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Tag Archives: accident injuries

Helicopter crashed and killed one accident victim in New York City

New York – A second helicopter crash in Manhattan occurred within the past couple of weeks. This crash occurred when the helicopter collided into the roof of a building in the area of Times Square in midtown Manhattan. One man, possibly the pilot, was killed in the accident. His fatal injuries were so extensive that medical professionals were unable to save him. The cause of this accident is still being investigated by aviation transportation officials. However, there have been some reports of possible mechanical failure that caused the engine to stall. This chopper crash is very concerning to citizens in the city who fear for their safety. It is reminiscent of the previous helicopter accident https://morrisonwagner.com/helicopter-accident-in-manhattan/ that just recently occurred alongside the Hudson River. Public safety advocates have long warned of the dangers of flying helicopters in and around the heavily populated city. They note that the dense pedestrian and vehicular traffic can set the scene for a disaster with multiple and extensive accident injuries. Some feel that the helicopters fly too low and fast and may not be properly maintained. In addition, the requirements for proper oversight of training and following of safety protocols are essential. See this article for more on this more recent fatal chopper collision.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Global Jet [License]

Helicopter accident in Manhattan

New York – The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River was treated for injuries after being rescued. He apparently was flying the helicopter, trying to take off, when it suffered a technical problem. This caused the aircraft to lose control and then crash into ground but sent the pilot into the river waters. Fire rescue teams rescued the man and transferred him to emergency medical professionals for treatment of his accident injuries. Officials say that he was very lucky to have suffered relatively minor and non-life threatening injuries during the accident. However, it is unclear what psychological injuries he may have suffered during the crash. Investigators will need to continue evaluating what caused the malfunction and determine if any negligent maintenance or other problem existed. In addition, a bystander on the chopper helipad apparently suffered a slip and fall injury while trying to run away from the impending collision. That victim reportedly suffered a wrist injury due to the trip and fall accident. Find out further details about the accident with injuries here.

Illustrative photo credit: cisc1970 [License]

Bicycle accidents, broken bones and traumatic brain injuries

As warm weather moves in, increased bike accidents become more common and lead to serious accident injuries. Statistics show huge increases in the numbers and severity of these accidents despite safety efforts. Experts note that children and adults are wearing helmets and other safety equipment more than in the past. None-the-less, some have pointed to worsening speeding drivers, reckless driving and hazardous conditions that contribute to injuries and wrongful deaths during road accidents involving bicycles. They explain that a car crash involving a bicyclist is much more likely to cause serious or life threatening injury when the vehicle is speeding or if there is a distracted driver behind the wheel. Studies into bicycle collisions show wounds that range from lacerations that can cause nerve damage, to broken bones, to neck and back injuries and even head injury with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Doctors say that helmets have improved the outcomes for accident victims injured in a bicycle accident. However, high speed motor vehicle collisions can still lead to these injuries. This article explains more about the recent research into bike accidents.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Luc Coekaerts [License]

Investigators looking into autopilot Tesla car crash that injured woman

Federal safety inspectors have been looking into details of a Tesla car accident that was driving in autopilot mode. The woman’s car crashed into a fire truck at a high rate of speed. Details about the collision are still being discussed as the driver admitted to being distracted by her cell phone while driving. However, she apparently explained that while she was the operator of the vehicle, she wasn’t in fact driving at the moment of impact since she had engaged the autopilot mode. The manufacturer of the car has explained that the driver must always remain vigilant and in control of the vehicle, even when the autopilot is turned on. The driver must maintain his or hands on the wheel and eyes must remain on the road in order to avoid road hazards and make corrections. The woman suffered accident injuries that were relatively minor. They included an ankle injury with a broken bone. However, the force of the collision could have also caused a neck and back injury or other serious life-threatening injuries, according to experts. This is not the first time a Tesla car was involved in a motor vehicle accident while in autopilot mode. A car crash involving an Apple engineer killed the driver in another case. Officials from Tesla also blamed that deadly accident on driver error, saying that the operator was a distracted driver. A New York accident injury lawyer notes that a great deal of risk is involved with the use of automated cars. The responsibilities of the car manufacturer and a potentially negligent driver will require in depth analysis. Further discussion about this autopilot car versus fire truck accident can be seen here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Marc van der Chijs [License]

Car versus truck accident kills one victim in Manhattan

New York – The driver of a Mercedes car rear-ended a truck that was double-parked in the street just before 5:00 in the morning in the Harlem section of Manhattan yesterday. Reports indicate that the delivery man who was driving the truck was inside of a local business making a work delivery when he left his truck parked in the middle of the street. The driver of the car apparently didn’t see the truck and caused the rear-end collision. Her vehicle then veered across the road and crashed into a tree, causing massive damage. The front-seated passenger of the car suffered a severe head injury with fatal brain damage. He was declared dead in Harlem Hospital due to the accident injuries according to emergency department doctors. The man who was killed in the crash was identified as being from Jackson Heights in Queens, NY. The female driver also suffered facial injuries but is expected to survive. Police have arrested the woman on suspicion of drunk driving. While police will continue investigating the cause of the accident, this type of deadly motor vehicle crash will require an expert accident lawyer to determine fault. The truck driver may be considered negligent for leaving the delivery truck in the middle of the road, while the possible drunk driver may also bear fault. You can read more about the collision here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Brad P. [License]

