New York Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Many people sustain debilitating or even fatal injuries due to bicycle accidents in New York. Victims may also suffer many damages in bicycle accidents, often because of another party’s negligent or malicious behavior. If you or a loved one gets into a bicycle accident and believe that another party’s negligence was the cause, you may be able to recover certain damages with a claim or lawsuit.

Our New York bicycle accident lawyers 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, with the ability to provide representation for many accident victims.

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Why Choose the New York 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 accident, calculate your damages, and negotiate with insurers.

Our 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 attorneys, 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 attorneys.

New York Bicycle Accident Compensation

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 recover 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:

  • 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

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

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 injuries and other damages because of a bicycle accident, the New York bicycle accident attorneys 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 Bicycle Accidents Occur in New York

Dooring AccidentsThe 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.

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.

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 accidents include:

  • Rear-End Crashes – Bicyclists may get in these accidents if a vehicle hits the bicyclist from behind.
  • Dooring – When a bicyclist rides with traffic flow alongside parked vehicles, motorists may open their car doors as the bicyclist approaches, causing them to collide with the open door.
  • 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 the bicycle to 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.

Victims of any bicycle accident may suffer severe and fatal:

Negotiating 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 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 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.

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.

Contact the Authorities

If anyone sustains injuries and the accident involves expensive 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.

Seek Treatment if Injured

If you sustain any injury in the accident, you should seek treatment as soon as possible to begin recovering. Retain any receipts, copies of medical records, and other documentation, as this could support your claim. Follow treatment plans and take the necessary steps to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), which is the point where you have recovered as much as possible based on your injuries.

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.

Speak With a New York Bicycle Accident Lawyer at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP

Before contacting insurance companies, consider speaking with a reputable New York bicycle accident attorney. An attorney can meet with you in a free case evaluation to discuss your case and determine whether they can represent you. If the attorney decides to handle your case, your lawyer can help negotiate with insurers, collect evidence, and provide representation in court if needed. Meanwhile, you can focus on recovering.

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 bicycle accident lawyer.

To find out what Jacoby & Meyers, LLP can do for you, call (212) 445-7000 for a free case evaluation today. You can also reach out to us online at any time.

Client Testimonials

“If it were not for the integral legal team of experts at Jacoby & Meyers I would not be where I am today with my recovery. I highly recommend hiring Jacoby & Meyers should you ever find yourself injured in an accident, and an individual or company needs to be held accountable for their negligence.” -C.J.
★★★★★

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Jacoby & Meyers, LLP
39 Broadway Suite 1910,
New York, NY 10006
(212) 445-7000