Anyone who has ever been involved in a traffic accident knows all too well how, in a matter of seconds, one’s entire life can be turned upside down. According to the New York Police Department, last month alone, officers responded to a total of 20,025 motor vehicle collisions throughout the city’s five boroughs.
In total, 25 people were killed and more than 4,850 injured in these accidents. These staggering numbers represent the many dangers that individuals who choose to drive, bike and walk in New York City face on a daily basis. While the vast majority of traffic accidents that were reported during October involved personal passenger vehicles; a significant number of collisions also involved buses, taxis and large commercial vehicles.
Among the factors cited by responding police officers as contributing to the more than 20,000 collisions, distracted or inattentive driving was a factor in roughly 20 percent. An estimated 10 percent of crashes were attributed to drivers who were following too closely and failing to yield the right-of-way was a factor in about six percent of crashes.
For a driver, passenger, bicyclist or pedestrian who is injured due to the negligent acts of another driver; it’s important to explore one’s legal options. Taking legal action is the only way for an accident victim to recover compensation to account for the many and varied expenses that often result from involvement in a traffic accident. From costly medical bills and lost wages to factoring costs associated with a disabling injury and one’s diminished earning capacity; an attorney will fight vigorously to help recover compensation so an individual can work to move on with and rebuild his or her life.