Best Family Lawyer in King County, WA
Mark S. Cossuto Esq.
Family Lawyer
Brooklyn DWI lawyer Mark S. Cossuto Esq. will extensively review and scrutinize every aspect of your case in an effort to build the strongest defense possible. The prosecutor will attempt to point to several factors as evidence that you were drunk driving, including: your appearance of being intoxicated, odor of alcohol, the results of your field sobriety tests and chemical tests, etc. The good news is all of these factors can be successfully defended against. Here are just a few of the strategic defense strategies DWI defense attorney Mark Cossuto may employ to weaken the prosecutor’s case.
Illegal Traffic Stop: One of the first things we investigate in a DWI case is whether or not the police officer had probable cause to pull you over. In other words, did he/she have a reasonable suspicion that a crime occurred, such as speeding or animproper lane change.
The 4th Amendment to the Constitution states that you cannot be stopped at random or because a cop had a “hunch.”
If it is determined that the police did not have probable cause to stop you, we can file a motion to suppress the evidence. This means that any evidence collected at the time of your arrest (field sobriety test results, breath test results) would be inadmissible and the charges against you would be dropped.
Challenge the Accuracy of the Breath and Blood Tests: After your arrest, the officer most likely asked you to submit to a breath test at the police station on a machine called the Intoxilyzer 5000EN. This machine collects your breath to measure the alcohol concentration in your body. It’s important to note, however, that even if this device is working correctly, there are many variables that can produce a faulty reading.
Robert Gershon
Family Lawyer
Robert S. Gershon has been practicing law for over twenty-five years in Brooklyn. He obtained his college degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he majored in political science, minored in sociology and obtained a certificate in criminal justice.
Rob passed the New York State Bar right after graduating from Brooklyn Law School and was admitted to practice in 1992. His first job as a lawyer was as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County. While there, Mr. Gershon prosecuted many criminal trials in both the Criminal and Supreme Courts.
Leaving that government job as a supervisor after four years, Rob went into private practice in Brooklyn. Thereafter, he was admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. Rob’s practice is concentrated in the areas of family law and criminal defense.
For over two decades, Rob has been an active member of the Brooklyn Bar Association. He has been a member of the Judiciary Screening Committee for many years. He previously served as the Chairperson of the Assigned Counsel Plan Screening Committee.
Rob Gershon is currently the Brooklyn Bar’s representative on the Advisory Committee to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, 2nd Department for the 2nd, 11th & 13th Judicial Districts. Additionally, Rob has been a longstanding member of the Kings County Criminal Bar Association, serving as one of their recent past Presidents.
Rob has been appointed as a Special Prosecutor in Kings County by the Supreme Court on three occasions. Mr. Gershon has also guest lectured at Brooklyn Law School.
Marcel A. Sager
Family Lawyer
Marcel A. Sager is licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Illinois, local federal courts, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and an LL.M. (Masters) in Taxation from the New York University School of Law.
Mr. Sager practices in the areas of the probate and administration of estates, Surrogate’s Court proceedings and litigation, including will contests and judicial accountings, elder law, estate planning, drafting of wills, living wills, health care proxies, trusts and powers of attorney, guardianship proceedings for incapacitated and developmentally disabled individuals, real estate transactions in New York and New Jersey, including contracts and closings for houses, condominiums, cooperative apartments and commercial properties, refinancings, real estate partition actions, deed transfers, including inter-family deeds with life estate, 1031 real estate exchanges, preparation of leases, commercial-business contracts and closings, small businesses and corporate law, and vehicle and traffic law.
In the area of vehicle and traffic law, Mr. Sager represents motorists and truckers (commercial) for traffic tickets, violations and citations in the New York Traffic Violations Bureau, criminal courts, district, town and village courts and before administrative agencies. He covers the five boroughs of New York City, New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Bronx, and Richmond (Staten Island) counties, Nassau and Suffolk counties (Long Island), Westchester and Rockland counties, upstate New York, and surrounding counties in New Jersey.
