Law Offices of Block O'Toole & Murphy

Our client, a taxi driver, was stopped at a red light when a NYC Sanitation vehicle that was in the process of plowing snow reversed into the rear of his vehicle. He suffered a disc herniation that eventually required a spinal fusion. Despite the City’s claim of immunity because the vehicle was involved in necessary plowing functions, Partners Stephen Murphy and Michael Hurwitz obtained a $1,250,000 settlement for our client. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-250-000-Settlement-Front-En

In a Queens trench collapse case, Partners Stephen Murphy and Michael Hurwitz obtained a $2.1 million settlement for our client, a 58-year-old laborer. He was working in a trench on his work site when it collapsed, burying him up to his waist in dirt and concrete and causing traumatic injuries. The trench had not been properly shored and braced, as was required. https://www.blockotoole.com//2-100-000-Settlement-New-York

Our client, an HVAC installer, was performing construction work on a single-family home. As he was leaving the house, he fell from a closed, unsecured A-frame ladder that was the only means of exiting the house, since the stairs hadn’t been installed yet. He suffered spine and shoulder injuries as a result of the accident. Partners Stephen Murphy and Michael Hurwitz attained a $1.9 million settlement for him. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-900-000-Settlement-Injured-

In a premises liability case, Partners Stephen Murphy and Michael Hurwitz attained a $1,200,000 settlement for our client, a dental assistant. She was walking into her workplace in Manhattan when her foot caught on a depressed drain, causing her to trip and injure her foot and ankle. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-200-000-Settlement-Trip-Fal

A 14-year-old high school student was with his friends in a shopping center in Nassau County when the wall of a utility enclosure collapsed on top of him. He suffered serious injuries to his arm and elbow that required multiple surgeries. Partners Daniel O’Toole and Fred Aranki were able to obtain a $9 million settlement for him. https://www.blockotoole.com//9-Million-Settlement-Injured-

Our client was a passenger in a car that was involved in a head-on collision. As a result of the crash, he suffered neck and back injuries that required surgery, and it was predicted that he would need future medical treatment as well. Despite some challenges, Partners Stephen Murphy and David Scher were able to obtain a $1.3 million settlement for him. blockotoole.com//1-3-Million-for-Passenger-in-Car-Accident

Partners Stephen Murphy and David Scher obtained a $3.6 million settlement for a construction worker in a Scaffold Law case. The worker, who had not been given personal protective equipment, fell through a gap in a scaffold that had not been fully planked. He suffered serious back injuries and will not be able to return to construction work. The settlement he received will compensate him for lost income, past and future medical expenses, and his pain and suffering. https://www.blockotoole.com//3-600-000-for-Worker-Who-Fell

The firm is proud to be featured on the cover of the New York area Best Lawyers 2021 issue. Partners Jeffrey Block, Daniel O’Toole, and Stephen Murphy spoke about overcoming the obstacles the COVID-19 pandemic has created, emphasizing how we prioritize both skill and compassion for our clients to achieve success. Read the entire article here: https://www.bestlawyers.com/publications/new-york-area

Our client, a 38-year-old woman, was sideswiped by an 18-wheeler while driving on the Throgs Neck Expressway. She suffered an aggravation of preexisting back and neck injuries after the accident, and ultimately required three surgeries. Partner Stephen Murphy was able to obtain a $1,850,000 settlement for her. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-85-Million-for-Woman-Sidesw

We are glad to welcome our newest attorney, Aaron Fishkin, to the firm. Aaron comes to us from the Kings County District Attorney’s office, where he excelled in investigating and prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases. We know his skills will make an excellent contribution to the BOM team. Read more about Aaron here: https://www.blockotoole.com/Attorneys/Aaron-Fishkin.shtml

On this Veterans Day, Block O’Toole & Murphy is thinking of all the fearless men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. We are immensely grateful for their service and the sacrifices they have made for our country. Thank you, Veterans. We honor you today and every day.

We are proud to announce that our current senior counsel, Frederick Aranki and Michael Hurwitz, have been named partners at the firm. Fred has been with us since 2008 and Mike joined the firm in 2013. Both are invaluable members of the BOM family, and we are thrilled that they will continue to work with us as partners for years to come. Congratulations, Fred and Mike!

Recently, it was reported that at least 200 people have died in traffic crashes in New York. If the city continues at this pace, there could be 243 deaths by the end of 2020, making it the deadliest year for traffic accidents since Mayor Bill de Blasio took office in 2014. https://www.blockotoole.com//nyc-2020-traffic-deaths-on-tr

Today, on the 19th anniversary of 9/11, we remember all the courageous first responders who gave their lives saving others. We remember all the innocent people who went to work, just like we did today, and never made it home. We remember how New York came together in the aftermath of the attacks to rebuild. 19 years later, we unite again as Americans to honor those lost. We will never forget.

Block O'Toole & Murphy would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Labor Day. On this day, we are thinking of all the workers, from cashier to construction worker, who have contributed so much time and effort to help our daily lives run smoothly. We are grateful for their work.

