A personal injury lawsuit filed in Kings County Supreme Court offers a window into the kind of case that drives up costs for every New Yorker, and raises serious questions about the integrity of the personal injury system.

According to the verified complaint, the plaintiff alleged that a May 2020 collision between a Spectrum cable company vehicle and his bicycle on Empire Boulevard in Brooklyn left him “rendered sick, sore, lame, and disabled,” with injuries that were “permanent and lasting in their nature.” At his November 2024 deposition, the plaintiff testified that his wife now handled all housecleaning and laundry, that he could no longer lift heavy objects without significant pain, and that getting in and out of a car required a back cushion and careful maneuvering.

The surveillance record filed in the case tells a different story.

According to a four-day surveillance report filed by the defense, investigators documented the plaintiff during the same period as his deposition. On November 6, 2024, the report states the plaintiff was observed and recorded “bending over, carrying boxes above his head and on his shoulders, lifting bicycles from the back of a truck, operating a pallet jack, throwing large bags, and stocking shelves while he worked at a thrift store.” The report noted that “no braces or support aids were observed.” Two days later, investigators documented the plaintiff “stocking shelves on his knees, bending over repeatedly, carrying large boxes, operating a pallet jack, climbing a step ladder, and working inside of a thrift store between the hours of 11:00 A.M. until after 6:00 P.M.”

When shown surveillance video of himself working at his deposition, the plaintiff repeatedly stated he could not recall the details. When confronted with footage of him entering a liquor store at 11 a.m., he responded, “What does that have to do with anything. It is my life.” He later told defense counsel, “I am going to hang up the phone. I don’t care what you guys are going to do, I am tired” — and did exactly that, ending the deposition before it could be completed.

The defense also filed a formal demand requiring disclosure of any litigation funding agreements,  including loan amounts, interest rates, and all related contracts,  warning that failure to comply could result in the plaintiff being precluded from presenting evidence at trial.

This case is not unusual. It is a routine example of what plays out across New York every day: complaints alleging permanent injuries, webs of treatment providers, and litigation funding arrangements operating in the shadows. The people who ultimately pay are not the lawyers,  they are every New Yorker already paying the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, at more than $4,000 a year.

This case is more compelling evidence of the urgent need for lawsuit abuse reform in New York. Mandatory disclosure of litigation funding agreements, transparency in medical billing, and commonsense reforms are not anti-victim. They are the only way to ensure the legal system serves the people it is supposed to protect.