Police Officer Hospitalized After Accident During LIE Traffic Stop

A police officer from Suffolk who was making a routine traffic stop on the Long Island Expressway had to be hospitalized after a pickup truck reportedly rear-ended his vehicle.

According to Suffolk County police, the officer was stopped along the right shoulder of the westbound section of the highway between exits 63 and 64 when a Honda Ridgeline rear-ended him. The officer had stopped the driver of a Nissan Altima for speeding and was in his vehicle at the time of impact. The force from the collision caused the police car to strike the Altima.

The officer was held overnight at Bay Shore’s Southside Hospital, while the driver of the pickup was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital to be treated for minor facial injuries. The Altima’s driver was not injured.

Determining fault in a rear-end accident

The way injury claims after rear-end car accidents proceed depend largely on the circumstances of the crash. For example, where was the injured party who wishes to file the claim? Which driver was responsible for the initial impact?

In this case, had the driver of the Altima been injured, the officer would not have been liable, even though it was technically his car that collided with the Altima. Instead, it would have been the driver of the pickup truck who was liable for both crashes, as he caused the chain reaction accident in the first place.

There are many situations in which proving fault after a car wreck can be incredibly difficult. For the guidance and legal support you need, speak with an experienced auto accident lawyer at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.