On behalf of Kammholz Law PLLC posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, September 18, 2013.
The scene was gruesome: Five children injured when a vehicle jumped a curb while students were being dropped off for school. A parent at the New York institution is accused of accidentally stepping on the gas at the Queens middle school on Sept. 12 during morning drop-off. The man, age 40, reportedly plowed through a group of youngsters as he allowed his little girl to get out of the vehicle at the busy intersection. The man was examined for intoxication at the scene, even receiving a breathalyzer test. He passed, so criminal charges will not be filed. Still, the man could face significant civil action because of the serious injuries inflicted on the children in question. The most seriously injured victim, a 14-year-old girl, was pinned beneath the man’s SUV when he plowed onto the curb. She was trapped under the vehicle with a friend. A group of passersby rushed to lift the car off of the girls. They are both in the intensive care unit. Reports indicate that the first girl suffered spinal trauma, and physicians are still working to determine how many bones were fractured in her body during the event. That girl also suffered head trauma in the incident, and her condition is not considered stable. The girl’s friend, also 14, remains in the Intensive care unit, as well, having suffered fractures to her pelvis and legs that required serious surgical intervention. Witnesses said the group of Good Samaritans likely saved the girls’ lives when they helped remove the vehicle. The scene is described in horrific fashion, with people reportedly screaming when the girls were pinned beneath the car. Even though the man will not face criminal sanctions, he could be held responsible for the victims’ medical costs, which are certain to be astronomical. The victims could also benefit financially by filing claims for pain and suffering and emotional distress, among other civil actions. These innocent girls did not deserve to be victimized by a careless driver, and he should be made to pay for his inattention. Source: nypost.com, “Kids crushed in Queens SUV horror” Kirstan Conley & Lorena Mongelli, Sep. 12, 2013