A female bicyclist who was fatally struck by a cement truck in Brooklyn on July 1 was the 15th 
bicyclist to die on city streets this year. According to a report in the New York Post, the 28-year-old victim was cycling north on Bushwick Avenue in Williamsburg when the truck that was headed east on Boerum Street, collided with her. The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and the 70-year-old driver remained and talked to the police.
The 15 bicycle accident fatalities this year are more than double the seven that were killed by July 1 in 2018, the Post reports. Bicycle safety advocates say there are many reasons for this spike including population growth, an industry that uses large trucks, and increasing number of vehicles that operate for rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft.
The Need to Curb Fatal Bicycle Accidents
While the New York City Department of Transportation is attempting to make more streets friendlier to bicyclists, advocates say they are not keeping pace with the problem. According to safety advocates, north Brooklyn and western Queens are the most dangerous areas of bicyclists. The safety advocacy group Transportation Alternatives says that of the 15 bicyclists who were killed in traffic accidents this year in New York City, 10 were killed in Brooklyn.
After this crash, Mayor Bill de Blasio has vowed to curb bicycle accident deaths. He said the city is seeing a “dangerous surge” in bicycle accidents and that the city is taking action. De Blasio said he has directed the NYPD to immediately launch a major enforcement action in every precinct and crack down on dangerous driving behavior including parking in bicycle lanes.
The mayor also said he has tasked the New York City Department of Transportation with developing a new bicycle safety plan to make biking safer in the city. De Blasio emphasized that the city needs to continue increasing its efforts until the Vision Zero plan is accomplished, which is to bring traffic accident deaths in the city to zero.
Bicycle Accident Injuries
Bicycle accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or even death to the bicyclists because they have much less protection and safeguards compared to occupants of other vehicles. New York laws offer bicyclists the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of other vehicles. This means that other vehicles should yield the right of way to bicyclists and give them sufficient room to maneuver. In New York City, we see a number of bicycle accidents taking place as a result of drivers’ negligence (carelessness).
Victims who have been injured in bicycle accidents may be able to seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased bicycle accident victims may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages such as lost future income, funeral costs, medical expenses, pain and suffering, etc. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to guide you through what can quickly become a complex process and help you maximize the compensation you receive.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent or careless driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://nypost.com/2019/07/01/brooklyn-woman-becomes-15th-cyclist-killed-in-nyc-this-year/