A motorcyclist was killed in late July after he was struck by ambulance rushing to an emergency in East Harlem.
The New York Presbyterian ambulance was traveling east on East 96th Street the morning of Friday, July 25. Supposedly, it had its lights and sirens on at the time. Around 9:40 a.m., it struck a Yamaha motorcycle heading south on Lexington Avenue.
The 44-year-old man aboard the motorcycle was thrown from his bike. Onlookers told The New York Post it looked as though the man suffered a head injury. (It wasn’t immediately known whether he was wearing a helmet.)
The motorcyclist was taken to Metropolitan Hospital several blocks away in East Harlem, but his injuries were too severe and there was nothing doctors could do to save him. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
One thing to note about this story is that it isn’t yet known which vehicle had the right-of-way, since authorities are still investigating the traffic lights at the intersection. Naturally, that is an important fact to determine, since it will go along way toward apportioning liability for the incident.
As New York motorcycle accident attorneys, we hear stories like this far too often. Motorcycles have every bit the same rights as other vehicles on our roads, yet motorcycle riders are killed or injured in disproportionate numbers.
We have devoted a portion of our practice to helping motorcyclists who are injured, or to assisting family members who lose a loved one in a motorcycle accident. If you think you need to speak with an attorney about an accident that befell you or a loved one, please feel free to contact us today for a free motorcycle accident consultation.
