GOLDLAW – West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyers, Car Accident, Slip & Fall – Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb

Category: Pedestrian Accidents

pedestrian accidents, how they occur, and how our lawyers can help you recover

  • Stacey Abo May Have a Claim Against Hit-And-Run Driver and Her Insurance Carrier for Uninsured Motorist Coverage

    Stacey Abo May Have a Claim Against Hit-And-Run Driver and Her Insurance Carrier for Uninsured Motorist Coverage

    While crossing a road last Saturday, 65-year-old Stacey Abo was seriously injured when struck by a hit-and-run driver.

    According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Abo was walking across 10th Avenue North in a designated crosswalk near the intersection with Boutwell Lane in Lake Worth at 8:51pm, when a 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck struck her. The impact threw her onto the shoulder of eastbound 10th Avenue North.

    Witnesses told authorities the truck continued traveling east, leaving the scene of the accident. Deputies quickly located the vehicle, which was abandoned in a nearby industrial area. The driver has yet to be identified.

    Paramedics treated Stacey Abo at the scene, and she was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she is currently being treated for critical injuries.

    Personal Injury and Uninsured Motorist Claim

    If the hit-and-run driver is identified, Stacey Abo and her family may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim, pending an investigation. Another option might be to pursue a claim with her automobile insurance carrier for uninsured motorist coverage. If Stacey Abo has uninsured motorist coverage on a car insurance policy, those funds can help compensate for medical bills and for her pain and suffering.

    Injured victims involved in vehicle hit-and-run collisions often seek a personal injury claim to cover the costs of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma. If you need help filing an uninsured motorist claim, our experienced attorneys can review your coverage and that of the other party to help you know what kind of compensation is available.

    Notice: As a personal injury law firm, we frequently provide legal analysis and opinions on news stories in the hope that the family and friends of the victim may gain some valuable insight into our theories of negligence surrounding the available facts. Respectfully, our hearts and thoughts are with those who have suffered a catastrophic injury.

    If you would like a free, confidential consultation about an incident, check our website, or please contact us at 561-222-2222.

  • Family of Sydney Wolf May Have Legal Case Against Lyft and Driver

    Family of Sydney Wolf May Have Legal Case Against Lyft and Driver

    Sydney Wolf was hit and killed this past Sunday by a passing car after police say his Lyft driver kicked him and five other passengers out of the vehicle near Dewey Beach, Delaware, according to news reports. His surviving wife and two young daughters may have a case against Lyft and the ride-share driver.

    Police told reporters the Lyft driver stopped the vehicle in the middle of a southbound lane on Coastal Highway after a disagreement with the passengers and ended the ride, demanding that all six get out.

    The driver of a passing Toyota Corolla changed lanes to avoid striking the rear of the Lyft. Sydney Wolf had exited the right rear passenger seat and was standing in the roadway when the sedan struck him. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

    Sydney Wolf worked as a re-election campaign manager for a Maryland County councilmember and previously served as a former senior policy adviser for former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to ABC affiliate WJLA.

    Similar Case to Sydney Wolf

    Our law firm has represented many victims and their families in tragic cases involving Lyft and its drivers, including a starkly similar case in Texas in which a 25-year-old woman died after being kicked out of a Lyft in June. Her mother learned through media reports that an unidentified woman had been struck and killed on the roadway where her daughter had been walking home. Two days later, the local medical examiner confirmed it was her daughter.

    In the death of Sydney Wolf, the driver of the Lyft who kicked him out of the vehicle has been identified by law enforcement, but no charges have been filed as of the writing of this article.

    Notice: As a personal injury law firm, we frequently provide legal analysis and opinion on news stories in the hope that the family and friends of the victims may gain some valuable insight into our theories of negligence surrounding the available facts. Respectfully, our hearts and thoughts are with those who have suffered a catastrophic injury or death.

    If you would like a free, confidential consultation about an incident, please contact us today at 561-222-2222.

  • Family of Supraja Alaparthi May Have Legal Case in Parasailing Incident

    Family of Supraja Alaparthi May Have Legal Case in Parasailing Incident

    Supraja Alaparthi’s family may have a case against any company or person found responsible for the tragic parasailing incident on Memorial Day in the Florida Keys that killed her and injured her young son and nephew.

    The 33-year-old mother from Schaumburg, Illinois, was killed after a sudden storm prompted a boat captain to cut loose the parasail. The inflated parasail then dragged the family across the ocean and slammed them into Old Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys, according to a report by the Associated Press.