Our firm is keenly aware of the needs of the small business owner. We can represent you in the purchase and sale of franchise and non-franchise businesses including sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations, review and prepare leases, incorporate your business, prepare business certificates, obtain tax identification numbers, prepare partnership and shareholder agreements and answer your business law related questions.
Rovshan Sharifov
Family Lawyer
Rovshan Sharifov is an experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in New York, a former prosecutor. Mr. Sharifov has been practicing criminal law for over 22 years. Mr. Sharifov is the founder and principal of Sharifov & Associates, PLLC. Prior to that, Mr. Sharifov was a Managing Partner and Co-founder of Sharifov & Russell, LLP, a criminal defense law firm. Prior to that, in August 2002, Mr. Sharifov was appointed Assistant District Attorney by the Honorable Denis Dillon, District Attorney of Nassau County. Mr. Sharifov continued his service after Honorable Kathleen M. Rice became the DA of Nassau County.
As a former prosecutor in the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Sharifov has gained valuable insight into the workings of the New York justice system. Mr. Sharifov has experience in handling all types of criminal charges, from misdemeanors to felonies, drug crimes, weapon charges, white collar crimes, robbery, burglary, mortgage and insurance fraud, Medicaid and Medicare fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and conspiracy, grand larcenies, petit larcenies, embezzlement, DWI/DUI, suspended licenses and many other areas of criminal law. Mr. Sharifov also participated in the training for Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), which was sponsored by the Nassau County Police Department. As a prosecutor, Mr. Sharifov tried multiple cases to verdict ranging from felonies to misdemeanors, including DWI.
Prior to joining the District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Sharifov worked as a law clerk at the New York State Office of the Attorney General under Elliot Spitzer. There Mr. Sharifov was assigned to the Investor Protection Bureau where he participated in the investigation and enforcement of the anti-fraud laws of the New York State. Prior to that Mr. Sharifov interned at the Kings County District Attorney’s office in Brooklyn, where he assisted in criminal prosecutions. Mr. Sharifov is a professional chess player. In February 2016, Mr. Sharifov has also been appointed Associate Justice in the Village of South Floral Park, Nassau County, New York.
Mr. Sharifov has been quoted by the media in his representations of clients in high profile cases including NBC New York, New York Post, New York Daily News, Washington Times, CBS New York, Associated Press, Brooklyn Daily, Russia Today, ITAR TASS, PIX 11, Moscow Times, US News, RTVI America, FIOS/News, and other publications. His interviews appeared on TV channels such as NBC New York, Channel 12 News, and CBS New York.
Igor Litvak
Family Lawyer
Igor Litvak is a criminal defense attorney located in Brooklyn, New York. He represents clients in local, state, and federal courts and has acted as lead counsel and co-counsel in some of the biggest, high-profile cases in the United States. He has worked extensively, defending clients in matters involving cybercrime, white-collar crime, organized crime, sex offenses, major drug conspiracies, domestic violence, terrorism, bank robbery, homicide, and many more. Many of his cases have been headline news and Mr. Litvak has been featured in the media.
Mr. Litvak earned his L.L.M in Trial Advocacy from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey. In addition, Mr. Litvak has Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in Marketing Management and Political Science from Baruch University, Zicklin School of Business in Manhattan, New York. During the L.L.M. Trial Advocacy program at Temple Law, which is the second-ranked trial advocacy program in the country, Mr. Litvak perfected his jury trial advocacy skills by taking advance rules of evidence courses and by conducting multiple jury trials throughout the academic year. While in Rutgers Law Mr. Litvak was the senior editor of Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal, President of the Jewish Law Student Association, 1L representative for the Student Bar Association, and a recipient of the Eric R. Neisser Pro Bono Service Program Certificate.
RALPH P. FRANCHO, JR
Family Lawyer
A graduate of Hofstra University, Mr. Franco earned his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1995, marking the beginning of his illustrious legal career. Admitted to the bar that same year, he embarked on a path marked by excellence and commitment.
