New York – A heavy wooden-based hammock fell approximately five stories off of a Manhattan apartment building porch to the street below. The accident occurred last week during a rain storm that produced heavy winds, apparently throwing the piece of furniture over the guardrail and crashing down onto a pedestrian below. The female accident victim, a tourist visiting New York City, suffered severe injuries during the accident and subsequently was taken to a hospital. Witnesses to the fall and crash explain that the victim suffered a head injury and emergency department doctors were evaluating her for additional injuries. This type of pedestrian accident, while rare, is not unheard of. In fact, it is for this very reason that laws and regulations are in place in New York to properly secure deck and patio furniture, especially during heavy wind storms. Investigators are looking into the specifics of this case to determine whether or not the hammock was secured. However, a top accident attorney noted that further investigation should be undertaken to determine if any negligence was involved that may have contributed to this injury. Check out this site for more details on this fall accident.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Werner Vermaak (originally posted to Flickr as Immobilized Patient) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons