Conn. Man Files $15 Million Personal Injury Suit Against Citi Bike, City

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - A Connecticut man has filed a $15 million lawsuit against New York City and the Citi Bike operator after suffering an injury.

Ronald Corwin, of Westport, Conn., says he flipped over the bike after his front wheel hit a low barrier installed next to the bicycle docking station on Oct. 25.

His attorney told the Daily News the 73-year-old now suffers from traumatic nerve palsy that left him unable to smell or taste.

"This has turned my life inside out," Corwin told the paper. "I do nothing now but go from one (medical) specialist to another trying to find some relief."

Attorney Guy Smiley claims Corwin didn't see the concrete barrier because it blended with the road.

The barrier at East 56th Street and Madison Avenue now has a coat of orange paint, Smiley told the paper.

The city's contract with Citi Bike's operator makes the operator's insurance company responsible for any lawsuits and protects the city from claims.

This is believed to be the first personal injury suit filed by a cyclist over the Citi Bike bike share program since its launch last May.

There have been other complaints from bike riders about the barriers.

The city has said the wheel stops were installed to prevent vehicles from running into and damaging system equipment, and notes the barriers are sectioned off by plastic poles.

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