Speed Bump Fiasco Yields $1.4 Million to Injured Cyclist

Contact the personal injury attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. today. We can help you get the just compensation you deserve for your injuries or those of a loved one. For a free initial consultation, call 203-221-3100 or email JMaya@Mayalaw.com.

A woman who fractured her pelvis in four places after she was thrown from her bicycle while riding over an allegedly defective speed bump filed a premises liability suit against the condominium complex that maintained the road.

On May 22, 2013, Deirdre Kiniry, who lived in Norwalk at the time, was riding her bike to visit a friend who lived in a condominium complex located between Ledgebrook Drive and Gillies Lane in Norwalk. The owner of the common areas of the condo complex, including the parking lots and roadways, was the Ledgebrook Condominium Association.Kiniry entered the complex from the Gillies Lane entrance and attempted to ride over an asphalt speed bump. She said the front tire hit a divot in the speed bump, causing the bike to stop suddenly and swing violently sideways. Kiniry was thrown onto the roadway. Her lawyer said she was thrown a significant distance from the bike and was lying in the roadway until a condo complex resident saw her and called 911. Kinjry said there was a divot in the speed bump that caused the accident. There were actually two speed bumps near where Kiniry fell. There was a dispute between the parties about which one caused her accident. The condo complex attacked the woman’s credibility for her uncertainty over which speed bump she fell on. The condominium complex also tried to show that Kiniry fell off the bike while using her cellphone, not due to a faulty speed bump.

Kiniry had fractured her pelvis in four places and shattered her right elbow. She needed surgery to repair both injuries, with the procedures requiring screws and other internal hardware. After two weeks in the hospital, she was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Westport, where she spent another month before returning home. According to Kinjry’s lawyer, the complex initially offered $15,000 to settle. After jury selection, the offer was increased to $50,000. Kinjry’s pretrial demand was $150,000. The jurors returned a $1.4 million verdict. But they found Kiniry 50 percent at fault, which reduced the payout to $700,000.

At Maya Murphy, P.C., our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to achieving the best results for individuals and their family members and loved ones whose daily lives have been disrupted by injury, whether caused by a motor vehicle or pedestrian accident, a slip and fall, medical malpractice, a defective product, or otherwise. Our attorneys are not afraid to aggressively pursue and litigate cases and have extensive experience litigating personal injury matters in both state and federal courts, and always with regard to the unique circumstances of our client and the injury he or she has sustained. 

Please contact Joseph C. Maya, Esq., at 203-221-3100, or at JMaya@mayalaw.com, to schedule a free consultation.

Source: Jeff Forte, Top Connecticut Verdicts & Settlements of 2015, CONN. LAW TRBN. at 8 (July 2016) discussing Deirdre Kiniry v. Ledgebrook Condominium