An East Patchogue, Long Island, resident, Abdelgheni Dakyouk, has been charged with causing the death of a pedestrian in a hit-and-run accident.
Dakyouk allegedly not only killed a 37-year-old pedestrian but didn’t stop at the scene of the accident and did not report that he had hit someone. The victim who was hit and killed was in Coram, walking along Route 112 when the incident took place.
Hitting a pedestrian while driving on Long Island or New York’s highways is a very serious matter, especially if the driver does not stop to go to the aid of the accident victim and fails to stop for a potential fatality. Fortunately, the police have since apprehended Dakyouk and they will be asking more questions about the incident and how he killed an innocent person.
This untimely death will have been shocking news for the family of the deceased and they will no doubt be looking for answers. It’s not every day that a member of someone’s family loses his or her life because they were walking on a highway.
There are areas for pedestrians and areas for vehicles on highways, and each is expected to keep to their designated area. Often, drivers are in a hurry or may be texting or talking on their cell phones while driving, which could mean they lose temporary control of their vehicles and veer out of their lane. In this incident, Dakyouk apparently had enough control after he hit the pedestrian to drive away without hitting any more objects.
Once the relatives and the police have established the exact cause of the death it may be possible for the family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault driver. This is a way they can take part in getting some form of justice and closure for the death of their relative.
Most people who are only 37 years old are likely to be a breadwinner, bringing in money on a weekly basis to a spouse or children if they have any. An untimely loss like this means the family may encounter financial hardship. This is what a wrongful death claim may be able to cover.
There are certain components recognized in a wrongful death claim in New York, and one of those is the financial hardship caused to the family as a result of the death of a breadwinner in the family. Another is a financial value put on loss of consortium to the deceased spouse, parents or children, and a third is an amount for pain and suffering endured by the family due to their loss. On some occasions punitive damages are awarded to the family of someone who has died due to another person’s actions. The courts will decide what is considered a fair amount to compensate the family.
If a family member has died as a result of another person’s actions, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim through an experienced Long Island and New York wrongful death attorney such as Richard S. Jaffe Esq., who has for many years been winning substantial wrongful death claims on behalf of clients.
You can contact him at the Law Offices of Cohen & Jaffe LLP 2001 Marcus Avenue, Suite W295, Lake Success, NY 11042. Phone: 516-358-6900 or toll free: 800-483-6149.
