The attorneys at
Walker, Hamilton & Koenig, LLP recently achieved a $675,000 settlement on behalf of a client who was
severely injured in a
bicycle accident . The client, a young woman and a successful attorney, had been riding
in a marked bicycle lane on a street in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco.
The bicycle lane striping invited cyclists to transition to a right-hand
turn lane over a severely deteriorated section of roadway that contained
a retired railroad track. The young woman followed the direction of the
bicycle lane striping and her tire suddenly became stuck in a deteriorated
rut, causing her to fly over her handlebars and fall head first to the
ground. As a result of her fall, she suffered a concussion and a severe
elbow fracture. She required surgery in order to implant a prosthetic
portion of bone in her elbow, and she spent several months off work recovering.
The attorneys at
Walker, Hamilton & Koenig, LLP filed suit against the City and County of San Francisco and Caltrain,
alleging a negligent failure to inspect and maintain the roadway and to
repair its deteriorated condition. After defeating a motion for summary
judgment, the case settled prior to trial for $675,000. In addition to
the recovery, the attorneys at
Walker, Hamilton & Koenig, LLP negotiated with Caltrain for the removal of the retired railroad track
from the roadway and the repair of the roadway deterioration. This work
was completed prior to the settlement and cyclists now enjoy a smoother
and safer section of road.
This settlement represents not only a victory for our client, but also
a victory for all San Francisco cyclists.