New York Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Many people sustain debilitating or even fatal injuries due to bicycle accidents in New York. Bicycles don’t provide the same level of protection as motor vehicles do, putting you at risk of sustaining significant harm even in relatively minor collisions.
In high-traffic situations, such as you can expect to encounter in a state like New York, riding a bicycle can mean facing the risk of being thrown from your bicycle, crushed between vehicles, or pushed off the road. Your injuries can be severe enough to require extensive medical care and prevent you from working or living your life as you used to.
If you or a loved one gets into a bicycle accident and believes that another party’s negligence was the cause, you may be able to recover certain damages with a claim or lawsuit. These aren’t legal processes you should ever undertake on your own, however. Instead, you must hire experienced representation.
Our New York state bicycle accident attorneys have experience handling bicycle accidents of all types. The New York personal injury lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP are here to help you determine your options. We offer the reliable and experienced representation you need when facing mounting medical bills and other losses.
Why Choose the New York State Bicycle Accident Lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP?
When you turn to Jacoby & Meyers, LLP, you can work with attorneys who help bicycle accident victims get the compensation they deserve. We may be able to help you identify specific liable parties responsible for the bicycle accident, calculate your full losses, and negotiate with insurers. In the most complex cases, we can even represent you in court.
Our New York bicycle accident attorneys know the types of accidents and injuries that bicyclists and others can experience and will work to provide victims with the representation they need. We can also assist with collecting and organizing evidence and providing representation in court if the case becomes a lawsuit.
Each of our clients benefits from personalized services based on their unique needs, with the ability to meet virtually or in person for added convenience. Our offices are located across the state of New York, with locations in the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, Kingston, Newburgh, Middletown, Rochester, and Wappingers Falls. It does not matter where in New York your accident takes place; we are here to provide victims with the protection they need and can help them recover full compensation.
When you get in touch with our New York bicycle car accident lawyers, we can discuss the nature of your case and determine whether we’re a good fit for representation. To find out what options are available, contact us for a free case evaluation, and we will get you in touch with one of our experienced bicycle accident attorneys.
Compensation for New York Bicycle Accident Injuries
Victims of New York bicycle accidents may sustain many injuries and damages. If another party was responsible for the accident and damages through negligence or improper conduct, victims might be able to recover compensation.
These accidents often mean recovering economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages involve certain easily calculable damages that come with specific dollar amounts attached, such as the cost of treatment and rehabilitation. Victims may also be able to seek compensation for non-economic damages, which are not as easy to quantify and pertain to the subjective experience of the victim, including pain and suffering.
Specific examples of economic damages in these cases include:
Economic Damages
Specific examples of economic damages in these cases include:
- Costs of medical treatment, including ongoing care
- Lost wages resulting from time off of work for recovery or due to disability
- Lost earning capacity due to a limited ability to work
- Property damage, including damage to bicycles or other vehicles
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy, including vocational rehabilitation
- How Bicycle Accidents Occur in New York
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages in these cases may also entail the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Psychological distress
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium or relationship
Punitive Damages
Bicycle accident cases may also involve certain punitive damages. These are less common because of the extreme situations that warrant them, but the court may choose to award them if the defendants exhibited unusually egregious behavior. Unlike other compensation that helps victims recover financially from an accident, punitive damages punish defendants in instances of gross negligence to prevent similar incidents.
If you sustain bicycle accident injuries and other damages because of a bike accident, the New York state bicycle accident lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP can determine which steps to take next. We may be able to help you calculate the total amount of compensation you deserve in your case and how to proceed with a claim or lawsuit.
How Bike Accidents Occur in New York
The streets of New York are often bustling with traffic, particularly in areas like New York City. This puts bicyclists at risk of accidents in many cases.
Some of the most hazardous intersections for bicyclists and others include the following, according to Localize city and other sources:
- Tillary Street and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, which is among the most dangerous intersections in the state
- East 168th Street and College Avenue in the Bronx
- Niagara Falls Boulevard and East Robinson in Amherst
- 37th Avenue and 101st Street in Queens
- Ludlow Street and Rivington Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan
- Hylan Boulevard on Staten Island
- Hempstead Turnpike in Nassau County, Long Island
Bicycle accidents are some of the most common in New York, including New York City and surrounding cities and towns. According to data from the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR), one recent year in New York saw 5,877 bicycle accidents, with 5,618 resulting in injuries and 30 involving fatalities.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bike Crash Claim in New York?
