A bicyclist who suffered a spine injury in a 2013 road accident has recently filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland, the Oregon Department of Transportation and TriMet. The plaintiff, a 59-year old man, was riding home from work when a pickup driver struck him and drove off without stopping. The lawsuit does not name the driver, whose identity remains unknown.
Details of Lawsuit for Spine Injury
The bicycle accident happened on the North Interstate Avenue at around 11:30 p.m. At the time of the incident, the bicyclist was wearing two reflection vests and his bike was equipped with 5 lights. A Ford F-350 pickup truck hit the plaintiff somewhere near Greenley Avenue, which is reportedly a common site of bicycle accidents.
The bicyclist suffered extensive injuries, particularly a broken spine in at least 11 places, broken ribs, a lacerated liver, and internal bleeding. He has been paralyzed following his spine injury and is now seeking compensation in the amounts of:
- $15 million for pain and loss of enjoyment of life
- $1.75 million for medical and rehabilitation costs for the past 2 years
- $2.5 million for future costs
- $250,000 for the payment of household duties that he can no longer perform
- $100,000 for lost wages, and
- $300,000 for future lost earnings
His wife also seeks compensation in the amount of $1.5 million for lost company, support, service, and comfort of her husband.
Allegations Against the Defendants
The plaintiff claims that the road’s design was too narrow, inconsistent with an Oregon Administrative rule stating that the ideal width for a bicycle lane is at least 6 feet. He attributes fault to the city for failing to maintain a bike lane of at least 6 feet wide and TriMet for its dangerous redesign of the North Interstate where several cyclists have been injured in accidents.
The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants were negligent for their failure to install signs warning drivers of narrow lanes and of the presence of bicyclists on the road. The plaintiff adds that the road where the accident happened bears faded lines between car and bike lanes, a clear indicator, they say, that cars drive over to the bicycle lane.
If you or a loved one is suffering from a spine injury arising from an accident, you may be entitled to compensation. In Portland, Oregon, the law offices of Dwyer Williams Cherkoss has a wide range of experience in handling personal injury cases involving spine injury. Ask us about your legal options by calling today for a free consultation, at 503-688-5005.