A pedestrian accident in New York City claimed the life of an elderly man who was out walking his dog early this month. The 66-year-old was struck by a vehicle while crossing Fourth Avenue in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn. The victim was struck so hard that he tumbled into the air, striking another car, before coming to rest near a tree.
EMTs arrived within minutes but there was nothing they could do to save the man. His dog was taken to a local veterinarian for treatment.
While there is no suspected criminality involved in this tragic pedestrian accident, that doesn’t mean that the driver will go without being held responsible. Under the New York traffic laws, drivers have a duty of care when approaching or entering intersections. They are charged with yielding to a pedestrian whether the crosswalk is marked or not. If a driver fails in that duty of care and strikes an individual, they could be held financially liable.
One eyewitness-the man whose car the victim hit in the second impact-saw the whole accident. Such eyewitness accounts from the scene of the crash can be used as testimony and evidence in order to help determine fault and support a plaintiff’s claim in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in NYC.
In cases such as this, the surviving family members of the victim can make a claim against the at fault individuals. Pedestrian accident lawsuits filed by surviving family members can seek compensation for:
- Wages and financial support that the deceased would have contributed to the household during the course of his expected work life
- Reimbursement for unpaid medical and funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering for the time the deceased survived after the accident
- And any out of pocket expenses related to the accident
If you’ve lost a loved one because of the actions of a careless driver, please contact the experienced New York City pedestrian accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel today. Call 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 for your free consultation.