From the NY Post:A Brooklyn jury has found that the city should pay a staggering $19 million to a cyclist who suffered brain damage at age 12 when he was struck by a speeding car, The Post has learned.
It would be the largest legal payout in city history.
The panel believed that city officials ignored the warnings from Gerritsen Beach residents that Gerritsen Avenue needed to be revamped to slow down drivers who fly along the open stretch of road.
The award was part of a $36 million verdict on May 26 for Anthony Turturro, now 19, who was hit in 2004 by a driver going about 55 mph in the 30-mph zone.
“Anthony will need help for the rest of his life,” said his mom, Ellie. “My biggest worry is: What’s going to happen to him in the future?”
The jury found that the city should pay 40 percent of the $36 million award and that driver Louis Pascarella -- who had a suspended license at the time -- was responsible for 50 percent. They found the teen 10 percent responsible for his own injuries.
Two years before the accident, Councilman Lew Fidler and others sent letters to the Department of Transportation urging a traffic light on Gerritsen -- calling it a “potentially fatal situation.”
The DOT would not comment but launched a five-year study after the accident and took the roadway down from two lanes each way to one.
13 comments:
Let us hope that is not what needs to happen on 5th avenue in Whitestone. Where by the DOT's own accounts, 107 per hour utilize the residential street as a conduit into Whitestone. Also as per DOT 33% speed! That is something like 35 cars an hour speed along 5th avenue. Yet according to Commissioner McCarthy, that is not dangerous, just inconvenient!
All these spoiled brat Irish/Italian/Greek and Russian kids who get high speed Volkswagons, Audis and Infinitis for there 18th birthday who love racing (illegal racing) so fervently are putting hard working well to do citizens life in danger.
In white stone and maspeth it's not these blacks and puerto ricans/dominicans that are doing the high speed racing that is putting peoples lives in danger.
Actually, yes it is.
Drag Racing Fatality Raises Maspeth Fears
Edwin Fernandez, 23, died after he crashed his car in a race down Page Place in Maspeth’s industrial section early Sunday morning.
By Monday afternoon, a makeshift shrine had sprung up on the spot, topped with a duct tape cross. More duct tape secured a dozen bouquets to the pole, some scribbled with messages: “Your boy forever — Juan,” and “Love you.”
5th Avenue in Whitestone is indeed a dangerous road due to speeding and high traffic overflow from the Whitestone bridge exit. City officials from Councilman Halloran,Cb7 and Senator Avella have been warned of the situation numerous times to no avail. Maura McCarthy's own inaction resulted in the death of a mother taking her child to school in 2010 and may have cost Frank Padavan his seat in Albany but she goes on whisteling past the graveyard! Substantial lawsuit settlements are sometimes the only answer.
5th Avenue in Whitestone is indeed a dangerous road due to speeding and high traffic overflow from the Whitestone bridge exit. City officials from Councilman Halloran,Cb7 and Senator Avella have been warned of the situation numerous times to no avail. Maura McCarthy's own inaction resulted in the death of a mother taking her child to school in 2010 and may have cost Frank Padavan his seat in Albany but she goes on whisteling past the graveyard! Substantial lawsuit settlements are sometimes the only answer.
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DONT FORGET THE NUMEROUS LETTERS AND EMAILS TO BLOOMBERG AND HELEN MARSHALL
from the ny post this week :"HEADS UP FOR KIDS" ATLANTA....
Emergency room visits by kids with concussions from sports and recreational activities is up 60% in the last decade, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of youths 19 and younger.
Researchers cited BIKING and FOOTBALL as the leading causes of TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES.(A.P.)
What a world we live in. Those charged with public safety have no clue nor care what they do. Our political system is in shambles. People have become lobotomized and follow what the elected officials tell them as if it is Gospel. A revolution is coming, it may be slow getting here, but get here it will. About time the shit on top is held accountable!!!
not all of the people are in this category. the Tax Enough Already Patriots succeeded in replacing 62 of U.S.Congress's big spending and high taxer DEMOCRAT/RINOS in 2010.
the present data polls show that this could continue with the Senate and Executive branches also,in 2012.
The Whitestone area is ignored by our elected officials when it comes to traffic control. When I take my child to school each morning I'm faced with the dangers of crossing 154 St. at 11 Avenue, where there is no stop sign between 14th Ave. and 7th ave on 154 St. and all the double parkers in front of the deli on that block in the morning and afternoon. Why aren't you civic groups complaining to our councilman and DOT about this?
The Whitestone area is ignored by our elected officials when it comes to traffic control. When I take my child to school each morning I'm faced with the dangers of crossing 154 St. at 11 Avenue, where there is no stop sign between 14th Ave. and 7th ave on 154 St. and all the double parkers in front of the deli on that block in the morning and afternoon. Why aren't you civic groups complaining to our councilman and DOT about this?
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Thats the block tropicana comes from as do everyone going to the walbams that deli is a pain people double and triple park there and no one moves i think the guy in the deli has a cusin or something thatsa cop so its handsa offa ifa yu know whatta mean wait till the whita housa open up the big catering hall its on the next block the joys of progress
The driver had a suspended license and was speeding. Why are the taxpayers footing this bill?
The driver had a suspended license and was speeding. Why are the taxpayers footing this bill?
Because the community saw a potential problem complained and then warned the DOT, who as usual did nothing until too late. Just guessing here.
Your right, the taxpayers shouldn't foot the bill, they should hold Bloomberg, McCarthy, and KAHN accountable.
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