Most of the time at Serious Accidents, we advise people to not to drive under the influence (DUI) of drugs because it can impair your ability to control a motor vehicle.  In this case, however, it appears that not taking drugs was the cause behind a deadly crash.

According to the Gothamist, an NYC cab driver has admitted to having a seizure while transporting passengers in his car and causing a fatal auto accident.  For nearly four years, Hassan Afzal has denied being held at fault for a collision that caused the wrongful death of Danielle Ricco, who was 21-years old at the time.

Our law firm’s San Diego car accident attorneys believe that no one should operate a motor vehicle unless they are sound of mind and body.  This means that if you have a physical or mental condition, make sure that you are receiving proper medical treatment and listen to doctors’ orders when they say you should or should not operate a car.

In June 2006, Afzal was transporting four passengers, including Ricco, speeding up the West Side Highway in Manhattan when he went unconscious and lost control of his cab, which collided with another car.  Ricco was ejected out the front window and was hit by another vehicle, causing her death.

Afzal will not serve any jail time (he will serve five years probation) after admitting that he lied two times on his motor vehicle licensing documents that he was afflicted with seizures and that these seizures lead to a fatal car accident that killed Ricco and personal injured the three other passengers.  Afzal had stopped taking his medication several weeks prior to the accident and blamed numerous things, including bad brakes, for the accident.

The San Diego car accident attorneys at our law firm feel that it might be a good idea if all drivers who are hired to transport passengers in their automobiles are checked for medical conditions that might hinder their ability to drive safely.  No one should have to worry about the health or mental stability of their cab driver.  In this case, if  honesty and disclosure was made a priority then perhaps this fatal accident might never have occurred.

If you or a loved one were injured in an automobile accident you didn’t cause, then we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible at 1-800-655-6585 or please click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe us nothing until we recover money on your behalf.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.