$625,000 Good Samaritan Accident Settlement in the Bronx

He saw the accident, pulled over, and went to help. Standing alongside the damaged car on a Bronx expressway, he was doing what most people would hope someone would do for them. Then a second vehicle slammed into the wreck and drove the first car into him.

Good Samaritan Struck at Bronx Expressway Accident Scene

Our client was driving on an expressway in the Bronx when he witnessed a collision ahead. He pulled over and approached the damaged vehicle to check on the occupants and offer assistance. While standing alongside the first vehicle, a second driver — failing to slow down, move over, or react to the clearly visible accident scene — struck the rear of the wrecked car. The force of the second collision drove the first vehicle into our client, who was standing at its side.

The impact caused severe injuries. Our client was struck by the body of a moving vehicle while standing unprotected on the expressway. The forces involved were not the controlled crash dynamics of a vehicle-to-vehicle collision where crumple zones and safety systems absorb energy — our client was an unprotected pedestrian struck by a car that was suddenly propelled sideways by a rear impact. The injuries required emergency medical treatment, surgical intervention, and an extended rehabilitation program.

Liability of the Second Driver at an Accident Scene

Drivers approaching an accident scene on an expressway have a clear duty to slow down, move to an adjacent lane if possible, and proceed with heightened caution. An accident scene is a foreseeable hazard — disabled vehicles, emergency responders, bystanders, and debris are all predictable consequences of a prior collision. A driver who fails to react to a visible accident scene and strikes the wreck bears full liability for the secondary collision and any injuries it causes.

Our attorneys reconstructed the sequence of events using police reports, witness testimony from other motorists who had also slowed or stopped, and physical evidence from both vehicles. The evidence established that the accident scene was clearly visible from a significant distance — the first vehicle was disabled in the travel lane with damage visible to approaching traffic. The second driver had ample time and distance to slow down or change lanes. Neither action was taken.

"Our client stopped to help — that's what decent people do when they see an accident. He was standing alongside the car checking on the driver when a second vehicle plowed into the wreck. The accident scene was visible from hundreds of feet away. Every other driver slowed down. This one didn't. Our client was punished for doing the right thing, and the second driver bore full responsibility for that." — Howard Raphaelson, Founding Partner

$625,000 Settlement for a Bronx Expressway Accident

This $625,000 settlement covers emergency treatment, surgical procedures, extended rehabilitation, lost wages, and the permanent physical limitations our client now manages. It holds the second driver accountable for failing to react to a clearly visible accident scene and striking a Good Samaritan who stopped to help.

If you were injured as a bystander, Good Samaritan, or pedestrian near a vehicle accident scene, our car accident attorneys have experience with secondary collision and bystander injury claims and are ready to review your case.