Fatal Hit-and-Run in Brooklyn Leaves Man Facing Manslaughter Charge
A man who killed a twelve-year-old girl in Brooklyn faces thirteen charges including manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. A stolen minivan jumped the sidewalk around 4:40 p.m. last July striking the twelve-year-old, her sister and her mother. The sister and mother survived, while the girl sadly did not. The New York Times reports that the minivan was speeding when it struck the family, which displays yet another careless driving incident leading to a tragedy in the City. Worse yet, the driver was seen fleeing the scene after he struck the pedestrians. If you or someone you love has been involved in an automobile accident and believe your injuries are someone else’s fault, do not hesitate to contact an experienced accident lawyer in Brooklyn today for a free consultation.
What to Do Immediately After an Auto Accident
Many times accident victims are in need of serious medical treatment or surgery. Therefore, be sure to call the authorities immediately so that you can get the help you need. Assuming you do not have any serious injuries that require hospitalization or surgery, exchange information with the other driver and take statements and information from any witnesses to the accident. Most importantly, do not admit fault to the other driver. Although you may be happy to have escaped unscathed, any admissions can be used against you in court.
New York is a comparative negligence state. This means that any negligence on your part will reduce the amount of recovery. For example, if you admit to the other driver that you looked away when the accident occurred, even though he or she was speeding or under the influence of drugs when the accident occurred, the admission may be admissible at a potential personal injury trial and may reduce the amount of recovery you ultimately receive for your injuries. Accordingly, it is important that you do not admit fault of any kind to the other driver following an accident.
Contact a New York Auto Accident Attorney Today
Auto accident cases can be complex in nature and frequently involve analysis of scientific data such as speeds and force. Therefore, it is imperative that you have an attorney on your side who specializes in representing injured parties. Further, there are undoubtedly going to be insurance companies with teams of lawyers skilled at reducing recovery on the other side.
Contact an accident lawyer in Brooklyn at Peters, Berger, Koshel & Goldberg, P.C. today at 718-596-7800 or 1-800-836-7801. We can help you determine the proper course of action to seek the recourse needed and assist with evaluating the facts and circumstances to advise you about the possibility of filing a civil lawsuit against the driver that caused your injury. Keep in mind that you should contact us as soon as possible after you learn of the accident because of statutes of limitations that begin to run as soon as you learn of your injuries.