New York Personal Injury Lawyers / Staten Island Bicycle Accident Attorneys

Staten Island Bicycle Accident Attorney

For many Staten Island residents, riding a bicycle plays a part in everyday life. Children all over the Island enjoy time on two wheels, but adults, too, cycle for exercise, work, commuting, or just to get around. Bikes provide great health benefits, take up minimal space, and help the environment. Seems like a win-win… until it isn’t.

“Riding bikes on Staten Island and around the other four boroughs also comes with serious accident risks. Collisions between bikes and vehicles happen often on crowded city streets, especially when motorists do not share the road equally with cyclists.

Suffering injuries in a severe bicycle accident can devastate a person’s life, inflicting physical, emotional, and financial pain. Between losing income from missing work, and needing expensive medical care, a Staten Island bike accident injury can even lead to financial disaster.

If a bicycle accident caused by someone else’s careless or reckless actions has caused you or a loved one severe injuries, then you should not have to shoulder the financial burden on your own. You likely have rights under New York law to receive substantial compensation from the person who harmed you. Contact the experienced Staten Island bicycle accident injury team at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP at 877-505-2368 or online for a free case evaluation to discuss the events that led to your bicycle accident and injuries you suffered.

Jacoby & Meyers, LLP Advocates for Bicycle Accident Victims

The skilled Staten Island personal injury lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP have advocated for accident victims, including those who suffered injuries in bicycle accidents, for more than four decades. The firm’s commitment to professional excellence, client service, and the pursuit of justice has led to the recovery of millions of dollars of damages for its clients.

In a recent bicycle accident case, our 25-year-old client broke his dominant hand and wrist when he was thrown from his bike as he approached an intersection. A deep depression in the pavement caused our client’s bike tire to suddenly stop, throwing him from the bicycle. He needed reconstructive surgery to repair the breaks in his hand. Shortly after the accident, our client contacted us for assistance. We investigated the accident scene and took photos that showed the depression and revealed that the city knew about the hazard. Our team also gathered 411 complaints from the area which included several complaints about the depression from other area residents. Ultimately, we negotiated a $425,000 settlement for our client.

This case is an example of a recent bicycle accident claim we handled in New York City, but it does not guarantee a financial outcome for your case. Each claim has underlying facts that increase or decrease its potential value. The award-winning personal injury attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP thoughtfully evaluate each new matter they take, and work diligently to build the strongest case possible against the driver or other party who caused the bicycle accident and injuries to their client.

Staten Island Cyclists Can Suffer Severe Injuries

Staten Island traffic accidents of any kind can lead to severe injuries that cause lifelong disability and pain. Cyclists have an even greater risk of suffering severe or catastrophic injuries than others on the road. Bicycles do not shield riders from injuries the same way that passenger vehicles shield drivers and passengers in a collision.

Some examples of severe bicycle accident injuries that may entitle a cyclist to recover money damages include:

• Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries, especially when cyclists aren’t wearing a helmet;
• Broken bones, especially when crushed by a vehicle or by the impact of a crash;
• Deep cuts and wounds when a bicyclist’s body gets thrown from a bike in an accident;
• Dislocated joints and damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons;
• Internal injuries that can be fatal if left untreated;
• Neck and back injuries including fractured vertebrae and herniated discs; and
• Spinal cord injuries that lead to temporary or permanent paralysis throughout the body.

No matter how a cyclist gets injured in a Staten Island traffic accident, the seasoned bicycle accident injury attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP have the resources and know-how to build a strong case for compensation.

Staten Island Bicycle Accidents Occur for Many Reasons

Preventable bicycle accidents occur in Staten Island and around New York City for many reasons. Common causes include:

Distracted Drivers

Drivers who surrender their attention behind the wheel to common distractions put those with whom they share the road, especially cyclists, at risk for injury and death. Cell phone use while driving continues to cause traffic accidents throughout the five boroughs, though programs created to educate the public about the dangers of texting and driving have had a positive impact. However, smartphones represent just one of many dangerous driver distractions that can cause a bicycle accident.

Examples of other common distractions that take a driver’s mind from safety, eyes from the road, and hands from the wheel, include:

• Adjusting vehicle features such as A/C, heat, radio, and seats;
• Programming a GPS;
• Engaging with backseat passengers, especially common among taxi and rideshare drivers;
• Reaching for items dropped on the floor;
• Eating and drinking;
• Personal grooming such as fixing hair and putting on makeup; and
• Watching accidents and other events outside the vehicle.

Drunk/Drugged Drivers

Drivers who consume alcohol or use drugs before getting behind the wheel lose their ability to react safely to common driving situations. Impairment makes it much more difficult for drivers to see cyclists, for example, especially in low-light conditions. Drunk/drugged drivers struggle to react in time to traffic signals, or ignore them altogether, which also puts bicyclists in harm’s way. Impairment also inhibits a drunk or drugged driver’s ability to judge time and distance, which increases the risk of a collision with a bicycle.

Drowsy Drivers

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates the trucking industry, has devoted significant time and resources to studying the relationship between driver impairment and sleep. Its research has discovered that drivers, whether in a truck or passenger vehicle, who forgo sleep for 18 hours suffer the same impairment as a drunk driver with a blood alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit. Impairment from the lack of proper rest can also cause a driver to nod off at the wheel or completely fall asleep, potentially leading to catastrophic bicycle accidents.

Reckless Drivers

Some drivers simply do not care about traffic regulations. They speed, fail to make complete stops at stop signs, weave in and out of traffic, tailgate, and run red lights. They also seldom yield to bicyclists, pedestrians, and other motorists. Virtually any aggressive driving behavior puts cyclists at risk of serious, even fatal, injuries. Even if a collision does not occur, dangerous driving can throw cyclists off balance and cause them to fall. At Jacoby & Meyers, LLP, we believe in making sure cyclists enjoy the same rights to the road as anyone else, as the law requires.

