Two individuals were injured in an incident in Manhattan on Oct. 6 when a taxi cab struck a pedestrian before crashing into two commercial spaces in an Upper East Side building. The accident was still under investigation, and police are not yet saying what caused the cab driver to leave the road.
According to reports, the accident occurred at about 11:50 a.m. when a cab driver jumped the curb in the area of Madison Avenue and East 59th Street. A passenger in the cab was sent to the hospital in an ambulance. The pedestrian was conscious after the accident, according to a witness, and boarded the ambulance without assistance. Reportedly, the injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.
The owner of an eyeglass store that was hit by the cab said that at first no one knew what happened except for a loud noise. He estimated the vacant space next to his store sustained the greater damage. The owner also said the taxi driver seemed to be all right but appeared shaken. The pavement, witnesses said, was quickly cleaned and reopened to pedestrian traffic. At the time of early reports, no charges had been filed.
Pedestrian accidents are common in New York, whether they occur on or off the streets. Pedestrians have little protection, and severe injuries may result. Taxi cab drivers have the obligation of operating their vehicle in a safe manner. As in this case, it may be uncertain whether the driver was distracted.
Consulting with an attorney immediately after being struck in New York may be beneficial. Some injuries may take days to cause symptoms, and it might be best to document what happened early on. By filing a personal injury claim, the victim may recover financial loss due to medical bills and lost wages.
Source: WABC, “Cab strikes building, pedestrian on upper east side“, October 06, 2014