Hailing from a distinguished legal lineage, Mr. Franco is the son of retired Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Ralph P. Franco. Drawing inspiration from his father’s legacy, he entered the legal arena with a deep-seated reverence for the law and a fervent determination to serve his clients with utmost dedication.
Mr. Franco’s journey in the legal profession commenced as a trial attorney for a prominent defense firm on Long Island. He honed his skills and expanded his expertise, eventually transitioning to a role with a plaintiff’s personal injury firm in the Bronx. Throughout his career, Mr. Franco has contributed to thousands of personal injury and medical malpractice cases, earning a reputation for his tenacity and advocacy.
His legal prowess extends beyond the courtroom, with Mr. Franco having argued appeals in the First and Second Departments of the Appellate Division, as well as the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. His admission to prestigious legal entities such as the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the State of New York underscores his proficiency and standing in the legal community.
Neil S. Ruskin
Family Lawyer
I don’t give up until you are satisfied with the outcome of your case. I fight for the best results.
I have handled thousands of criminal cases in the state and federal courts. I am prepared to defend you against all criminal charges including:
- Drug crimes involving both street drugs and prescription medications
- DWI and other traffic offenses
- Property crimes like theft, burglary, robbery and grand larceny
- Sex offenses
- Violent crimes like murder, assault, robbery, guns and weapons charges and domestic violence
I go to court prepared and nobody fights harder to win! I am committed to using every possible tool and strategy to defend you, whether it involves negotiating a favorable plea deal or seeking complete dismissal of your case. My trial experience is excellent.
With more than 40 years of criminal defense experience, I know how to thoroughly evaluate your case and recommend a strategy that maximizes your chance of getting the outcome you want – the best result.
Please contact me to schedule your free initial consultation. I am available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to answer your questions and protect your rights.
Aggressive criminal defense in all five boroughs in New York City, as well as Nassau County, Suffolk County and communities throughout New York
Sanford Rubenstein
Family Lawyer
Attorney Sanford Rubenstein recently featured in a cover story in “Resident” magazine, in which he was described as “A Champion for The People,” is one of New York’s most sought-after advocates for victim’s rights in personal injury, medical malpractice, and civil rights matters. Described by the Melvin Belli Society of ATLA as one of the Nation’s top trial lawyers, he has been described by New York Post’s Page Six as “a high-powered personal injury lawyer,” and by the New York Daily News as a “famed attorney”. He has also been called a “legend” by television personality Wendy Williams. In 2019, he was named as one of New York State’s most influential lawyers by City & State New York Magazine and received the National Bar Association’s Judicial Council Chair’s Award for Civil Rights.
Rubenstein has handled numerous multi-million dollar high profile cases in which he has represented victims in tragic occurrences in New York City, including the police torture of Abner Louima, who was sodomized by a New York City police officer in a police precinct bathroom for which he obtained an 8.75 million dollar settlement from the City of New York, and the fifty shot police shooting that killed Sean Bell the night before his wedding and wounded his two friends, for which he obtained a 7.15 million dollar settlement from the City of New York. He also obtained a 17.9 million dollar award for negligence and medical malpractice for a woman who suffered the amputation of her hands and feet and an 18.1 million dollar settlement for a college student who went into a coma and died after a botched hospital diagnostic test. In 2014, he and his malpractice team were successful in obtaining a 62 million dollar jury verdict against a Long Island hospital and its medical staff for the medical malpractice of a woman who suffered a bilateral amputation and hearing loss. He also represented the estate of Eric Garner in the early stages of the litigation against the NYPD. In 2019, he obtained a 3.3 million dollar settlement for the estate of Kalief Browder, a Rikers Island inmate who spent 400 days in isolation at Rikers, leading to his suicide. That tragedy was featured in a T.V. documentary series produced by Jay Z and was instrumental in resulting in a commitment by City Hall to close its Rikers Island Correction Facilities.
