Felix Mendez, 49, was struck and killed in a pedestrian accident in Brooklyn early morning on Oct. 12. According to an NBC New York news report, Mendez was walking in a crosswalk when he was struck and killed by a speeding driver who was caught on camera blowing a red light and fatally striking the pedestrian at the intersection of Bedford and Lafayette avenues in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Police said the driver fled the scene and is being sought.
Ongoing Investigation
NBC video has posted the surveillance video that captured the horrific incident. It shows Mendez beginning to cross the street with the walk sign. A light-colored SUV is then seen coming into the frame at a high rate of speed. The driver barrels into the intersection when the light is still red and sends the pedestrian flying.
NBC reports that the man landed on the hood of the car on the other side of the intersection before being tossed down to the ground. Police said Mendez sustained severe trauma to his head and body. Medics transported him to a nearby hospital, but he did not survive his injuries. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Felix Mendez for their tremendous loss.
Streetsblog reports that the city has seen 84 fatal pedestrian accidents this year through Oct. 6. Based on NYPD statistics this represents an increase from 70 fatalities in the same period last year. Over the same period this year, 6,424 pedestrians have been injured, which amounts to about 23 pedestrians every day. That number is also up 3% compared to last year.
There have been 26 pedestrian accident deaths in Brooklyn this year, up from 16 during the same period last year, which is an increase of 62.5%. Streetsblog also reports that between Jan. 1 and Oct. 7 of this year, there were 86 reported crashes in just the mile-long stretch of Bedford between Atlantic and Myrtle avenues, injuring seven cyclists, 10 pedestrians and 23 motorists, and killing one pedestrian.
NYC Traffic Laws
In New York City, both crosswalk and red-light laws play an important role in maintaining traffic safety — for both, pedestrians and drivers. Crosswalk laws require that drivers yield the right of way to pedestrians crossing the street within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at intersections. Pedestrians have the legal right to cross when they see the “walk” signal or when there is no oncoming traffic at an unmarked crosswalk. Drivers must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and can face significant fines or penalties for failing to do so.
Red light laws in New York City mandate that drivers come to a complete stop at a red light, even when turning right unless a sign specifically allows the turn. Running a red light is a serious traffic violation that can result in fines, points on a driver’s license and potential liability in case of accidents.
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
Sources: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/brooklyn-hit-and-run-driver-wanted/5880512/?os=fuzzscan3wotr&ref=app
https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/10/11/hit-and-run-driver-kills-pedestrian-on-bedford-av-hours-before-long-stalled-safety-redesign-begins