According to news sources, a 24-year old British woman who lost her leg in a gruesome midtown car accident in August, 2013, announced late last year that she is suing the City of New York for $27.5 million.
Sian Green and her family were dismayed when the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced in November 2013, that there would be no criminal charges filed against the taxicab driver who hit Green, due to a lack of evidence that the driver intended to hit the victim. Sian Green maintains that Himon’s gross negligence caused the accident. In addition, her lawsuit alleges that the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission should have suspended Faysal Himon’s driver’s license before he caused the accident that resulted in the loss of her leg. Before the accident that injured Green, Faysal Himon had been charged with seven traffic violations and had acquired seven points on his license. Himon’s history of reckless driving should have resulted in the loss of his driver’s license, but a computer glitch prevented the Taxi and Limousine Commission from responding to Himon’s dangerous driving record and suspending his license.
Just before hitting Green, Himon got into an argument with a bicycle messenger. During the argument, Himon drove his cab onto a crowded midtown sidewalk, crashed into the bike messenger, and then struck Sian Green, who was standing on the sidewalk eating a hotdog. Himon’s vehicle crushed Green’s left leg. Plumber David Justino, who was standing nearby, quickly fashioned a tourniquet with his belt and tied it around what remained of Green’s leg, preventing her from bleeding to death on the street. Paramedics were immediately called to the scene and Green was taken to the emergency room. To save her life, her leg was amputated above the knee.
Preventing Reckless NYC Taxi Accidents
All New York taxicabs are licensed and regulated by the City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. The New York City TLC regulates more than 50,000 vehicles and 100,000 drivers. According to a study undertaken by The New York Times, approximately 20 percent of all traffic accidents in New York City involve taxicabs. If these accidents were caused by taxi drivers, like Faysal Himon, with an extensive history of reckless driving and other violations, than the TLC may share some responsibility for the accident if it took no steps to suspend the cab driver’s license based on their reckless driving history.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a taxi, it is important to hire a skilled New York car accident attorney who can thoroughly investigate the accident and ensure that you are fairly compensated for any losses that you suffered due to the negligence of the cab driver or the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Jeffrey K. Kestenbaum at the Law Offices of Jeffrey Kestenbaum has nearly 20 years of experience successfully helping clients recover the compensation that they deserve in personal injury cases. Contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey Kestenbaum right away, if you have been injured in a taxicab accident. For a free consultation with a skilled Brooklyn car accident attorney, call (718) 237-5586.
UPDATE 12/13/2016:
Sian Green is doing very well for herself and has not let this accident slow her down. In 2015, Ms. Green started a foundation in her name to help and support other amputees receive the resources and funds needed to pay for specialized prosthetics as they can be very costly. This past April there was an organized bike ride from Leicester to Skegness in the United Kingdom to help raise awareness and funds for Ms. Green’s new foundation.
For more information on Sian and her foundation, please visit www.siangreenfoundation.com
