Call

Blog

Law
02

Blog

Underinsured Driver Costs Cyclist His Leg: Let’s Help!

Back in the 80’s, one of the guys I used to race against was Steve Remy, now Team Director for Monster Media Racing Team.  Our paths crossed again last year, this time with us wearing the same kit on Team Guinness.  So when Steve asked me to speak in front of the Monster Media Racing Team as part of their team camp for 2015, I didn’t hesitate.

The talk was intended to motivate the riders to push themselves beyond their current limits. In particular, I shared my thoughts on how to deal with discomfort and pain, both unavoidable in serious bike racing. Naturally, I shared some of my stories of suffering behind some great and fast riders over the years, and beckoned them to challenge all self-established boundaries.

But nothing I conjured up for that talk can compare to the courage and mental strength Portland cyclist and Monster Media Racing Team rider Alistair Corkett displayed after his horrific bicycle accident on Sunday, May 10. Corkett and fellow team mate Anthony Disano were nearing the end of their weekly long ride when a pickup truck suddenly veered quickly into a left turn at a particularly dangerous Portland intersection. This move stole both Alistairs right-of way and his right leg, but Alistair kept his head, never losing consciousness or his composure. In fact, he was making jokes by day’s end. His close friends have been by his side since the day of the collision.

IMG_4573
I am honored to represent him and am doing all I can to find insurance coverage; however, it’s doubtful that the driver has insurance and even if he does, it will barely cover a few days in the hospital, let alone the life adjustment costs facing Alistair. And then there is the needed prosthetic. Fortunately, Alistair has health insurance, but it doesn’t cover all of the costs he incurred and will incur as a result of this uninsured driver’s negligence.

And that’s where Alistair’s friends have stepped up again. The day after the collision, they set up a GoFundMe page for Alistair to help raise money for a prosthetic leg. The original goal of $50,000 was reached within 4 days, so a new goal of $100,000 was set; the additional funding will be to help Alistair finish his education.

Alistair’s GoFundMe page has already received 888 shares; let’s get the word out and share it even more to reach the fundraising goal and help Alistair recover from this devastating crash.

If you’ve been in a bike crash and need help from our Oregon bicycle accident attorneys, contact us right away. 

Comments

Charlie Thomas Nov 08, 2024

A gap in Texas law is allowing some drivers who hit people in crosswalks to get off scot-free, despite recently passed legislation meant to address the issue. It’s called the Lisa Torry Smith Act and was passed in 2021. This law requires drivers to “stop and yield” to pedestrians, bicyclists, and anyone else legally using […]

Read More
Bike lawyer rides her bike in Charlotte, NC
Ann Groninger Jun 21, 2024

Bike Law lawyer hassled by a driver for riding in the lane. Why, because she was trying to take a left turn!

Read More
E-BIKE LAWS. ARE THEY LEGAL?
Ann Groninger Apr 04, 2024

Love them or hate them, e-bikes continue to rise in popularity. At the same time, lawmakers struggle to keep up with the developing technologies. Every week I get multiple inquiries from people trying to navigate North Carolina’s e-bike laws. If you’re confused, you’re not alone.  We could easily fill a book with all the latest […]

Read More
Ann Groninger Jan 04, 2024

Many of our cycling clients find themselves having to interact with the criminal justice system. Typically, it’s because the driver who hits them (or their family member) is charged with a crime or traffic offense. Occasionally bicyclists themselves are charged with traffic offenses! Every state’s criminal laws are different, but there is a lot of […]

Read More
Bike Crash Road Defect Georgia
Peter Wilborn Jun 14, 2023

We recently shared the story of a trial victory from the State of Texas where a bicyclist was injured due to a defect in a road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. Texas Road Defect   We now can tell the story of another huge win in a road defect case, this time from […]

Read More
Road defect dangerous to cyclists
Charlie Thomas Mar 14, 2023

Recently, attorneys with the Bike Law network took a case to a trial against a titan of a defendant: the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT was represented by the Attorney General’s Office, one of Texas’ largest legal teams. We had a great client, but it was a tough case to prove. So tough, in fact, […]

Read More
bike path charlotte
Ann Groninger Jan 13, 2023

  2023 got off to a rough start for Charlotte, North Carolina, particularly in the context of road safety. Within about a week, we lost a young woman who was riding her bicycle, a pedestrian killed in the same area of town, and four people were killed in a car wreck on I-85 in the […]

Read More
North Carolina Bike Crash
Ann Groninger Dec 06, 2022

Unless you’re a very recent follower of ours, you’ve heard us talk before about “contributory negligence.” To recap: “pure contributory negligence” is the law in North Carolina and only 3 other states (Alabama, Virginia, Maryland). In pure contributory negligence states, if a person is injured by someone else’s fault and the injured person contributes even […]

Read More
Is It Illegal to Ride Your Bike on the Sidewalk bikelaw
Peter Wilborn Aug 01, 2022

The laws dictating whether you can ride your bike on the sidewalk differ depending where you live. Different states have different laws on this matter, and local ordinances also vary. Let’s take a look at the legal framework behind various state laws related to cycling on sidewalks. The laws of sidewalk-riding can be very complicated […]

Read More
Load More