New York Man Killed By Runaway Pickup Truck While Eating His Lunch Outside in Financial District

In what can only be called a freak accident, a 70-year-old clerk for the State Attorney's Office was fatally injured last week when he was struck by a runaway truck as he ate his lunch outside a building on Broad Street in the Financial District of New York City. Witnesses said the 2008 Honda pickup accelerated out of nowhere onto the sidewalk and pinned the victim against the building. Although bystanders tried to administer CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to news reports, the truck was driven by an employee of a security company that works in the area. Trucks are often used to keep vehicular traffic out of the pedestrian-only financial district. No charges were filed against the 50- year-old driver of the truck, who is a retired police lieutenant.

The fatal accident was a tragedy. The victim's 29-year-old daughter said he was “a great father, a philosopher. He loved to read. He had so much to say about the world.”

Who Is Responsible In A Truck Accident?

Dealing with the loss of a loved one in an accident can be a highly emotional time. Along with the grief, feelings of anger and frustration also can surface. This is particularly true when the accident appears to have been senseless and without an explanation. While we know how last week's tragedy happened, we do not know why.

When a truck is involved in an accident, both the driver and the company that the driver works for may be responsible for any injuries. Before blame can be assigned though, a finding of negligence must occur. Negligence is a legal term for blame, or responsibility, in an accident. A driver could be found to have been negligent if human error contributed to an accident. A company can be held negligent if it failed to properly hire, train, or supervise employees. In addition, a company could be held responsible if it failed to properly maintain a truck. The manufacturer of a truck could even be held responsible if a defect caused, or contributed to, the accident. Only a thorough investigation by the proper authorities can determine what caused any truck accident.

If it is determined that someone's negligence caused, or contributed to, a fatal accident, then surviving family members may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party. A wrongful death lawsuit cannot bring back a loved one, but it can help compensate the surviving family members for the loss of companionship as well as the loss of financial support that results from the death.

Contact a Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have recently lost a family member to a truck accident, you may be entitled to recover damages for your loss. The Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys are dedicated to helping victims and surviving family members of truck accidents receive the compensation they deserve. For your free, no obligation, claim review, call 877-605-2876 or take a few minutes to fill out our online contact form.