[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/personal-injury-lawyers-battling-coronavirus\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/personal-injury-lawyers-battling-coronavirus\/","headline":"Personal Injury Lawyers & Battling Coronavirus","name":"Personal Injury Lawyers & Battling Coronavirus","description":"Personal injury lawyers in Buffalo are busy these days. With the COVID-19 virus, New York has been the hardest-hit state in the country. So much so, the government has stepped in to limit social interaction and has even indefinitely shut...","datePublished":"2020-10-20","dateModified":"2025-09-16","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/author\/dwolff\/#Person","name":"David Wolff","url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/author\/dwolff\/","identifier":27,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eb92ad9148da9738cdecc03e560b071b8f516c5c0cd624aa4a60024d6548ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eb92ad9148da9738cdecc03e560b071b8f516c5c0cd624aa4a60024d6548ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall LLC","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Depositphotos_98136320_xl-2015-scaled-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Depositphotos_98136320_xl-2015-scaled-1.jpg","height":1707,"width":2560},"url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/personal-injury-lawyers-battling-coronavirus\/","about":["Coronavirus"],"wordCount":590,"keywords":["personal injury"],"articleBody":"Personal injury lawyers in Buffalo are busy these days. With the COVID-19 virus, New York has been the hardest-hit state in the country. So much so, the government has stepped in to limit social interaction and has even indefinitely shut down small businesses.Limiting virus exposure is causing ripple effects across the nation and globe, with executive orders restricting crowds and \u201cshelter in place\u201d orders. Aside from all the legal implications these measures carry, is there any civil action you can take against those who ignore social distancing?Personal Injury Law & Deliberately Infecting OthersGiven the State-ordered social distancing measures, people have the legal obligation to not breach a 6-foot radius of other people. But what if someone does breach this? And is there any legal\u00a0precedent\u00a0to those who disregard these state mandates?Under the Center for Disease Control\u2019s\u00a02014 guidelines for disease prevention, the closest precedent is found under ramifications for intentionally spreading STDs. According to the CDC, if a person commits certain crimes while infected with an STD, general criminal statutes, such as reckless endangerment and attempted murder, can apply.Engaging in sexual intercourse \u2013 while knowing you have a sexually transmitted disease or infection, and not informing your partner \u2013 is a crime of unlawful acts in New York. However, the offending party must be\u00a0aware\u00a0they are infected with the virus. Though proving whether or not they were aware may prove a challenge, providing evidence they breached state-mandated distancing requirements may be more realistic.A high-profile example of intentional harm in the late 1990\u2019s in this regard concerned a Brooklyn man\u2019s actions in Jamestown. Nushawn Williams was aware he was infected with HIV in 1996 when he spread his infection in Chautauqua County. Though not charged with attempted murder, he was subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison.As of 2019, at least 29 states criminalize \u201cnondisclosure, exposure or transmission\u201d of HIV, while an additional 5 states use this to justify enhancements for sentences for other crimes. Nearly 40 states currently have laws regarding the criminalization of HIV transmission. New York state is among these.Personal Injury & Coronavirus On the National LevelDeputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen detailed in\u00a0a memo to the nation\u2019s 93 U.S. attorneys\u00a0and the heads of federal law enforcement agencies the tools available to prevent any intentional virus spreading. \u201c[Y]ou may encounter criminal activity ranging from malicious hoaxes to threats targeting specific individuals or the general public, to the purposeful exposure and infection of others with COVID-19,\u201d Rosen wrote. \u201cBecause coronavirus appears to meet the statutory definition of a \u2018biological agent\u2019 under [federal law], such acts potentially could implicate the Nation\u2019s terrorism-related statutes.\u201dThough no one has faced federal charges for threatening or attempting to infect others to date, the Justice Department has taken action in other areas related to the outbreak. Beyond any civil, personal injury matter, first-degree misdemeanor criminal charges are likely imposed for knowingly, purposefully or recklessly exposing people to coronavirus.When people ignore their civil obligation, or blatantly defy it with the\u00a0intent to harm, they are responsible for their actions. So when it comes to understanding the various ways in which personal injury has impacted your daily life,\u00a0Joe Nicastro, esq\u00a0is your source.Remaining opening and fully functional during these trying times, Joe helps you determine\u00a0your best possible route in pursuing any monetary damages you deserve. He has been contacted by lawyers across the country who have been in contact with people in New York but has not agreed to take any cases so far."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Personal Injury Lawyers & Battling Coronavirus","item":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/personal-injury-lawyers-battling-coronavirus\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]