It is also important to remember that every bicycle accident has a statute of limitations for when victims can file a claim or lawsuit. After this period passes, it will be extremely difficult or impossible to recover compensation.
In New York, the statute of limitations is three years after the accident. This may seem like ample time to begin a case, but that time can pass quickly. If you file a claim or lawsuit long before the statute of limitations has passed, you’ll increase your chances of succeeding with a case and recovering the compensation you deserve when you need it most.
The attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP have plenty of experience handling these and other accident cases in New York. We aim to help victims identify the parties responsible and seek the total compensation they are entitled to recover.
Most Common Causes of New York Bicycle Accidents
Our New York bike accident lawyers have represented cases involving a variety of scenarios. The following are the most common reasons why bicycle accidents occur in the state.
Distracted Drivers
Bicycles are not easy to see on the road because they can easily fall into blind spots. This problem can become even worse if the drivers of motor vehicles are distracted and not paying full attention to the road.
Cell phone use is the most common form of distraction, but there could be many others. Talking with passengers, changing radio stations, reading billboards, checking the GPS, eating or drinking, or performing self-grooming tasks can all take a driver’s eyes and mind off the road.
Someone who’s distracted will not be able to react appropriately to hazards. They may not see your bicycle until the last minute, when it may be too late to avoid a crash.
Failure to Yield
Operators of motor vehicles often see cyclists as a nuisance on the road. They may grow frustrated about cyclists taking up lanes of traffic. This kind of attitude can lead drivers to fail to yield to bicycles when they have the right-of-way. Not obeying traffic laws in this manner can quickly result in catastrophic accidents for cyclists.
Intoxicated Drivers
Anyone driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol will experience a lack of concentration, coordination issues, and slower reflexes. Their behavior could be more reckless, too, leading them to try maneuvers when it’s not safe to do so. All of these actions can put vulnerable road users at risk.
Fatigued Drivers
Drivers who are very tired while operating their vehicle can struggle with the same issues they would have if they were intoxicated. Their reflexes will be impacted, along with their coordination. It’s also possible for them to fall asleep at the wheel, potentially resulting in collisions with other road users.
Speeding
Driving a car faster than the posted speed limit or faster than road conditions allow can put everyone else on the road at risk. The at-fault driver may not be able to stop the vehicle in time to avoid a hazard, and that could spell disaster for someone riding a bicycle.
The injuries that result from speeding accidents tend to be serious. The force on impact will be stronger, so catastrophic wounds can occur. You are much more likely to be thrown off your bicycle in collisions involving high speeds.
“Dooring”
A driver who opens a car door without checking to see if there are others nearby can easily hit a cyclist. The car door itself could cause injuries, or you could be thrown into the street, where other vehicles could hit you.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle without regard for others on the road. Drivers who engage in reckless driving can run red lights or stop signs, tailgate, and make maneuvers like rapid lane changes. They may not bother to check if there are cyclists nearby.
Mechanical Failures
Parts that malfunction could cause bike accidents, too. Your brakes could stop working or the chain could slip out of place. These issues lead you to lose control of the bicycle, potentially resulting in serious accidents.
In these instances, establishing who may be liable can be complex. The manufacturer of the bicycle could be responsible, or if you have recently had your bicycle repaired, the mechanic could be to blame for not catching the issue.
Road Conditions
Roads with uneven pavement, potholes, and other serious structural issues could also be to blame for bike accidents. We have represented cases such as these, which require filing a claim against the government entities in charge of maintaining the road.
Potential Types of Bicycle Accidents and Injuries in New York
Different types of bicycle accidents in New York occur based on the specific circumstances involved. Some of the most common types of bike accidents include:
- Rear-End Crashes: Bicyclists may get in these accidents if a vehicle hits the bicyclist from behind.
- Right Hook Crashes: When bicyclists travel with traffic flow on the right side of the road, motorists on the left may make a right turn in front of the bicyclist, causing a bicycle crash into the side of the vehicle.
- Road Rage: Some incidents may involve road rage on the part of motorists who fail to follow the rules of the road, causing an accident with bicyclists in the process.
