Sheniqua Silva was killed while walking home from her new job after a Coca-Cola truck violently slammed into her on a quiet Bronx Street.
Silva, a mother of 5 young boys, was innocently walking near the intersection of Bruckner Boulevard and E. 138th St. during the middle of the afternoon when a collision between a Nissan sedan and the Coca-Cola truck sent the Coca-Cola truck careening up on the sidewalk “like a bullet”. Anyone who is familiar with this area knows that Coca-Cola trucks frequent the area quite often because there is a local depot not far away.
Silva and her coworkers had just left the Dufour Pastry factory in Morris Point. Each of them attempted to flee when the Coca-Cola truck jumped the curb and went onto the sidewalk where they were walking. Silva was the unlucky one. She was unable to escape and was crushed by the truck as it pinned her to scaffolding that was nearby on the sidewalk. The fatal collision also caused a sidewalk shed near the scaffolding to crumble to the ground.
Horrified witnesses looked on as the 37-year-old mother was trapped beneath the truck. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Six other innocent people were injured.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of Sheniqua Silva. Her death was both senseless and unexpected. Her family, particularly her young children, will spend the rest of their lives trying to make sense of their loss. Perhaps there will be some consolation as the details of the investigation are unveiled. Investigators will try to determine how and why this accident happened. They will employ seasoned crash investigators and accident reconstruction experts to try and paint the picture of what actually took place just prior to this fatal collision. The investigation is ongoing but there will likely be no criminal charges filed against the drivers.
Legally, when a collision results in the death of an innocent victim, what recourse is available to the surviving family members? Typically family members have the option of bringing a Wrongful Death case against the wrongdoers. Wrongful Death cases are unique and require a particular level of experience for an attorney to effectively bring. People often wrongfully assume that family members can be compensated for their grief and a broken heart. This is a common mistake that even inexperienced lawyers make. Wrongful Death cases in New York generally confine recoveries to pecuniary loss sustained by the deceased’s estate. A savvy attorney can be the difference between a minimal recovery and much more meaningful compensation for the loved one’s of the deceased.
Block O’Toole & Murphy is a law firm with a track record of success in Wrongful Death cases. Recently, they were able to persuade an insurance company to pay $7,525,000 to a family after a fatal auto collision. The attorneys also helped the family of a construction accident victim when they were able to secure a $4,475,000 recovery for his children. They also were successful in a Suffolk County case in recovering $2,550,000 for a family and $3,000,000 in a tragic Nassau County case. The firm has more cases exceeding $1 million in value than any other firm in all of New York State over the last 3 years. You may learn more about this firm by reviewing their website at www.BlockOToole.com. You may contact them for a free consultation at any time by calling 212-736-5300.