UPDATE: Man Crushed Between Two Trucks in Queens Dies

QUEENS, NY – More information has come to light regarding the man killed in a box truck accident yesterday at 124-50 Metropolitan Avenue in Queens. The New York Post reports that the victim was 49-year-old Florentino Cruseno Morales, who was transferring items from one delivery truck to another at approximately 5 a.m. when the driver of one of the trucks backed up into him, crushing him between the vehicles. Morales was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Post’s reporting discovered that the address in question belongs to the Bais Yaakov Academy For Girls, a Jewish girls school, and that police determined that at least one of the Ryder trucks was being rented by Best Value Kosher Foods Corp. Calls to the latter were not returned as of press time.

“The [victim] was pinned between both vehicles, and sustained severe body trauma,” a spokesman with the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad told the Post. “Both vehicle operators remained at the scene and the investigation remains ongoing.”

Workplace Accidents and Third-Party Claims

In most instances of workplace injuries in New York, employees cannot sue their employers for negligence. The costs of their medical bills and lost wages is instead handled through the worker’s compensation system. However, there is an exception when the accident occurred because of negligence on the part of a third party. For example, if a custodial staffer was injured by a truck operated by a different company contracted to bring provisions to his place of employment, that staffer could have a legal claim against the trucking company.

Other examples of third-party claims include:

• The manufacturers of defective equipment
• Negligent property owners
• Negligent subcontractors on work sites
• Drunk drivers on job sites

If you or someone you love has been injured on the job and you suspect a third party was to blame, Finz & Finz, P.C., may be able to help. Contact us today to speak to one of our experienced New York workplace injury attorneys.