New Brunswick Police Save Trapped Victim
Several New Brunswick police officers, two good Samaritans, and an off-duty physician are being lauded as heroes after rescuing a pedestrian that was trapped under a car that had run him over. The police officers that arrived on the scene, along with two other people that witnessed the accident, physically lifted the vehicle off the victim, allowing the physician to pull him out from underneath the car. The doctor was able to treat the victim’s injuries until emergency medical personnel arrived to transport him to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The victim was treated for his injuries and is expected to survive.
Pedestrian Accidents Result in Catastrophic Injuries
Close to 5,000 pedestrians are fatally injured and 70,000 more are injured each year in accidents with motor vehicles. Pedestrians include people that are walking, bicycling, jogging, running, skateboarding, and rollerblading along sidewalks and roadways. These seemingly safe activities can prove dangerous when accidents with cars, trucks, and motorcycles occur.
The impact suffered by the pedestrian when they are struck by a motor vehicle can cause serious and often fatal injuries. Head injuries, back and spinal injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, and pelvic fractures are common among pedestrian accident victims. These types of injuries can lead to temporary and permanent disability.
When pedestrians are struck by a motor vehicle, they may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. A pedestrian accident is likely to be covered under a driver’s insurance. Compensation may also be available through a personal injury lawsuit that can include medical expenses, as well as compensation for pain and suffering.
Common Types of Pedestrian Accidents
Car accidents can happen to anyone at any time, but pedestrian accidents typically share a common denominator, such as:
- Intersections and Crosswalks: Pedestrians can be struck when crossing an intersection or crosswalk, even when they are following traffic signals. Drivers that fail to yield to a pedestrian are in violation of the law. Pedestrians always have the right of way. Drivers also commonly run into bicyclists and pedestrians when making left hand turns in an intersection when they fail to see someone approaching before engaging in the turn. Right hand turn accidents occur when drivers focus their attention to oncoming traffic from the left.
- Distracted Driving: Drivers that engage in cell phone use, texting, and other forms of distracted driving behaviors put pedestrians at serious risk for injuries. Any activity that distracts the driver’s attention from the road can lead to a collision with a pedestrian.
- Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, and ice can limit visibility and cause vehicles to lose control. Pedestrians are often struck by drivers that cannot see them due to weather conditions, or when sliding on slick road surfaces.
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs: Impaired drivers put everyone at risk, especially pedestrians. Poor judgment, a slowed reaction time, and lack of focus are often the result of pedestrian casualties.
New Brunswick Pedestrian Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Represent Injured Victims of Pedestrian Accidents
If you have been injured in an accident, call the New Brunswick pedestrian accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr at 732-537-8570, or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today. Our Highland Park, New Jersey offices serve clients in New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, and Colonia.
