One person was killed and another was seriously injured when they were hit by a vehicle in Manhattan around 7:45 p.m. on Jan. 3. Police issued a summons to the driver for unlicensed operation of a vehicle.
According to authorities, a 27-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were crossing the street at an intersection on the Upper East Side when they were hit by an SUV being driven by a 45-year-old man. The pedestrians ended up trapped under the vehicle. Witnesses came to the help of the couple, lifting the vehicle off of them so the injured victims could be rescued and treated by emergency responders.
The man and woman were transported to New York Hospital, where the man was declared dead. The woman was in stable condition. The driver did not report any injuries. Police continued to investigate the accident to determine the cause. In similar pedestrian accidents, factors such as speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving and weather and road conditions have played a role.
The family of a deceased victim in accidents such as this might choose to file a wrongful death claim once police finish their investigation and issue a report. Information from the report might be used to show that a driver was both negligent and liable if police find that the driver was violating the rules of traffic and therefore responsible for the death of the victim. If the family files a successful claim, they might receive compensation for economic damages, including funeral and burial costs, and non-economic damages, such as loss of companionship. In New York, interest might also be added to the total amount of the awards beginning on the date of the accident.
Source: NJ Advance Media, “Man killed in NYC crash was promising golf instructor at Edison country club,” Dan Ivers, Jan. 4, 2015
