According to the Daily News, New York City’s Citi Bike program may be facing its first round of personal injury lawsuits. Lashonne Shelton, Howard Orlick, and Diane Mathes have all filed notice of claims against the city alleging that the placement of the Citi Bike docking stations are health hazards. All three plaintiffs have alleged that the placement of the bicycle racks caused them to trip, fall, and suffer injuries. All three plaintiffs have stated in their claims that they were injured due to a “trap-like” condition created by the structure of the bike racks.
While all three injuries were caused by tripping over the bicycle rack, the amount of money being sought by each plaintiff varies dramatically. Ms. Shelton is seeking just over $1 million following her trip and fall in lower Manhattan. Mr. Orlick is seeking $500 to cover his medical expenses following his injury near Union Square, where he claimed the bike rack created an optical illusion of the street and sidewalk. Ms. Mathes is seeking $5 million after suffering her injury on the East 20 th Street racks, claiming she suffered physical and psychological damages. Additionally, Ms. Mathes’ husband plans to sue the city for $250,000 claiming that he suffered a “loss of services” from his wife due to her injury.
In order for the plaintiffs to have a valid case, they must be able to prove that the city acted negligently in their placement of the bike racks. Furthermore, the plaintiffs must show that their injuries caused them to suffer either economic or non-economic damages. Economic damages are any financial loss caused by the injury, such as lost wages or medical bills that are uncovered by insurance. Non-economic damages are any kind of serious physical or emotional suffering caused by the injury.
Lawsuits against the city or property owners in trip and fall cases can be complex. As a result, it is important that injured individuals retain a skilled New York slip-and-fall lawyer. At Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool, our premises liability lawyers have been defending the rights of injured individuals for over 50 years. Our attorneys understand the complexities of premises liability lawsuits and will handle all aspects of the legal process.
For a free, no-obligation consultation with our personal injury lawyers, call 212-406-1700 or contact us online.
