New York Slip and Fall Cases: Queens, NY

Queens, New York is the easternmost of New York City's five boroughs, located on the western portion of Long Island. The borough and Queens County, NY share the same boundaries. The Bronx is on Queen's northern border, Nassau County is to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Brooklyn and Staten Island to the southwest, and Manhattan is on Queen's western border.

Queens is commonly divided into neighborhoods including Long Island City, Jamaica, Flushing, Far Rockaway, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Rockaway Beach, Astoria, and Floral Park. Addresses are written in Queens using the neighborhood designations in place of a town or city. The ethnically diverse borough of Queens, NY, population 2,278,482 (2008 U.S. Census), boasts that over 48 percent of the residents are foreign born.

Queens is home to two major New York City area airports: JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. The Long Island Railroad operates a commuter train system in Queens with service to Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) operates bus and subway service. Major roadways serving Queens include: The Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495), the Grand Central Parkway, the Belt Parkway, the Cross Island Parkway, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (Interstate 278), the Van Wyck Expressway (Interstate 678), the Clearview Expressway (Interstate 295), and the Cross Island Parkway. Both ferry service and numerous bridges connect Queens and Manhattan.

Queens, NY is governed by the New York City Charter; the city provides most public services in Queens. Queens has a Borough President who acts as an advocate for the borough at the City Council and the New York state government levels. Each of New York City's five boroughs has its own criminal court system and District Attorney. The Civil Court of the City of New York decides lawsuits involving claims of up to $25,000. The Civil Court includes a small claims division for the informal resolution of cases involving amounts of up to $5,000. County Supreme Courts handle personal injury claims with damages above $25,000.

Queens Criminal Court is located at 125-01 Queens Blvd., Kew Gardens, NY 11415. Queens Civil Court is located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11435. The New York State Unified Court System is divided geographically into four judicial departments and 12 judicial districts, Queens is located in the 2nd Judicial Department, 11th Judicial District. Long Island, New York is comprised of two counties; Nassau County and Suffolk County.

Staten Island, NY EMS