A 58-year-old woman walking in New York City’s Central Park has died a week after being struck by a bicyclist on September 8, 2014.
According to police reports, the bicyclist was traveling south on West Drive when he swerved to avoid pedestrians and struck the unsuspecting woman. Other sources, the New York Post to be specific, reported that the cyclist was in the car lane yelling for pedestrians to get out of his way.
The cyclist was taken to Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital, where he was treated for injuries to his shoulder and hand and was released. The victim was taken to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical where she remained in critical condition until she passed away about a week later. No arrests have been made and it appears the bicyclist who hit her will not been charged with any crime.
Last month, in an effort to crackdown on bicyclist violations, the NYPD targeted bicycles in what was referred to as Operation Safe Cycle. In that short time frame, police issued more than 4,000 citations for a number of different cyclist infractions, including failing to stop at red lights, disobeying traffic signals, riding in the wrong direction, speeding, riding on the sidewalk, and failing to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.
According to a 2011 study conducted by Hunter College, in New York State, more than 1,000 pedestrian-cyclist accidents occur each year and require some level of hospitalization. Furthermore, nearly half of those accidents take place in New York City.
The Hunter College research reached a simple conclusion: accidents involving bicyclists and pedestrians are more common than previously thought and the need for the enforcement of existing cyclist traffic laws is necessary for the safety of the citizens of New York. In fact, as bicycling increase in popularity, as an alternative form of transportation, the number of annual bike accidents will likely increase.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of a pedestrian-bicyclist accident, contact our experienced New York City personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Ernest Holzberg and Associates. Securing effective legal counsel can result in the award of damages to compensate victims for medical bills, lost salary, pain and suffering, and lost future earnings.
