Legal Advice Blog: Legal Advice, Case Insights, & Local Law Information

Great Night At The Richmond Hill / South Ozone Park Lions Club, Where The Community Gave Special Recognition And Gratitude To The Police Officers Of The 106th And 102nd Precincts For Their Service. I Was Honored By The Club To Receive A Special Service Award! Thank You To My Fellow Members!

Our client was Indicted and charged with Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Criminally Negligent Homicide, Vehicular Homicide in the Second Degree, Assault and Driving While Intoxicated. It was alleged that in the early morning hours of September 3 rd, 2017 in the vicinity of Eastern Parkway and Troy Avenue in Kings County, the Defendant drove a vehicle in an Intoxicated condition and hit a pedestrian who was injured and died approximately three weeks later as result of complications. Our client, 65 years old, a New York City employee who has never been arrested, was devastated by the accident. However, what became apparent to Criminal Defense attorney Todd Greenberg is that there was no causal connection between the Defendant’s alleged Intoxication and the death. New York’s Penal Law is extremely harsh, and rightfully so, that when a death occurs and the driver is Intoxicated, there is a rebuttable presumption in the Statute that the death was due and caused by the driver’s Intoxication! After reviewing all the documentation that was obtained in the course of two (2) years, and after hiring an Accident Reconstruction Expert, it became clear that this accident could not be avoided! The pedestrian, who himself was intoxicated, was crossing in the middle of the street on a stormy night and Mr. Greenberg established that there was not enough time for any human being to react, whether drinking or not drinking! On the day of Jury selection, Mr. Greenberg was adamant that the District Attorney could not establish causation. On the next day, the District Attorney offered to dismiss all charges except Driving While Intoxicated which our client accepted. Although Mr. Greenberg’s client was facing fifteen (15) years in jail if convicted, the case ended with a plea to Driving While Intoxicated and Probation. Mr. Greenberg’s knowledge of the Law in this area, and his experience in numerous trials involving these issues, once again enabled Mr. Greenberg to help a client who was innocent of Manslaughter, Criminally Negligent Homicide and Vehicular Homicide. Call us at 718-268-0400 or contact us through www.addabboandgreenberg.com if you need help in a similar situation.

After our client was falsely accused of exposing himself in the restroom of Penn Station, we successfully secured a dismissal and sealing of his case. It was alleged that our client exposed himself and then rubbed his exposed penis in front of a minor while standing at a urinal inside the men’s room at Penn Station terminal. Our client maintained that he was a businessman commuting through Penn Station who was innocently and properly utilizing a urinal when an undercover police officer grabbed him and arrested him and several other men for public lewdness. We rejected all plea offers from the District Attorney and demanded a trial by jury. Ultimately we were able to convince the District Attorney that our client’s conduct was innocent and they agreed to dismiss and seal the case. Our willingness and ability to fight the case all the way prevented an injustice and resulted in all charges being dismissed and sealed. If you are charged with sex related crime, or any other crime, call attorneys Caitlin Quvus and Todd Greenberg for the best result at 718-268-0400 or visit us at www.addabboandgreenberg.com.

Our clients, a married couple and childhood friends of attorneys Todd Greenberg and Jill Stone, were passengers in a Lyft vehicle when they were rear-ended by a pickup truck travelling approximately 90mph in New Orleans in June of 2019. The accident was horrific and caught on videotape. The Lyft driver was not responsible, and the responsible pickup truck had only the $15,000.00 minimum insurance required. Plaintiffs, both California residents, were in New Orleans for a business convention. Plaintiffs were severely injured in this instant, with the female Plaintiff suffering the most serious injuries, including a fractured pelvis, fractured spine, and several fractured ribs. She had to go undergo several surgeries. This case features the importance of two principles: Due diligence by a law firm hired to maximize recovery and underinsured motor vehicle coverage. Underinsured motor vehicle coverage helps pay for the cost and damages resulting from an accident when the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident has liability insurance but does not have enough to cover the full extent of the damages caused by the accident.  In this case, Lyft had an underinsured motor vehicle coverage policy and our clients had a private auto policy and business policy that also provided for underinsurance. But here is where the Due Diligence comes in: Lyft claimed and produced a Certificate of Insurance that it’s underinsured motorist coverage was $250,000.00, barely enough to cover our clients’ pain and suffering. However, we filed a Freedom of Information (F.O.I.L) Claim on the City of New Orleans and discovered that despite Lyft’s Insurer’s Certificate of Insurance in the amount of $250,000.00, Lyft actually filed a Certificate of Insurance showing $1,000,000.00 in coverage! Because of its prior representation, Lyft agreed to provide coverage for $1,000,000.00 instead of $250,000.00. The total recovery was $1.6 million for our clients with Lyft contributing $1 million to the settlement. If you are in an accident, no matter where, the attorneys at Addabbo and Greenberg are here to help. Call us at (718) 268-0400 or visit us at www.Queenslaw.com.

