A local jeweler, who was a longtime fixture of her Manhattan neighborhood, was killed as she crossed the street about five blocks from her home.
77-year-old Carol Dauplaise was walking near the intersection of Madison Avenue and East 36th Street when a driver in a 2013 Toyota Camry, 49-year-old Buddhi Gurung, of Sunnyside, made a right turn directly into her path. A number of Good Samaritans rushed to her aid, as she was trapped under the car. Eventually, six or seven men lifted the Camry onto its side. According to one witness, Ms. Dauplaise was bleeding from her mouth and nose, breathing with difficulty, and unable to speak. First responders transported her to a nearby hospital, where she was subsequently pronounced dead.
Mr. Gurung, who remained at the scene, was cited for failure to exercise due care and failure to yield to a pedestrian.
Pedestrian Crash
Many pedestrian-vehicle crashes occur in a manner similar to the above story: a car or truck turning right and colliding with a pedestrian. Many drivers who are turning right, especially if they roll through a stoplight to make a right turn on red, only look to the left from the moment they pull up to the intersection. This practice is illegal and dangerous, and also quite common.
Speed or sudden acceleration are often deadly for pedestrians, especially for young children and older adults. A velocity of at least 25mph nearly always results in a nearly fatal injury, while a speed of at least 40mph is basically not survivable.
In most jurisdictions, a pedestrian nearly always has the right-of-way over a turning vehicle, so fault is often a relatively straightforward matter. Some of the injuries in these collisions include:
- Crushed Bones: If victims are caught under the vehicle or between the vehicle and another fixed object, their bones are usually snapped by the time first responders arrive.
- Road Burns: If the victims are dragged a few feet, which nearly always happens, the extremely painful abrasions are almost impossible to treat and often impair mobility for weeks or months.
- Severe Blood Loss: Because first responders and doctors often focus on trauma injuries, internal bleeding may go unchecked for minutes or even hours.
Damages in a serious crash normally include compensation for both economic and noneconomic losses.
For immediate assistance with a pedestrian-auto crash claim, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Proner & Proner. You have a limited amount of time to act.
