Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf is a New York Plaintiff's personal injury law firm specializing in automobile accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct and all types of New York personal injury litigation.

Articles Tagged with queens bicycle accident

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Amanda Servidio vigile invitationTonight, the family of Amanda Servedio, along with members of Bike and Brew, Families for Safe Streets, and Transportation Alternatives, will gather to honor Amanda’s memory with a vigil and ghost bike installation, followed by a memorial ride. Amanda, an avid cyclist and active Bike and Brew member, lost her life when a pickup truck, engaged in a high-speed police chase, collided with her as she rode her bike through Queens. This tragedy is part of a troubling pattern that has turned the 114th Precinct into an epicenter of reckless high-speed chases on residential streets.

In Queens, the 114th Precinct has seen 38 police chases this year alone—a staggering number for a largely residential area. These pursuits are often initiated on quiet neighborhood streets, placing lives like Amanda’s at extreme risk. The lack of regulation and accountability for these chases has created an epidemic of reckless endangerment in Astoria, where police should prioritize public safety, especially on streets heavily used by pedestrians and cyclists.

While the NYPD patrol guide dictates that officers terminate pursuits when the danger to the public outweighs the need for apprehension, these guidelines seem far from effectively enforced. Amanda’s death painfully underscores this issue—officers pursued a suspect with a staggering record of over 80 speed- and red-light violations, highlighting the systemic failures that allowed a known repeat offender to remain on the roads. The tragedy reflects a disregard for policies meant to protect lives, as the NYPD’s patrol guidelines about high-speed pursuits remain removed from public versions of the guide, further obscuring transparency.

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New York Police Chase Accident LawyerA tragic police chase in Astoria, Queens, on Tuesday night claimed the life of a cyclist when a driver, fleeing from NYPD officers, fatally struck her. The driver, who was attempting to evade arrest for burglary, was speeding along 34th Avenue before hitting the cyclist on 37th Avenue. This marks yet another fatality resulting from the surge in police chases under Mayor Adams’ administration, prompting concerns about the NYPD’s policies regarding high-speed pursuits.

As NYPD chase accident lawyers, we understand the devastating consequences of reckless pursuits in densely populated neighborhoods. In this case, the police pursuit resulted in not only the senseless death of a cyclist but also intense public outcry about the necessity and safety of such actions.

In New York City, where traffic is already chaotic, engaging in high-speed chases in residential areas is a recipe for disaster. The aftermath of this chase, in which the suspect continued to evade police while an innocent cyclist lost her life, raises the question: Was it worth it? As advocates for victims of road violence, we firmly believe that no property crime, such as burglary, should justify endangering lives in this manner.

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Ghost bike showing locations of previous NYC deadly bicycle accidentsAs personal injury lawyers serving the Queens community, we are deeply saddened and concerned by the recent tragedy that occurred on August 5, 2024. A cyclist was struck and killed by a truck driver at the intersection of 34th Street and 43rd Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens. This unfortunate event marks the 148th traffic fatality in New York City this year, with 42 of these deaths occurring in Queens alone. These statistics highlight the ongoing dangers that cyclists face on our streets.

The cyclist was riding in a protected bike lane, a crucial link between the Queensboro Bridge and Queens Boulevard. However, the protection ended at the intersection, leaving the cyclist vulnerable. This incident underscores the inadequacy of current infrastructure, which often relies on temporary measures rather than permanent, concrete solutions that could offer true protection.

Elizabeth Adams, Interim Co-Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, expressed the collective grief and frustration poignantly: “We are heartbroken and outraged to learn that a truck driver struck and killed a person biking in Sunnyside today. All New Yorkers have a right to get where they’re going safely, and our city’s leaders failed to protect this bike rider today.”

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Queens Boulevard is dangerous for cyclistsQueens Boulevard in New York City has been historically notorious for its high number of fatal bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents. The thoroughfare gained the infamous nickname “Boulevard of Death” due to the significant risks it posed to cyclists and pedestrians.

After almost a decade of planning, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT)  announced that the infamous boulevard is finally undergoing a transformation with the extension of bike lanes further east into the Borough. This long-awaited project aims to improve street safety and create a more equitable transportation system. As NYC bicycle accident lawyers, we view this expansion as a positive step towards reducing accidents and promoting safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus commuters.

The DOT recently presented a comprehensive proposal to extend bike lanes on Queens Boulevard. The plan involves repurposing a travel lane in each direction between Union Turnpike in Forest Hills and Hillside Avenue in Briarwood. This move has been applauded by advocates who appreciate Mayor Adams’ commitment to bringing safer infrastructure to communities of color.

