A Citi Bike rider was killed in a fatal bicycle accident in New York City earlier last month when an overland freight hauler ran over him on a busy stretch of street in Hudson Yards. The 74-year-old man was rushed to nearby Bellevue Hospital with what appeared to be severe but survivable injuries-including a partially severed leg-but he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. The driver of the UPS freight truck stayed at the scene of the crash and cooperated with police officers investigating the crash.
It’s unlikely the driver will face any criminal charges but the surviving family members of the victim has the right to bring a civil lawsuit for compensation for pain and suffering for the time the bicyclist survived after the accident, unpaid medical expenses, all funeral expenses and if the victim was still working, the amount of money he would have contributed to his household.
This fatality is Citi Bike’s second this year and marks the 15th cyclist death in New York City-already putting NYC on a pace that will top last year’s total fatalities if the number of collisions is not curbed soon. Indeed, this year at the same time there had only been 10 fatal bicycle accidents in New York City-and that was before hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of infrastructural improvements, reinvigorated enforcement, and public outreach.
Partly in reaction to this crash, the mayor’s office has reinvested in a Bike Safety Blitz it began a while back with the goal of catching and correcting potential hazards before the loss of life. But critics say the ticketing blitz is just not enough.
If you’ve been injured by a careless driver while riding anywhere in the city, you need an experienced New York City bicycle accident attorney on your side. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 to speak to an expert about your case confidentially. The consultation is free and there is no obligation on your part.