For most New York parents, the thought of losing a child is too much to bear. When a child is claimed early and unexpectedly, any parent would be devastated. Sadly, this happened to one woman earlier this month when her 4-year-old daughter was hit and killed by an out-of-control SUV that was fleeing from police while walking on a sidewalk in Manhattan.
When faced with a tragic situation like this where someone else may be to blame, many people choose to file a lawsuit against a negligent party. While most people may point to the driver in a crash like this, sometimes there are other parties to blame. In this case, the mother and the child’s grandmother — who was also severely injured in the pedestrian accident — are suing New York City.
The woman is arguing that the city did not dispatch an ambulance to the crash site until four minutes after the 911 call was made. Although the Fire Department pointed a finger at the dispatcher who was working that day, others say the city’s 911 system has been prone to problems. In addition, the woman’s attorney scolded police for pursuing a car chase near schools. The mother and grandmother are each seeking $20 million from the city.
Being forced to live knowing that your child could had survived had emergency services been operating correctly can be infuriating for a parent. While nothing could ever make up for the tragic death of a child, parents should know that negligent parties can be held accountable through a wrongful death lawsuit. It will be interesting to see how this case is resolved.
Source: The New York Times, “Mother to Sue New York City in Crash That Killed 4-Year-Old Girl,” Mona El-Naggar, June 12, 2013
