On the morning of April 12, a 25-year-old woman had just put her 5-year-old son on the bus to school before taking her dog for a walk on Union Boulevard in East Islip on Long Island. When she was just west of Harwood Avenue, a white 2007 Chrysler veered onto the sidewalk and hit her and the dog, fatally injuring both.
According to Suffolk County Police, the 50-year-old female driver of the Chrysler also hit a utility pole after killing the pedestrian. Although neighborhood residents told the media that speeding vehicles often plagued Union Boulevard, police remained uncertain about the reason that the woman lost control of her vehicle.
Police said the driver had minor injuries and impounded the Chrysler for a safety evaluation. The media reported that many mourners brought flowers to the victim’s family and expressed their dismay over the young woman’s death.
Pedestrian knockdowns inflict sudden hardships on their victims and, as was seen here, can often be fatal. Of course, not all such incidents are the fault of the motor vehicle driver, such as when a pedestrian is crossing a street in the middle of the block. When the accident is fatal, the surviving family members may suffer immediate adverse financial consequences in addition to their grief over the sudden loss of their loved one. In the even that it can be determined, however, that the accident was the fault of a distracted, impaired, speeding or otherwise negligent driver, a personal injury attorney representing the family might find it advisable to pursue compensation on their behalf through a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the at-fault motorist.
Source: CBS Local, “Woman Out Walking Dog Killed After Car Jumps Curb On Long Island“, Al Jones, Emily Smith, Skye Brunetti, Sophia Hall, April 12, 2016