An elderly man was fatally injured in a pedestrian accident in Washington Heights after he was struck by a vehicle. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the 76-year-old man was crossing Broadway at West 160th Street when the vehicle struck him. Officials said the force of the collision threw the victim about 25 feet from the point of impact. He suffered severe head and body trauma, according to the report.
Medics rushed the critically injured man to an area hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. The driver remained at the scene, but did not face charges immediately. The investigation into this deadly collision is still ongoing. We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of this pedestrian accident victim. They will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents Involving the Elderly
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 relatively 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. Drivers involved in left-turn and failure to yield crashes result in nearly twice as many fatalities for seniors compared to non-senior adults, statistics show. Also, senior pedestrian fatalities tend to occur closer to home. Seniors are more likely to be struck in the middle of the day.
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 accidents can have severe consequences, both for the elderly victims and their families. As mentioned, one of the primary reasons for the severity of injuries in such accidents is the frailty of elderly bodies. Bones become more brittle, and soft tissues less resilient with age, making older pedestrians more susceptible to fractures, head injuries, and internal organ damage in the event of a collision.
Another factor is the increased likelihood of health conditions among the elderly, such as heart disease or diabetes, which can complicate recovery from injuries sustained in an accident. These conditions may result in slower healing, extended hospital stays and an increased risk of long-term disability.
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 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.
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://www.nydailynews.com/2023/10/19/76-year-old-man-dies-after-driver-slams-into-him-in-manhattan/