What Happens When Auto Accidents Become Fatal in New York?

On June 1, 2017 by No Comments

When a particularly tragic auto accident occurs, we are all reminded of not only how quickly lives can be taken, but also how horrific a bad accident can really be.

You may have seen this recent story on the news: two off-duty NYPD officers were driving in the Bronx when their car flipped multiple times off of a traffic circle and caught fire. Both the images from the crash and witness testimonies are absolutely tragic.

The passenger, 27-year-old rookie Officer Bianca Bennett, was badly burned and killed in the crash. The other officer, 32-year-old Sgt. Randolph Price, was sent to the hospital in critical condition for his burns and leg trauma.

Car Accidents May Not Always Be a Freak Accident

When your loved one suffers a serious injury or dies in a car accident, you may be left with many questions. Why my loved one? What happened? How could the accident have been prevented?

When the story about the Bronx crash broke, details were not released about the cause of the accident. However, no other cars were involved. It seems to have just happened.

Sometimes, car accidents are just that – an accident. Unfortunately, many of these accidents could still have been prevented. Bad driver behavior is a huge factor in the majority of accidents on the road. Drinking and driving alone causes has been said to cause one-third of all traffic fatalities, although other sources have predicted even higher rates.

Other common causes of auto accidents include:

• Phone Use (texting, calling, Snapchatting, and so on)
• Speeding
• Running Red Lights
• Running Stop Signs
• Swerving
• Driving in the wrong lane

The list of driver errors that have caused fatal accidents goes on and on.

If Your Loved One Is Killed In a Car Crash

If your loved one is killed in a crash due to another driver’s poor behavior, what can you do? How can you find justice for the accident? Legally, you have the option of filing a civil lawsuit for financial damages, including the stress of losing your loved one.

Wrongful Death Suits

Wrongful death suits are very similar to other personal injury suits. You may sue to cover the medical damages, financial losses, and legal fees that resulted from the injury. In a New York wrongful death suit, state law says that “the amount of damages determined by a court are what it deems to be fair and just compensation for pecuniary injuries resulting from the decedent’s death. Damages include reasonable expenses for medical aid, nursing, and funeral expenses, in addition to every other lawful element.”

During your case, you will have to prove that the driver or passengers involved in the accident directly caused the accident, and that the accident caused your loved one’s death.

If another’s actions led to the death of your loved one, you have already had to pay for their mistake and nothing will make up for what you’ve lost. However, that doesn’t mean filing a wrongful death suit can’t help.

When someone dies, it’s costly in all kinds of ways. You lose their companionship. You have to deal with funeral and burial costs. You may lose their income. You might even have high medical bills from the last hours or minutes of their life.

The compensation that you can win by bringing a wrongful death suit can help you to make it past this enormous financial hurdle and get your life back on track and your family at least back on the path to normalcy.

Contact a New York personal injury lawyer today to discuss your options, possible outcomes, and how you can find justice after a tragic auto accident.