Bronx Jury Awards $25,000 in Pedestrian Hit-and-Run

A pedestrian filed a negligence action against the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation of New York (MVAIC) after he was struck by an unidentified hit-and-run driver in the Bronx in March 2006. The incident occurred at the intersection of Burnside and Jerome Avenues. The plaintiff sought compensation for injuries sustained, as the driver was never apprehended.

The plaintiff claimed multiple injuries, including an eye socket fracture, various soft tissue injuries, and broken teeth. To support these claims, the plaintiff presented ambulance and emergency room records from Bronx Lebanon Hospital and testimony from a treating dentist. The defendant MVAIC conceded that an incident occurred, but disputed the plaintiff's claimed injuries. The MVAIC presented an expert radiologist who testified there was no eye socket fracture or other discernible injury and noted the hospital's practice of providing painkillers upon request.

Following the trial, a jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $50,000. This amount was subsequently reduced to $25,000, which represented the limit of the MVAIC fund available in the case.