• Catastrophic Injury
• Medical Malpractice
• Wrongful Death
• Nursing Home Neglect

Verdicts & Settlements

Burns and Harris have successfully litigated in numerous malpractice, liability and civil rights cases. Below are some of their results:

Consuelo Martinez, Deceased v. Bronx Lebanon Hospital, et al,

Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death $4,000,000.00 with future value of $24,802,897.79
The firm represented the mother-decedent and her infant son. The mother-decedent came under the care of the defendant-hospital in connection certain medical, anesthesiological and obstetrical care, treatment and/or surgery to be rendered to the plaintiff by the defendants, its agents, servants and/or employees. During the decedent's admission to the defendant-hospital, the defendant dispensed anesthesia during an epidural to the decedent in an inadequate manner. The mother-decedent suffered personal injuries and wrongful death due to the defendant's failure to properly administer epidural anesthesia. The defendant was also found to be careless and negligent in the care, treatment, delivery and management of the infant and his mother, pre-natally, peri-natally and post-natally, which caused brain damage to the infant. The case settled for $1,000,000.00 for wrongful death of mother and $3,000,000.00 for personal injuries of the infant due to the residue of the birth trauma sustained by infant.

Dawn Samperisi v. Starbucks Coffee Co.

Espresso Machine Scalds Coffee Shop Customer - $3,470,670.00
The firm's client, a 33-year-old teacher's assistant, was scalded by an espresso machine, which exploded while the defendant's employee was demonstrating how the machine worked. The client was a customer at defendant's coffee shop on the date of the accident, and suffered first-degree burns to her right (dominant) hand, resulting in chronic Stage III reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the right upper extremity. The jury awarded the client $3,470,670.00.

Emilio Perales v. City of New York - Slip and Fall in the Bronx $2,995,000.00

The firm's client, a 47 year-old male, slipped and fell on a public sidewalk in the Bronx. It had snowed 4-5 days prior to the date of the accident and the sidewalk was covered with ice. The client claimed that the city owned the adjacent parking lot and did nothing to prevent cars from riding over the sidewalk and parking the lot, which resulted in a ridge on the sidewalk creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians. The client suffered a lumbar fracture and a herniated disc. The jury found the city liable and awarded the client $2,995,000.00.

Richard Gerber v. Harry and Luisa Howard d/b/a Woodstock Manor Home for Senior Citizens v. Charnow Associates - Adult Home Negligence $1,677,835.00

The firm's client, a 63-year-old mentally incompetent man, slipped and fell in his own urine while attempting to walk to the bathroom at the defendant's senior citizen home. The client fractured his hip and as a result is confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. The client had a long history of incontinence of which the staff at the adult home was aware. The client claimed that the staff of the home failed to properly care for him, and the jury awarded $1,677,835.00.

Alvarez v. Brooklyn Hospital Settlement- $2,750, 000.00 with a future value of $10,526,337.00

The firm's client, a child with cerebral palsy who was injured as a result of medical malpractice. Received a settlement of $2,750,000.00. The firm's clients claimed improper management of pregnancy, labor and delivery resulting in brain damage.