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A fatal crash at the entrance to Sunken Meadow State Park in Smithtown is a tragic reminder of how quickly an ordinary drive can turn into a devastating accident.
According to the source report, a driver died after crashing into a toll booth at the entrance to the state park in the Smithtown/Kings Park area.
While this collision occurred on Long Island, serious crashes can happen anywhere in New York. Drivers throughout Westchester County, White Plains, Yonkers, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the surrounding New York City metropolitan area face hazards every day.
When a serious collision results in catastrophic injuries or death, determining exactly what happened—and who may be legally responsible—can become extremely important.
Why Toll Booth and Fixed-Object Crashes Can Be So Dangerous
Collisions involving toll booths, barriers, concrete dividers, guardrails, bridge structures, and other fixed objects can produce tremendous forces.
Unlike another vehicle that may move after impact, a fixed structure generally does not give way. Depending on speed, angle of impact, vehicle design, road conditions, and other circumstances, occupants can suffer severe or fatal injuries.
Factors that may contribute to these crashes include:
- Excessive or unsafe speed
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Impaired driving
- Poor visibility
- Rain, snow, ice, or standing water
- Mechanical problems
- Sudden lane changes
- Confusing roadway configurations
- Medical emergencies
- Other vehicles forcing a driver to take evasive action
A single-vehicle collision does not necessarily mean the driver was solely responsible. A complete investigation may reveal circumstances that are not immediately obvious at the crash scene.
Serious Crashes in Westchester County and NYC
Drivers in Westchester County regularly travel heavily used roads such as I-287, I-684, the Saw Mill River Parkway, Hutchinson River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway, Route 9A, I-87, and the Taconic State Parkway.
Traveling south toward New York City can mean even heavier congestion and complex traffic patterns in Yonkers, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.
Highway interchanges, entrance and exit ramps, construction zones, concrete barriers, narrow shoulders, changing speed limits, and dense traffic can all increase the consequences of a driver’s mistake.
When you’re behind the wheel, stay alert, maintain a safe following distance, avoid distractions, and adjust your speed to traffic, weather, and roadway conditions.
What Should You Do After a Serious Car Accident?
Your health should come first. Seek appropriate medical attention after an accident, especially when there is significant impact or you experience pain, dizziness, numbness, confusion, or other symptoms.
When circumstances permit, preserve as much information about the collision as possible. Photographs, videos, witness information, police reports, medical records, vehicle damage, and other evidence may later become important.
Insurance companies may begin investigating an accident quickly. An injured person should consider speaking with an experienced New York car accident lawyer before making important decisions about a potential injury claim.
Choosing a Car Accident Lawyer in Westchester County
Serious personal injury cases can require far more than filing paperwork with an insurance company.
The attorney handling the case may need to investigate liability, preserve evidence, review medical records, consult experts, take depositions, negotiate with insurers and, when necessary, present the case to a jury.
That is where extensive trial experience matters.
Norman Gershon has 35 years of experience as a personal injury trial lawyer and has represented clients throughout the New York City metropolitan area and surrounding counties. His courtroom work has resulted in tens of millions of dollars in personal injury verdicts and settlements.
Norman has developed a reputation as a go-to trial lawyer for difficult cases—the attorney other lawyers turn to when a case needs an experienced courtroom advocate.
Proven Results in New York Motor Vehicle Cases
Past results do not guarantee what will happen in another case, but they demonstrate the type of significant litigation Norman Gershon has handled.
Among the results identified by the firm are:
$16.5 Million Verdict — Betancourt v. NYCTA
An automobile passenger was injured in a collision with a bus and suffered serious spinal injuries.
$5.068 Million Verdict — Young v. Bal and Nissan Lift of NY
A motor vehicle sideswipe accident resulted in a cervical injury requiring fusion surgery.
$3.75 Million Verdict — Hernandez-Santos v. Egg Depot Inc. et al.
A motor vehicle accident involving a lumbar spine injury and fusion resulted in a multimillion-dollar Bronx Supreme Court verdict.
$2.5 Million Verdict — Yurkovic v. Cepin
This Westchester Supreme Court case involved a motor vehicle intersection accident and cervical disc injuries requiring fusion.
These are among numerous motor vehicle, truck, bus, pedestrian, and other personal injury cases listed in the firm’s record of verdicts and settlements.
What Clients Say About Norman Gershon
Results are important, but so is the relationship between an attorney and the person whose future may depend on the case.
Former clients describe Norman as prepared, accessible, compassionate, and formidable in the courtroom. One Queens client said Norman was knowledgeable, dedicated, easy to talk to, and always put the client first.
Another client described him as thorough and well prepared and praised his courtroom instincts and ability to keep the client informed as the case progressed.
Injured in a Car Accident in Westchester County or NYC?
A catastrophic accident can leave an injured person and their family facing medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation, pain, uncertainty, and difficult questions about the future.
You should not have to figure out the legal process alone.
If you were injured because of another person’s negligence, the Law Offices of Norman Gershon can evaluate the circumstances surrounding your accident and explain your legal options.
With decades of trial experience and a record of significant verdicts and settlements, Norman Gershon represents people injured in serious accidents throughout White Plains, Westchester County, Yonkers, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the greater New York City area.
When the insurance company knows your lawyer is prepared to take a case to trial, it can change the conversation.
Put 35 years of trial experience to work for you.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a collision, contact the Law Offices of Norman Gershon to discuss your case with an experienced car accident lawyer serving Westchester County and New York City.
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