Doctor Samantha Lee was killed on Manhattan’s upper-west side over the weekend in yet another pedestrian accident. Dr. Lee, a 26-year-old anesthesiologist resident at the Columbia University Medical Center, was struck and killed right in front of the building where she lived. Reports indicate she was knocked to the ground by an ambulance and then, while face down on the ground, she was run over by a second vehicle, a Dodge Charger. The accident happened between 4:30am and 5:00 am. She became another pedestrian victim that has been killed recently during an extremely volatile time for fatal traffic crashes.
While the details are still emerging, our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, neighbors and co-workers of Dr. Lee. May they all have the strength and clarity to move forward with their lives.
Reports have surfaced that Dr. Lee was mid-block when she was hit by the ambulance. However, some neighborhood residents have suggested that jaywalking in that area was commonplace because the light at the corner was constantly malfunctioning. George Engel suggested that he jaywalked at the location because the walk signal does not work properly. He told the New York Post that “People are frustrated with that light not working properly.” He also added that if you wait at the corner you will be waiting “for a ridiculous amount of time.” Others cited speeding as an ongoing concern at the location.
Block O’Toole & Murphy has been calling for changes in how New York City is seeking to prevent and prosecute traffic crashes. Too often, dangerous intersections remain that way without any increased enforcement or any innovation. Additionally, reckless driving is frequently ignored by the police department and local district attorney offices. Pedestrians are being killed and the drivers that are responsible are frequently walking away without even a ticket. Change is on the way, charges Mayor DeBlasio and Police Commissioner Bratton. Well it can’t come soon enough because lives are at stake.
The trial lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy have been helping serious accident victims for decades. They have more than $700,000,000 in verdicts and settlements, including a $32,756,156 Verdict, a $12,000,000 Settlement and a $8,800,000 Settlement for pedestrian victims. To learn more about these committed lawyers, please see www.blockotoole.com. For a free consultation, you can call 212-736-5300 anytime.
Source; http://nypost.com/2014/01/19/woman-dead-after-being-hit-by-ambulance-on-uws/