents’ deaths.

For more information, call (516) 394-4200 or visit www.duffyduffylaw.com.

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About Duffy & Duffy Law

Based in Uniondale, New York, Duffy & Duffy Law offers solid and legal counsel and representation to people who have suffered from negligence and medical malpractice. The firm advocates for patients of negligent physicians and nurses throughout New York, sheds light on uninsurable doctors who continued practicing and held insurance companies accountable for dictating patients’ course of treatment, leading to tragic outcomes. Duffy & Duffy Law serves injured individuals throughout Nassau, Suffolk, and Kings Counties, as well as the Bronx, Queens and other areas of New York. For more information, call (516) 394-4200 or visit www.duffyduffylaw.com.

Russell I. Marnell Offers Advice for Victims of Intimate Partner Abuse in Recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

MELVILLE, NEW YORK — Russell I. Marnell of Marnell Law Group, P.C. is reminding everyone that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and is urging victims to obtain help from both the police and legal counsel, in order to secure their safety.

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month was formed in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to help battered women’s advocates across the country connect with each other. Domestic violence is not restricted to physical violence; it also consists of stalking, menacing, harassment, disorderly conduct and grand larceny, as well as unlawful dissemination or publication of intimate images. “It’s been reported that, as more people become aware of this designation, they are coming forward seeking orders of protection against their abusers,” says Mr. Marnell.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an estimated 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are abused by their partner every year. In addition, a woman is beaten or assaulted every nine seconds and 25% of men experience physical violence by their partner. Mr. Marnell says, although he has seen women seeking orders of protection, he has also represented men in these situations.

“Men have definitely come to me seeking restraining orders or orders of protection,” he says. “Men usually won’t make an abuse claim, unless there was something egregious, like the use of a weapon during an abusive situation.”

Domestic violence became more prevalent during the coronavirus lockdown. Data from The Marshall Project showed that, in Suffolk County, there was an 18% increase in calls reporting domestic violence to the police, while Nassau County police received 10% more domestic violence calls during the lockdown.

In the event a partner is being abused, Mr. Marnell strongly recommends calling the police and collecting as much evidence as possible against the abuser, including tape recording the perpetrator, which is allowed in New York State. “New York is a ‘one-party consent’ state regarding the audio recordings of conversations, as long as one party consents to the recordings — in this case, the person subjected to domestic violence — and the person making the recording is involved in the conversation,” he says. “Victims should also seek medical treatment for their injuries, which will help support their claims of domestic violence.”

The New York State Unified Court System has deemed filing temporary orders of protection and emergency family offense petitions in Family Court as essential. Filing temporary orders of protection, including, but not limited to, matters involving domestic violence, in state Supreme Court is also considered essential. “If you are in an abusive situation and you are seeking protection, contact a divorce or family law attorney immediately,” Mr. Marnell says.

For more information, call (516) 542-9000 or visit www.marnelllaw.com.

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About Marnell Law Group, P.C.

Located in Melville, New York, Marnell Law Group, P.C. concentrates in divorce and family law matters, including complex custody, equitable distribution, child support and maintenance issues. Founded in 1985, the firm continues to provide its New York metro area clients with excellent representation and service. While the attorneys at Marnell Law Group, P.C. will negotiate vigorously to settle your matter, should a matter need to proceed to trial, clients may rest assured that Mr. Marnell’s vast and extremely successful trial experience will put them at a great advantage. Mr. Marnell is a fellow of the esteemed American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He has been selected as a Metro New York Super Lawyer in the practice area of Family Law. Mr. Marnell has also received the Martindale-Hubbell AV rating — the highest rating an attorney can achieve. He is a member of the Matrimonial Committees of the Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations and the New York Family Law American Inns of Court, as well as a frequent lecturer and contributing writer; Mr. Marnell has been published in the Nassau Lawyer, Suffolk Lawyer and the New York Law Journal, among others. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call (516) 542-9000 or visit www.marnelllaw.com.

 

Michael Duffy Comments on Cuomo’s Signing of Limited Malpractice Liability Bill into Law

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK — Michael Duffy, Managing Partner, Duffy & Duffy, PLLC, is available to comment on the new limited malpractice liability law covering hospitals and nursing homes in their treatment of patients with COVID-19. He says that the focus should be on the patients and not on the healthcare facilities’ bottom lines.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed a bill into law that limits the liability protections of nursing homes and hospitals only to coronavirus patients from now on. This is a change from the law Governor Cuomo signed in March which provided broader liability protections to healthcare facilities during the pandemic, except during instances of criminal activity or gross negligence.

“The immunity provision contained within the New York State budget, put into place on March 23, was too broad for its intended purpose,” Mr. Duffy says. “It’s not surprising that industry lobbyists went too far in shielding hospitals and nursing homes from incompetence and lack of proper care. At a time when people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet, the focus should not have been on helping the hospitals’ CEOs and owners protect their profits, but protecting patients from corporate greed and ensuring quality of care for all New Yorkers.”

