Trucks are larger than other vehicles on the road and can at times haul dangerous chemicals. Due to the increased risk that trucks pose, truck drivers should be as careful as possible in their actions to avoid causing a preventable accident.
A woman was killed in East Harlem after being struck by a box truck. According to authorities, the truck was involved in an initial accident with a taxi after the cab ran a red light. The cab and the truck collided, causing the truck to jump onto a sidewalk. The woman was walking on the same sidewalk with her boyfriend when the she was hit by the truck and pinned against a fence. Emergency responders were unable to save the woman on the scene and she died from her injuries. Additionally, the driver of the taxi and two passengers in the vehicle were also injured in the accident and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Liability for any damages sustained in accidents that involve trucks and pedestrians is assessed by applying the same rule of negligence that is used in other motor vehicle accidents. Under this rule, all drivers are held to have a duty to apply reasonable care in the operation of their vehicle. A driver is held to be negligent if an injured victim can show that they breached this duty, the breach caused a truck accident and their injuries were a result of the accident. One unique aspect regarding the collection of damages when a truck is involved is that multiple defendants may be brought in to collect from. In addition to the truck driver, the company the driver worked for, a contractor or employer can also be treated as a defendant if the accident occurred pursuant to the driver’s employment relationship with the company.
Anyone involved in an accident with a truck is subject to serious injury and sometimes even death. Pedestrians are even more subject to significant injury due to their lack of safety devices or other forms of protection. Those injured may be entitled to compensation for any injuries that they sustained. Obtaining the assistance of a personal injury attorney can help with any prospective case and help a victim obtain the maximum compensation to which they are entitled.
