With over 2.5 million trees in New York, the beauty of the city's parks and streets is renowned across the country. However, insufficient care for these trees is putting New Yorkers at risk. In the past several years, at least ten lawsuits have been filed over injuries caused by falling trees and branches in New York, according to the New York Times.

The paper ran an article called, "With Booms and Creaks, a Tree Warns, Often Too Late," on Monday, May 14. The piece covers several of these lawsuits, including one by the New York personal injury firm of Smiley & Smiley, LLP. The firm's female client and her family were enjoying a Memorial Day picnic in Central Park in 2010 when they heard a thunderous crashing noise from the tree above them. Suddenly, a branch from the 150-year-old shingle oak fell on them, leaving them buried, bloodied and frightened.

"When I heard that sound, I got really scared," the woman told the Times. "The only thing I could do was throw myself on my daughter."

This lawsuit and others like it claim that New York City could prevent accidents caused by falling trees with more diligent tree care and maintenance. According to the Times, evidence in these cases indicates that New York has a "haphazard system of tree care" in which negligence and poor communication by the city have contributed to injuries and deaths.

About Smiley & Smiley, LLP

The New York City personal injury law firm of Smiley & Smiley, LLP is a Midtown Manhattan family owned and operated firm that has provided personal injury legal representation to thousands of individuals and families since 1968. The attorneys at Smiley & Smiley, LLP represent injured victims in personal injury matters including vehicle accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, wrongful death and premises liability accidents.

The firm's many successes in personal injury cases also include a $14,300,000 verdict against the City of New York and an $8,600,000 award for a victim of 9/11. The firm has also obtained a $5,050,000 settlement for a wrongful death suit involving a painter killed at the World Trade Center reconstruction project and a $5 million settlement for the victim of a bus accident.

If you have been injured due to someone else's negligence, an experienced personal injury attorney may be able to secure compensation for your injuries. To contact Andrew J. Smiley or his colleagues at Smiley & Smiley, LLP, please call (212) 986-2022 or visit http://www.smileylaw.com.