$2.4 Million Verdict to Philadelphia Bicyclist Severely Hurt in Crash

A Philadelphia woman has been awarded $2.4 million in compensation by a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court jury after she was severely injured in a bicycle accident on Broad Street as she headed home from classes at Temple University on Feb. 23, 2011.

The woman, Ashley McKean, who was 24 years old at the time of the crash, was hurt when the door of a parked vehicle was flung open in front of her and she was then struck twice from behind by another vehicle, according to a June 17 story in The Legal Intelligencer. The crash occurred near the intersection of Broad and Spring Garden streets.

The driver of the parked car, Marci Shepard, allegedly and inadvertently opened the driver’s side door of her vehicle into McKean’s path, the story reported, resulting in McKean being halted as she and her bike struck the open door with her right thigh. McKean was then struck from behind by an MCT Transportation van that was being driven by Robert E. Crawford, causing her to fall forward into the street and into the path of Crawford’s van, which ran over her left leg, the story reported.

The victim suffered multiple injuries from the crash, including several bone fractures and injuries to the ligaments, a urinary tract infection, bowel dysfunction and extensive scarring, the story reported. She now “suffers from permanent chronic pain that causes limited mobility,” according to the report.

McKean has undergone five surgeries, 23 diagnostic tests, emergency room treatment, 10 days of inpatient hospital treatment, 18 days of inpatient rehabilitation treatment, 15 doctor visits, 16 outpatient physical therapy sessions and uses a variety of orthopedic appliances and prescription medications, while incurring about $587,947 in medical bills, The Legal Intelligencer reported.

The jury’s award in the case included $1.3 million for pain and suffering, $880,000 for future medical expenses and $225,000 for disfigurement, the story reported.

The $2.4 million award was deemed as significant by Sarah Clark Stuart, the deputy director of The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, in an interview with Newsworks, the online home of WHYY-FM News 90.9. “I think that it does send a very strong message that bicyclists need to be taken seriously, and their safety needs to be taken seriously,” Stuart told Newsworks. “So I hope that it gives everyone pause to follow the rules of the road and keep safe out there.”

These kinds of injury cases occur every day when innocent victims are hurt or killed in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own due to the actions or indifference of others. That’s why it is critical to have a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle incident or accident anywhere in the United States. We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.