    The boat captain, Daniel Couch, 49, who works for Lighthouse Parasail Inc., which is based in Marathon, cut a line tethered from the 31-foot boat to the parasail because it was dragging the boat, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Couch could face criminal charges, according to news reports.

    Mark McCulloh, a parasailing safety consultant from Maitland, Florida, told the Associated Press that boat captains should never cut the cord when people are in the air.

    “No, no, no. That’s not even in the cards,” McCulloh said. He noted that, generally speaking, a captain is giving up control by cutting the line.

    “You run a huge risk because it’s windy. When the parasail lands in the water, it doesn’t stop moving,” he said. Turning the boat from side to side is considered a better way to lessen the tug on the line.

    Good Samaritan

    A nearby boater, John Callion, witnessed the incident around Pigeon Key and tried to rescue Supraja Alaparthi and the boys, pulling them into his boat and taking them to waiting paramedics, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.

    Callion told the Miami Herald that the storm developed suddenly, “It was pretty much flat calm, but you could see the storm coming. All of the sudden, the temperature dropped by 10 degrees and the wind started blowing like crazy.”

    Supraja Alparthi was pronounced dead at the scene. Her son Sriakshith Alaparthi, 10, and nephew Vishant Sadda, 9, were both injured.

    The Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife are continuing to investigate.

    Notice: As a personal injury law firm, we frequently provide legal analysis and opinion on news stories in the hope that the family and friends of the victims may gain some valuable insight into our theories of negligence surrounding the available facts. Respectfully, our hearts and thoughts are with those who have suffered a catastrophic injury or death.

    For a free, confidential consultation about an incident, contact us today at 561-222-2222.

  • Reynald French: Truck Driver May Be At Fault in Pedestrian’s Death

    Reynald French: Truck Driver May Be At Fault in Pedestrian’s Death

    Deerfield Beach resident Reynald French, 55, was killed March 24 by a turning tractor-trailer on State Road 7 in Boca Raton.

    In situations such as these, it is not always clear whose fault the incident was. Truckers are subject to many different detailed regulations requiring them to get adequate sleep, only travel a limited number of miles per day, and satisfy many different federal rules.

    In addition, most commercial trucks have a “black box” which records vehicle data such as stopping distance, speed, and other data.  An experienced personal injury firm can investigate such tragedies to determine if the trucker may have been partially at fault for this unfortunate tragedy.

    In Florida, a jury can find any percentage of fault against a driver in a fatal crash.

    Authorities say Reynald French was walking on the sidewalk along State Road 7. The truck driver was making a right turn into the Twin Meadows Lake development. French stepped off the sidewalk, hit the side of the truck, and fell. He was then run over by the truck driver’s rear wheels. An ambulance was called, and Reynald French was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

    Florida is the most dangerous state for pedestrians. A study from pedestrian safety organization Smart Growth America found that the state leads the nation in pedestrian deaths in traffic accidents. From 2010 – 2019, Florida had 5,891 pedestrian deaths, or about 2.8 for every 100,000 people.

    Reynald French’s funeral was held on Saturday, April 1. Friends and family members remembered Reynald as a kind, loving member of his church and community.

  • Anthony Creech, Killed on Okeechobee Blvd, a Major Thoroughfare for Pedestrian Accidents

    A pedestrian died on Thursday, December 3, after being hit by a landscaping truck’s trailer along Okeechobee Boulevard.

    Police say the accident occurred west of the intersection of Okeechobee and Spencer Drive, just east of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard. Anthony Creech, 48, of West Palm Beach, was crossing Okeechobee from north to south, around 6 PM. He had crossed two lanes when the trailer of a landscaping truck hit him and knocked him down. The truck was driven by Robbins Morales Vasquez, 31, also of West Palm Beach. Sadly, Creech was later pronounced dead of his injuries.

    Okeechobee Blvd – A Major Thoroughfare Fraught with Pedestrian Accidents

    Intersections on Okeechobee Blvd, including this one at the crossing of Palm Beach Lakes, routinely appear on the Florida Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles’ list of most dangerous crossings throughout the state, which is published periodically. That report tallies the number of crashes at an intersection relative to the traffic that passes through.