In the New York Law Journal's recently-released 2019 Top Verdicts & Settlements report, Block O’Toole & Murphy achieved the number one verdict ($110 million), as well as the top second and third settlements ($11.5 million and $11 million). Partners Daniel O’Toole and Scott Occhiogrosso were the handling attorneys for these cases. Overall, the firm attained over $250 million in results for their injured clients in 2019. https://www.prnewswire.com//block-otoole--murphy-attains-1

In a Bronx car accident case, Partner Stephen Murphy and Associate Ameer Benno obtained a $1,450,000 settlement for a 40-year-old mother who suffered neck pain and an exacerbation of a preexisting back injury, requiring two surgeries. Our client was sitting in the front passenger seat of an SUV stopped in traffic on the Sheridan Parkway when a van suddenly rear-ended her vehicle. The intense impact caused her to lurch forward, smacking her forehead against the dashboard. The defendants in the other vehicle tried to say that the accident was unavoidable, but we were able to prove that they were 100% at fault. Unfortunately, although our client’s condition has improved, she still experiences ongoing back pain. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-450-000-Settlement-for-Pass

Our client, a 38-year-old building engineer, was assigned to repair a leaking air conditioning unit at an office building in Westchester County, New York. The unit was mounted on the ceiling, and the ladder provided was not tall enough to reach the unit, so our client was forced to stand on top of unstable shelving to make the repairs. In the midst of the repairs, he fell 15 feet to the concrete floor below, injuring his lower back and right knee. He required surgery as a result of his injuries. Although the Defendants argued that our client’s injuries were not as severe as they were, Partner Stephen Murphy and Senior Counsel Michael Hurwitz were successful in obtaining a $2,250,000 settlement for him. https://www.blockotoole.com//2-250-000-Settlement-in-Westc

In a heartbreaking wrongful death case, a loving husband and father of three adult children died as a result of a construction site accident. The 50-year-old union laborer was cutting a water main pipe with a demolition saw, which did not have a proper guard. When the saw kicked back suddenly, it struck Plaintiff in the neck. He began bleeding profusely, as the saw had hit his jugular. EMS tried their hardest to save him, but sadly, he died of his injuries. Partners Jeffrey A. Block and S. Joseph Donahue were able to obtain a measure of justice for the surviving family. The matter settled in mediation for $10.5 million. https://www.blockotoole.com//10-500-000-Million-Settlement

Partner Jeffrey Block and Associate Daniel Seiden obtained a $1,325,000 settlement for a Lyft driver who was injured in a car accident. While driving in traffic on a Queens County roadway, our client’s vehicle was struck by a SUV that suddenly pulled out of a parking lot. The Defendants claimed that they were not at fault for the accident, but we successfully proved that the Defendants were 100% responsible. As a result of the accident, our client exacerbated a pre-existing low back injury, and required low back surgery. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-325-000-Settlement-Motor-Ve

BOM associate Ameer Benno has taught numerous Continuing Legal Education courses throughout his career. At 1:00 p.m. today, he will be teaching a very timely CLE for Lawline.com entitled Hate Speech and the First Amendment, in which he will examine First Amendment case law and discuss where the lines are drawn in terms of unprotected hate speech and constitutionally protected expression. We are proud to have such a knowledgeable attorney on the BOM team. If you would like to attend Ameer’s CLE today, you can sign up here: https://www.lawline.com//hate-speech-and-the-first-amendme

Although COVID-19 has changed our daily lives in so many ways, we want you to know that nothing about our mission has changed. We are still here to fight for you.

A 31-year-old furniture maker was walking to his job in Brooklyn when he stepped on a poorly maintained vault door. The door fell open, causing our client to fall 13 feet to the bottom of the vault and become immersed in cold water. He suffered hypothermia and required spinal surgery as a result of this terrible accident. Partners Jeffrey A. Block and S. Joseph Donahue were able to recover a $3.5 million settlement for him.

Our client, a 34-year-old union laborer, was working on a job site in Manhattan on the day of the accident. He was carrying scaffolding when he stepped backwards through an uncovered hole in the flooring. Any type of opening in a work area is supposed to be covered and marked to avoid injury. One of our client’s legs stayed aboveground, while the other fell through the hole all the way up to the thigh area. He used his right arm to brace himself and immediately felt a painful impact. Our client required right shoulder surgery, and suffered bilateral hip injuries requiring surgery as well. Partner Stephen Murphy and Senior Counsel Michael Hurwitz were able to achieve an $850,000 settlement for him.

BOM’s Pawel P. Wierzbicki has been honored with the USA edition of the Outstanding Young Pole award by the Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation. Out of many candidates, Pawel was chosen to receive this award for his hard work, various legal accomplishments, and support of the Polish-American community in New York by a majority vote of American Polish leaders. The award is meant to highlight the achievements and success of Poles in America and abroad. With this recognition, Pawel joins the esteemed ranks of others who have received this award, such as Wojciech Kilar, one of the greatest Polish composers, and Hilary Koprowski, a virologist and immunologist who developed the world's first vaccine against the polio virus. Congratulations, Pawel! You continue to make BOM proud.

Firm Partners Jeffrey Block and S. Joseph Donahue secured a $1,175,000 settlement for a 51-year-old administrative assistant, who unfortunately had to receive spinal surgery after she was rear-ended by another vehicle on a Nassau County roadway. https://www.blockotoole.com//1-175-000-Settlement-in-Nassa