A Kings Park man was hospitalized with critical injuries he suffered in a bicycle accident the morning of Feb. 28, Newsday reported. According to the news outlet, Suffolk police said the 64-year-old male bicyclist was riding on the shoulder on Indian Head Road near Manitou Trail in Kings Park when he was struck by a southbound SUV operated by a 34-year-old woman.
The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Neither the driver of the SUV nor her passenger were injured. The car was impounded for safety checks, but no charges were filed, police said. Anyone with information regarding the collision is asked to contact Suffolk police at 631-854-8452. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured bicyclist. We wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists riding on the shoulder of the road are vulnerable to accidents caused by negligent (careless) motorists. These collisions often result in severe injuries due to the lack of protection for bicyclists. Common examples of motorist negligence (carelessness) that lead to such serious injury crashes include:
- Distracted driving: Motorists using mobile phones, adjusting the radio, or engaging in other distractions may fail to notice cyclists on the shoulder, leading to dangerous collisions.
- Failure to yield: Drivers making right turns without checking their surroundings may cut off bicyclists riding on the shoulder, leading to sideswipe or intersection accidents.
- Drifting into the shoulder: Impaired, drowsy, or inattentive drivers may unintentionally drift into the shoulder, striking cyclists.
- Excessive speeding: Driving at an excessive rate of speed reduces a driver’s reaction time, making it difficult to avoid bicyclists and increasing the severity of crashes.
- Dooring accidents: Parked motorists who open their car doors without checking for approaching cyclists can cause serious collisions.
Bicycle accidents can lead to serious injuries. Common injuries include fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage and road rash. Head injuries are particularly dangerous, often resulting in long-term cognitive impairments or fatalities. Cyclists may also suffer internal injuries, broken ribs or dislocated joints from high-impact collisions with vehicles. Even minor crashes can cause significant harm, affecting the victim’s mobility and quality of life.
Compensation for Bicycle Accident Victims
Compensation and the worth of the case will depend on the nature and extent of the injuries sustained by the victim as well as the extent of negligence (carelessness) on the part of the driver. In such cases, negligent (careless) motorists or passengers can be held responsible for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitative treatment, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
In cases of serious injury, the bicyclist may be entitled to compensation for future medical care and a loss of earning capacity if the injuries prevent them from returning to work. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life can also be factors in calculating compensation. Families of deceased victims can also seek compensation for their losses by filing a wrongful death claim.
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 53 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. 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 including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy 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://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/kings-park-bicycle-collision-critical-xwi4m50a