For more information, call (516) 394-4200 or visit www.duffyduffylaw.com.

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About Duffy & Duffy Law

Based in Uniondale, New York, Duffy & Duffy Law offers solid legal counsel and representation to people who have suffered from negligence and medical malpractice. The firm advocates for patients of negligent physicians and nurses throughout New York, shed light on uninsurable doctors who continued practicing and held insurance companies accountable for dictating patients’ course of treatment, leading to tragic outcomes. Duffy & Duffy Law serves injured individuals throughout Nassau, Suffolk, and Kings Counties, as well as the Bronx, Queens and other areas of New York. For more information, call (516) 394-4200 or visit www.duffyduffylaw.com.

Steven Mitchell Sack Comments on NYS Federal Judge’s Decision to Strike Down U.S. Labor Department’s Restrictions on Workers Taking COVID-19 Related Leave

NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Steven Mitchell Sack, “The Employee’s Lawyer,” says a U.S. District Court judge’s decision to strike down the U.S. Department of Labor’s stringent requirements as to who is eligible for coronavirus-related leave will give workers the ability to take off from work when needed.

On August 3, Paul Oetken, Justice, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, ruled that the Labor Department was overly strict in its eligibility requirements under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. For example, the agency cannot prevent workers from taking leave if there is no work for them to perform. Also, the DOL was partially blocked from limiting “intermittent” leave and requiring employees to give a full description as to why they are requesting time off for work.

“This is a definite win for workers who may need to take leave to take care of themselves or a loved one,” Mr. Sack says. “No one should have to explain themselves or jump through hoops if they need a few days off. If you believe you were unfairly denied time off under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, please consult an employment law attorney.”

For more information, call (917) 371-8000 or visit www.theemployeeslawyer.com.

 

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About Steven Mitchell Sack

Steven Mitchell Sack, “The Employee’s Lawyer®,” has been enforcing workplace rights of employees, executives, and sales representatives for 37 years. He is a practicing attorney concentrating in employment law, as well as an author of 19 books, a lecturer and syndicated radio talk show host. Together with attorney Scott A. Lucas, they obtained a $6.2 million injury verdict in 2015 on behalf of three pregnant employees, as well as a favorable Court of Appeals decision for a group of waiters who were denied their fair share of tips that were held back by a caterer. For more information, visit www.theemployeeslawyer.com.

Duffy & Duffy Law Firm Seeks to Hold Nursing Homes Responsible for COVID-19 Deaths

Firm Argues Facilities Failed to Properly Train Staff in Infection Control and Emergency Preparedness as Required by NYS and Federal Laws

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK — Duffy & Duffy, PLLC has announced the first of a series of lawsuits being filed against New York nursing homes on behalf of the families of residents who died as a result of the coronavirus.

The lawsuits claim the defendant nursing home facilities violated the New York State Public Health Law by failing to adequately train their staff on protocols regarding infection control and emergency preparedness. Even before the coronavirus was discovered, state and federal regulations mandated nursing homes be prepared for viral outbreaks.  But back in February, the facilities were specifically warned by the New York State Department of Health about the coming coronavirus pandemic.  Unfortunately, they still failed to prepare for it. The lawsuits go on to say that the nursing homes willfully and/or recklessly violated the residents’ rights to be informed of any significant changes to their loved one’s health and of any care and treatment they receive that may affect the residents’ well-being.

The 2016 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule and its accompanying 2019 memorandum required nursing home facilities to implement an infection prevention and control program and hire an infection preventionist to oversee the program, but the facilities willfully failed to do so, resulting in the preventable deaths of residents. Although nursing homes were granted immunity during the coronavirus pandemic, the firm contends that the facilities are responsible for the injuries caused due to the reckless misconduct and willful gross negligence of the nursing home administration and staff in failing to comply with public health regulations.

The state’s nursing homes were granted immunity from legal liability as part of the Emergency or Disaster Treatment Protection Act that was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on April 2. According to reports, the Greater New York Hospital Association — an industry group that gave $3 million to the campaigns of Governor Cuomo and state Democratic politicians — drafted the legal protections put into the bill.

The firm is seeking to overcome the immunity issue by arguing that the State Health Department issued its warning before the legal protections were granted; the facilities enjoyed the immunity at the expense of the residents’ health; and such protections do not protect the nursing homes from reckless or willful gross negligence.

Research from The New York Times shows that 21% of all COVID-19 related deaths statewide were at nursing homes. Infections and deaths at nursing homes varied widely — of the 452 nursing homes in New York State, 21 had no deaths, and 110 had only one or two deaths as of June 29, according to the state Health Department. These numbers suggest that protocols and preventative measures varied widely among nursing home facilities in the state.

