Several NYPD Police Officers Injuried in Separate Car Accidents
Between February and May, 2023, there were several tragic injuries to New York City police officers from motor vehicle accidents. Our NYC police line of duty accident lawyers know how tragic these incidents can be for the officers and their families. Often police officers who are injured in car accidents are entitled to more than just their line of duty pay under New York law and have the right to bring lawsuits against the negligent driver who caused their injuries. If the driver gets away and cannot be identified, or they have inadequate coverage, officers can look to their personal insurance policies for coverage.
On the morning of Sunday May 7, 2023, an SUV traveling at a high speed blew past a checkpoint and struck a New York City Police lieutenant. As the driver passed the check point, his mirror struck the officer and thew him to the ground. The driver then fled from the scene without stopping to render assistance or provide any information. The officer was rushed to a nearby hospital.
On Sunday, February 13,2023 two NYPD officers were injured while responding to a call for assistance in the Greenwich Village area of Manhattan. Reports indicate that the officers were pursuing suspects, when their vehicle crashed into another vehicle that was not involved in the pursuit. In this case, the officers can sue the driver involved in the crash because New York's Vehicle and Traffic officers requires other drivers to yield to police officers who have lights and sirens activated, even when the other driver has a green light.
In one incident where the police were able to identify the driver, an arrest was made of Benjamin Abrams for an April incident, which left two officers injured in midtown Manhattan. When the officers stopped Abrams for making an unsafe lane change, he fled and led police on a wild chase through Midtown Manhattan, after the officer detected fraudulant documents. He drove recklessly, disregarding traffic signals, swerving between parked cars and narrowly missing pedestrians. Eventually his car became wedged between two other vehicles, ending the pursuit. Two officers sustained injuries as a result of being struck by Abrams' vehicle. According to police reports, the car left behind extensive damage to an outdoor dining structure in Hell's Kitchen as well.Following his arrest, Abrams was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. He is currently being held at the Manhattan Detention Complex.
Our NYC police officer line duty injury attorneys know how badly an officer can be injured in a motor vehicle accident. Accidents involving police vehicle can occur at high speeds or perpetrators fleeing the police can hit or drag an officer, who is trying to detain a vehicle. According to the New York City Police Department, car accidents are a leading cause of injuries among police officers. In 2017, there were over 1,500 reported police officer injury cases related to car accidents. The majority of these injuries were minor bruises and cuts; however, some officers sustained more serious injures such as broken bones or concussions. According to the New York City Police Department’s Motor Vehicle Collision Data for 2018, there were a total of 129,620 motor vehicle accidents reported in the five boroughs of New York City, resulting in 454 fatalities and 44,908 injuries. Of these collisions, 571 involved pedestrians; unfortunately leading to 175 deaths and 6,034 injuries. These numbers are staggering when compared to those from 2017, with 35 more fatalities and an overall increase of 1.8%. Furthermore, 40% of all pedestrian fatalities were classified as “unpreventable” due to driver behavior or environmental factors. The NYPD has taken measures such as installing speed cameras around schools zones and increasing its traffic enforcement presence in order to reduce these numbers.In 2018, Queens had the highest amount of fatalities with 92 deaths and 14,865 injuries as a result of motor vehicle collisions – accounting for 20% and 33% respectively. Brooklyn had the second most fatal accidents with carelessness and speeding being two major contributing factors. The Bronx reported 1,719 pedestrian related injuries while Staten Island reported 479; both significantly lower than those of Queens and Brooklyn but still substantial nonetheless.