A search of the the www.NYC.gov web site, for the term, “school closings,” brings up this:

“New York City public schools are open on a regular schedule, regardless of the weather, unless there is a specific announcement that they are not.

If there are to be morning closings or delays, they will be announced between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM on the morning of the day of the closure.”

However, anticipation of tomorrow’s predicted snow is such that closure has been announced well in advance of the usual early morning phone call:

Chancellor Klein Announces Schools Closure Tomorrow

In the movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, there is a point in the story where one of the main characters is involved in a life-changing accident.  There is a scene where the character of Benjamin Button, narrating the story, takes the viewer through the circumstances leading up to the accident.  He ultimately makes the point that, “…if only one thing had happened differently,” the accident would not have happened and the victim’s entire life would have proceeded differently, sparing her the trauma and agony of the ordeal.

Having spoken to thousands of accident victims about the details of their accident, I have had this same thought myself many times.  In speaking to clients who were seriously injured, I have heard them wonder aloud the same question.   I think it is a natural human reaction to any bad accident.  I would bet that you have had the same thought yourself.  If only one thing had been different…

My wish to you for the New Year is that you do everything in your power to do the one thing that will keep you and your loved ones safe.  Whether it is buckling a seat belt or asking someone to hold the ladder, or whatever that careful little voice inside of you suggests that you might otherwise dismiss with a “nah, I don’t need to do that, I’ll be fine.”

Like the lady who called our office after she had taken a ride, “only around the block,” on the back of her boyfriend’s new motorcycle without a helmet, only to suffer a head injury in the accident only a few hundred yards from her front door. If only they had checked their excitement about the new motorcycle until a second helmet was available.  There are far too many such examples.

We want you to enjoy the gifts of life.  Please be careful.  Please protect yourself.  Please be safe.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy & safe 2010 !

Reuters reported today that, “Last month Dave Strayer of the University of Utah and colleagues demonstrated that drivers using a hands-free device drifted out of their lanes and missed exits more frequently than drivers talking to a passenger…Strayer’s team has also shown that drivers using mobile telephones are as impaired as drivers who are legally drunk.”

As a result of findings of this sort, the National Safety Council has launched a new initiative to ban cell phone use while driving.  Read more here.

Over the past few years, cell phone use while driving has become a routine part of life for motorists.  I think many people would find it hard to imagine driving without using the phone.  The idea of pulling over to make a phone call is “so 20th century.”

It will be interesting to see if this initiative is successful and leads to changes in the driving laws.  Whether such laws are enacted or not,  I confess, I’d feel safer knowing those I care about were not talking on the cell phone while driving.

Our client fell from a ladder.   Those responsible for the construction site he worked at gave inadequate care to keeping the work area clear of debris.  The dangerous condition of the ground that the ladder was positioned upon caused the ladder to fail.

Our client was catastrophically injured as a result of this fall.  He was rendered permanently disabled from work.  As a result, his life-roles of husband, father and working member of society, were broken.  He reached out to his lawyers, seeking to be made whole.

The same people who failed to properly care for the construction site, so as to provide a safe workplace, sought to escape taking responsibility for the devastating harm they had created.

This week, after several years of litigation, Roger L. Simon, Esq., favorably resolved the case so as to provide compensation for our client.  In addition to the multi-million dollar result which will provide security for our client and his family, the triers of fact, the jury, gave validation to the truth that Roger and our client knew all along.  Those who hurt other should be held responsible.  This does not always happen.  When it does happen, we are fortunate indeed to witness such a measure of justice.  This was one of those times.