A 10-year-old girl was struck and killed by a school bus the morning of Feb. 25 as she attempted to cross a street in Brooklyn. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the incident occurred in East New York when the girl was in a crosswalk on Wortman Avenue. The bus, which was heading north on Crescent Street made a right turn and hit her, officials said.
The child was transported to a local hospital with her parents before being pronounced dead. A 15-year-old boy was also struck by the bus and treated for a leg injury. Police arrested the driver of the bus after an investigation and charged him with failing to yield to a pedestrian. We offer our deepest condolences to the family of this child and pray that the teen who was injured makes a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep them in your prayers.
Pedestrian Deaths
The victim in this fatal crash was reportedly a student at a local charter school. Her death occurred after 20 pedestrians were killed this year through Feb. 24. During the same period, 18 pedestrians were killed citywide last year and 14 the year before. In all of last year, 124 pedestrian accident deaths were reported in New York City, according to the city’s Department of Transportation.
Recent data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) shows that there were 5,977 pedestrians killed in 2017 due to traffic accidents across the nation. Also, 16 percent of all traffic fatalities were pedestrians and approximately one pedestrian was killed every 88 minutes in a traffic crash that year. Large vehicles including trucks, vans and SUVs were involved in 2,235 of these pedestrian deaths.
Ongoing Investigation
The bus involved in this fatal pedestrian accident operates under a contract with the Department of Education, which told the Journal that no students were on board at the time of the collision. The driver has been suspended pending the outcome of this investigation. He will also be sent for drug and alcohol testing, officials said. The bus company has said it is cooperating with the police investigation.
In this particular case, the driver has been charged with failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians. In New York City, failing to yield the right of way is one of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents, particularly at busy street intersections. Under New York law, all drivers are required to come to a full stop at a crosswalk or intersection. And not doing so may result in catastrophic injuries or even death, as is evident from this horrific crash.
Negligence and Liability
Where negligence (carelessness) is established, drivers and their employers as well as other responsible parties can be held financially liable for the injuries, damages and losses that occur, even if they are not criminally charged by the authorities. Injured victims will able to seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the appropriate parties seeking compensation for damages as well.
It is important to remember that pedestrian accident victims and their families may be able to seek compensation for injuries or losses in collisions even if they were not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver has not been 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.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto or truck or van 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.
For over 49 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 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. Also, 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.
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 and medical malpractice 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
Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ten-year-old-girl-killed-by-new-york-city-school-bus-11582662533