$600,000 Pedestrian Accident Settlement in Brooklyn

Crossing the street in a Brooklyn crosswalk with the light in her favor when a car making a left turn struck her. Six broken ribs. A brain injury. Back and neck damage. Then, while hospitalized for those injuries, a medication error stopped her heart for five minutes. One pedestrian accident triggered a chain of medical crises.

Pedestrian Struck by Left-Turning Vehicle in Brooklyn

Our client was crossing the street at 7th Avenue and Ovington Avenue in Brooklyn, in the crosswalk and with the traffic signal in her favor, when a car making a left turn struck her. Left-turn pedestrian knockdowns are among the most dangerous intersection accidents — the turning vehicle enters the crosswalk at an angle that gives the pedestrian almost no warning and no escape route. The impact sent our client to the pavement with force sufficient to fracture six ribs and cause injuries across her entire body.

The collision produced injuries to six body regions: six rib fractures with associated chest trauma, lumbar spine damage, cervical spine injuries, a left leg injury, and a traumatic brain injury. She was transported to the hospital, where the severity of her injuries required immediate admission. The fractured ribs alone posed serious complications — six broken ribs compromise breathing, create risk for pneumothorax, and cause excruciating pain with every breath. Combined with the brain injury and spinal damage, the initial injury presentation was catastrophic.

Hospital Complication Compounds the Injuries

While hospitalized for the pedestrian accident injuries, our client experienced a medication error that compounded her medical crisis. A pain medication overdose caused cardiac arrest — her heart stopped for approximately five minutes. She was resuscitated and admitted to the intensive care unit, where she remained under critical care monitoring. The cardiac arrest added a new category of injury on top of the already severe collision trauma, extending her hospitalization and introducing additional long-term health concerns related to the period of cardiac arrest.

The total hospital stay lasted from February 19 through February 29, followed by transfer to an inpatient rehabilitation facility where she remained until late April — approximately two months of institutional care before she could return home. The rehabilitation addressed the cumulative impact of the collision injuries and the cardiac event, requiring coordinated treatment across orthopedic, neurological, and cardiac specialties.

"She was in the crosswalk with the light. The driver made a left turn and hit her — six broken ribs, a brain injury, spinal damage, and a leg injury. Then, while she was in the hospital being treated for all of that, a medication error stopped her heart for five minutes. Our client survived two separate medical crises from one pedestrian accident. The driver's insurance carrier through Kemper had to answer for the collision that set this entire chain of events in motion." — Steven Gershowitz, Attorney

$600,000 Settlement for a Brooklyn Pedestrian Accident

This $600,000 settlement covers treatment for six rib fractures, brain injury care, lumbar and cervical spine treatment, left leg rehabilitation, cardiac monitoring following the hospital complication, two months of inpatient rehabilitation, lost wages, and the permanent limitations our client now manages. It reflects the full cascade of harm that began when a left-turning driver struck a pedestrian in a Brooklyn crosswalk.

If you were struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian in Brooklyn, our car accident attorneys have experience with pedestrian knockdown cases involving catastrophic injuries and are ready to review your claim.