Pedestrian accidents are often among the most serious of auto accidents because pedestrians have no protection from the impact of the vehicle which strikes them. New York City pedestrian accident lawyers can provide representation to injured pedestrians who are hurt in motor vehicle accidents.
Recently, ABC News reported on a pedestrian accident outside of Penn Station in which three pedestrians were struck by a car. Unfortunately, incidents like these are far too common throughout New York City and those who are hit while walking can face serious consequences.
Pedestrian Accident Outside of Penn Station Causes Injury
According to ABC News, the three pedestrians who were struck near Penn Station were hit by the car on a Friday afternoon. The incident occurred near 7th Avenue and 32nd Street. The Fire Department of New York, who responded to the crash scene, indicated that the accident occurred in a busy location in midtown. The location where the accident happened is also a spot that has a high amount of foot traffic.
In this particular case, the accident occurred because the driver ran through a red light and struck the people who were walking across the street. Allegedly, the reason that the driver ran the red light was because of a stuck floor mat which prevented him from stopping his vehicle at the light before hitting the three pedestrians.
The pedestrians who were hit by the car sustained injuries in the accident, but fortunately ABC News indicated that the injuries they suffered were not life-threatening injuries. After they were struck, dozens of firefighters reportedly responded to the scene of the accident and 7th Avenue remained temporarily closed following the incident.
The pedestrians in this particular case were lucky their injuries were not life-threatening, as pedestrians are significantly more likely than motorists in vehicles to sustain injuries. In fact, while the rate of motorists killed in collisions inside of their vehicles has declined dramatically because of enhanced in-car safety features, pedestrian death rates have not experienced big declines and in several recent years, the number of pedestrians killed in motor vehicle accidents actually increased from year-to-year.
When a pedestrian sustains injuries in a motor vehicle accident or is killed as a result of being hit by a car, it will be important for the pedestrian or his surviving family members to understand the laws that protect collision victims. A pedestrian who is hurt or the family members of pedestrians who die as a result of auto accidents could potentially pursue a claim for compensation from the driver who hit them. The driver’s auto insurance may pay for both economic and non-financial loss, depending upon factors like the severity of injuries and the extent of evidence showing that the driver of the vehicle was to blame for the accident.
New York pedestrian accident lawyers can offer advice on whether a pedestrian could successfully make a claim for damages after a crash and can help victims who are entitled to damages to pursue their claims to hold drivers who hit them accountable.
