Personal Injury Law

LACK OF BARRIERS LEADS TO FATAL DRIVE OFF ICY GARAGE DECK

In an example of a tragic motor vehicle accident, the New York Times reported that on February 14, 2008, after driving through a chain link fence's open gates, an SUV, filled with wallpaper and scaffolding, slid across about 150 feet of ice into a metal cable stretched across the edge of the garage, before it crashed 40 ft. below-landing on its roof- crushing and killing 46 year-old Julie Simon. Mrs. Simon and Charles, her 47 year-old husband, were working as wallpaper hangers as part of a crew of contractors working on a newly erected office building, police said.

"The car teetered on the edge for a moment and then flipped over. Nassau Police Detective Michael Bitsko indicated to the Times that Mrs. Simon?s husband was able to get out of the SUV right before it started teetering. The Times story reported that apparently Mrs. Simon was unable to unbuckle her seat belt in time to get out of the GMC Suburban before it plunged off the upper level of the garage in New Hyde Park, L.I., which was partially under construction.

The Times story reported that Police and investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating how the SUV got access to the off-limits area. Sgt. Anthony Repalone said "There is no concrete barrier to stop cars from going over?.

Full post as published by New York Injury Talk Blog on February 14, 2008 (boomark / email).