    68 of 467 pedestrian accidents recorded by FDOT since 2015 in Palm Beach County occurred on Okeechobee Blvd, representing about 15% of the overall count, far more than other state road in the county. Second to Okeechobee was Palm Beach Lakes Blvd with 22 (5%), accounting for only a third of the number of pedestrian accidents that occurred on Okeechobee.*

    Sadly, Florida also has the highest rate of pedestrian deaths in auto accidents in the country, with an average of 2.73 deaths per 100,000 people or a Pedestrian Death Index (PDI) or 182.0. The national average is 1.55 deaths per 100,000, or a PDI of 55.3. When it comes to passenger vehicles, pickup trucks and SUVs are more likely to lead to pedestrian death in the event of a vehicle/pedestrian crash.

    Heat map of pedestrian accidents on Okeechobee Blvd.
    A heat map from FDOT data shows Okeechobee Blvd. and Palm Beach Lakes and Okeechobee and Military as hot spots for pedestrian accidents.

    Accidents Involving Landscaping Company Vehicles

    Unfortunately, accidents involving commercial vehicles are not uncommon either. For the year 2017, Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports there were around 32,000 accidents involving large trucks, resulting in 27 deaths and 1,053 injuries. There are many reasons these crashes can happen.

    However, when a vehicle is hauling a trailer, there is a potential for danger if the trailer isn’t secured properly.

    Police are still investigating the crash that led to Creech’s death.

    *Data compiled by FDOT, analyzed by Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb. See map of pedestrian accidents in Palm Beach County.

     

  • Jupiter Jogger Dawn Bajak Dies After Driver Runs Red Light At Intersection

    Friends and family of Jupiter resident Dawn Bajak, 50, say they’re shocked and devastated by her sudden death, which occurred after a tragic accident in which a driver ran a red light.

    Authorities say Bajak was jogging around 5:40 AM on Monday, November 30, when she was hit by a pickup truck driver who ran a red light at Central Boulevard and Donald Ross Road. Investigators say she was in the crosswalk at the time of the accident.  Sadly, Bajak died from her injuries.

    Bajak leaves behind a husband, Tony Bajak, and her two teenage children. Friends describe her as a devoted wife and mother and a kind, selfless individual.

    Although accidents at this intersection are not uncommon, Palm Beach County Traffic Division, Engineering and Public Works Department say that since January 2017, there has only been one other accident there in which a driver ran a red light. That happened in May 2017 and did not result in a fatality. In 2017, there were 19 accidents at the intersection, 26 in 2018, and 20 in 2019.

    Questions left unanswered in the wake of this tragic crash

    While that doesn’t necessarily make that intersection “dangerous”, it does raise questions about what the driver was doing in the moments leading up to the wreck. At that time of the morning this time of year, it’s still dark out. But was the driver distracted? Was the driver listed as “at fault” on the traffic report? These are all questions that the surviving family will want to investigate and get answered.

    Location aside, a driver running a red light is one of the most common causes of car accidents in the US. Every year, this problem causes about 90,000 accidents nationwide. In the state of Florida, more people are hurt in accidents where the driver ran a red light than any other type of crash.

     

  • Mellisa Hicks Nault of Callahan Killed After Being Struck by Car While Trying to Help Two Injured Horses

    Mellisa Hicks Nault of Callahan Killed After Being Struck by Car While Trying to Help Two Injured Horses

    Melissa Hicks Nault, 38, of Callahan, died on Thursday night, February 27, after being struck by a car on US 301.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say the accident happened near Janes Lane. Nault was driving behind a Toyota 4Runner that came upon two horses standing in the southbound lane. The 4Runner’s driver was unable to stop in time and hit the horses. Nault stopped her car and got out in an effort to help. She was then hit by a Kia Forte that was driving by, which then overturned, striking one of the horses and Nault’s car.

    Nault was later pronounced dead. Her 15-year-old daughter, a passenger in the car, was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, and then released.

    Friends remember Nault as a kind person who would drop everything to help others.

    “When I read the story I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s Mellisa.’ It was just tragic that she’s helping somebody, and then an accident,” said Theresa Blair, a longtime friend.

    Accidents caused by wildlife, like deer or alligators, are estimated to cause between 725,000 and 1.5 million car accidents each year in the US. However, the situation is more complicated when large farm animals like horses and cows get loose and wander into a road. These animals don’t typically roam around in the wild, and when they cause an accident, it may be due to the negligence of a farm owner or worker. People who own or work with horses should be careful to keep them secured in a properly fenced area.

