Attorney Patrick J. Cooney's Legal Cases

Personal injury

Feliciano v Medical Express

Jul 17, 2016

OUTCOME: Jury apportioned liability to the medical vehicle at 33.3% and my client at 66.6%. Jury awarded total damages in the amount of 1M, a figure much less than the last settlement offer.

Tried case before Judge Braun in Supreme Court New York County. Plaintiff, a passenger in a medical transport vehicle was injured when a car driven by my client passed a stop sign and struck the medica ... l transport. The plaintiff was found not to be negligent as a matter of law. Plaintiff underwent 2 surgeries for cervical discectomies and fusions. Settlement demand was 5M.

Personal injury

Sachar v. SONY & Regal

Jun 16, 2016

OUTCOME: Jury returned a defense verdict finding the theatre was not overcrowded and that there was adequate crowd control.

Tried case to verdict in the Supreme Court, New York County before Judge Stallman. The plaintiff was a volunteer leader of a group of 15-20 at risk teens. She took the group to see at free screening of ... the movie "21" at my clients theatre. The screening was co-sponsored by the codefendant distributor. Plaintiff contended the theatre and distributor were negligent in permitting an excessive number of people into the screening and that each failed to employ adequate crowd control and security techniques. Plaintiff claimed she was walking down an interior staircase and was pushed down the stairs by an uncontrolled stampede of people running for seats. Plaintiff suffered a fractured arm and severe PTSD, anxiety, fear of crowds, depression and flashbacks which required ongoing psychotherapy.

Trucking accident

Cruz v Pennsylvania Steel

Feb 15, 2016

OUTCOME: Jury returned a defense verdict finding plaintiff lacked credibility,

Tried a trucking case to verdict in the Supreme Court, Queens County before Judge Livote. Plaintiff claimed she sustained injuries which included, inter alia, a herniated disc at L4/5 requiring a decom ... pressive lumbar laminectomy and partial discectomy. At the time of the accident, plaintiff was operating her vehicle in the middle lane of the E/B BQE and claims the defendant tractor-trailer operator, while in the course of his employment, entered into her lane of travel striking the left rear of her vehicle. The tractor-trailer was fully loaded and weighed 45k lbs. My clients contended the tractor trailer did not cross over and alleged plaintiff was using her cell phone at the time of the accident. Plaintiff claimed she was using an ear piece. The CEO of Pennsylvania Steel refused to authorize a settlement.

Personal injury

Singh v Smith

Oct 20, 2015

OUTCOME: The jury returned a verdict finding the homeowner did not direct or control plaintiff's work and that plaintiff was recalcitrant in failing to use available safety equipment.

Tried a Labor Law case in the Supreme Court, Queens County before Judge Buggs. Plaintiff, a day laborer, fell 35 feet off a ladder sustaining a TBI. The defendant's maintained the plaintiff failed to u ... se the available safety devices. I represented the homeowner. There was a question of fact as to whether the home owner directed and controlled plaintiff's work, thus precluding application of the statutory single family dwelling exception.

Personal injury

Stanciu v Billelo v City of New York

Dec 20, 2013

OUTCOME: Successfully proved CNY owed client a special duty holding it 65% responsible for plaintiff's accident.

Tried this matter to verdict in the Supreme Court, Queens County before Judge Straus. My clients, commercial property owners, asserted a third party claim against the CNY for contribution alleging that ... the accident was caused by the city's negligence in failing to timely inspect the sidewalk and issue a permit for repairs. I argued at trial that while the city did not owe a direct duty to the injured plaintiff, it owed a special duty to the property owners and therefore it may be held liable for the portion of damage attributable to its negligence despite the fact that the duty violated was not owing directly to the injured person.

Patrick J. Cooney's Legal Cases (5)

Feliciano v Medical Express

Sachar v. SONY & Regal

Cruz v Pennsylvania Steel

Singh v Smith

Stanciu v Billelo v City of New York