If you have spent any time driving in rural areas, you know that it’s somewhat likely that you are going to see wildlife as you travel. Deer, ducks, geese and several other types of animals tend to live and move around near roads that cut through unpopulated areas, and drivers need to be aware of them in order to avoid hitting them. This is especially true if animals that could wind up in the road are large enough to cause serious damage to a passing vehicle.

The urbanization of the United States is something that appears to be happening again after decades of seeing the population spread out into the suburbs and then into different parts of the country. As a result of this phenomenon, different traffic patterns are forming and different norms are accepted in enormous cities such as Los Angeles and New York as compared to places with smaller populations. In the United States, that’s obviously every other metropolitan area, as these are the two biggest cities in the country.

Every year across New York, more than 300 people are killed by vehicles while they are out walking.  More than 15,000 people are injured, and for the most part motorists who collide with pedestrians will remain at the scene of the crash so that the police and rescue workers can properly do their jobs.  Unfortunately, in a city like New York, motorists who do flee the scenes of crashes can be difficult to find for obvious reasons.  This is especially true when a crash happens during the early hours of the day.  

Tragically, that appears to be what happened this morning as two men were found dead after an apparent hit-and-run accident that occurred in The Bronx.  The men were found at approximately 4:30 a.m. under the overpass of the Bruckner Expressway at the intersection of Bruckner Boulevard and East 138th Street.  The names of the men were not provided, but they were immediately pronounced dead.  In addition, police have not yet determined the exact time that the accident occurred.  They are asking anyone who may have information regarding the crash to come forward.

Obviously, this could be a very difficult situation for the families of the men who were killed to handle.  Not only have they lost loved ones in a very sudden and violent manner, but they do not know who could have done this to them.  Hopefully the police are able to identify the driver involved and apprehend a suspect so that the wheels of justice can begin to turn and so that the family members of the men who were killed are able to at least move towards some sort of closure on the matter.

If the driver is caught, he or she will likely face serious criminal charges.  The driver could also face a New York wrongful death lawsuit if the families of the men who were killed decide to initiate such a step.  If they do and their case is ultimately successful, the families could recover damages that compensate them for their losses.  If you have lost someone you love in a crash, you need to seek the help of New York accident lawyers as soon as possible.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation. 

Every year in New York, more than 15,000 pedestrian accidents take place.  These crashes lead to nearly as many injuries and to more than 300 fatalities.  That's more than 41 accidents per day, and sadly those statistics will soon include a Queens pedestrian accident that took the life of a woman last night.  According to an account of the incident provided by the police, the woman who was killed was walking in a crosswalk at the intersection of 47th Street and Laurel Hill Boulevard at approximately 11:15 p.m.

The unidentified woman was 22 years old, and it appears that she was hit by the driver of a Chevrolet truck.  She apparently lived approximately one half of a mile from where she was hit.  Rescue workers rushed her to a nearby hospital, but she did not survive.  The police would not say whether or not any criminality was suspected in the crash, but they continuing to investigate the matter.  The name of the driver involved in the crash was not released.

People who walk around in the city need to adhere to the traffic laws that govern these situations.  However, if or when they do they also need to be able to trust that motorists will follow the laws and drive responsibly.  It is simply too early to know exactly what happened last night and what caused the crash, but if it turns out that the driver was at fault then the family of the woman who was killed could respond by filing a New York wrongful death lawsuit.  Wrongful death lawsuits that result in a verdict for the plaintiffs generally lead to awards of damages that compensate for several different forms of loss.

The statistics regarding New York pedestrian accidents have remained steady for several years.  As such, it stands to reason that 15,000 people will be injured in these crashes this year.  Those who are need to take steps to stand up for their legal rights.  If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in this sort of an accident, you need to contact the New York accident lawyers at Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald to schedule a free initial consultation.  

Driving is a skill, and it requires experience, knowledge of the road and the laws that govern every situation.  if a driver loses focus for even one second, it can immediately lead to disaster.  This is true whether someone is driving in a rural environment or along the crowded streets of New York, as anyone in or near a vehicle if it leaves the road is instantly forced into a position of extreme danger.  When it happens in a place like Brooklyn, many people can be injured or worse.

Imagine yourself walking into a deli just after midnight one night because you're hungry and you'd like to grab a sandwich on the way home.  You're ready to place your order when all of a sudden, a huge vehicle smashes through the front window and bears down on you.  As impossible as it may seem for such a scene to actually play out, that's what happened early yesterday morning in Manhattan.  A livery cab collided with another vehicle and plowed through the front of a deli.  Amazingly, no one inside the deli was injured, but the drivers of both vehicles were hurt.