Accident Reconstructionist Evaluates Safety Of Park Bike Path

This case involves a 43-year-old man in good health who was out for a bike ride at a park with bike paths. While he was on a trail, another biker attempted to speed past him. As the other biker went around the man, a group of cyclists began approaching from the other side. The man was forced into an elevated rock adjacent to the path causing him to flip over the handlebars of his bike. He suffered neck and back injuries and developed RSD as a result of the accident. It was alleged that the width of the path was unsafe because there was not enough space for the man, the biker passing, and the group of cyclists to pass simultaneously. An expert in accident reconstruction was sought to review the case and determine whether the size of the path was the root cause of the accident.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. Please describe your experience as an accident reconstructionists, specifically for bicycle accidents.

Expert Witness Response E-106977

I have 18 years of accident reconstruction experience, 15 years of which I have spent as a bicycle expert focusing on the standard of care and reconstruction of bicycle-related accidents. I have evaluated hundreds of bicycle crashes in that time, been deposed around 45 times and testified 21 times in bicycle-related accidents. The crash, in this case, sounds like a 90-degree broadside impact. The key elements to broadside crashes are the speeds of both the parties involved, the view obstructions, if any, for both parties, and whether or not either party could have avoided this crash.

Expert Bio:

This expert has nearly 20 years of experience with accident reconstruction. He completed coursework in traffic accident investigation at a recognized traffic institute program. He is a certified accident reconstructionist and currently works as an independent consultant where he specializes in bicycle accident reconstruction. Formerly, this expert worked as a collision analyst.