SKETCHES OF COURT: Jury favors defendant in Fort Greene car accident trial
Sketch by Alba Acevedo
In this courtroom sketch, Hon. Genine Edwards listens as defendant’s attorney Shari Stern (standing), of the law firm James G. Bilello & Assocs., summarizes her position for the jury in the motor vehicle accident trial Collins v. Allen. At issue was the determination of liability.
Mark Collins claimed that he was injured in May of 2012 when his car was involved in an accident in the neighborhood of Fort Greene. Collins alleged that he was driving straight ahead on Hanson Place when Desiree Allen’s car impacted his as she pulled out of a parking spot. Collins maintained that he sustained injury to his shoulder, back, neck and knee in the collision, causing him to miss six months of work. Brian Zwaig (at left), of the law firm Rubenstein & Rynecki, represented Collins.
Allen disputed Collins’ version of the event. She maintained that she had completely exited her parking spot, and was stopped in the moving lane as she waited for traffic ahead to clear. She further alleged that she saw Collins’ SUV in her side-view mirror run through the traffic light at the T-intersection before making a left turn onto busy Hanson Place from St. Felix Street and hitting her car.
Stern denied that any of Collins’ medical claims met the standard for serious injury, nor were not attributable to trauma from the crash.
The jury returned a verdict for the defendant, finding that Allen bore no responsibility for the accident. The summary jury trial concluded last week in Kings County Civil term. Court Officer Claudio Cotto (at right) maintained order.
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