Cycling is one of the fun activities people all over Connecticut enjoy every day. Being out in nature or riding through the streets on these two-wheeled vehicles can be both healthy and exhilarating, but sharing the streets with motorists can often be a risky prospect. A senior manager of operations at Waste Management Co. found this out while taking a bike ride through Windsor.
When a Bicycle Crash Can’t Be Avoided
The 36-year-old manager from Bloomfield was riding his bicycle in a narrow bike lane on Day Hill Road in Windsor. As he road, a 26-foot long truck from a local farm tried to drive by him. As the truck passed, it clipped the bicyclist, knocking him to the ground. That’s when the rear tires of the truck ran over the man’s left leg.
When the cyclist arrived at a nearby medical center after the crash, he was put into an induced coma. Eventually, doctors amputated his left leg and he spent six months recovering from his injuries. In the meantime, police would go to work trying to figure out everything they could about the driver of the truck that hit him.
Witnesses at the scene of the crash saw the truck driver flee the scene. A few of those witnesses followed the truck driver until authorities arrived, but the tale they were told surprised everyone. The driver told police that the bicyclist had been on his cellphone at the time of the crash. He also gave police a false name and has since gone into hiding.
The cyclist and his family were quick to respond to the crash. He filed a lawsuit against the farm that owns the truck that hit him, provided phone records that proved he was not biking while on the phone, and he gathered witnesses. Under the pressure of the evidence, the farm settled the case for $5 million just days after it was filed.
Every crash has different circumstances, and victims need to respond to these situations appropriately and swiftly. Several witnesses, police reports, and the alleged lies told by the truck driver contributed to the swift resolution of this case, but without these factors, would this case have been wrapped up so quickly? This is why it’s important for cyclists to prepare for an emergency situation. Be sure a loved one knows when you leave on a ride and what route you plan to take. In the event of a crash, if you are able, contact the authorities and gather information from witnesses. Your health is the number one priority in crashes like this, so it may be necessary to ask someone else to gather the important details of a crash. Choose someone you trust and be sure to contact an experienced attorney.