Steps to Take After Being Hit by a FedEx Truck
Being involved in a collision with a FedEx truck can be a stressful and overwhelming experience. However, knowing the correct steps to take immediately after the accident can help ensure your safety, protect your legal rights, and support any potential claims for damages. Here’s a guide on what to do if you are involved in a crash with a FedEx truck:
1. Ensure Safety and Seek Medical Attention
Your health and safety should be the top priority. After the accident:
- Check for injuries: Assess yourself and any passengers for injuries. Even if you don’t feel hurt immediately, some injuries, like whiplash or internal injuries, can show symptoms later.
- Move to safety: If the vehicle is in a dangerous spot, move it to the side of the road if possible. If you cannot move it, remain inside with hazard lights on until help arrives.
- Call 911: Report the accident to the authorities, and request medical assistance if there are any injuries. Even if the accident seems minor, having the police create an official report is critical for any future claims.
2. Document the Scene
Proper documentation is vital in case you need to file an insurance claim or pursue legal action. Here’s what to do:
- Take photos: Capture clear photos of the accident scene, including damage to both vehicles, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Don’t forget to photograph the FedEx truck, including its license plate and company logo.
- Get witness information: If there are any witnesses, collect their contact information and any statements about what they saw.
- Make notes: Write down key details, including the date, time, weather conditions, and anything you remember about how the accident occurred.
3. Exchange Information
Collect relevant information from the FedEx driver, just as you would with any other vehicle accident:
- Driver’s information: Obtain the FedEx driver’s name, contact information, and driver’s license number.
- FedEx truck details: Record the truck’s license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), and FedEx identification number (if available).
- Company information: Confirm that the driver is working for FedEx, and request any contact information for the company’s insurance provider.
4. File a Police Report
Even if the accident appears minor, filing an official police report is essential. This report can serve as a critical piece of evidence in any future legal claims or insurance settlements. Cooperate with the responding officers and provide them with accurate information about the accident.
5. Notify Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance provider to report the accident as soon as possible. Be prepared to provide them with details of the crash, including the FedEx truck’s information, police report number, and any documentation or photos you collected.
6. Avoid Admitting Fault
When speaking with the FedEx driver, witnesses, or law enforcement, avoid admitting fault or apologizing for the accident, even if you feel partially responsible. Fault will be determined later through investigation, and any statements you make at the scene could be used against you during the claims process.
7. Contact a Lawyer
Since FedEx is a large corporation with its own legal and insurance teams, you may find it challenging to pursue a claim on your own. Consider hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer who specializes in truck accidents. A lawyer can:
- Handle negotiations: They can communicate directly with FedEx’s insurance company, helping ensure you get fair compensation for damages and injuries.
- Investigate the accident: Your lawyer will work to gather evidence, including trucking logs, maintenance records, and data from the truck’s black box, which could be crucial for proving negligence.
- Protect your rights: If the case goes to court, your lawyer will advocate for you, ensuring that your legal rights are fully protected.
8. Track Medical Treatment and Damages
After the accident, keep detailed records of your medical treatment and any expenses related to the crash. This includes:
- Medical bills: Track all medical visits, medications, physical therapy, and other treatments related to the injuries you sustained.
- Lost wages: If the accident has caused you to miss work, keep a record of your lost income.
- Property damage: Document any repairs or replacements needed for your vehicle, along with associated costs.
9. Dealing with FedEx’s Insurance
Once the accident is reported, FedEx’s insurance company may contact you. It’s essential to be cautious during these interactions:
- Don’t provide statements without a lawyer: Avoid giving recorded statements to the insurance company without first consulting with your attorney.
- Do not accept early settlement offers: Insurance companies may offer a quick settlement to resolve the case, but these initial offers often do not reflect the full extent of your damages. Consult with your attorney before agreeing to any settlement.
10. Understand the Legal Time Limits
There are time limits, known as statutes of limitations, for filing lawsuits after a truck accident. These vary by state but are typically between 1-3 years. Failing to file within this timeframe may prevent you from seeking compensation, so it’s important to act promptly.
Conclusion
Being hit by a FedEx truck can lead to significant physical, emotional, and financial burdens. By following these steps, you can protect your rights and improve your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. Ensuring that you seek medical attention, document the accident, and work with an experienced attorney can help you navigate the aftermath of the crash and safeguard your well-being.