Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
The mother of a 4-year-old girl who was struck and killed by an out of control car in Manhattan earlier this month has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming that her daughter’s death could have been avoided if emergency vehicles had not been delayed in their response.
The 26-year-old mother said that while no amount of money can bring her daughter back, she wants the city to be held accountable for their actions so that this tragedy does not happen to anyone else in the future.
The young child was struck by a sport utility vehicle on June 4 as she was walking on the sidewalk with her grandmother on her way to school. The grandmother suffered injuries to her spine and ankle.
The 17-year-old driver of the SUV lost control of his car as he was being chased by police.
According to reports, city officials have admitted that there was a four-minute delay in dispatching an emergency vehicle to the accident site at Amsterdam Avenue and 97th Street. At a recent news conference, the fire commissioner blamed the 911 dispatcher who was sitting at the computer where the message arrived, but failed to respond in time. He rebuffed any suggestions that the mistake was a result of a failure in the city’s new 911 system, an advanced dispatch system that set the city back $2 billion.
However, the president of the union that represents the city’s emergency medical technicians, paramedics and fire inspectors, challenged the fire commissioner’s version of events.
He issued the following statement:
“The commissioner of the Fire Department tried to blame a young lady with an impeccable reputation for not doing her job, when the reality is that the call was never on her screen. I do know that in the weeks leading up to this incident there were many problems with the system.”
The family is apparently seeking $20 million in damages for the death of the young girl. The grandmother is also pursuing $20 million for her injuries. The lawsuit names the city, the Police Department and the Fire Department.
The driver of the SUV, who was allegedly driving without a license, was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
Losing a child is absolutely devastating for any parent. When such a tragedy claims a young life early and unexpectedly, dealing with the situation can be overwhelming. However, when someone else is to blame for a tragedy that could have been avoided, the family of the deceased can file a lawsuit to hold the negligent party accountable. While most people may choose to hold the careless or negligent driver liable in a crash such as this, as this case points out, there can be multiple parties to blame.
It will certainly be interesting to see how this case plays out. Sadly, nothing can make up for the death of a child, but knowing that the negligent parties can be held responsible through a wrongful death lawsuit can help a family move on from such a horrific accident.
If a family member has died as a result of another person’s actions, you may be eligible to receive financial compensation for your loss. A New York Wrongful Death Attorney at Whittel & Melton can help you through this difficult time. For a free consultation regarding your injury or wrongful death matter, call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online.