$2,325,000 Awarded to Injured Motorcycle Rider
Our client was riding his motorcycle in the Bronx when he was struck by a car attempting to make an illegal left turn. As a result of this collision, our client was thrown roughly 50 feet from his motorcycle, causing multiple fractures in his leg, hip and back. Represented by Block O’Toole & Murphy, he was awarded $2,325,000.
Court and County
Supreme, Bronx
Plaintiff Description
Our client, 37, was working as a truck driver at the time of the incident.
Description of Case
Our client was riding a motorcycle southbound on Central Park Avenue in the Bronx on the day of his accident. He had gone only two blocks when, up ahead in the lane of oncoming traffic, he noticed the Defendant vehicle angle the nose of his car as if to make an illegal left turn. Assuming that the Defendant would obey the rules of the road and wait until he had the right of way, our client was struck directly on his left thigh by the Defendant vehicle as they passed each other.
At the intersection where the accident occurred, the Defendant was stopped at a left-turning traffic lane, where there was a left turn arrow at the traffic light. When the collision occurred, the light controlling general northbound traffic was green, but the left turn signal was not.
A witness at the scene stated that the Defendant vehicle hit our client’s motorcycle with its right front fender, causing our client to be thrown off his motorcycle and over the front of the Defendant vehicle. The force of this collision was significant enough that our client tumbled nearly 50 feet along the ground. At this point our client was unconscious and it was obvious that his left leg was broken. This witness stated that our client had been driving safely and obeying the speed limit at the time he was struck by the Defendant.
Injuries
Our client suffered numerous serious injuries to his legs, hip and back as a result of this crash, including:
- Fracture of the mid/distal femoral shaft
- Fracture of the left femoral intertrochanteric region
- Avulsion fracture of the fibular head
- Fracture of the right acetabulum, or the part of the hip which holds the head of the femur
- Impaction fracture of the anterolateral tibial plateau
- Torn ACL, PCL, MCL and meniscus in left knee
- Multiple transverse process fractures in lumbar spine
- Lumbosacral derangement brought on by transverse process fractures
- Reduction of forward flexion and range of motion in lumbar spine
To treat his many injuries, our client required multiple surgeries, such as:
- IM nailing of left femur
- Open reduction-internal fixation of left intertrochanteric fracture
- Closed treatment of left second and fifth metatarsal fractures
- Arthroscopic surgery to repair ACL, MCL, PCL and torn meniscus
- Blood transfusion surgery to replenish blood lost in previous surgical operations
The surgeries that our client had to undergo as a result of his injuries left him unable to return to his previous job as a truck driver.
Settlement Amount
$2,350,000
Handling Attorneys
This matter was handled by Founding Partner Jeffrey A. Block.