Brooklyn Personal Injury Attorney Jeffrey Lichtman Comments on Manslaughter Charges Filed Against Brooklyn Landlord

July 06, 2012 (Press-News.org) In January 2010, five people died after a fire broke out in an illegally subdivided apartment building in Brooklyn. According to the New York Times, a guest in the apartment building has been accused of setting the fire and was charged with murder. But the arsonist is not the only one to blame for the tragic results, say prosecutors.

The Brooklyn district attorney's office has filed manslaughter charges against the apartment building's landlord and his son. Documents filed with the court allege that the landlords knew the illegally subdivided apartments did not have required fire exits so the tenants were prevented from escaping the deadly fire.

During an arraignment hearing, a prosecutor said that had the building been up to code, the fire could have been contained and extinguished in a third of the time. Instead, some of the apartments did not even have windows from which the occupants could escape.

Jeffrey Lichtman of Trolman, Glaser and Lichtman, represents the families of four young men who perished in this tragic fire. Lichtman applauds the district attorney's office in bringing these manslaughter charges against the negligent landlords. "We are happy to see that the DA is taking action," he said. "And we look forward to working with them."

The New York Times notes that last year, the Buildings Department issued a number of violations against the landlords for illegally subdividing the building, and a judge fined them $80,000. In addition to these fines and the manslaughter charges, civil claims have also been filed against the negligent landlords (index #364/2012 Kings County). The attorneys at Trolman, Glaser & Lichtman are representing four of the families involved in this wrongful death case.

The premises liability lawyers at Trolman, Glaser & Lichtman, along with their team of experienced support staff, have represented thousands of injured New Yorkers in the past 40 years and obtained more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for their clients. The firm handles personal injury cases throughout New York City and the five boroughs, including cases involving slip-and-falls, nursing home negligence, elder abuse, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, defective medical devices and dangerous drugs.

For more information about tenants' rights after injuries in apartment buildings, contact the personal injury attorneys at Trolman, Glaser & Lichtman by visiting the firm's website at www.tgllaw.com or calling 212-561-5036.

Trolman, Glaser & Lichtman, P.C.
Representing New Yorkers Injured in Apartment Fires