Hit and Run
We tend to not think of hit and run car accidents as a major issue in New York. Unfortunately in a large city such as New York, there are many selfish people living amongst us as we go about our daily lives. We often take our own safety for granted when we go for a casual stroll at night to the corner store to grab a late-night bite to eat. Tragically, a casual late-night stroll can end someone’s life and shatter a family. Sadly, this is what happened in Cypress Hills Brooklyn when Israel Turcios and his friend Delmer Maldenado went out for a bite around midnight. The two men, both fathers, were run down by a selfish, depraved person that ran away from the scene of the crime. Not only did this selfish individual leave two men dying on the street, he left two families shattered into pieces. ABC News reports that the search is on for this depraved individual who is still on the loose after this hit and run incident. The story can be read here.
In large cities such as New York and the five boroughs, nightmares like this occur more frequent then they should. When you or a loved one are the victim of a crime such as a hit and run, you need someone fighting on your side. You need someone that will help you put the fragmented pieces of your family back together. Call the Law Firm of Vaughn, Weber & Prakope, PLLC at 516-858-2620 to speak to a personal injury attorney.
Often times in Personal Injury cases, the injury itself becomes an issue. Not all injuries are sufficiently damaging to be considered “serious” under New York Insurance Law, section 5102(d). The facts of each particular case will determine whether or not each claimed injury meets the threshold of a “serious injury” under this statute. In order to cross the threshold and satisfy the statute, the nature of the injury itself must be a “permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member” or “significant limitation of use of a body function or system.” These standards were interpreted by the Court in Toure v. Avis Rent a Car Systems, Inc., 98 N.Y.2d 345, 350, 746 N.Y.S.2d 865 (2002) and later strengthened by the Courts in Perl v. Meher, 18 N.Y.3d 208, 936 N.Y.S.2d 655 (2011) and Adler v. Bayer, 77 A.D.3d 692, 909 N.Y.S.2d 526 (2d Dep’t 2010). Patrick Higgins, Esq. discusses the significance of these cases in great detail in The Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Action in New York State.
Understanding the categories of injuries and the way in which the law views each type of injury can be a daunting task. It is in your best interest to consult with an attorney to help clarify any questions you may have about whether or not your injury will pass the threshold of a “serious injury” under New York Insurance Law, section 5102(d).
Just for informational purposes; there also exists a 90/180 rule. This rule includes injuries that cause an injured victim to miss 90 out of 180 days from work. This particular post is not directed towards explaining this category but it is important to be aware of.
As always, if you need assistance with any aspect of your Personal Injury case, including threshold questions, please call (516) 858-2620 to speak to a Personal Injury attorney today!
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