When people think about the dangers that police officers face on a daily basis, it’s natural to think about chasing down criminals or gun violence. However, the reality is that car accidents are still one of the biggest hazards of the job. With emergency response measures and car patrols, the risk is impossible to avoid.
That risk was recently highlighted by a crash involving two officers in Brooklyn. Shortly after 11:00 in the morning on a Saturday, the officers got a call about an emergency situation, and they responded. They headed down Ridgewood Avenue, going east, in a clearly marked squad car.
Right around 11:18 a.m., the officers went into the intersection where Ridgewood meets Hemlock Street. A 2006 Chevy Trailblazer allegedly blew through a stop sign and slammed into the police car. The officers were the ones who confirmed that there was a stop sign and that the Trailblazer went through unchecked.
The man who was driving that Trailblazer is 62 years old. He was injured in the crash, as were the two officers. All three were picked up by emergency crews and taken to Jamaica Hospital.
There is some good news. Though police are still carrying out the investigation and have not yet released a full report, other than the testimony from the officers about the stop sign, the initial reports did say that the injuries to all parties were not considered life-threatening.
Even so, car accident injuries can lead to high medical bills and lost wages. Those who are injured absolutely need to know their potential rights to financial compensation.
Source: Pix 11, “Two police officers injured in Brooklyn car crash,” Yasmin Sara Merchant, Dec. 2, 2017
