$245,000 Settlement for Jersey Shore Bicyclist who Struck Pothole and Broke Jaw
The Clark Law Firm has resolved a case for a Jersey Shore resident who was injured riding her bike in a Shore Town in June of 2018. Our client was riding home from dinner with her husband in a designated bike lane when her front tire struck a pothole, causing her to flip over the handlebars and land directly on her chin. The client sustained broken teeth and a broken jaw which required surgery. The client was represented by Mark W. Morris of the Clark Law Firm, P.C.
Mr. Morris argued the pothole formed as the result of work performed by a contractor to repair a water main break in the months prior. The Clark Law Firm alleged the contractor failed to properly back-fill after the dig, causing a cavity to form which ultimately resulted in the pothole’s formation. Due to the shape and size of the pothole, our client did not see it until her tire struck the depression, causing her to become seriously injured. The contractor denied he did anything wrong, the defense attempted to blame our client for what happened and the case was litigated for a number of years before ultimately settling at a conference following arbitration.
“When companies work on our streets they need to make sure they do so in a way that doesn’t create dangerous conditions for people walking and riding their bikes in the area,” said Morris. “Growing up in a shore town, riding your bike to the beach and around town is a rite of passage. Especially when an area is designated for bike riders, it needs to be kept reasonably safe. That didn’t happen here and the inevitable result is serious injury to a bike rider who was just trying to get some exercise and enjoy a summer night with her family.”
While the Clark Law Firm is happy to have obtained a $245,000 settlement for their client, they are hopeful contractors take the necessary precautions to avoid creating conditions that risk serious injury to people biking around at the beach this summer and beyond!
Contact the Clark Law Firm here for questions about this case, or if you’ve been injured in a similar accident.
