A gruesome pedestrian accident in Manhattan nearly cost a woman her life early this month. The unidentified woman was walking along the sidewalk near the intersection of east 49th Street and Second Avenue when a Mercedes jumped the curb and smashed into her. The woman was pinned between the massive vehicle and a light post, her leg nearly severed by the impact.
Rescue crews arrived and were able to extract the woman who, amazingly, stayed conscious throughout the ordeal. Witnesses say her lower leg was split open from the impact. She was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
At least one eyewitness said that the driver was cut off by another vehicle in the travel lane and turned hard, attempting to avoid a crash.
An injury such as this could have serious lifelong implications. If doctors are able to save the limb, the victim likely faces months of recovery and physical therapy, and may even have permanent damage, requiring leg braces or a wheelchair for support. If reconstructive surgery is necessary, besides the cost, there will be an extended hospital stay and then afterwards, an admission to a facility for extensive rehabilitation.
The driver of the Mercedes will likely argue that the oncoming car caused the accident. However, the Mercedes driver will have to explain why he had no choice but to turn into the innocent pedestrian. In similar cases, victims have successfully sued and awarded compensation for unpaid medical expenses, past and future lost wages, and pain and suffering. Under New York law, if shown to be even partially at fault, the Mercedes driver can be held fully responsible to pay the full amount of the jury award.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a similar car accident in New York City, don’t’ rely on the insurance company to treat you fairly. You need help all along the way. Contact an experienced New York City pedestrian accident attorney today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.