On behalf of Kammholz Law PLLC posted in Wrongful Death on Saturday, April 19, 2014.
A tragic accident claimed the life of a young woman who visited New York to attend job interviews. In cases where a family has lost a loved one who was in the prime of her life and looking forward to pursuing a career, they typically have extreme difficulty to find closure and move forward. The fatal accident occurred on York Avenue late on a recent Thursday evening.Witnesses described how a young woman landed in the path of a taxi cab after she was knocked down by another cab. They said that the woman was in the company of her sister and a male friend when they crossed the street. It was mentioned that the accident happened on a dangerous section of York Avenue, just beyond the crest of a hill that obscures the view of drivers and pedestrians.The young woman was reported to have been a senior at Boston College. Several witnesses rushed to the injured victim after she was knocked down, but they stated that it was obvious that she would not survive. The media report made no mention about the drivers of the two taxi cabs or whether any charges were filed against either driver after the accident.When a New York family loses a loved one in a fatal accident involving another party, they naturally want to learn exactly what happened and to what extent the other party caused or contributed to the tragedy. They may decide to assess the viability of proceeding with a civil wrongful death claim, seeking an award of financial relief based upon evidence of negligence. This victim was reportedly jaywalking on a dangerous stretch of street, though it is as yet unknown if either of the cab drivers were speeding or engaged in some form of distracted driving — only a full investigation can answer those questions. If the family chooses to pursue a claim for financial redress against the cabbies and their employers, they will need to prove that one or both drivers acted negligently in a manner that contributed to the young woman’s death. When the evidence supports such a ruling, courts may apportion fault among multiple parties — sometimes even including the victim — and enter a judgment for monetary damages based upon a percentage of fault as determined by the court.Source: upi.com, “Pedestrian crash in New York cuts short the life of Boston College senior Kelly Gordon“, Frances Burns, April 11, 2014