Poorly Maintained Roads

City and state road authorities have a responsibility to maintain Staten Island roads in a safe condition not just for cars and trucks, but also for bicycles. Cyclists can suffer serious injuries in accidents caused by poorly maintained bike lanes and roads. Potholes, grooved pavement, debris, missing manhole covers, fallen or missing traffic signs, and malfunctioning stoplights can all do as much, if not more, harm to cyclists as they can to cars and trucks. Children on bikes are especially vulnerable to irregularities on road surfaces because they do not have the balance or control of adult cyclists.

Suffering Bicycle Accident Injuries On-the-Job

Many people in Staten Island and throughout the City rely on their bicycles for employment. Messengers and bicycle delivery drivers who work for companies like Instacart and DoorDash ride miles and miles on their bikes each day, putting them at an increased risk for getting hit by a car or truck. If you have suffered an on-the-job bicycle accident, recovering compensation for your injuries can take different pathways depending on your employment status. Bicycle messengers and delivery people who are employees typically qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Independent contractors generally do not.

If you suffer an injury in a Staten Island bicycle accident while working, be sure to notify your employer right away and follow your workplace instructions for seeking immediate medical care. You may also need the help of an experienced Staten Island bicycle accident injury attorney to recover maximum benefits under workers’ compensation.

If you suffer an injury in a bicycle accident while working as an independent contractor, or if you are not sure of your classification, speak with the team at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP as soon as possible to learn about your rights. No matter which category of worker you fall into, you likely have the right to receive significant compensation for your injuries.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Staten Island Bicycle Accident

Staten Island bicycle accident victims often have the right to take legal action seeking damages from individuals or entities who caused their injuries. Every bicycle accident has its own unique facts and circumstances, of course, so there is no guarantee of how any legal action will turn out.

However, as a general proposition, Staten Island bike accident victims often have legal options that enable them to seek compensation for:

• Medical treatment costs, including ambulance rides, emergency room visits, hospitalization, diagnostic imaging, lab tests, surgery, follow-up care, medication, and expenses for traveling to and from the doctor;
• Estimated future medical costs when catastrophic bicycle accident injuries lead to a permanent condition or disability requiring around-the-clock care and ongoing treatment;
• Rehabilitation costs including visits with specialists who help accident victims physically and emotionally cope with their temporary and permanent injuries, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and behavioral specialists;
• Lost wages and benefits for missing work due to a bicycle accident, injuries, and recovery;
• Estimated future lost wages when bicycle accident victims cannot return to their job or work in the future because of a catastrophic injury;
• Expenses for assistive devices such as crutches, canes, and wheelchairs;
• Home modification costs to make an accident victim’s house more accessible by installing conveniences like wheelchair ramps and handrails or building a main-floor living area for those who cannot use stairs;
• Expenses to hire outside help to replace household services once provided by the victim, such as cooking, cleaning, lawn care, snow removal, laundry, and childcare;
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering;
• Loss of consortium with a spouse;
• Scarring and disfigurement; and
• Punitive damages to deter and punish the defendant in rare cases of intentional harm or gross negligence.

In the tragic case of a fatal Staten Island bicycle accident, the victim’s surviving family members may have the right to take legal action for damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. Speak with the compassionate, experienced bicycle accident injury lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP today if you lost a loved one to a bike accident on Staten Island. You and your family may have the right to recover many of the categories of compensation listed above.

Staten Island Bicycle Accident FAQ

Dealing with a serious bicycle accident on Staten Island can leave you with questions about your right to compensation and how to file an injury claim. If you have questions about your claim, contact Jacoby & Meyers, LLP, to schedule your free consultation. Meanwhile, the below FAQs can provide helpful information regarding bicycle accidents.

Staten Island Bicycle Accident FAQ

Contact Our Staten Island Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today

A Staten Island bicycle crash can leave victims and their families reeling from physical, emotional, and financial pain. The experienced bike accident injury attorneys at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP understand those challenges. We make it our mission to fight to make sure the parties at fault for that pain pay what they owe in damages.

Our team has the resources and know-how to evaluate even the most complex Staten Island bicycle accident matters, and to stand up to even the most powerful insurance companies and expensive defense lawyers. Contact us today online, start a chat with one of our live representatives, or dial (877) 565-2993 for a free case evaluation to discuss the events leading up to your bicycle accident, your specific injuries, and how your injuries have altered your life.

We take bicycle accident injury cases on a contingency fee basis and collect attorney fees from any compensation we secure for our clients in the form of a settlement or court-awarded damages. Instead of worrying about upfront or out-of-pocket costs, our clients can focus on recovery and rehabilitation.

Client Testimonial

“After my accident I contacted a law firm and explained the situation. They told me about cases they’ve had in the past and the most compensation they got for clients. They made me aware that they were not interested at the time but, I could contact them in the future if anything changed. After my surgery 2 years later my wife suggested I contact an attorney. Since it happened in a different state I contacted an attorney in that state and was told the statute of limitations was up. My wife told me not to give up, that’s when I contacted Jacoby & Meyers. They were able to figure out how to proceed with the case and settled it for 15 times the amount that the original law firm had said might be possible. I highly recommend Jacoby & Meyers, they were professional and kept me informed throughout the entire process.” -Charles D.
★★★★★

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Jacoby & Meyers, LLP
26 Watchogue Rd Suite 1
Staten Island, NY 10314
(877) 488-1707