New York City is being sued by Richard Bernstein, a well-known lawyer from the Detroit metro area for an accident in Central Park this August.
Bernstein, 38, is a blind attorney and a civil rights activist, who works with his father, Sam Bernstein. Their popular Michigan law firm specializes in personal injury accidents and gained a reputation over the decades through their television commercials.
On August 13, Richard Bernstein was training in the Park to participate in his 18th New York City marathon. He was walking down a hill in a pedestrian lane when a cyclist hit him from behind. According to a police officer, the rider lost control of the bicycle while travelling at 35 miles per hour.
Bernstein suffered a broken hip and pelvis, as well as severe dental damage, among other injuries. He has since been recovering at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.
Bernstein is not looking to sue the cyclist, but he is suing New York City -- not, he says, for the money, but to influence the city to make their parks safer for all pedestrians, including the young, the old, and the disabled. Bernstein complains specifically about the park's lack of enforcement of rules, like the 25mph speeding limit. He also says they don't have pedestrian signals.
