A fatal bicycle accident in New York City last month left a young woman dead, yet a series of conflicting reports have clouded who may be at fault. An investigation by news outlet Streetsblog shows this misreporting of bicycle accidents in New York is not uncommon.
Lauren Davis was riding her bicycle along Classon Avenue when she was struck by a turning vehicle. The accident was a classic case of what bicyclists call a “left-hook” accident. This happens when the driver of an automobile fails to yield to the cyclist and turns left without stopping, striking the bicyclist. Lauren was awake and responsive at the time of the accident and was taken to a nearby hospital but eventually succumbed to her injuries.
The official NYPD report given to press outlets states that Lauren was biking against traffic when she was struck and killed. However, an eyewitness who was bicycling behind the victim says that report is false.
The eyewitness, Rebecca Ballantine, was less than a block behind Mrs. Davis at the time of the bicycle accident in New York. Ballantine had been following Davis for some time before Davis actually overtook her at a stop light. Ballantine says emphatically that there’s no way the victim was biking against traffic. Video evidence even shows Davis riding with traffic along the same route just minutes prior to the crash.
Whether or not Davis was riding with traffic could affect whether the driver of the automobile was responsible for the accident. If the driver was negligent, Davis’s surviving family members could seek compensation for unpaid medical and funeral expenses, lost financial support and pain and suffering for time Davis survived after the accident.
Safety advocates say there is a long history of misreporting of bicycle accidents in New York City. Don’t let an inaccurate report cheat you out of the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, contact an experienced New York City bicycle accident attorney. Call The Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 for a free consultation today.