A near fatal Miami Motorcycle Accident occurred around 12 Noon today.  A City of Miami Police Officer was seriously injured in Miami on West Flagler Street and 37th Avenue when a vehicle crashed into the Miami Police Officer’s Motorcycle.  Officer Juan Carlos Erigoyen suffered a fractured shoulder and is expected to recover fully.  The driver of the truck that hit Officer Erigoyen initial blamed a phantom vehicle that cut him off.  However, review of local traffic cameras showed that the driver of the pick up truck was in the process of making an illegal turn when he struck the motorcycle police officer.  The driver of the pick up truck stayed at the scene.  Officer Erigoyen is a well liked six year veteran of the Miami Police Department.  The driver of the pick up truck eventually confessed after police confronted him with video footage of the incident.

Generally motorcyclists are required to follow the same laws of the road as motor vehicles.  In 2010, the Florida Traffic Crash Statistics state that there were 350 motorcyclists killed, 33 motorcycle passengers killed, 6686 motorcyclists injured and 725 motorcycle passengers injured out of 8313 motorcycle crashes.  The amount of accidents and deaths of motorcyclists has been decreasing since 2008.  Without the proper safety gear, this police officer could have suffered much more serious injuries and possibly been the victim of Wrongful Death.

We are happy that Officer Erigoyen was wearing all of his safety gear and that his fractured shoulder is expected to heal – hopefully he will be home in time for the holidays.  The Altman Law Firm is led by Jeffrey S. Altman – a Miami Personal Injury Attorney that represents victims of Car Accidents and Motorcycle Accidents in Miami and throughout the State of Florida.  Our primary office is located in Miami with convenient accident from North Miami, North Miami Beach, Miami Shores, Aventura and South Beach.