Block O’Toole & Murphy has consistently stood as a powerhouse in New York's personal injury legal landscape, achieving remarkable success year after year. Since 2012, the firm has continued its streak of securing the highest number of personal injury case results exceeding $1 million in New York State, as reported by ALM’s VerdictSearch. To date, the firm has amassed nearly $2 billion in verdicts and settlements, with an impressive tally of 300-plus results surpassing the million-dollar mark.
“The consistency, year after year, demonstrates our commitment to our clients. We are always trying to raise the bar,” says partner Jeffrey Block. “In 2023, we’ve reached new heights for our clients.”
Block and partner Joseph Donahue recently secured a $53.5 million jury verdict for a 43-year-old construction worker who suffered life-altering injuries after falling more than 10 feet while hoisting an air conditioning unit onto the rooftop of a multi-story duplex. During the trial, Block and Donahue highlighted the profound pain and suffering their client—who was left paralyzed from the waist down—had suffered, persuading the Brooklyn jury to return a unanimous verdict in their client’s favor. In another 2023 case, they achieved an $8 million settlement for a 64-year-old man who was struck by a speeding NYC Transit Authority bus while crossing a street in the Bronx, resulting in multiple fractures to his left leg and requiring the amputation of his right leg.
In 2023, the firm achieved some remarkable victories, but we never lose sight of the fact that these courtroom achievements come as a result of the immense challenge our clients face following life-altering incidents."
“In 2023, the firm achieved some remarkable victories, but we never lose sight of the fact that these courtroom achievements come as a result of the immense challenge our clients face following life-altering incidents. That continues to motivate us every day,” notes partner Daniel O’Toole.
Alongside associates Joshua Stern and Pawel Wierzbicki, O’Toole obtained a $9.75 million settlement in 2023 for a worker in his 40s who sustained serious orthopedic and neurological injuries after falling from a 6-foot scaffolding while installing crown molding. In addition, partners Stephen Murphy and Michael Hurwitz secured a $5.75 million settlement for a 27-year-old laborer who suffered significant injuries while working on a New York demolition project after a coworker’s error caused him to fall two stories. Murphy and Hurwitz also obtained a $9.5 million settlement (after achieving one of New York’s highest verdicts) for a Brooklyn man who suffered a foot amputation and spine injuries after a NYCTA bus struck him as he was crossing the street.
“Our success is built on trial expertise, a certain relentlessness and genuine empathy,” says Murphy. “We embrace our clients’ battles as our own, recognizing that their quality of life hangs in the balance.”
