Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. | August 17, 2020 | News
A hit-and-run driver fleeing from another accident crashed into another vehicle and a bus shortly after 1:45 in the afternoon. The accident occurred near the intersection of Utica Venue and Clarendon Road in East Flatbush.
A Mercury Grand Marquis crashed into a Lexus RX 300 and then collided with an MTA bus. FDNY and other first responders assisted with the victims at the accident scene. First responders rushed one victim to King County Hospital with serious injuries.
Emergency responders transported five other individuals to King County Hospital with injuries. Three people received medical treatment at the accident scene. Rudolph Fraser told a reporter that his wife had been a passenger in the Lexus and had been taken to the hospital.
From photographs of the vehicles at the accident scene, there appeared to be significant damage to the front end of each vehicle, including smashed windshields.
Front End Crashes Can Cause Severe Injuries
Accidents involving front end collisions can cause severe and life-threatening injuries. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, occupants in the vehicle may be violently thrown into the steering wheel or the dashboard, which increases the risk of head and chest injuries.
In some cases, the force of the collision ejects individuals from the vehicle. Crushing injuries are common when the person is thrown from the vehicle, as is traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and internal organ damage.
Head-on crashes are responsible for thousands of traffic fatalities each year. Victims who survive a head-on accident may develop permanent impairments and disabilities. Some victims are unable to work or perform activities of daily living to care for themselves and family members.
The damages caused by a frontal crash can be enormous. Filing a personal injury claim against the responsible party can help recover compensation to pay for the care and expenses of the injured victims.
Damages Available in a Head-on Crash
A frontal crash can involve passenger cars, buses, motorcycles, commercial trucks, and other vehicles. The driver responsible for causing the crash could be liable for damages including:
- The cost of personal and medical care
- Therapy, including physical, emotional, and occupational
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Loss of wages, benefits, and income
- Permanent impairments and disabilities
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of quality of life
The value of a car accident claim depends on several factors. The severity of the person’s injuries and the amount of financial damages are factors in how much an accident claim is worth.
The amount of car insurance available can also impact the value of a claim. New York requires that all drivers carry a minimum of $25,000 in liability insurance for bodily damage. If the at-fault driver has minimum coverage, the victim may only receive $25,000 for the claim.
However, if the victim has underinsured motorist coverage on the victim’s car insurance policy, there could be additional insurance coverage available. The victim’s insurance company pays the difference between what was paid by the at-fault driver’s insurance company and the value of the claim, up to the policy limits.
Another important factor in calculating the value of a car accident claim is whether the victim was partially to blame for the cause of the accident. If the victim contributed to the cause of the accident, the compensation the victim may receive is decreased by the percentage of fault assigned to the victim under New York’s contributory negligence laws.
Why Do Head-On Crashes Happen?
In most cases, the cause of a head-on crash is driver error. Driving behavior, mistakes, and negligence lead to many of the frontal crashes that occur in New York.
Common factors that contribute to the cause of a head-on accident include:
- Distracted driving
- Excessive speed
- Drowsy driving
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Drunk driving
- Improper lane changes
- Reckless driving
Decreased visibility, weather conditions, and poorly designed intersections and roads can also contribute to the case of a head-on collision. A car accident lawyer investigates the accident to determine the factors that contributed to the cause of the accident. By identifying the factors involved in the accident, the attorney can identify each party who might have been involved in the cause of the crash.
Identifying all parties who contributed to the cause of the accident is crucial. The victims can only recover compensation from the parties responsible for the cause of the accident.
Insurance companies use contributory negligence to lower the value of a car accident claim by unjustly blaming the victim for the accident. Injury lawyers are aware of this insurance tactic. They are prepared to fight against unjust allegations of fault used to cheat a car accident victim out of the compensation he or she deserves.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in New York City
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Manhattan, NY, and need legal help, contact our New York City car accident lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. to schedule a free consultation.
Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C.
100 Wall St 15th Floor
New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007