- Overtaking Accidents: A large number of bicycle accidents involve overtaking, in which a motorist passes the bicyclist and winds up colliding with the bicyclist from the side. These accidents often result in more severe injuries and fatalities and tend to occur at night when visibility is lower.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries Victims Face
Injured cyclists may suffer such catastrophic injuries as:
- Traumatic brain injuries and other head injuries
- Neck injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Broken and fractured bones
- Facial injuries
- Back and spinal injuries
Being in a bike accident in which you suffer serious injuries can also mean facing psychological injuries. You may develop anxiety and depression as a result of the trauma. Some people even experience post-traumatic stress disorder, which can cause them to have flashbacks and nightmares regarding the incident.
Our legal team has helped clients recover losses for both physical and psychological injuries that they sustained because of another driver’s negligence.
Our Law Firm Will Negotiate with Insurance Companies in New York
If you are in a bicycle accident in New York, you may want to begin filing a claim with an insurance company on your own. While you may have an easy time settling a claim if you did not sustain injuries and property damage is minimal, the process can be more complicated in other cases.
Adjusters work in the insurance company’s interest. They may appear amicable and willing to help you reach the settlement you deserve, but they often attempt to get the lowest settlement possible, even if your case is worth much more. Because of this, you should not accept an insurer’s first offer. A lawyer will know your case’s worth and negotiate until you reach a fair settlement.
People unfamiliar with the claims process may also make mistakes that compromise their bicycle accident cases. For example, they might give damaging information to insurers that does not necessarily pertain to the case or inadvertently indicate that their injuries are not as severe as they claim.
To avoid potential issues when negotiating with insurance companies, you should consider working with a reliable attorney to help handle your case. The experienced and trusted attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP can help bike accident victims recover the compensation they truly deserve. We know how to communicate with insurers to avoid lowball settlements and other potential problems that could otherwise hurt your case.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in New York
If you get involved in a bicycle accident as a bicyclist, motorist, or pedestrian, you must take steps to build a case and make a full recovery. These steps include the following:
Get to Safety
The first step is to ensure that you and others are safe and out of the way of other vehicles or hazards. If you have sustained injuries in the accident, you may require immediate treatment, in which case you or someone else should call an ambulance.
Call Paramedics to the Scene
One of the most common mistakes we see with people who have been in these types of accidents is not calling for medical assistance as soon as possible.
You may not realize right away that you were hurt because adrenaline can mask the pain. If you don’t receive any immediate medical attention, there will be no record of an injury at the scene.
Some injuries may not even cause symptoms as soon as you sustain the injuries. Internal bleeding, for example, could just look like a bruise at first. Concussions also might not be immediately apparent. However, paramedics may be able to spot signs of these issues, which can mean getting fast care.
By having emergency medical technicians at the scene, you can begin a record of the injuries, as this can prevent issues later on when proving that the accident caused your losses. If paramedics recommend that you go to the hospital for additional care, make sure you do so. Not following their recommendations can be seen as a sign that your injuries were not as severe as you state.
Collect Information from the Other Parties Involved
The next step involves gathering information from other individuals involved in the accident. Collect details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance details, vehicle registrations, and license plate numbers. If any witnesses were present at the time of the accident, you should also gather their information.
You should never admit fault when speaking with the other party. This may seem obvious, but sometimes, a simple “sorry” can be used against you later on. Keep to the facts and make the conversation as short as possible. Make sure you behave in as cordial a manner as possible as you exchange information.
Contact the Authorities
If anyone sustains injuries and the accident involves property damage, you should file a police report. This will generate an official version of events that may help support your claim. It will also provide a record while the details of the accident are still fresh in your mind. Discuss the accident with the police honestly and clearly.
Collect Evidence
You must also collect as much evidence as possible to build a strong case. Evidence could include photos and video footage of the scene of the accident, property damage, and injuries. It may also include medical records, witness statements, and other information about the case.
It can be helpful to write down your pain levels to provide a contemporaneous account of what you experienced. As you go through the claim process, you can continue this diary to show the changes in the injuries, your emotional status, and whether you’re able to live your life as you used to before the accident.
Speak with a New York Personal Injury Lawyer on the Jacoby & Meyers, LLP Legal Team
Before contacting insurance companies, consider speaking with a reputable New York bike accident lawyer. During a free consultation, our lawyers will help you understand your rights. If we think we can provide the quality assistance you deserve, our bicycle accident law firm will start gathering evidence to prove your losses.
Reach Out to Our New York Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Have you or a loved one been involved in a bicycle accident in New York? You may build a successful case with the help of a reliable personal injury attorney in New York.
To find out what Jacoby & Meyers, LLP can do for you, call for a free case evaluation today. You can also reach out to us online at any time for help seeking just compensation.
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