Police say that a man driving a red Ford Focus hit a pedestrian near the intersection of 92nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens at 4:30 a.m. on July 5. After hitting the pedestrian while he was crossing the street, the driver hit a parked car. The 42-year-old male driver and a 35-year-old female passenger were both taken to Elmhurst hospital. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.

The driver was charged with criminally negligent homicide, DWI with a previous conviction in the past 10 years and vehicular manslaughter with a previous DWI conviction. He also faces a count of aggravated unlicensed operator. The news source did not mention if the man had been detained.

When a pedestrian is killed by a driver, the family of the victim may be able to take legal action to hold the driver responsible for the harm caused by the incident. While grieving loss of a loved one is hard enough on its own, struggling to recover financially after losing someone on whom your family depended can make tough times even worse.

Family members of a fatal accident victim may wish to meet with a wrongful death attorney to discuss the viability of a case against a potential defendant. If hired, that lawyer would likely begin gathering evidence by reviewing police reports and witness statements, if available. When necessary, an attorney will consult an accident reconstruction specialist to model the events of an incident in order to determine its exact cause. Also, legal counsel can sometimes arrange settlements on behalf of their clients when potential defendants wish to avoid civil litigation. Settlements cannot always be reached because wrongful death attorneys seek to ensure that their clients are adequately compensated in such agreements, which can complicate, and ultimately end, negotiations.

Source: CBS New York, “Driver Charged Following Crash That Left Pedestrian Dead In Jackson Heights”, July 05, 2014