Bicyclist Killed in Brooklyn Hit-and-Run Crash

A 68-year-old man was tragically killed in a recent hit-and-run bicycle accident near the intersection of 65th Street and Sixth Avenue in Brooklyn. According to police, the man was riding to the doctor in Bay Ridge at about 9:30 am when he was struck by a northbound tow truck that turned a corner into him. Witnesses reportedly stated the 46-year-old tow truck driver stopped and looked around before getting back into the vehicle and leaving the scene of the accident. Sadly, the 68-year-old bicyclist died before emergency responders arrived.

A bystander apparently wrote down the license plate number of the tow truck before the driver allegedly fled the scene. When police later apprehended the tow truck driver, the man reportedly told them that he did not realize he hit the bicyclist and stated he only stopped to ask for directions. Although the fatal accident is currently under investigation, the motorist was charged with failure to exercise due care and fleeing the scene of an injury accident.

Unfortunately, the risk for being involved in an accident with an automobile or other vehicle is high for bicycle riders in New York City and across the nation. Sadly, bicyclists are often negligently injured or killed because they are forced to compete with vehicles that may be reluctant to share the lanes on a roadway. Although it is unclear whether the bicyclist in this situation was wearing a safety helmet, too many riders fail to do so. Since riding a bicycle is generally seen as a commonplace task, many people simply do not consider using such bike safety equipment. In New York City alone, about three-fourths of all bicyclist fatalities involve some sort of brain injury. Additionally, about 90 percent of bicyclists across the U.S. who died in a crash in 2009 were not wearing a safety helmet.

Bicyclists, pedestrians, and vehicle occupants are placed at risk of being hurt or killed every time they travel on the streets in New York City and elsewhere. Bike accident injuries are normally life-threatening and may include a serious brain injury, paralysis, broken bones, and death. If you were harmed or a treasured loved one was killed in a bicycle crash that was caused by a negligent motorist, you may be entitled to receive financial compensation for your damages or your loved one's wrongful death. A skilled personal injury and accident lawyer can help.

Please contact the hardworking personal injury and accident law attorneys at Korngut Paleudis LLC if you suffered a bicycle crash injury in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. Our caring lawyers are available to help you recover the financial compensation you deserve based upon the severity of your harm. Our knowledgeable advocates have more than 45 years of experience helping clients who are located in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. To speak with a capable attorney about your personal injury claim, contact Korngut Paleudis LLC through the law firm's website or give us a call at (212) 835-6768 in New York City or (609) 480-3080 in Princeton, New Jersey.

Additional Resources:

Bicyclist killed in crash in Bay Ridge identified, driver charged, by Peter Moskowitz and Joe Kemp, New York Daily News

Cyclist Fatally Struck By Truck In Brooklyn, by Rebecca Fishbein, gothamist.com