Accidental Death: Ever-Present Risk
New Yorkers are used to life in the fast lane. Manhattan is one of the busiest cities on Earth, a business powerhouse and financial capital, and one of the places that immediately comes to mind when people think about great cities. Nearly eight and a half million of us go about our lives here every day, in the largest city at the heart of the largest metropolitan area in the US.
With so many people doing so much so energetically in such a compact space, however, it’s no surprise that accidents can happen. Sometimes they lead to serious injury or death. The sheer number of New Yorkers means that there are many accidents here every day; the amazing variety of activities going on in the city at any moment means that many more types of accidents happen here than in most places. In 2012, the most recent year with complete data, over 1,300 New Yorkers died from some kind of accident.
A Million Ways to Die on West 4th
New Yorkers fall victim to the same kind of accidents that others do. They just happen more, because there are more of us. In 2014, for example, nearly 61,000 people in the city were injured and 249 were killed in motor vehicle crashes. That’s more than 15 individual states. Seventy-six workers died on the job; 384 people were victims of some kind of fall; 17 others drowned.
We also frequently encounter risks that would be unusual in any other place. People fall from buildings. They get dragged by subway trains. They are, tragically, killed by elevators (but don’t stop using them: statistically, stairs kill nearly 60 times more people than elevators). The story behind every accidental death is unique and each one places a heavy burden on those friends and family members left behind. In New York, we have more of those stories to tell.
And Yet, New Yorkers are Living Longer
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues a report every year summarizing the vital statistics of the city. This report captures valuable information about how New Yorkers die, but also how we live, and one notable statistic is that we’re living longer. The average life expectancy for a child born in New York City is now 80.8 years, which is a remarkable increase of two years and seven months since 2002. Accidents still present risks, but if we can manage to avoid them, we’re in for a long ride.
Personal Injury Attorneys, Prepared for Anything
New Yorkers know that accidents can happen without warning at any time, in any place. No one can be 100% protected from everything. If something does happen which causes injury to you, or injury or death to a loved one, act immediately to get the best help you can. Most accidents are preventable: someone caused them, through negligence or recklessness. In those situations, you have the right to hold the responsible parties accountable. You may be entitled to recover lost wages, compensation for your injuries, and payment for medical costs and other expenses.
Give Greenstein & Milbauer a call. We’re a personal injury law firm with experience helping the victims of all sorts of accidents. We offer a free consultation to all new clients to discuss the specifics of each case. Reach us at 800-842-8462 or contact us online to have someone reach out to you. Or simply activate the Live Chat feature from any page of our website to have your questions answered immediately.