Data shows increased incidence of deaths from accident injuries

The recent release of data on the causes of death in the United States shows some disturbing statistics regarding fatal accidents. The study by the National Safety Council (NSC) showed yet another significant increase in car crashes with life-threatening injuries. Public safety specialists express concern regarding this, in light of the efforts to increase design safety of motor vehicles and roads as well as safe driving campaigns. Modern cars and trucks have advanced technology seat belts and airbags as well as safety sensors throughout the vehicle. Further analysis is needed but some wrongful death experts believe that the noted increase in serious injuries is due to distracted driver accidents. They blame this on the increased technology devices distracting drivers, such as driving while texting, talking on a cell phone while driving and even people who read and post to Twitter and Facebook while operating a motor vehicle. They also note that some drivers don’t take their responsibility seriously while they eat, read or speed instead of concentrating on the road. Several other causes of accidental injuries that commonly lead to death were identified by the council. These include slip and fall, drowning and overdose accidents. If you or someone you know has suffered a preventable accident due to someone’s possible negligence, you have the right to speak to an expert accident attorney to discuss your case. You can also find out more about the NSC study here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Walter [License]

Another pedestrian struck by tow truck on Long Island

New York – This is not the first time that a pedestrian accident involved a tow truck according to police. This latest tow truck accident occurred in Suffolk County and left the accident victim with serious injuries. The woman was crossing the street when she was suddenly hit by a truck, leaving her with multiple injuries. She was taken by ambulance to Huntington Hospital for emergency treatment, according to reports. Officials say that a similar tow truck crash versus a pedestrian occurred several months ago in Nassau County, Long Island. That collision in November killed the pedestrian woman. Of note, many tow truck operators complain that their job places them in a dangerous situation, exposed to dangerous or distracted drivers. This tow truck driver was injured at work when he was hit by a car while hooking up a disabled car. The worker in that case also died of his accident injuries. Authorities warn that everyone must maintain vigilance and safety when around a large truck such as this. Read more about the most recent tow truck collision here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo by David Shankbone [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

Official New York City vehicles increasingly involved in accidents

New York – A comparison in car and truck accident data from 2015 to 2016 involving city vehicles and employees shows some frightening results. The report shows that there was an over 10% increase in the number of collisions involving city municipal vehicles, including ambulances, fire trucks, garbage trucks, buses, city inspector cars and others, but excluding police cars. The most significant intensification in truck and motor vehicle crashes involved ambulances that are owned and managed by the FDNY. Ambulance accidents went up by more than 30% compared to last year. Unfortunately, further data regarding the numbers and types of accident injuries from these collisions has not been made available as of yet. New Yorkers have expressed concern regarding these new statistics, saying that this puts citizen’s lives and health at risk. They note that many of the city vehicles involved in these crashes are emergency vehicles that are speeding or reckless driving, leading to both more accidents as well as more serious injuries and deaths. An ambulance carries extra weight with all of the emergency equipment and the force of these accidents can cause irreparable damage. This holds true even more so for garbage and fire truck and bus accidents. Citizens are quick to point out that they appreciate the many emergency workers and city employees who do their work diligently and watch out for public safety. However, they demand that the city government and agencies work even harder to eliminate the dangers and problems that obviously still exist.

The city has reportedly worked to deal with the dangerous driver issue within their employees but even additional driver safety training has yet to solve the near-epidemic. Some experts wonder if the problem lies with the initial hiring and vetting process within the city’s agencies. Are they doing their due diligence to weed out reckless drivers and other hazards? Has the city done its part in preventing city officials from hiding behind their credentials and agencies when doing something illegal or dangerous? Citizen activists complain that many city workers speed, make dangerous U-turns and park in dangerous locations with impunity. Many questions are yet unanswered but one thing is clear – much more needs to be done to prevent further collisions, injuries and wrongful death. Check out this article for more on the increased city vehicle collisions.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Ethan [License]

Motorcycle accident kills one and injures another crash victim

New York – This morning’s motorcycle crash in the Lincoln Tunnel is being investigated by Port Authority police. According to reports the motorcycle accident ended in the death of a woman passenger on the back of the bike. The motorcycle driver suffered multiple accident injuries and was taken to a New York City hospital for treatment. It is still unclear how many other vehicles were involved in the deadly collision or if anyone else was injured in the accident. Accident specialists note that motorcyclists and bicyclists face many risks of accidents and injuries, especially on busy roads and highways. Reckless driving and distracted drivers are abound and the bikers have minimal protection from even minor collisions. However, some public safety advocates explain that motorcyclists and bicycle riders share responsibility by weaving in and around traffic and running through red lights. Speeding can also become a significant factor that can cause a crash or worsen its effects. You can read more about this bike accident here.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Dan Souza [License]

Long Island ambulance accident kills two victims

New York – Earlier today a private ambulance was involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County. The ambulance hit a highway overpass support wall while it was transporting a patient in the rear. According to the ambulance company, the EMT and driver of the ambulance were not travelling with lights or sirens, as this was a non-emergency transport. Images from the scene of the collision show that the entire front end of the truck was crushed inward. Additional ambulances from Nassau County were called in to treat the injured victims. Officials reported that the ambulance driver was killed after being crushed inside. In addition, the patient who was being transported in the back also died from the severe accident injuries. The cause of the accident is still being looked into by police. Investigators noted that it appears the driver lost control of the ambulance and slammed directly into the wall. His EMT partner in the back was also injured in the crash, including a suffering a head injury with concussion and leg fracture. That injury victim’s condition is still guarded and he will require hospitalization.

This ambulance collision is reminiscent of previous ones, including this ambulance versus bus crash in Brooklyn, New York and this ambulance and car accident in Queens. Emergency management specialists explain that the dangers involved with operating an ambulance or other emergency vehicle is quite serious. They note that the vehicles are heavier than many other vehicles on the road, require intensive training and constant awareness. Public safety activists worry that some drivers of these trucks are distracted by other things, such as their radios, cell phones or conversations while driving. Proper training to avoid these distracted driver risks is essential. You can see updates about the recent ambulance crash here.

Illustrative Photo by U.S. Navy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons