Two men are facing murder charges after a nun was killed in a New York City pedestrian accident. The New York Times reports that the 83-year-old woman was run down by a speeding minivan driven by robbery suspects trying to elude police.

She was killed blocks from her convent at the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary in Harlem, where she had attended the 6:30 a.m. morning mass. She had been known as a strict but caring kindergarten teacher and mother figure who had spent her time teaching children how to read and count. She was a member of the religious order for 62 years.

CBS News reports that two others were seriously injured. The incident began when police tried to arrest the two men in connection with a robbery earlier in the day. They sped away in the van, careened down several blocks, and collided with a car before spinning and striking four pedestrians. The two men, ages 18 and 20, are now in custody.

Unfortunately this is one of those cases where it is highly unlikely that the at-fault driver was carrying auto insurance in amounts significant enough to compensate the victims for their injuries. A New York City injury lawyer will need to thoroughly review the case and decide upon the best course of action. In certain circumstances, motorists who are injured by a driver who is uninsured or underinsured may be able to collect from their own insurance carrier. In this case, an attorney may also look at the conduct of police. A municipal liability claim may result if police acted inappropriately or initiated a police pursuit in violation of department policy.

Pedestrian accidents are the leading cause of serious and fatal traffic accidents in New York City. A total of 15,620 pedestrian accidents were reported in New York in 2008, killing 302 people and injuring more than 15,000, according to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. Two-thirds of those occurred in New York City, where 10,423 pedestrian accidents killed 151 people and injured more than 10,000.

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident in the New York City or Long Island areas, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose to discuss your rights. Call 718.261.0549.