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location of the deadly e-Citi Bike accident in Queens NYC
16-year-old Jaydan McLaurin was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding an electric Citi Bike in Queens on Monday night. The driver who killed him was later identified as 18-year-old Yaser Ibrahim, who was unlicensed and driving a BMW SUV. Police were able to track him down, and he was arrested and charged with driving without a license, leaving the scene of an accident, and having a tinted windshield.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the urgent need for improved safety measures to protect cyclists on New York City streets. According to reports, McLaurin was riding north on 21st Avenue in Astoria when he was struck by the car. The impact was so severe that it virtually severed the electric Citi Bike in half, and McLaurin was rushed to Harlem Hospital but sadly died from his injuries.

This incident marks the 11th cyclist death in New York City in 2023, with a record-shattering 10 people on bikes having died at the start of the year alone

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road defect killed cyclistA senior cyclist died in a accident caused by a road defect in Queens, NYC, last Thursday. 77 year old Lin Wen-Chiang was riding his bicycle on 40th Driver in Elmhurst when he hit a broken cave-in pavement  and fell off his bike. He suffered severe head trauma and died from his injuries.

6 complaints were previously logged in with the Department of Transportation as the cave-in pavement was never properly addressed

After the accident occurred, city workers were seen patching the defect which had been poorly addressed despite multiple complaints to the city.

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The-NYC-intersection-where-the-e-bike-fatally-struck-the-pedestrianA pedestrian died after being struck by a e-bike rider in New York City last Friday night. 54 year old Kelly William, a Queens real estate professional, was taking a walk with a friend in her neighborhood. The young woman and her friend were in the crosswalk  at the intersection of 21st Avenue and 31st Street in Astoria when a delivery man on a e-bike struck Kelly.

The pedestrian died from head injuries

She fell on the ground and suffered serious head injury.  According to her mother, her skull was fractured at several locations. She was rushed to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries the following day. Kelly’s family was devastated by the accident. Her 78 year old mother told the NY Daily News that her daughter was a very energetic and lovely person who left her corporates career to create her own brokerage company, Kelly NYC LLC.

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Borden-Ave-and-11streetA 14 year old cyclist was fatally struck by a truck in New York City on Saturday afternoon. Mario Valenzuela was riding his bike on Borden Avenue around 2:00 pm Saturday afternoon when a truck belonging to limited Interior Group, a private sanitation company, made a right turn onto 11th street and fatally struck him.

The 33 year old truck driver stayed at the scene of the accident and wasn’t charged even though he violated the Right of Way Law.

Last week an off duty cop on a motorcycle was also killed by a private sanitation truck in the Bronx and at the beginning of the month another cyclist suffered critical head injury after he was struck by a dump truck in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Plans to reform the industry and reduce truck roads by having a limited number of companies taking care of specific areas have all been opposed so far.

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Second-Avenue-and-BordenA cyclist was fatally struck by a car in NYC on Thursday. The victim, identified as 53 year old Robert Spencer, is the sixth person to die in a bicycle accident in New York City since the beginning of the year. Spencer was riding his bicycle on Borden Avenue on Thursday morning a little bit before 8:00 am when he was struck by a car traveling on Second Street in Queens. The driver, a 51 year old man stayed at the scene of the accident and wasn’t charged.The victim was rushed to the hospital but he couldn’t be saved.

The area where the accident occurred used to be industrial but recent developments are quickly transforming the neighborhood into a more residential area. While there is a protected bike lane on Second Street, Borden offers no protection for cyclists.  According to residents, speeding double parking and failing to yield to pedestrians is common on Borden. The shareholders of the Murano, a residential building located a block away from the accident have already written a letter to the city and to their Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer to ask for a two-way protected bike-lane on Borden as well as other traffic calming measures. Their effort was supported by Van Bramer who wrote directly to the DOT on March 4th to support the residents’request for a bike lane and other traffic calming measures. The residents of the Murano also tried to lobby their local community board for protected bike lanes along Borden Avenue, but the community board refused to consider their request. (read more in Street blog)

Bike lane delays are not about the money but about the community

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A cyclist died after he was doored by a car in Queens, NYC, and ended up under the wheels of a truck. The accident occurred yesterday afternoon in Long Island City. The 45 year old man was riding his bike North on 21st Street near 46th Avenue when the passenger of a car parked in the street suddenly opened his door and hit him. The impact sent the cyclist flying  in the middle of the street in front of a box truck. The  truck driver didn’t have the time to stop and ran over him. The man was transported to the hospital in serious condition. He later died from his injuries The car driver and the truck driver stayed at the scene of the accident. The truck driver was taken into custody after the police found that he didn’t have a valid license.

Read more on the CBS New York website

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