Cherry Cayetano Sobel, 44, was killed in a pedestrian accident in Brooklyn after she was hit by a private ambulance. According to a report in The New York Daily News, Sobel was crossing Ocean Avenue at Avenue O in Midwood the morning of March 26 when she was struck. Officials said Sobel, who suffered severe trauma, was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center where she died. Sobel was crossing the street when the ambulance driver, who was making a left turn, collided with her, officials said. The ambulance continued down the street without stopping. It’s unclear if the driver was aware that the pedestrian had been struck, the report stated.
Responders Suspended, Investigation Ongoing
The Daily News reports a video shows two people rushing out of a motorcoach waiting at the red light and running over to the victim who was lying in the roadway after being hit. Friends and family members said Sobel lived in Midwood just about a mile away from the scene of the accident. The Daily News also reports that the ambulance that struck her was operated by Maimonides Medical Center, which, according to a statement, suspended the two emergency responders involved in the crash, pending an NYPD investigation. We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of Cherry Sobel for their tragic loss. They will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents Involving Ambulances
Pedestrian accidents that are caused by ambulances can quickly become fraught with complex liability issues as they often involve different parties including the vehicle’s driver, the ambulance operator and the hospital. Victims and their families have clear legal rights in such cases. If an ambulance driver acts negligently (carelessly) — such as speeding without proper caution, failing to yield or ignoring traffic laws — the company operating the ambulance may be held liable for damages.
In many cases, victims have the right to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income and benefits, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of victims who suffer fatal injuries can file a wrongful death claim, seeking compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support and emotional loss. Even though ambulances have certain privileges during emergencies, they are still required to operate with reasonable care and follow safety standards. Private ambulance companies can also be held accountable for inadequate training, poor vehicle maintenance or negligent (careless) hiring practices and employee retention.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should remember that they can seek compensation for injuries or losses in collisions even if the victim was not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver involved in collision was not charged. Our law firm recovered the full one-million-dollar insurance policy for a girl who was not in the crosswalk when a motor vehicle hit her.
For over 54 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. We also recovered $1,500,000 for a lady who was hurt by a bus, although there was only a 1 million dollar insurance policy and we got $500,000 above that insurance policy.
We also obtained $295,000 out of a $300,000 insurance policy in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident (where a car door opens into the path of a bicyclist). One of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases. Also, we got a $1,400,000 verdict in a motorcycle accident.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning, paraplegia cases and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com