Those nursing homes that complied with state law and had adequate measures in place when the pandemic occurred were more effective in dealing with the outbreak.  On the other hand, the facilities that failed to appropriately prepare and implement these safety rules caused avoidable deaths in large numbers:

Nursing Home County Confirmed/Suspected COVID-19 Related Deaths
Kings Harbor Bronx 59
St. Patrick’s House Bronx 40
The Citadel Bronx 55
The Plaza Bronx 37
Throgs Neck Rehab Bronx 37
Absolut Center Erie 36
Fiddlers Green Erie 65
Bensonhurst Center Kings 36
Cobble Hill Center Kings 56
Haym Solomon Kings 46
Menorah Home Kings 62
The Phoenix Kings 61
Cold Spring Hills Nassau 35
Fulton Commons Nassau 40
Meadowbrook Nassau 38
The New Jewish Westchester 50
LI Veterans Home Suffolk 71
Gurwin Jewish Suffolk 50
Carillon Nursing Suffolk 44
Carmel Richmond Richmond 59
Clove Lakes Richmond 40
Parker Jewish Queens 80
Ozanam Queens 62
Holliswood Queens 58
The Valley View Orange 34
Amsterdam New York 58
The New Jewish New York 58
The Riverside New York 61
Isabella Geriatric New York 68

 

“These facilities were reckless because they had the opportunity to prepare themselves for the coronavirus pandemic, but failed to put the necessary systems in place,” said Damien Smith, Esq. of Duffy & Duffy, PLLC. “The State Health Department told these facilities in February to get ready for this wave, and they made the decision not to prepare. Their collective failure to create and implement infection control procedures as required by the Public Health Law is another reason these nursing homes should not have been afforded the legal protections they enjoyed during the pandemic. These facilities not only made it unsafe for their residents, but they fostered a dangerous environment for their own employees.”

For more information, call (516) 394-4200 or visit www.duffyduffylaw.com.

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About Duffy & Duffy Law

Based in Uniondale, New York, Duffy & Duffy Law offers solid legal counsel and representation to people who have suffered from negligence and medical malpractice. The firm advocates for patients of negligent physicians and nurses throughout New York, shed light on uninsurable doctors who continued practicing and held insurance companies accountable for dictating patients’ course of treatment, leading to tragic outcomes. Duffy & Duffy Law serves injured individuals throughout Nassau, Suffolk, and Kings Counties, as well as the Bronx, Queens and other areas of New York. For more information, call (516) 394-4200 or visit www.duffyduffylaw.com.

Oresky & Associates, pllc Unites with Together We Can Community Resource Center Inc., La Jornada, and The Queens Museum in Providing Food to 1,000 Families in Corona through a New Pop-Up Pantry in the Heart of Corona

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit New York City very hard, particularly in Corona in western Queens, making it difficult for families who are quarantined with the virus, and for those who have lost their jobs to put food on the table and buy groceries.

We are excited to announce that Together We Can and La Jornada have established a Food Pantry at the Queens Museum that is now open. Oresky and Associates, pllc, which was incredibly supportive throughout the month of May in efforts to help feed and sustain Corona families, will be supporting this important endeavor.

Black, Brown, and immigrant communities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 across the country. Just next door to The Queens Museum, the largely immigrant communities living in Corona have faced devastating loss and food insecurity due to unemployment and unequal access to resources and government assistance. In order to help alleviate the demand on existing food pantries and relief efforts in Corona, this new pantry will serve 1,000 families weekly on Wednesdays, distributing a week’s worth of fresh and nonperishable food items.

Anyone interested in supporting the food pantry by volunteering is asked to contact Together We Can by email at togetherwecanrc@gmail.com.

For families living in the 11368 Zip Code in Corona interested in receiving food, please email at togetherwecanrc@gmail.com

For more information, visit www.togetherwecanrc.org. For more information on Oresky & Associates, pllc, visit www.oreskylaw.com.

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Twomey Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo, LLP Awards Community Service Scholarship to Riverhead High School Senior

RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK — On June 17, the 2020 Twomey Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo, LLP Community Service Scholarship recipient was announced during Riverhead High School’s virtual Awards Ceremony. This year’s winner was Elizabeth Buckley.

 

Elizabeth had overcome a great personal loss while still excelling in school, and spent her spare time during her academic career volunteering. She served as a Historian of the Key Club, Treasurer of Students Against Drunk Driving, a Member of the cheerleading team and a featured dancer for the Riverhead Blue Masques, among other activities. In addition, she committed over 160 hours of service on a mission trip to Haiti with her local church.

 

Twomey Latham places a significant focus on the community and charitable service and awards this scholarship to graduating high school seniors who share that focus.

 

Elizabeth was awarded $1,000 to help with college expenses.

