Couple Receives $3.5 Million Settlement for New York Motorcycle Crash

By Jim Greene

Published on March 03, 2011

A couple seriously injured when their motorcycle was struck by a vehicle pulling out of a driveway in Sullivan County, New York, has received a $3.5 million settlement in a personal injury lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court.

John S. Bell, 44, and Jacqueline A. Pinnix, 45, received the settlement from Crystal Run Villages, an organization that provides treatment for the disabled at facilities in New York's Catskills/Hudson Valley region.

Plaintiffs Say Driver Pulled into their Path

Bell and Pinnix were injured May 25, 2009, while motorcycling in the town of Neversink, in Sullivan County. They were struck by a Crystal Run Village vehicle driven by employee Laura Skinger, then 19, who pulled into the path of the motorcycle, according to court records.

Attorneys for Bell and Pinnix said the couple was thrown 50 feet and that Bell suffered severe injuries to his back and Pinnix to her leg and pelvis. According to the motorcycle accident lawsuit, filed in the 3rd Judicial District of the Supreme Court in Monticello, both plaintiffs required extensive surgery. Skinger admitted that she was at fault.

Insurance Carrier Agrees to Settlement

According to plaintiffs' attorney Joseph E. O'Connor, Philadelphia Indemnity, Crystal Run Village's insurer, agreed to a settlement in the case, avoiding a trial. At the time of the crash, the injured couple lived in Ellenville, in nearby Ulster County. They now live in New Jersey.

If you've been injured in a motorcycle crash that wasn't your fault, contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney. In order to receive the financial assistance you deserve to deal with medical bills, repair bills, and loss of income, you may have to overcome the general prejudice against motorcyclists. Many people feel that motorcyclists are daredevils bound to have an accident. If the judge or jury in your case is so inclined, you'll need an attorney who will fight the prejudice and get you the fair, impartial treatment to which you're entitled.

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