A 16-year-old boy was killed in a bicycle accident in Brooklyn after being run over by a box truck. According to a report in the New York Daily News, the teen was riding north on 17th Avenue near 53rd Street in Borough Park when he attempted to swerve out of the way of a door that was being opened from a parked black SUV. Police said the teen hit the door and was thrown from his bicycle. He was then run over by an Econoline box truck.
The driver of the truck, which belonged to a plumbing company in Borough Park, was visibly shaken and said he did not see the teen on the roadway, the Daily News reports. A 29-year-old witness said emergency personnel tried to resuscitate the victim, but were not successful. He was rushed by ambulance to an area hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. The driver remained at the scene. No arrests were reported. The investigation is still ongoing. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family members for their tragic loss.
How and Why Do Bicycle Dooring Accidents Occur?
Bicycle dooring incidents are sadly common in New York City. These types of deadly accidents occur because of the negligence (carelessness) of a driver who opens a car door without looking at who’s approaching. When the door suddenly opens in the path of a bicyclist, the bicyclist does not have sufficient time to react. As a result, he or she hits the open car door. This impact in itself may lead to a number of horrific injuries that can permanently disable the victim.
As New York personal injury attorneys, we have seen many cases similar to this Brooklyn bicycle accident where the rider gets thrown off their bicycles and fall into the path of oncoming traffic. The drivers then don’t have enough time to react and run over the fallen bicyclist. These types of dooring accidents where the bicyclist is thrown onto the roadway often result in fatalities. They may also cause disabling injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, internal organ damage, etc.
Liability Issues
Under New York State Vehicle and Traffic law, Section 1214, vehicle occupants are prohibited from opening the door of a motor vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it is “reasonably safe” to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic. Vehicle occupants or others are also prohibited from leaving a door open on the side available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.
In such cases, the at-fault parties can be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. A family that has lost a loved one in a bicycle dooring accident will be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation as well.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle dooring accident or if you have lost a loved one in such an accident, 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.
Our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses for over 49 years. 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://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/ny-teen-bicyclist-hits-car-door-run-over-in-borough-park-brooklyn-20190516-sscz4h6cbbarhijn2zcmqbh7la-story.html