15
QUEENS WEEKLY, FEB. 24, 2019
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In recent years, injury and
even death, to pedestrians in
automobile-related accidents has
increased drastically due to increasing
use of vehicles for travel
as well as the number of them on
the road at a single time. Add that
to the foot traffic of any street,
major or small, especially in the
City of New York, and it is a recipe
for disaster. In one year, 76,000 pedestrians
were injured in vehiclerelated
accidents, which means
that roughly one pedestrian was
injured every 7 minutes.
Drivers of automobiles are often
at fault for accidents in which
pedestrians are injured. Driver
fault examples include drinking
or drug use, inattention due to
the use of cell phones or other devices,
and speeding. Other types
of accidents where the driver is
at fault include not yielding to pedestrians
while turning, running
a light or stop sign, failing to notice
a pedestrian, and driving on
the sidewalk, all causing injuries
to pedestrians. Even pedestrians
who bear some negligence or fault
for their accident are usually entitled
to a recovery, which will be
reduced by the pedestrian’s percentage
of fault.
Although no-fault auto insurance
coverage covers some medical
expenses and loss of wages,
they usually do not cover all the
expenses involved for medical
care from some serious injuries
suffered in major accidents. When
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the statutory requirement for serious
injuries is met, an action
can be brought for compensation
for pain and suffering suffered by
a pedestrian in an auto accident.
No-fault benefits usually cover up
to $50,000 for medical expenses
and loss of wages. In addition to
a recovery for pain and suffering,
medical expenses and loss of wages
above the basis of $50,000, nofault
limit can be secured as well
for victims who suffer a “serious
injury.”
If you or a loved one were the
victim of a pedestrian automobile
accident, you may be entitled
to recover damages in a lawsuit.
You should contact an attorney
immediately to discuss your options.
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Sports betting could close
budget shortfall: Addabbo
Sen. Joseph Addabbo has renewed his push to pass sports betting legislation in New York to
help close the $2.3 billion gap in the 2020 budget. Flickr Creative Commons
BY MARK HALLUM
Although the U.S. Supreme
Court overturned a
nationwide ban on sports
betting in May 2018, New
York state has yet to pass
its own legislation regulating
this activity.
One Queens elected
official says it could
not only drain the coffers
of organized crime
operations, but could
close a $2.3 billion gap in
the budget.
State Sen. Joseph
Addabbo was optimistic
about the potential of
the state gaining tax revenue
to fund education,
but now he sees the uses
of those funds going toward
the shortfall in the
2020 executive budget, in
addition to the $3 billion
deficit expected by Gov.
Andrew Cuomo starting
next year.
“Now more than ever
it makes sense to legalize
sports betting to help
fund essential programs
by bringing in additional
revenue. It offers great
potential for increasing
revenue without placing
the burden on taxpayers,
it creates new jobs,
and adds crucial funding
support for education in
New York. We should act
now to create new wagering
opportunities, including
mobile and online
betting, to help close the
gap,” Addabbo said.
“There are many economic
advantages for the
state in legalizing sports
wagering including tax
revenue from betting,
sales tax revenue, job creation,
additional income
and increased payroll,”
he added. “I am confident
that by working together,
we can develop and enact
a comprehensive plan to
legalize sports betting in
New York.”
Addabbo cited New
Jersey’s 8.5 percent tax
on sports betting which
saw a yield of $2.45 million
in November alone.
In May, Addabbo said
there was preliminary
legislation on the senate
floor in Albany that
would see that legalized
sports betting was properly
implemented.
“It is big money, we know
it is. People enjoy it as entertainment,
but there is an illegal
element to it,” Addabbo
told TimesLedger in May.
“We had a hearing earlier
this year through the gaming
committee and a gentleman
from Nevada gave testimony
and said ‘we’ve practically
eliminated illegal gaming
and betting.’”
But tax on wagers
alone is not the only upside
Addabbo sees potential
for; sales tax revenue,
job creation, additional
income and increased
payroll across could
bring additional funds for
the state.
The deadline for the
legislature to vote on the
2020 budget is April 1.