One man was killed and a woman seriously injured in two separate falling tree limb accidents in New York City earlier this month. Officials suspect that high winds from tropical storm Isais may have contributed to these accidents but inspections of the trees in questions must be completed to determine if they were safety hazards before the storm hit.
The fatal accident happened in Queens on August 4th. The victim—a 60-year-old man—was sitting in front of a worksite in his van—likely on break—when a massive tree snapped and fell on top of the vehicle. NYPD officers rushed to the scene after receiving a 911 call. A crane had to be called in to lift the massive trunk off the vehicle. FDNY extracted the victim from the mangled steel and broken glass. Unfortunately, his injuries were too severe and he was pronounced dead.
The second falling tree limb accident in Brooklyn occurred on the same day at 2:00 in the afternoon. A woman was walking along the sidewalk in front of Tilden Houses when a limb broke free from a tree. It struck the woman in the head. EMTs arrived and rushed her to a nearby hospital where she is listed in critical condition.
While the wind may have played a factor in these recent falling tree limb accidents in New York City, the property owners to whom these trees belong may bear some of the liability. Tree owners are expected to inspect trees for damage (such as broken limbs or rot) and either prune or cut the tree down or block off the area underneath so that if a limb falls, it doesn’t hurt anyone.
If you’ve been struck by a tree—especially on publically owned property such as a city park street—you could be entitled to collect compensation for your injuries. Speak with an experienced tree limb accident attorney in New York City today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 today.