Bernice Schwartz, 99, was fatally injured in a pedestrian accident close to her home in the Bronx after she was struck by an SUV that was making a left turn. According to a report in the New York Daily News, Schwartz was crossing Oxford Street at West 235th Street — a block away from her Riverdale home — when she was hit the morning of July 27. Schwartz suffered severe head injuries and was transported to a local hospital where she died.
Dangers for Pedestrians
Police are investigating whether the driver of the SUV ignored a stop sign before the fatal collision although no charges have been filed yet, based on the news article. A neighbor said she and Schwartz often spoke of the dangers at the very crosswalk where she was fatally struck after going out to collect her mail. We offer our deepest condolences to Schwartz’s family members, friends and community. Family members said she was close to celebrating her 100th birthday.
Transportation Alternatives, a traffic safety and advocacy group, said 25 New Yorkers aged 65 and up have been killed in the city so far this year including five in the Bronx. The New York City Department of Transportation’s data show that at least 142 people have been killed in car accidents so far in 2022 — the same number at this point as in 2021 and 24 more than in 2019.
Seniors Injured and Killed in Pedestrian Accidents
City officials recently announced traffic safety measures in recognition of the fact that older adults are suffering severe and fatal injuries in pedestrian accidents. The city’s initiative is based on results of a study titled “Pedestrian Safety and Older New Yorkers.” The study revealed that while senior pedestrians are not being struck more often than pedestrians of other age groups, they do suffer much more severe injuries. The study also showed that senior pedestrian deaths are more likely to occur close to the victims’ homes and that they are often hit in the middle of the day.
DOT’s data shows that in spite of comprising less than 15% of the city’s population, New Yorkers who are 65 or older represent more than 45% of the total number of pedestrian fatalities each year. Older Asian New Yorkers are killed in traffic accidents at a higher rate than Black, white or Latino New Yorkers, the study says, most likely because of densely populated older Asian communities in neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Sunset Park and Flushing where people are more likely to walk than drive.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in pedestrian accidents can seek compensation for damages such as medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, lost future income, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident or bicycle 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.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should also 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 50 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. 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/or 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.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-bronx-pedestrian-99-nypd-20220729-gkxfb7abbvbq5eggaawcgipvlu-story.html