A 60-year-old woman and 57-year-old man were killed in a hit-and-run collision in Queens on New Year’s morning when a pickup truck T-boned their sedan at a street intersection. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the couple was in a blue sedan when their car was hit by a pickup truck at the intersection of Rockaway Parkway and Ocean Crest Boulevard. Officials said the driver of the truck abandoned the vehicle leaving his two passengers behind.
Fatalities and Injuries
Both occupants of the sedan were pinned and found by paramedics, unconscious 
and unresponsive in the vehicle, having suffered head and body trauma. They were rushed to an area hospital, but succumbed to their injuries. A 37-year-old man who was a passenger in the truck suffered a head injury and was taken to a hospital in stable condition and another passenger in the pickup truck, a 33-year-old man, was taken into custody after arguing with police.
The pickup truck’s driver had managed to flee before first responders arrived at the scene. Police are still looking for the driver. The deceased man and woman were described as “hardworking immigrants.” We offer our deepest condolences to their family for their terrible loss.
Hit and Run Collisions in NYC
According to NYPD’s data, in the third quarter of 2020 alone, there were 18 traffic accidents that resulted in critical injury where a driver left the scene. No arrests were reported during this time and one citation was issued. Leaving the scene of an injury or fatal accident is illegal under New York’s laws. Motorists are required to stop immediately, remain at the scene and render aid to anyone who was injured in the crash.
Passengers who are injured in such accidents also have legal rights and can file a claim seeking compensation for their injuries, damages and losses. An experienced New York car accident lawyer can help them better understand their legal rights and options.
Seeking Compensation
A vast majority of hit-and-run crashes are caused by negligent (careless) drivers who are speeding or violating the rules of the road such as running a red light or failing to yield the right of way. Such drivers can be held financially responsible for a crash and the injuries caused, 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, but you should have an experienced personal injury lawyer help you because there are many pitfalls that can cause you to lose your case.
In such cases, the at-fault driver (when identified) may face charges and penalties. In addition, he or she can be held financially liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. You should retain an experienced personal injury lawyer right away to help protect your legal rights. A family who has lost a loved one in a hit-and-run crash may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation as well.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car 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 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.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-nyc-fatal-crash-new-years-day-20210101-sdcoai4hkffzfbznnfy2xiizqa-story.html