In Guity v. Cnty. of Westchester 2019 N.Y. Slip Op. 34310 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2019), Plaintiff Beron Guity sought damages for injuries sustained in a bus accident on June 1, 2016, involving an uninsured motorist. Uninsured motorist coverage is a type of car insurance designed to protect drivers and passengers from financial loss when involved in an accident with a driver who is either uninsured or cannot be identified, such as in a hit-and-run incident. This coverage steps in to pay for damages like medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering that would normally be paid by the at-fault driver’s insurance. It helps ensure that individuals receive necessary compensation even when the other party fails to carry adequate insurance, providing a layer of financial security in many unpredictable driving scenarios.
Background Facts
On June 1, 2016, while traveling on the northbound Sprain Brook Parkway in the Town of Greenburgh, New York, a Liberty Lines Transit bus, operated by Yeritza Vasquez and owned by the County of Westchester, was involved in an accident. The onboard video system recorded the incident. The bus was in the center lane when an SUV, moving faster than the bus from behind, swerved from the left lane to avoid a stopped vehicle and collided with the bus. The SUV driver fled the scene, making this a hit-and-run accident. The plaintiff, Beron Guity, a passenger on the bus, sustained injuries during this incident and filed a lawsuit seeking damages, attributing negligence to the bus driver and seeking uninsured motorist coverage from Liberty Lines Transit. The County Defendants acknowledge the accident but contest the negligence claim arguing that the accident was solely caused by the unidentified hit-and-run SUV, not by any action of the bus driver.