Our client, a Queens resident, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident which caused serious physical injury. The accident occurred at the intersection of Willets Point Boulevard and Utopia Parkway. It was alleged that our client, a 62-year-old male, struck the victim while she was in the crosswalk and then ran over her for a second time without stopping and exhibiting his license. Four eye witnesses testified, describing a silver SUV and one of them gave our client’s license plate number! Within one hour, the police came to our client’s house, confronted him when he admitted that he was in that area, as he is every morning, taking his dog to the dog park in his silver SUV. Through thorough cross-examination of each and every witness, Criminal Defense Attorney Todd Greenberg was able to establish contradictions in each witnesses testimony and, despite the fact that an eyewitness took down my clients license plate, our client was Acquitted and found not guilty of all charges! In presentation of the Defense case, Mr. Greenberg called Character Witnesses who testified that the Defendant spent his life volunteering to help others through various charitable organizations. Mr. Greenberg argued that a person of this character, if he struck a pedestrian, would not leave the pedestrian laying there to die but would have gotten out of the car and helped. After one week of testimony and presentation of evidence which, according to the District Attorney, was “very strong”, a “Not Guilty” verdict was rendered. Mr. Greenberg was able to point out, despite the eyewitness testimony, serious inconsistences and relied heavily on the argument that the Defendant was not the type of person who would commit a crime. Character Evidence is very strong and you need a Criminal Defense attorney who knows how to use it! Call us at 718-268-0400 or visit us at www.addabboandgreenberg.com.

Timing is everything and an experienced criminal defense attorney will use that concept, all within the bounds of the law, to get the best result for a client. That is exactly what Criminal Defense Attorney Todd Greenberg did on the day of Jury selection wherein our client, an engineering student studying for his Master’s degree, was charged with Assault in the First Degree and facing up to twenty-five (25) years in jail. Our client, a young man in his late twenties with no prior record, was accused of striking another person with a bat causing serious injury. The client adamantly denied the charges and was anxious for a trial. An element of the Crime of Assault in the First Degree is causing serious physical injury by means of a deadly weapon. It was alleged that the Complainant, after being hit by a bat, suffered a serious physical injury to his shoulder that required surgery. Serious physical injury is defined as injury which creates a substantial risk of death, protracted disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ. The Complainant claimed that he could no longer work as a Mechanic because he lost the use of his shoulder and arm due to the injury and, therefore, suffered a serious physical injury. Unbeknownst to the Complainant, Mr. Greenberg hired an Investigator who videotaped the Complainant for a period of one month prior to trial, which showed the Complainant working on cars and using his “seriously injured” shoulder and arm while lifting the hood of vehicles he was working on. Mr. Greenberg waited until he was required by Law to turn over the videos, which was immediately before trial, so as to allow the Complainant to tell the District Attorney that he could not move his arm. It was clear that the Complainant lied to the District Attorney right up until the trial with regard to his ability to use his arm. The Assistant District Attorney who was handling the case immediately took the proper action upon disclosure of the video: since the Complainant lied to him concerning the extent of his injury, the Assistant District Attorney immediately informed the Judge that he was applying to the District Attorney himself to dismiss the Indictment! Sure enough, the Indictment was dismissed! Once again, Mr. Greenberg’s knowledge of the Law and his Trial experience and strategy paid off and his client, innocent of the charges to begin with, never even had to stand trial for these false charges. For expert legal defense call Addabbo and Greenberg at 718-268-0400 or visit us at www.addabboandgreenberg.com.

