Kala Santiago, 25, was killed in a bicycle accident involving a tractor-trailer the morning of Oct. 12. According to a report on Patch.com, the fatal crash occurred when Santiago was struck on Parkside Avenue near Parade Avenue. After the incident, the NYPD Highway Collision Investigation Squad stated that a collision occurred between the bicycle and the truck.
Ongoing Fatal Crash Investigation
Santiago was reportedly heading to work as a barista at a bakery,
her mother Leeana Alois told the Daily News. Alois is demanding a thorough investigation into her daughter’s death as the stretch of Parkside Avenue where Santiago was struck and killed is not designated as a truck route. It has been the site of nearly 200 crashes since 2021 according to the city’s Transportation Department.
Officials are still looking into whether the truck was over the city’s legal limit for truck length and why the truck was on that road and not on a designated truck route. Streetsblog reported that the city added a bike lane on Parkside Avenue adjacent to Prospect Park. But residents say trucks still run on the non-truck route street. Transportation data show 191 people have been killed in crashes in New York City this year, including 14 bicyclists.
What Are Your Rights?
Motorists have a duty of care and responsibility to share the roadway with other vehicles, including bicycles and pedestrians. Bicyclists have the same rights as drivers of other vehicles. Bicycle accidents have the potential to result in serious and disabling injuries. Some victims are so badly injured that their lives are permanently affected.
In some cases, victims are unable to return to work for an extended period because they need to recover from their injuries. In other cases, a victim may be unable to earn a future livelihood because of his or her injuries. Such a loss of income can prove financially devastating for victims and their families.
If you are a bicycle accident victim in New York City who has been injured by a reckless or negligent (careless) driver, you may be able to seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
In cases where negligence (carelessness) has been involved, families of deceased bicycle accident victims may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages such as medical expenses, funeral costs, loss of future income, pain and suffering, and loss of care and companionship. An experienced New York personal injury lawyer will be able to guide victims’ families through what can be a complex legal process.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (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 51 years, our skilled 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 $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, 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.
We also obtained $295,000 out of a $300,000 insurance policy in compensation for the victim of a bicycle dooring accident (where a car door opens into the path of a bicyclist). 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, lead poisoning 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://patch.com/new-york/prospectheights/killed-bicyclists-mother-demands-answers-report