Cycling is part of daily life across New York City, from Bay Ridge bike lanes to the bridges and the greenway. When a car door opens into a lane, a driver turns across a rider’s path, or a roadway defect throws a cyclist, the consequences can be serious. Bisogno & Meyerson, LLP handles bicycle accident matters for people in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the other boroughs. The firm’s office is at 7018 Fort Hamilton Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Staten Island and other NYC clients are represented from Brooklyn.
A bicycle claim is a negligence case. It asks whether another person or entity failed to use reasonable care, whether that failure caused the injury, and what harm followed. Fault is often disputed, and early evidence can be thin.
This page is a city-focused overview. For the practice-area description, see bicycle accidents. For electric bikes and bike-share, see the firm’s page on e-bike and Citi Bike accidents. For first steps after a crash, read what to do after a car accident in NYC. Related work appears under personal injury law.
How Bicycle Claims Are Evaluated
New York law generally gives bicycle riders the same rights and duties as drivers (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1231), including obeying traffic signals. Drivers, in turn, must use reasonable care around people on bikes. Frequent fact patterns include a driver turning right across a bike lane, a car door opened into a rider’s path, a vehicle stopped in a lane, and a rider thrown by a pothole or debris.
Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1214 addresses opening a vehicle door only when it is reasonably safe and does not interfere with traffic. Under CPLR 1411, New York applies comparative negligence. If a rider is found partly at fault, damages are reduced in proportion to that share rather than barred outright. Lighting, speed, and lane position can come up, and their effect depends on the facts.
Common Bicycle Accident Situations in NYC
Dooring and turning vehicles
Dooring and right-hook collisions happen when a driver or passenger exits a parked car, or a driver turns across a lane without yielding. Photographs of the lane and vehicles and the names of witnesses help. Some camera systems overwrite footage within days.
Roadway and sidewalk defects
Potholes and open utility covers can cause falls without any other vehicle involved. If a city agency or public authority may be responsible for the condition, special notice rules apply and are strict. A notice of claim is generally due within 90 days. A defect on private property may raise a premises liability question.
E-bikes, bike-share, and delivery riders
Electric bicycles and bike-share rides add questions about the equipment, the rental terms, and who employed or directed the rider. Delivery workers hurt on the job may also have a workers compensation claim.
Insurance, No-Fault, and Medical Bills
New York’s no-fault system, found in Article 51 of the Insurance Law, can provide medical-expense and some lost-earnings benefits after a crash involving a motor vehicle regardless of fault. A cyclist struck by a motor vehicle may be able to seek those benefits through an applicable policy. The application window is short, generally 30 days from the accident. See no-fault information. A fall with no motor vehicle involved does not generally trigger no-fault, so health insurance and other coverage become more important.
No-fault does not cover pain and suffering. To sue for non-economic loss after a motor vehicle collision, a person generally must meet the serious injury threshold in Insurance Law § 5102(d). Whether a particular injury meets it is a medical and legal question that depends on records and examinations.
Evidence Cyclists Can Preserve
Practical steps help: seek medical care and describe every symptom. Photograph the scene, vehicles, and visible injuries when it is safe. Collect names for the driver and witnesses, note the plate, and ask whether police prepared a report. Keep the helmet, clothing, and bicycle as they were, and do not repair the bike before discussing it. Avoid posting a detailed account online, and think carefully before giving a recorded insurer statement.
Ride-tracking apps and phone photographs may help establish time and location. Gaps in treatment are a common point of dispute, so follow your providers’ plan and keep every bill.
Deadlines in Bicycle Cases
Most personal injury lawsuits in New York must be started within three years under CPLR 214. Claims against New York City and many public authorities are different. A written notice of claim is generally due within 90 days, and suit within one year and 90 days, under General Municipal Law §§ 50-e and 50-i or the statute that governs the agency. Missing those dates can end a claim. See personal injury deadlines in New York. A death arising from a crash is reviewed under separate wrongful death rules. Every case differs, so consult an attorney about your dates.
How Bisogno & Meyerson, LLP Reviews These Matters
Bisogno & Meyerson, LLP has concentrated in personal injury and workers’ compensation work since 1994. When the firm reviews a bicycle matter, the work typically includes collecting medical records, identifying responsible parties, requesting available video, and checking deadlines. None of that predicts a result. It is the ordinary work of building a factual record. A short firm overview describes the practice.
Talk With Our Firm About a Bicycle Accident
If you were hurt while cycling in New York City, Bisogno & Meyerson, LLP can review what happened and explain possible next steps. A free consultation is a conversation about facts, deadlines, and options. It is not a prediction of liability or of any recovery.
Call (718) 745-8880 or contact us. Attorneys on the site are Patrick Bisogno, Esq.; Michael C. Meyerson, Esq.; and George A. Silva, Esq. Bring any photographs and medical paperwork.
Attorney Advertising. This page is general information from Bisogno & Meyerson, LLP, not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not, by itself, create an attorney-client relationship.