In a recent incident on state Route 32 in New Windsor in Orange County, a bicyclist was struck and injured by a passing truck. Jose Urban, 60, of New Windsor, was hit by a pickup while riding near the intersection with Devitt’s Circle at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 7th, and taken to Westchester Medical Center, where he was treated for internal injuries. Rocco Randazzo, 41, of Cornwall, the driver of the truck, stated to police that, prior to the crash, he was pulling onto Route 32 when the bicyclist “came out of nowhere,” and the two collided. Randazzo received a ticket for the violation of failing to yield right of way at an intersection.
Thousands of Bicycle Accidents and Injuries Happen in New York Every Year
New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles reports that, in 2013, there were 6,328 collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles in New York State. Twenty-three percent of the accidents were attributed to driver inattention. More than 6,000 bicyclists were injured in crashes with cars and trucks, and over 10% of those were seriously injured. Forty cyclists were fatally injured in these accidents, and 30 of those fatally injured were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
Due to the disparity in the size and the degree of protection of the cyclist in these crashes, cyclists are vastly more vulnerable while on the road than drivers of motor vehicles. Fortunately, under New York’s no-fault insurance laws, a bicyclist can be covered under the driver’s PIP, or Personal Injury Protection, which all New York drivers are legally required to carry. If your injuries exceed the amount of the driver’s coverage, you may be able to make a claim against your own car insurance, depending on the sort of policy that you have and that the driver who injured you had. Additionally, if your injuries were caused by a failure of responsible government bodies to maintain streets in a reasonable condition, you may have a claim against those entities as well. This could include defects in the roadway such as a serious pothole, or dangerous temporary paving, which caused you to lose control of your bicycle and become injured. Filing a police report and contacting a local New York attorney who understands the complexity of bicycle crash and personal injury law can help ensure that you’ll be able to recover for your injuries.
Bicyclists are in a vulnerable position when riding alongside much larger cars and trucks on the road. However, if you’re a cyclist who has been hurt in a crash, you don’t have to be in a more vulnerable position when you’re pursuing a claim for your injuries. The Kingston attorneys at Basch & Keegan have over 30 years of experience in pursuing accident and injury claims and have a proven track record of ensuring that victims are paid what they’re owed for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. From anywhere in Ulster, Orange, or Dutchess County, contact Basch & Keegan for a free evaluation of your claims at (845) 251-4545.