March 29, 2011
By: Jana Bell
The family of a Maryland bicyclist who slipped into a coma after being struck by a car is suing the vehicle's 83-year-old driver for $10 million.
Lawyers for the family of college student Nathan Krasnopoler accused driver Jeanette Marie Walke of failing to obey traffic laws and making an abrupt right turn that put her on a collision course with Krasnopoler, who was riding down a bike lane in front of Walke's apartment building.
Krasnopoler has been unconscious at Johns Hopkins University since the February 26 collision, and also suffered broken ribs, facial fractures, trauma to his brain and two collapsed lungs. The family's lawyers said Walke's driving was negligent and reckless, and accused her of a host of other violations.
The Baltimore Police Department has been under siege from bicycling advocates criticizing its intentions not to charge Walke with a crime. The Baltimore Sun reported the department has since changed its position and is consulting with the state's attorney's office.
Lawsuits can quickly sap up a driver's liability coverage on their auto insurance, though an umbrella policy can add additional protection on top of standard liability, reports Kiplinger.
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