Client Lucy Gonzalez talks about her relationship with Paul Edelstein and how he helped her through a very tough case.
Lucy was an HIV case manager working for the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, performing field work, went to a school in Brooklyn in order to assist a young woman infected with HIV enroll her daughter in the school. Unfortunately on this snowy wet day, the school custodial staff didn’t place mats at the entrance to the school as they normally would in such weather. Lucy took one step into the school, fell and shattered her ankle so badly it required two surgeries. In April of 2011 a Brooklyn jury returned a verdict in Lucy’s favor in the sum of $1,000,000 but the City appealed. In August of 2013 the appellate division reversed part of the first verdict and sent the case back for a second trial. In May of 2014 a second Brooklyn jury again rendered a verdict 100% in Mrs. Gonzalez favor, however, for the second time, the defendant appealed. Finally, yesterday, after more than 11 years fighting for Lucy, after winning two trials and now two appeals, the matter is finally over and she has gotten not only what she deserved but what two different juries and two different appellate courts agreed with.
Rarely does a case happen in the way this one happens. We are incredibly relieved that after winning on multiple times over many years, she will finally get what she deserves. It doesn’t’ happen without the incredible patience and confidence of our client and of course without our dogged persistence. While we hope never again to see a case last eleven years, much less one that we won twice before juries and now twice before appellate divisions, we are sincerely happy for Lucy and her family.