9-year-old boy killed in New York pedestrian accident

The distinctive yellow taxis of New York City have become a familiar icon. In addition to more than 13,000 cabs in operation, the city also has one of the largest number of walking commuters in the United States. The combination of traveling methods can be very dangerous in the congested streets. A recent pedestrian accident has forever changed a family and may result in charges for one taxi driver.

A 9-year-old boy and his father were struck by a yellow cab as they crossed the street just a short distance from their home in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The father, a prominent New York radiation oncologist, suffered a minor leg injury. His frantic screams could be heard by a nearby doorman as his son lay motionless in the street. The young boy was rushed to a local hospital but died as a result of the injuries he sustained.

Witnesses, fearing the cab would flee the scene, jumped from their vehicles and yelled for him to stay. According to the reports, the taxi driver appeared to be in shock as he waited for police to question him. Distraught family members consoled one another at the hospital but declined to comment on the accident. Charges have not been filed at this time as police continue to investigate the pedestrian accident.

In New York, a victim reserves the right to seek financial restitution for losses suffered in a pedestrian accident if negligence can be proven. Should the investigation show that the driver in this case was negligent, the surviving family members of the victim may elect to file a wrongful death claim in civil court. The grief suffered when a parent tragically loses a child cannot be measured. While no amount of money could ever compensate for the life that was lost, a successfully litigated claim may provide the family with a sense of closure as they attempt to heal and move forward.

Source: nydailynews.com, Boy, 9, man, 73, killed in separate accidents in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Kerry Burke and Thomas Tracy, Jan. 10, 2014