The fatal bicycle accident in Queens that claimed the life of a 65-year-old man was the 25th such crash in New York City this year alone. The accident happened on October 14th at the intersection of Cross Bay Boulevard and East 4th Road in the Broad Channel section of Queens. The cyclists was struck and killed by a car, the driver of which apparently failed to see the victim. The driver of the car stayed on scene and was not charged with any crimes but it is unclear whether or not charges might be filed at a later date.
An investigation into this 25th tragic bicycle accident in New York City this year found that the section of street along which the crash occurred normally has dedicated bike lanes designed to keep cyclists safe. However, those bike lanes had been temporarily removed at the time of the accident to allow crews to do road maintenance work and may have placed the victim and the motorist in unsafe proximity to each other.
While there has been no indication that the driver was speeding at the time of the collision, residents in the area say that they routinely see cars traveling far too quickly through the intersection and have complained for years that the city should install a stop light to replace the static sign that’s there.
The surviving family members of the victim can bring a lawsuit for pain and suffering and lost income to the family against the driver and owner of the car-and perhaps even the city-if they feel they can prove negligence. Under New York’s no-fault law, the vehicle’s insurance company is responsible to pay for medical and funeral expenses.
If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver anywhere in the city, speak with an experienced bicycle accident attorney in New York City as soon as you are able. Call the experts at the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 and 212-385-1122 for your free consultation.