City of New York found liable for ambulance hit-and-run of trans cyclist

A woman who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in New York City a decade ago has finally received a major breakthrough in her case, according to a report by amNY. On July 1, after a 10-year legal battle, a Brooklyn appellate court ruled that the city was liable for an ambulance collision that left her with debilitating injuries.In 2016, Aeliana Boyer, a transgender woman, was riding her bicycle through the intersection of Bond and Union Streets in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn when an ambulance suddenly drove through the intersection and struck her. Rather than stop to assist her, the ambulance just drove off.Witnesses corroborated much of Boyer’s account of the event, including that the light was green for her and that the vehicle appeared to be a red and white FDNY ambulance. She sustained multiple serious injuries from the accident, some allegedly causing permanent damage, including a concussion, torn knee ligaments, chronic nerve damage and pain, and spine and shoulder injuries that required surgery.These injuries reportedly left Boyer unable to work for several years, resulting in serious financial issues – and as statistics consistently show, maintaining a steady income is already an enormous challenge for many transgender people. According to data from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, the majority of trans workers (82%) have experienced discrimination or harassment at work – which includes being fired, not hired, not promoted, or being subjected to verbal, physical, or sexual harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Aeliana Boyer stands at the intersection where the hit-and-run accident occurred.Kevin C. Downs for NY Daily NewsThe city officials initially denied that the vehicle that struck Boyer was an FDNY ambulance when she filed a lawsuit against the City of New York and the Fire Department after the accident. In order to seek damages, Boyer had to prove that the vehicle was indeed an official city