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 vehicle-related 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 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, no-fault 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.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, F 16 EBRUARY 22-28, 2019 BTR
Walter Fuller’s burnt down camper. File Photo
The Fullers’ camper
home explodes on
East Tremont Ave.
BY ALEX MITCHELL
At the end of the day, Walter and
Diane Fuller are simply lucky to be
alive.
The senior couple known around
town for living in a camper on East
Tremont Avenue by Mayfl ower Avenue
had a brush with death in the
early morning of Saturday, February
16 when that RV mysteriously caught
fi re and exploded, destroying everything
inside and outside of it.
“I went outside to turn the generator
on, came back inside and thought
the black smoke was coming from
the stove, then I remembered I wasn’t
cooking anything,” Walter said. “We
rushed out (of the camper) in time
thankfully, but we lost everything,” he
added while mentioning that all their
clothes and important documents are
all simply gone.
After the powerful explosion, the
Fullers were comforted by at least 30
police offi cers from the 45th Precinct.
They were nothing less than wonderful
to him and his wife, Walter exclaimed.
“They went out and got Dianne slippers
and a jacket while we were waiting,”
he said.
The Fullers were taken to Jacobi
Medical Center for smoke inhalation
tests, but besides Walter’s high blood
pressure rising, the 25-year married
couple didn’t suffer an noticable injuries.
Earlier in 2018, Fuller’s 1993 Ford
camper was victimized in a late night
hit and run, that damaged the rear
driver’s side of the vehicle. Walter and
Diane were both on board at the time
and suffered injuries from the crash.
“I took it to Hunts Point to be fi xed
but there were still some holes in it,”
Fuller said, mentioning his suspicion
that the heat from the RV’s generator
eroded the camper’s insulation, causing
the fi re.
At age 79, Fuller is a retired tractor
trailer driver.
He has frequently loaned the sides
of his camper for the campaign banners
of those he supports for political
offi ce, the most recent being local businessman
John Cerini, during his unsuccessful
race for the NYC Council in
2017.
Before taking up life in the camper,
Walter and Diane lived on Eighth Avenue
in West Babylon on Long Island.
Since the camper explosion, the Red
Cross has put them up at the Holiday
Inn LaGuardia Airport at 37-10 114th
Street in Queens. The Fullers are unsure
of what their next move will be or
where they will live.
“We asked (the Red Cross) if we
could be in the Bronx, but they couldn’t
accommodate that,” Walter said.
Fortunately, they’re receiving overwhelming
support from their East
Tremont friends.
Cerini, who runs Bronx Tax Man
out of 3600 E. Tremont Avenue has created
an online fund to help Walter and
his wife get back on their feet.
One donor offered to purchase Walter
and Diane $800 worth of furniture
when they fi nally settle down in their
new home.
“At least we can buy them a bed,”
Cerini said.
Councilman Mark Gjonaj is also
looking into fi nding Walter and Diane
a place to live in the Bronx.
“Even if it’s just a studio, we’ll take
it,” Walter said. “It’s only the two of
us so we don’t need much really,” he
added.
To contribute to Walter and Diane’s
fund, contact Cerini at (718) 829-1040.