After our client was falsely accused of forcibly touching a woman on the subway we successfully secured a dismissal and sealing of his case. It was alleged that our client a respected businessman, rubbed and pressed his private area against a woman’s thigh and hip while riding the “E” train. Our client maintained his innocence. We rejected all plea offers from the District Attorney and demanded an immediate trial by jury. We appeared in court ready for trial and the District Attorney dismissed the case outright! Our willingness and ability to fight the case all the way prevented an injustice and resulted in all charges being dismissed and sealed. If you are charged with sex related crime, or any other crime, call attorneys Caitlin Quvus and Todd Greenberg for the best result at 718-268-0400 or visit us at www.addabboandgreenberg.com.

New York State has some of the toughest gun control laws in the world. Our clients were retired military veterans and legal firearm holders who resided in Hawaii. Upon traveling through New York, they declared their weapons, which were contained in proper lockboxes in accordance with TSA regulations, at a ticket counter inside LaGuardia airport when they were arrested and charged with felony gun possession. Our office immediately put together a persuasive mitigation package and appealed directly to the Chief Assistant District Attorney of the firearm bureau of the District Attorney’s Office. Our strong advocacy on behalf of our clients convinced the District Attorney that the case was worthy of being dismissed. The case was subsequently dismissed and sealed without our clients needing to return to court. If you are charged with a firearm related offense, or any other crime, call attorneys Caitlin Quvus and Todd Greenberg for the best result at 718-268-0400 or visit us at www.www.addabboandgreenberg.com.

Our client, a 36-year-old female, was arrested and charged with two counts of Class “A” Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, the most serious charges contained in the Penal Law of the State of New York. Her husband was also charged and arrested. The evidence against our client consisted of observations by undercover officers and wiretap conversations. Immediately, a Writ of Habeas Corpus was brought to lower her bail and, within 2wks after her arrest, she was released on bail. Upon examining the wiretaps, it became clear to Criminal Defense attorney Todd Greenberg that our client did not have the necessary “intent” to participate in the drug sale and that she became an unknowing participant in her husband’s criminal activity by picking up and dropping off packages. Mr. Greenberg, Esq. and Ms. Caitlin Quvus, Esq., were able to establish to the District Attorney that our client was used by her husband codefendant without knowledge and intent to violate the Law. Our persistence paid off: on October 3rd, 2018, the District Attorney consented to a resolution of the case with a plea to Disorderly Conduct, a Violation and not a Crime. Our client, who would have had not only serious criminal consequences but also immigration consequences if she were found guilty, is now free of any criminal record and could go on with her life. For the best possible results in a criminal matter, contact New York criminal attorney Todd Greenberg, Esq. or Caitlin Quvus, Esq. at 718-268-0400 or visit our firm’s website at www.addabboandgreenberg.com

Our client was injured while attending a sporting event at Saratoga Racetrack in Saratoga Springs, New York. He and his wife were dining in a Restaurant when, while sitting on a chair and eating dinner, the chair collapsed and he was violently tossed to the ground, sustaining serious injury. An action was commenced against the New York Racing Association, Inc. and the chair manufacturer for negligence and product liability. On the eve of trial, this matter settled. Due a confidentiality agreement, the financial terms of the settlement cannot be disclosed. However, our client has been fully compensated for his injuries and the pain and suffering caused by the negligence of others. At Addabbo and Greenberg, we fight for full compensation for our clients. Call us at 718-268-0400 or visit our firm’s website at www.addabboandgreenberg.com.

After a trial that lasted several days, a Queens County Judge acquitted our client of all drinking driving charges. Our client was initially stopped for speeding on the Grand Central Parkway and was asked to step out of the vehicle after the Officer allegedly smelled an odor of alcohol. Addabbo and Greenberg Criminal Defense Attorney Caitlin Quvus successfully utilized a video obtained from the Officer’s dashcam to cross-examine the Officer and elicit conflicting testimony. Further,, Ms. Quvus was able to extract testimony from the Intoxicated Driver Testing Unit Technician that contradicted the first Officer’s testimony. Detailed cross-examination of both Officers established that neither Officer was a credible witness. Ms. Quvus successfully argued that despite a breath test reading that showed the client’s blood alcohol content to be above the legal limit, the inconsistent and contradictory testimony by the Officers combined with the client’s performance on the physical coordination tests showed that she was not impaired by alcohol and she was found “not guilty” of all drinking driving charges. If you are charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI), or any other crime, call attorneys Caitlin Quvus and Todd Greenberg for the best result at 718-268-0400 or visit us at www.addabboandgreenberg.com.