 

For more information, call (631) 727-2180 or visit www.suffolklaw.com.

 

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About Twomey Latham

Twomey Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo, LLP is a full-service law firm with a 65-person staff with over 30 attorneys, paralegals and legal assistants in five offices across Long Island. The firm’s practice areas include Business and Corporate Law, Labor and Employment, Insurance, Banking, Commercial Litigation, Taxation, Trademark and Copyright, Environmental Law, Real Estate Development and Transactions, Construction, Land Use and Zoning, Municipal Law, Personal Injury, Immigration, Arts and Entertainment, Wills Trusts and Estates, Estate Litigation, Elder Law, Family and Matrimonial Law, and Not-For-Profit Law.

Steven Mitchell Sack Comments on Employees’ Rights to Refuse to Wear a Face Mask

NEW YORK, NEW YORK — In New York, many lockdown restrictions have been lifted, allowing businesses to reopen. One of the conditions, however, is that employees are required to wear face masks at work if social distancing among co-workers is not possible. But what if an employee returns to work but refuses to wear a face covering? Steven Mitchell Sack, “The Employee’s Lawyer,” says wearing a mask should be part of a worker’s routine when they go back to work.

“This isn’t an employee rights issue, it’s a health and safety issue,” Mr. Sack says. “Employees must prove that they cannot wear a mask because of religious reasons or medical issues that may affect their breathing. If someone returns to the workplace and refuses to wear a mask without a legal reason, then the worker may potentially face termination.”

Mr. Sack says he understands that companies want to keep their employees safe, but he added that workers who do not wear protective face coverings due to religious or health protections should not be subject to harassment by supervisors or other employees. “Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, co-workers or managers cannot single out an employee based on their religious beliefs or existing medical conditions,” he says. “If you believe you are facing harassment or discrimination as a result, consult an employment law attorney immediately.”

For more information, call (917) 371-8000 or visit www.theemployeeslawyer.com.

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About Steven Mitchell Sack

Steven Mitchell Sack, “The Employee’s Lawyer®,” has been enforcing workplace rights of employees, executives, and sales representatives for more than 39 years. He is a practicing attorney concentrating in employment law, as well as an author of 19 books, a lecturer and syndicated radio talk show host. Together with attorney Scott A. Lucas, they obtained a $6.2 million injury verdict in 2015 on behalf of three pregnant employees, as well as a favorable Court of Appeals decision for a group of waiters who were denied their fair share of tips that were withheld by a caterer. For more information, visit www.theemployeeslawyer.com.

Frederick K. Brewington, Esq. Available to Comment on Qualified Immunity and New York State Legislature’s Repeal of 50-a

HEMPSTEAD, NY — Frederick K. Brewington, Esq., a civil rights attorney and Principal of The Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington, is available to comment on the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming arguments on the “qualified immunity” doctrine and the New York State Legislature’s approval to repeal the 50-a statute.

 

The justices of the United States Supreme Court are scheduled to argue the merits of the “qualified immunity” doctrine on June 11. The doctrine asked if a police officer used excessive force and if their conduct was illegal because it was in violation of a “clearly established” court ruling on the books that barred police from acting in that manner. The Court established this doctrine to protect police departments from frivolous lawsuits and to allow a margin of error in certain situations in which split-second decisions were made.

 

“Many of these police brutality lawsuits were dismissed by the courts because there was no prior factual basis that was established showing these officers were in the wrong,” Mr. Brewington says. “What the doctrine does is protect the officers who commit heinous acts like what Officer Chauvin did to Mr. Floyd. It allows the brutality and systemic racism that is practiced by these officers to perpetuate.”

 

Mr. Brewington praised the New York State Legislature for passing a bill repealing 50-a, which sealed the disciplinary records of police officers who were involved in misconduct. The repeal allows for the viewing of records of not only police officers, but of firefighters and correction officers as well. Governor Andrew Cuomo said he will sign the bill into law.

 

“I am glad to see that the state Legislature is allowing the records of police officers with disciplinary problems to be made public,” Mr. Brewington says. “For far too long, they have been protected from scrutiny while being allowed to continue to act unprofessionally. Hopefully, this repeal will force local police departments to engage with minorities in a more respectful manner and remove those who believe they are above the law.”

 

For more information, call (516) 489-6959 or visit www.brewingtonlaw.com.

 

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About The Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington

The Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington is a well-respected litigation firm with an office in Hempstead, Long Island. Our focus is primarily in the area of civil rights, voting rights, employment discrimination, police misconduct, personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death and criminal law. However, the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington is a full-service law firm handling matters in numerous areas of law and providing a wide range of services from contract formation to litigation and trial practice. It is the largest African-American-owned law firm on Long Island and has been designated by the New York Law Journal as one of the top minority-owned firms in the state of New York. For more information, call (516) 489-6959 or visit www.brewingtonlaw.com.

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