Morris Duffy Alonso & Faley are counsel to the New York City Housing Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, towns, villages, police districts, fire districts, sanitation districts, water districts and school districts. The New York City Housing Authority is made up of 277 developments in full operation. It includes 175,000 apartments and houses over 800,000 people. Included in the defense of the general negligence claims against municipal corporations involving premises and security liability are accidents stemming from the use of cars, trains, buses, trucks, police and fire vehicles and ambulances.
We are well versed in handling high profile civil rights cases including Federal 1983 claims of police excessive force, false arrest and malicious prosecution. We also specialize in defending employment claims asserted against municipalities, including sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims including Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We have defended municipalities before the New York State Division of Human Rights. In addition, we have been retained directly by municipalities to draft their Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and conduct in-house discrimination investigations.
Municipalities that we represent include the following: the Villages of Lynbrook, Amityville, Babylon, Lloyd Harbor, Bellport, New Hyde Park, Thomaston, Farmingdale, East Hills, West Haverstraw, Lake Success, Williston Park, Centre Island, Ravena, Sea Cliff, Massapequa Park, Stewart Manor, Roslyn Harbor, and Westbury; the Towns of Mamaroneck and East Fishkill; and the Cities of New York and Long Beach. Additional clients include: the Water Districts of Plainview and Manhasset Lakeville; the Police Departments of Lake Success, Lynbrook, Lloyd Harbor, and Ravena; the Port Washington Police District; the Hempstead Sanitation District; the Fire Districts of Levittown, Melville, and Jericho; the Orange-Ulster B.O.C.E.S. and Sullivan County B.O.C.E.S.; the Suffolk County Middle Country Central and Liberty Central School Districts; and the Town of Oyster Bay Housing Authority.
We have also defended municipalities in cases involving lead poisoning in children and are well versed in the New York City regulations regarding lead paint and the various tests for ascertaining lead levels in all surfaces.
« Back to TopMorris Duffy Alonso & Faley has been defending tort cases for over 50 years. Several of our companies insure residential and office buildings, so we have defended rape, assault and murder cases allegedly stemming from owner's liability. We also defend the more common "slip and fall" and sidewalk lawsuits and are well versed in the New York City Administrative Code Section 7-210.
We are completely familiar with litigation concerning false arrest and malicious prosecution. We have successfully defended security companies and their employees against allegations of assault and battery committed in the course of their employment, as well as allegations of civil rights violations including 42 USCA Section 1983 causes of action.
A great number of our cases involve products liability and the design defense of manufacturing equipment, recreational equipment (including exercise machines, snowmobiles, jet skis, ATVs), home and office apparatus and many other products.
« Back to TopA significant percentage of our firm's case load involves the defense of insured drivers, owners of personal and commercial vehicles and black car/limousines. This includes both primary and excess policies in multi-vehicle and multiple defendant cases. We are aggressive in utilizing New York's Dram Shop Act in commencing cross-claims and third-party actions against illegal suppliers of liquor.
We are familiar with all issues which may be raised in automobile cases and work closely with experts on issues such as the seat belt defense and accident reconstruction. When liability of our client is inevitable, we are quick to formulate a medical defense based on MRI reviews and expert testimony. We have been successful in disposing many cases on the basis that they do not meet the New York "serious injury" threshold requirement.
« Back to TopDue to the overwhelming rise in No-Fault/PIP claims, this firm has a unit of attorneys and paralegals wholly dedicated to handling these cases. Their expertise includes no-fault arbitrations, EUO's and Civil Court cases. Our attorneys are well known to the AAA and judges alike. Among our No-Fault/PIP clients are the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC). Flat fee billing schedules are available for more cost efficient handling of these files.
In order to immediately close these files, we are aggressive in responding to interrogatories, purchasing index numbers and making motions to dismiss. We are prepared to try fraudulent cases if necessary and have worked closely with SIU units to investigate and resolve fraud rings.
« Back to TopThe firm has a specialization in the area of rental vehicles of both the personal and commercial type on behalf of the Avis Budget Group. The issues involving rental agreements and coverage have been litigated many times by our attorneys. We are fully familiar with New York's third-party leasing company relationships.
We have successfully defended out-of-state truckers in New York City for Penske Truck Leasing and A. Duie Pyle. The unique issues of trucking liability are recognized by our attorneys. Our firm is very well versed in the various ICC Regulations governing the interstate and intrastate operations of these companies and have handled these claims in both State and Federal Courts where many cases are venued because of diversity.
