The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board approved a multi-million dollar settlement agreement involving a 2008 bicycle accident. A San Francisco resident was struck down in an intersection as he was crossing the Lower Great Highway near Ocean Beach on November 20, 2008. A personal injury lawsuit involving the San Francisco bike accident claimed the bus operator failed to stop while turning left onto the highway.
The lawsuit further said the bus driver failed to signal his turn, cut the turn short and sped up as the bus moved through the intersection slamming into the bicyclist near the southbound lane of the Great Highway.
The injured bicyclist reportedly suffered catastrophic injuries in the bus versus bicycle accident. The accident victim is now under a conservatorship; conservatorships are typically only appointed when a person is not capable of making legal or medical decisions on their own behalf.
The settlement reportedly was reached on June 7, with the MTA board of directors finalizing the agreement Tuesday. The settlement is believed to be the second costliest Muni agreement. In 2008, the MTA settled a lawsuit with the family of a 3-year-old girl killed in an accident involving a maintenance truck and that case reportedly remains the costliest settlement.
In 2009, The MTA reportedly took out a catastrophic accident policy to cover damage awards ranging from $5 million to $25 million to reduce the city’s liability risks. The 2008 settlement with the family of the 3-year-old victim and Tuesday’s settlement agreement involving the Great Highway bicycle accident predate the insurance policy and are not covered.
Source: San Francisco Examiner, “2008 San Francisco bike accident will cost Muni $5.36M,” Will Reisman 21 Jun 2011
