Yvonne Sandiford, 79, was killed in a Brooklyn pedestrian accident after being struck by two hit-and-run drivers, officials said. According to a Streetsblog.org report, Sandiford was crossing New York Avenue in the crosswalk when a vehicle struck her while making the turn onto New York Avenue from eastbound Herkimer Street the evening of Nov. 2. The driver, fled after colliding with the victim.
Sandiford was then struck by a second driver in a minivan. That driver also left the scene without stopping or assisting the gravely injured victim, police said. Sandiford, who lived three blocks away from the scene of the crash, died from her injuries. We offer our deepest condolences to the family of Yvonne Sandiford and her community for their tragic loss.
Fatal Pedestrian Crashes Involving Seniors
Streetsblog reports that since January 2022, there have been 45 reported crashes on New York Avenue in just the two blocks between Atlantic Avenue and Fulton Street. Those crashes injured two bicyclists, five pedestrians and 22 motorists. In the larger City Council district where the crash occurred, there have been 1,665 reported crashes so far this year, or more than five every single day. Those crashes have resulted in injuries for 105 bicyclists, 157 pedestrians and 575 motorists — averaging about three people injured every day.
According to the New York City Department of Transportation, seniors in New York City make up less than 15% of the population, but more than 45% of the pedestrian fatalities. Statistics show that the number of senior pedestrian fatalities has remained nearly flat since the start of the Vision Zero Program. While senior pedestrians are not struck more often, their injuries tend to be much more severe.
Left-turn failure to yield crashes cause nearly twice as many fatalities for seniors compared to non-senior adults, statistics show. Seniors are more likely to be struck in the middle of the day and many senior pedestrian fatalities tend to occur closer to their homes. The vulnerability of older individuals on the road is attributed to a combination of factors such as reduced mobility, decreased reaction times, and age-related physical frailty. These types of accidents result in severe injuries including hip fractures, head injuries and spinal cord damage, etc.
Injuries and Compensation
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.
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.
In a hit-and-run collision, the driver and vehicle owner are both responsible parties even if the owner was not driving when the accident occurred. If the driver was on the job and/or operating a company vehicle at the time, his or her employer can also be held liable. When the driver is apprehended in a hit-and-run case, he or she can be held financially liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Such drivers can be held financially responsible whether or not they are arrested and/or charged. If a hit-and-run driver has injured you, please remember that you can seek compensation through the uninsured motorist clause of your auto insurance policy (even though the driver has not been identified) or through a quasi-state agency if there is no motor vehicle in the victim’s household. You should consult a personal injury lawyer immediately to protect your rights.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
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.
For over 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. We 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, lead poisoning 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
Source: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2023/11/03/brooklyn-senior-the-rock-of-her-family-struck-and-killed-by-two-hit-and-run-drivers