An elderly man was severely hurt following a hit-and-run accident in New Jersey on April 16. The driver accused of the accident was subsequently detained by police and was charged with several offenses, including leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury and assault by auto, according to reports.
New Jersey Police said that the auto-pedestrian accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. when a 43-year-old woman who was driving southbound on the Garden State Parkway hit a man who was on the side of the road, paused to retrieve car parts that fell from her vehicle and then fled the scene. The victim, a 63-year-old Perth Amboy man, had pulled to the shoulder of the roadway in Bloomfield and was replacing a damaged tire at the time of the crash.
First responders to the scene took the injured man to a nearby hospital where he was treated for a compound right leg fracture. The driver suspected of causing the crash was placed in the Essex County Jail.
Serious hit-and-run accidents can cause a victim to suffer catastrophic injuries. Serious damage to a person’s neck, spinal cord or head can lead to paralysis or other long-term conditions. A victim of a hit-and-run accident might consider consulting with a personal injury lawyer who may be able to prove that the negligence of another driver caused the injuries. Information from police reports and witness accounts may be used to demonstrate the driver’s responsibility. Damages that could then be sought in a personal injury lawsuit could include the costs of all required medical care and treatment and, if applicable, compensation for wages lost due to the resulting absence from work.
Source: “Woman struck man changing tire on Parkway, grabbed debris and fled, police say”, Craig McCarthy, April 16, 2015