New Yorkers like to complain about delivery trucks and other commercial vehicles double and triple parked, clogging streets and creating traffic hazards for drivers and pedestrians alike. A recent accident on Manhattan’s Upper East Side took the problem to another level. A Coca-Cola delivery truck hit and seriously injured an elderly man last week.
According to the NY Daily News, the 86-year-old man, who was crossing the street with a cane, was struck by the delivery truck when the vehicle turned right from East 96th Street onto Third Avenue. The accident, which knocked the man under the side of the truck, occurred around 1:30 last Friday. The victim’s name was not released.
Many witnesses saw the accident and gathered around the man, who lay bleeding profusely under the truck. The victim was taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for the head trauma he suffered in the crash.
It was not immediately clear whether the man was in the crosswalk when the accident occurred.
Another delivery truck accident occurred last week, this one in Queens. Last Thursday, a delivery truck associated with a local construction company, slammed into a bagel shop on Queens Boulevard in Forrest Hills. Six people, including a baby, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Passersby lifted a refrigerator off one of the victims. According to CBS News, the driver is not facing charges.
Victims of delivery truck accidents such as these may be eligible for compensation for their injuries. A personal injury lawyer can tell you about your options.