Relatives and friends of a 51-year-old man who emigrated from China to Brooklyn gathered together this week to pay their last respects to their loved one.
The man, a deliveryman at the Ling Gee Chinese restaurant, was killed Nov. 16, when a massive tree weighing two tons crashed down onto his head as he rode his bike making food deliveries in Red Hook. Amazingly, he initially survived the impact, but died two days later in the hospital.
According to officials, the city contractor tasked with felling the huge tree did not follow the proper safety procedures. Allegedly, the company out of New Jersey taking down the tree failed to secure the work site and only used two crew members in the operation when four were required.
The tree had been damaged three years prior during Hurricane Sandy. There has been criticism that the city waited too long to cut it down, increasing the safety risk.
Both the man and his wife worked for the same Van Brunt St. restaurant — she in the kitchen and he making deliveries on his bike.
Incidents such as the aforementioned can be prevented by adhering to safety standards and employing enough workers to complete a job safely. When those regulations are violated due to negligence, fatalities can result.
While there is no amount of money that can ease the pain of a loved one’s senseless and utterly preventable death, often survivors seek justice and closure by filing a lawsuit for wrongful death against the defendants.
As it can be difficult to identify and pursue every entity and individual who contributed to the loss of life, seeking legal guidance from an attorney with experience in those type of cases is a good idea.
Source: New York Daily News, “Chinese deliveryman crushed by tree in Brooklyn is mourned at funeral,” Laura Bult, Evie Li, Nov. 25, 2015
