Do you know how to protect your legal rights after a serious accident? It’s no secret, your life can change in an instant and every day there are innocent people who are catastrophically injured when they are hit by a vehicle such as a truck or a car. If that happens to you in New York, according to Jordan Merson, prominent New York Attorney, there are steps that you must take in order to protect your legal rights and get the medical care that you need covered financially, within the first thirty days after the accident.
Even if you have the right of way and do nothing wrong, you can be hit by a car and your life can be altered forever.
A recent real life example can be found in this New York Daily News article about a woman who was intentionally hit by a cab driver.
Around 10 a.m. on July 27, a deranged taxi driver purposely gunned his engine and struck a 31-year-old woman crossing a Chelsea street because he was tired of being bullied and wanted to be “left alone,” officials said Friday.
Adam Hernandez, 30, of Brooklyn, was charged with vehicular assault for striking Dana Smolen, 31, on Sixth Ave. and W. 19th St. around 10 a.m. on July 27.
Smolen, who lives on the Upper East Side, was in the crosswalk when Hernandez rammed into her, briefly pinning her between the cab and a parked car he slammed into. Witnesses saw the cabbie cross a red light intersection as he charged Smolen. When cops arrived, Hernandez freely admitted he targeted the woman.
“He intended for his taxicab to strike the person,”
Hernandez’s reasoning, however, had everyone hitting the brakes.
“This wouldn’t have happened if I was left alone,” he said, according to police sources. He also told investigators that he was tired of being bullied, the sources said. Police said it wasn’t clear if Hernandez had any interaction with Smolen before striking her with his car. Smolen was taken to Bellevue Hospital with bruises to her face, elbow and knees and was later released. She didn’t want to talk about the assault when reached Friday.
“You’ll have to excuse me,” she said as she walked past a reporter, refusing to speak further
Hernandez, who doesn’t have a criminal record, was arraigned on vehicular assault charges and released from jail on July 29 after paying his $10,000 bail, according to court records.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission immediately suspended Hernandez’s hack license pending the outcome of the court case, an agency spokesman said. The TLC cited him for minor moving violations in October and in June 2013. A cabbie since 2010, he was also cited in 2014 for failing to keep his cab’s equipment properly maintained, the spokesman said. Further details weren’t immediately available.
5 Steps to Take After a Serious Motor Vehicle Accident to Protect Your Legal Rights
Merson Law has been retained in many high profile catastrophic injury cases – whether it occurs as a result of medical malpractice, truck or car accident, child sex abuse or by any other injustice. Here are 3 steps Merson Law recommends to take after a serious motor vehicle accident to protect your legal rights:
- Make sure to get medical treatment. Trying to “tough it out,” will jeopardize your health!
- Obtain the police report or the officer’s name. Make sure to provide as much detail to the police as you can, so that the report is as thorough as possible. Your lawyer can obtain the report, which can be critical evidence.
- Make sure to file a no fault claim. This insurance will cover your initial medical care and lost earnings. At Merson Law, we can assist with this, as well.
Merson Law has built a trusted reputation representing people who have suffered catastrophic injuries. The team at Merson Law has extensive experience litigating cases valued in excess of $1 million and much of their background includes prosecuting cases that have resolved for more than $10 million. If you need our help, contact us now for a free consultation and medical evaluation.