« Back to TopMorris Duffy Alonso & Faley are specialists in areas involving construction accidents and architects and engineers malpractice. We have represented owners, contractors, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers and other design professionals successfully major construction projects throughout New York City. We have defended thousands of cases brought under the New York Labor Laws (Sections 240(1) , 241(6) and 200) and write regularly on The Labor Law (also known as The Scaffold Law) for the New York Law Journal.
We are lead architects attorneys in New York City for owners/contractors/subcontractors and architects and engineers and are heavily involved in construction work, mold cases, construction defect claims, the Labor Law and property damage cases. Our firm has taken numerous cases to the Court of Appeals involving issues concerning the Labor Law and the Workers Compensation Act of 1996. These include cases of grave injury, closed head injuries, thumb injuries, and blindness. We are prompt in tendering defenses to co-defendants or third-party defendants and in seeking pass-throughs as soon as legally possible. Our risk management experience in this area has been utilized by many clients.
The firm publishes an Architect and Engineer Newsletter and several attorneys frequently give lectures and seminars in this area of the law.
« Back to TopWe have represented doctors, nurses, dentists, hospitals and podiatrists in malpractice cases since the early 1960's. From 1960 to 1970 we represented virtually every hospital which then comprised the Association of Hospitals of Greater New York. These included Lenox Hill, Manhattan Eye and Ear, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, Beekman Downtown Hospital, Long Island College Hospital, Booth Memorial, Flushing Hospital and others. Additionally, we have been lead attorneys in medical products liability and prescription drug liability cases. We have represented doctors, dentists and nurses at Professional Misconduct and Disciplinary Hearings in New York.
Presently, we represent the largest professional malpractice insurance company in the country - Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company. We also defend medical malpractice actions for the State Liquidation Bureau, Academic Health Professionals Insurance and Medical Malpractice Insurance Pool.
Within the framework of our defense of hospitals, we have participated, very actively, in risk management, appropriate record keeping, prompt analysis of records involved in potential future claims and similar preventive and early warning procedures. We have appeared as excess and personal counsel for physicians in malpractice cases. Among the attorneys on our staff, one is a registered nurse. The firm partners have appeared in risk management video presentation for our carriers.
« Back to TopNot only do we represent professionals such as architects, engineers and physicians, but we also handle other cases involving professionals such as attorneys, accountants, physical therapists, chiropractors, directors and officers, agents and brokers.
Statute of limitations issues on professional cases can be complex and we are prepared to seek dismissal on issues of continuous treatment and gaps in coverage. All professional malpractice cases require a high degree of personal legal attention and preparation which we are trained to give them.
« Back to TopMorris Duffy Alonso & Faley is presently handling both workmen's compensation and employment discrimination cases for major carriers. We represent the insured in administrative hearings, arbitrations, mediations and trials at the State and Federal Court level.
Because of the lengthy, drawn out nature of these proceedings, we strive to arrive at a quick and final resolution to all workmen's compensation claims and hearings.
« Back to TopUnder the category of special risks, Morris Duffy Alonso & Faley has first-hand experience in cases involving: bed and breakfasts, restaurants and bars, marinas, recreational facilities, camps, drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinics, day care centers, ambulance and emergency medical technicians, churches, medical laboratories, nursing homes, hot air ballooning accidents, gun cases, copyright infringement, security risks and special events such as graduations, golf outings, and other corporate activities.
« Back to TopMorris Duffy Alonso & Faley is adept and knowledgeable in connection with insurance coverage questions and the resolution of coverage disputes between carriers. We are expert in rendering opinion letters regarding coverage to insurance companies prior to litigation. We have been actively involved in monitoring all negligence actions on behalf of excess carriers.
Our attorneys have lectured extensively on insurance law and litigation to our clients, other insurance companies, bar associations, claims associations and law schools. Our articles have appeared in The New York Law Journal , The ABA Journal, Sky Lines, The Defense Research Institute Journal, The Cornerstone, and The Torts, Insurance and Compensation Journal of the New York State Bar Association. We are prepared to deliver CLE lectures to all our clients and colleagues in the industry. We consider ourselves partners in litigation with the insurance companies we represent and seek to encourage legal education and case resolution planning.
« Back to TopThis firm is fully prepared to handle, and has in the past handled cases involving damages to the environment such as toxic torts, illegal dumping, landfills, storage tank leakage and asbestos removal. We have been involved in discovery including document inspection and depositions on a nationwide basis.
The expansion of litigation regarding mold cases and "bad buildings" has resulted in our handling a growing number of these files. Our environmental insured's have run the gamut from large multi-national clients to small residential homeowners. We have appeared to protect the commercial policyholder, as well as the personal lines carriers and their insured's.
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