New York City Personal Injury Blog

How does harassment negatively affect the workplace?

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

In the workplace, there tend to be many unwritten rules in place that dictate behavior and interactions between employees. While some of these behavioral expectations may be superficial, there are some rules that all employees must adhere to without exception. For example, sexual harassment or discrimination is never acceptable under any circumstances.

When sexual harassment is tolerated or ignored in the workplace, it can have a negative effect not only on the victim but on the entire workplace.

How to avoid being wrongfully blamed after a truck crash

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Monday, April 8, 2019.

If you are a truck driver and you become involved in a crash, you will want to make sure you do certain things to protect you should you wish to commence litigation or if someone sues you. As in any motor vehicle accident and you are injured do not get out of the car until police or ambulance are on the scene. If you see the other vehicle(s) note the make and model. If you see the license plate jot that down. If you are physically able you should take pictures of the scene. This will help you whether you are suing or you are being sued as an employee for a trucking company. Depending on the circumstances there are many possibilities regarding who is at fault for the collision. It could be the fault of another party, it could be the fault of the trucking company, or it could be your fault.

It is important that, as a truck driver, you are aware as to what the facts are while you are at the scene.

Second suit accuses law firm of sexism, toxic work environment

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. posted in Sexual Harassment on Monday, April 8, 2019.

New York residents interested in business news or employment issues might want to know about the lawsuit and allegations levied at a Washington, D.C., law firm called Jones Day. One suit brought by a former partner alleges that the firm uses a system to pay women less than their male peers. A second suit filed on April 3 addressed the compensation system and a "fraternity culture" that harms women.

Six plaintiffs are involved in the second suit that alleges a toxic, misogynistic culture that women must endure and take part in to have any hope at doing well within the firm. Objecting to the culture would reportedly derail one's career. The suit seeks $200 million in damages.

Can I claim workers' compensation for a car accident?

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

If you were in a car accident while you were on the job in New York City or engaging in work-related activities, you may wonder whether you have the ability to make a workers' compensation claim. While car accident damages are not the most obvious reason to file a workers' compensation claim, you may be able to successfully file a claim, depending on the circumstances.

Car accident-related workers' compensation claims can become complex. In order to make a successful claim, the injured person must be able to show that the car accident occurred while they were performing a job-related task.

Poll looks at changing attitudes toward sexual harassment

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. posted in Sexual Harassment on Monday, March 25, 2019.

Some male employees in New York may be less concerned about sexual harassment in 2019 than they were in 2017, according to a Gallup Poll. More male employees are also more likely to say they believe people are too sensitive about sexual harassment in the workplace compared to 2017. The number of women who believe people are too sensitive increased as well but less dramatically compared to men.

In 2017, around the time the #MeToo movement broke, 69 percent of all adults said they thought workplace sexual harassment against women was a major problem. By February 2019, that number had dropped to 62 percent. Among women, the number dropped from 73 to 70 percent and among men from 66 to 53 percent.

When is sexual harassment unlawful in the workplace?

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. on Friday, March 15, 2019.

Many people who become involved in an uncomfortable situation in the workplace wonder if they are making a big deal over nothing. It can be so easy to dismiss inappropriate behavior from a colleague as just an annoyance. Additionally, you may try to make excuses for them, blaming their lack of social skills or arrogant personality as something that they simply cannot help.

However, if a coworker's behavior is affecting the way that you think about work, or the way that you approach your job, you could be experiencing unlawful workplace harassment. You can take steps to address this issue by standing up for your right to be free of sexual harassment in the workplace.

AAA links daylight saving time with heightened crash risk

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

With daylight saving time comes the loss of one hour of sleep. While most people in New York may only feel inconvenienced by it, they should know that the resulting drowsiness can make a difference on the road. Everyone needs at least seven hours of rest. Drivers who miss one to two hours of rest in the previous 24 hours will nearly double their chances of a car accident.

That is according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. AAA goes further and says that those who only get five hours of sleep in a 24-hour period will be as impaired behind the wheel as a drunk driver. The National Sleep Foundation states baldly that sleeping less than two hours makes one "unfit to operate a motor vehicle."

Your immigration status doesn't impact workers' compensation

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

New York is a common destination for immigrants to the United States. At one time, most European immigrants came through Ellis Island and would then end up living in New York. The Big Apple is famous for being the city where countless people have started their lives in a new country. Even today, New York is a city of immigrants.

Some of these individuals working for New York businesses may not have all of the necessary legal paperwork to protect their status in the United States. All too often, individuals with questionable immigration status fail to understand their rights under United States law. Knowing these rights is critical, because employers may attempt to take advantage of that lack of knowledge.

Prescription opioids may be linked to serious car crashes

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

Many New York residents worry about the impact of the opioid epidemic, from growing rates of addiction to the threat of deadly overdoses. One area where opiates may also have an impact on safety is on the roadway. A study examined fatal two-car accidents across the country and discovered that drivers held responsible for causing these crashes were almost twice as likely to have prescription opiate medications in their system at the time as the driver of the other vehicle.

In all of the fatal car crashes, the most common immediate cause was driving into the wrong lane or veering out of the correct lane of traffic. However, substances were also a factor in many of the 18,321 crashes studied by researchers, data taken from the national Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Alcohol was particularly prominent; 5,258 of the at-fault drivers in these accidents had been drinking, as had 1,815 of the drivers found not at fault. In the case of prescription opioids, 918 of the drivers that caused the crashes tested positive, in comparison to 549 of the not-at-fault drivers. Researchers noted that only 2 percent of at-fault drivers tested positive for opiates in 1993, compared to 7.1 percent in 2016.

Filing a workplace harassment claim in New York

On behalf of Godosky & Gentile, P.C. on Thursday, February 14, 2019.

It can sometimes feel confusing to identify harassing behavior in the workplace. Many workplace harassment victims worry that they are exaggerating their situation, and they can also fear being put at the center of attention as a result of making a claim.

It is important to remember how workplace harassment is defined under the law when you are wondering whether to make a complaint. One of the most common forms of harassment is a situation in which the perpetrator of the harassment creates a hostile work environment for the victim. This is a very broad definition by intention, and it can be used to describe many different situations. For example, a person who is being told inappropriate sexual jokes could feel that the working environment has become hostile.