Investigators are still trying to determine what led an elderly driver outside of a New Jersey Trader Joe’s to strike an employee with her car on Nov. 13. At the time of the accident, the employee had been arranging shopping carts in front of the store. After being hit, the victim was pinned between the shopping carts and vehicle. According to witnesses at the scene, the driver sat in her vehicle in stunned silence after the crash.
The car accident took place at a Westwood Trader Joe’s supermarket on Irvington Street. At around 3 p.m., a Toyota Camry in a handicapped parking space suddenly lurched forward and jumped the curb. At the same time, a registered nurse who had been bagging her groceries inside of the store heard the crash and scream. As she recalled witnessing the woman’s torso crash through the window, the nurse said the scene felt like it was in slow motion.
The nurse realized that the victim’s leg was severed, and she told another employee to tie a tourniquet around it to stop the bleeding. As the victim’s co-worker tied a belt around her leg, the nurse tried to calm her. The woman was then transported to Hackensack University Medical Center by helicopter.
The victim in this case may have suffered from an injury that will require an extended hospital stay and many follow-up appointments. To seek compensation for her medical expenses, she may wish to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver at fault. The grocery store worker may also wish to seek compensation for her lost wages and the pain and suffering she experienced during the accident.
Source: CBS New York, “Car Crashes Into New Jersey Trader Joe’s, Pins Employee“, November 13, 2013