A 58-year-old Union City man was in guarded condition after being struck by a New Jersey Transit bus and undergoing two surgeries. The bus driver was not aware that he had hit the man until some of his 20 passengers alerted him to a commotion in the street, according to police. New Jersey Transit officials have not commented on the incident or whether they have taken any action against the bus driver.
Police say that the auto accident happened at about 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 as the bus driver made a left turn from Congress Street onto Palisade Avenue in front of the Engine 14 Firehouse. After the collision, personnel from the firehouse responded to the accident scene and were rendering aid to the injured man when police arrived.
The man who was hit by the bus suffered injuries to his head and right leg. He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center where he underwent an emergency surgery on Dec. 7 and a second surgery the following day, according to hospital officials.
Traumatic injuries are common results in auto-pedestrian accidents. People who survive these events often do so with permanently diminished cognitive and physical abilities. For some, living independently as they did before the event is no longer an option, and those who enjoyed gainful employment might suffer economic losses due to the inability to continue working in their chosen profession. These individuals may be able to pursue personal injury claims in civil court to recover their accident-related losses.
Source: NJ.com, “Bus driver didn’t know he struck pedestrian, police said“, December 10, 2013