    Drivers also need to be careful when they see an accident scene of any kind, or simply a car stopped on the side of the road. Often motorists get out of their cars after an accident or breakdown, and it’s important for other drivers to proceed slowly to avoid accidentally hitting someone.

    Nault left behind a husband and two children. Her family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses.

     

  • Alina Palla Acosta Killed by Speeding Nissan While Rollerblading in Pompano Beach

    Alina Palla Acosta Killed by Speeding Nissan While Rollerblading in Pompano Beach

    Alina Palla Acosta, 27, died in a bizarre accident on Wednesday, February 19, while rollerblading in Pompano Beach.

    According to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Acosta was rollerblading down a multipurpose path along the 600 block of Northeast 10th Street. The driver of a speeding silver Nissan lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree nearby a little after 5 PM. Detectives who worked the scene said the car was going so fast, it split in two, sending flying debris everywhere. Sadly, a piece of debris hit Acosta, pinning her to a pole. She was later pronounced dead.

    The driver, 25-year-old Endail Thomas, and a passenger of the Nissan were taken to a local hospital, where they remain in critical condition.

    Residents of the area say speeding is a major problem and they wish more could be done to address it. Some even say they’re reconsidering their use of the trail.

    “I rollerblade here all the time. That’s really scary, especially with my dog,” said area resident Brooke Kosher. “I would say I wouldn’t be as fast to react.”

    “She was such a great person. She didn’t deserve this,” said Acosta’s longtime friend Daniela Del Ciampo.

    Acosta’s friends and family have set up a GoFundMe to raise money to send her body home to Brazil.

  • Construction Worker Killed After Being Hit by Car on I-95

    Construction Worker Killed After Being Hit by Car on I-95

    An early morning accident on Interstate 95 in Miami led to the death of a worker doing construction nearby on Sunday, February 16.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say the accident happened around 2 AM on Sunday, in the southbound lanes near 62nd Street. They report that a black SUV crashed into a white Toyota sedan. The collision sent the SUV flying into the nearby construction zone, where it struck a worker. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

    Sadly, construction site injuries and deaths are not uncommon. The Bureau of Labor statistics reports there are about 150,000 construction site injuries every year in the US. Annually, more than 300 people die in work-related accidents in the state of Florida alone. The most common causes of construction site deaths and injuries are falls and interactions with equipment, but failing to secure a work site can lead to all sorts of accidents.

    Companies that set up construction close to a major highway like I-95 need to be careful to protect workers from accidents involving vehicles. This may include things like putting up the proper signage, diverting traffic when crews need to work on the road itself or very close to it, and making sure workers are kept a safe distance from moving traffic in all situations.

    Drivers should also be especially careful driving in or near highway work zones. In some areas, fines for traffic violations increase in these areas in order to ensure drivers continue at a slow and safe speed.

  • Dwyer High School Honor Student Aden Williams, 14, Killed After Being Struck by SUV While Walking to Bus Stop

    Dwyer High School Honor Student Aden Williams, 14, Killed After Being Struck by SUV While Walking to Bus Stop

    On Wednesday morning, January 29, Dwyer High School student Aden Williams was walking to the bus stop when an SUV struck him, leaving the teen with serious injuries.

    Williams, 14, was an honor student and aspiring engineer. Courtney Newell, a family friend who helped organize a vigil held in his honor on Wednesday, February 5, said that he was loved by many.

    Police have not identified the driver, but say that a Ford Explorer struck Williams while he was walking to the bus stop, around 6:30 AM. The accident took place on the 3600 block of Congress Avenue, about a half-mile north of Blue Heron Boulevard. Williams was taken as a trauma patient to a West Palm Beach hospital, where he died several days later from his injuries.

    The Palm Beach County school district says grief counselors are always available to help students after a death that affects the school. Mental health professionals will continue to provide support for students and faculty as long as necessary.

    A GoFundMe has been set up to help Williams’ family with expenses.

    Unfortunately, Florida leads the nation in pedestrian deaths, and Williams is not the first child killed walking to a bus stop or waiting for a bus. Kids often wait for buses in the early morning hours, when there is less light and it’s more difficult for drivers to see. People driving to work at this time should be extra vigilant, particularly if they are driving through school zones or near bus stops. Driving slowly and paying attention to your surroundings helps reduce the risk of accidents.