New York Injury Lawyers Blog

LA Lakers star forward, Lamar Odom, was a passenger in a car that struck and seriously injured a motorcyclist and a pedestrian in his hometown of Queens, New York, on Thursday.

A publicist for Odom's wife, Khloe Kardashian, told the New York Post that Kardashian was not with her husband a the time of the motor vehicle accident. A source close to Odom also told the Post that he was not physically injured in the accident, but was "shaken up."

The New York Police Department is reportedly investigating the accident. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, call the New York Accident attorneys at Gallivan & Gallivan.

Website Resource:

Report: Lamar Odom passenger in crash, Dave McMenamin and Ramona Shelburne, espn.com.

Maurice Smith of Patchogue, Long Island faces up to eight years behind bars following a guilty plea to vehicular manslaughter, among other charges. Smith was speeding on Route 78 in Bedminster, NJ last June when he collided with Paul Shelley, operating a motorcycle of his own. Shelley suffered major leg injuries. His passenger on the bike, Nicole Widener, was ejected and killed by a passing vehicle.

Sentencing for Smith is scheduled for March 8th. He could face a maximum sentence of eight years jail time. A conviction in criminal proceedings will, in most instances, force the insurance carrier for the guilty party to seriously consider settlement. Although many insurance policies have exclusions for criminal acts, the criminal conviction makes it apparent that their insured was at fault.

On August 4, 2010, two New York City police officers on motorcycles acting as escorts for Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. were involved in a minor accident. The Vice President was on his way to JFK Airport. Mr. Biden's vehicle was not involved, and no officers were seriously injured. The Vice President was in New York for a meeting at Gracie Mansion with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

This is the last in a string of accidents involving motorcades of politicians. Last November, a New York Police Department car driving ahead of Mr. Biden's motorcade on the West Side of Manhattan collided with a cab while Mr. Biden was on his way to appear on "The Daily Show."

In October 2008, a policeman escorting Sarah Palin to the St. Louis airport injured his back and leg in a motorcycle collision. Ms. Palin was in St. Louis for a vice-presidential debate with Mr. Biden.

In previous years, there were fatal accidents involving motorcades for President George W. Bush in Albuquerque and Honolulu.

Website Resource:

Escorting Biden, 2 Motorcyclists Crash, New York Times, Associated Press, August 5, 2010.