NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Multiple defendants - including New York City, the New York City Department of Homeless Services, Volunteers of America-Greater New York and the Schwartz Assessment Facility for the Homeless - have been presented with a lawsuit from a New York resident who says their negligence caused the death of her son in July 2019.
According to documents filed Feb. 9 in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Chauncey Marino Gonzales was 33 years old, healthy and of sound state of mind. Through negligence, carelessness and recklessness of the Schwartz facility's ownership, operation, supervision, security and maintenance, Gonzales died in the homeless facility in the middle of the night.
He was survived by his mother, the plaintiff, Ana Mercedes Felipe. She says she incurred losses, including the cost of a funeral.
Felipe filed a notice of claim in September of 2019 on the defendants, but the claim was rejected. As a result, an additional complaint was filed on Feb. 9 of this year. Felipe is seeking damages for her non-economic loss and economic loss.
She is represented by Lawrence James & Associates.