Two men were killed and four were injured when a Nissan Altima reportedly traveling at a high speed went airborne and slammed against a utility pole, the New York Daily News reported. Eyewitness Tommy Paradiso said the car was cruising at "75 or 80 miles an hour" before he saw the fatal accident unfold:
"They lost control and [the driver] swerved. He hit the curb and the car flipped over twice before it landed on the pole."
The six young men were allegedly speeding down Arthur Kill Rd. in Greenridge at about 1 am when the driver, who was not yet identified, lost control of the vehicle. The car nearly was cut in half by the impact and the two who died were thrown from their seats.
It's too early to know for sure how this will play out, although a CBS New York article cites unnamed police and district attorney sources suggesting that alcohol may have been a factor. Whatever the case, families for the two deceased men and the other three survivors (minus the driver) may already be contacting New York personal injury lawyers and preparing for a possible lawsuit.
FindLaw details the different ways liability is determined in automobile accidents, including many actions that may be claimed as acts of negligence. For example, speeding, reckless driving and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs all could trigger an injury lawsuit. The fact that all of the young men involved in the crash were underage could also come into play.
And the families of those who were killed in the crash may file wrongful death claims against the driver if they can prove negligence, as explained by FindLaw.
Jeff Capretta, one of the two deceased men, was arrested in December for a DUI resulting in a crash. No one was seriously injured in that incident but police said he had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.151 percent.
Contact a New York personal injury attorney if you have been injured in a car accident.
Related Resources:
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Car Accidents - FAQ (FindLaw)
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Find a New York Personal Injury Law Firm (FindLaw)
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NHTSA: Fatal Car Accidents Hit Record Low in 2008 (FindLaw Injured Blog)
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