bicycle accidents

Published on: May 16, 2019

Brooklyn Jury Awards $11M to Struck Deliveryman, Though High-Low Caps Recovery

A Brooklyn Supreme Court jury has awarded $11.03 million in damages to a deliveryman who was struck from behind by a car as he carted Mexican food on his electric bike. But because of a “high-low agreement” between the parties, arrived at during a nearly two-week damages trial held this month, he will collect $3 million.

Jun Chen, now 41, was riding on his bike in May 2015, on Broadway in lower Manhattan, when he stopped at a red light, according to his lawyer and court documents. As the light turned green, he slowly gained speed when a 2012 Honda sedan, driven by defendant Allan Cooper, “took off fast” from the light and struck Chen from behind, according to James Napoli, Chen’s lawyer.

Chen, who had a bag of Mexican food over the handlebars, was thrown from the bike and landed hard on his right knee before rolling around the pavement in pain, according to Napoli, founder of Caesar, Napoli & Spivak, a 10-lawyer personal-injury firm in Manhattan.

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Published on: October 16, 2017

As Days Grow Shorter, Bike Accidents On The Rise

By Caesar, Napoli & Spivak PLLC

Since Labor Day, the city has experienced an uptick in bicycle-related accidents. In mid-September, a female cyclist was fatally struck by a box truck in Tribeca. Several days prior, a Citibike rider was run over in Midtown and suffered injuries to her leg. Earlier this month, a cyclist struck a child near Central Park West. The child was taken to Mt. Sinai St. Luke’s in serious condition.

On November 5^th, daylight savings will end, meaning twilight will descend upon the city earlier in the day, and the potential for biking accidents will increase. These accidents don’t just put cyclists at risk; reduced visibility is a hazard for pedestrians, as well. For these reasons, it’s wise for all travelers to review the laws and best practices for biking in the city.

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Published on: December 8, 2015

The Biker’s Rules of the Road

By Caesar, Napoli & Spivak PLLC

Though it may not feel like it yet, winter is here. We’re all familiar with the shorter days, freezing temperatures and occasional snowfall that winter brings, but what about the added dangers for pedestrians and cyclists?

Colder weather means many cyclists are bundling up, limiting their range of vision and mobility. Ice on the road and sidewalk poses a threat to pedestrians and cyclists alike.

As darkness falls earlier each night, most New Yorkers are now forced to commute after nightfall. The greatest number of auto collisions occurs in the late afternoon and evening, and accidents during this time tend to be more deadly. Driving after dark carries a three times higher fatality rate than during the day.
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