Police Criticized for Handling of Pedestrian Accidents
Many New Yorkers take it for granted, believing that if they are ever hit by a car as they cross a busy street, the police will take their time to launch an investigation into the accident, testing the driver for alcohol, measuring skid marks on the street, and coming up with a full report. But, that isn’t always the case, and one man is now taking his story public to bring people’s attention to what he believes are the shortcomings of the handling of such pedestrian accidents.
Jacob Stevens, a New Yorker, watched as his wife was hit and killed by a driver early on a July morning last year. He doesn’t remember seeing the accident, and is grateful for that, but he remembers the sound. Stevens believes the police didn’t do enough at the time of the accident because his wife was not dead, according to the NY Times.
The police unit Stevens is angry with is actually a division of the New York Highway Patrol; it’s called the Accident Investigations Squad, or AIS. The AIS team is made up of 19 detectives and 4 supervisors who respond to the most serious of accidents. Their directive is to only respond when there is a fatality or if death is likely.
These detectives are specially trained to investigate only the most serious car accidents. They compile reports including evidence and details on the length of skid marks, any video recordings, and diagramming of the accident sites. In addition to providing a useful tool for the family of the victim and even the insurance companies, the report can also be handed over to the District Attorney’s office for possible criminal charges.
That’s what Stevens believes should have happened with his wife’s case. But it didn’t largely because she was alive in the hours following the accident, so AIS didn’t investigate. She died one day later.
AIS conducted 304 investigations last year. These investigations were likely crucial in any resulting criminal or civil cases. When an accident like this results in death or even serious injury, the victim or family of the deceased victim may be entitled to compensation from the other driver and their insurance company. Proving fault in order to receive this compensation is made much easier with a detailed accident report.
With only a handful of staff, it seems understandable that AIS wouldn’t be able to fully investigate every accident in the city. However, a complete investigation into an accident should occur as soon as possible following the incident, in order to ensure justice can be served.
If you were involved in a serious accident or if you lost a family member who was hit by a car, you could be entitled to compensation. At Omrani & Taub, we understand how difficult it can be to deal with the aftermath of a tragic crash, and we want to help.
Contact our offices today for a free evaluation on your case and to see what options are available to you.
