My son was injured after he took a taxi from a bar in Manhattan to his apartment in Staten Island. The driver left my son across the street from his apartment. A car struck my son when he crossed the street to his building. The driver left the scene of the accident. Does my son have any claims for his personal injuries?
There could be multiple claims on behalf of your son.
Your son could have a claim against the taxi driver for not leaving your son in front of his building. A taxi is a common carrier. The taxi driver has a special duty to an intoxicated passenger. If the taxi driver knew your son was intoxicated, he had an obligation to your son. The taxi driver had to discharge your son in a safe place to ensure he could get home. If the taxi driver discharged your son so that your son would need to cross a busy street, this would possibly be a violation of that special duty.
Uninsured Motorist Claim
You son might also have a claim against his own car insurance policy. All New York car insurance policies have an endorsement for hit and run accidents. Your son needed to report the incident to police within 24 hours after the accident in order to have a claim against his own policy for hit and run accidents. Thus, your son may also have a claim against his own insurance company for his injuries for a hit and run accident. Your son also may have a claim for his lost wages and medical expenses against his own car insurance for no-fault or PIP benefits.
If your son did not own a car, then he might have claims against MVAIC for personal injuries and lost wages and medical benefits. New York state created MVIAC and funded it through insurance companies to cover cases where there is no applicable car insurance. See Vehicle and Traffic Law Article 52.