Bicycling in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and across New York City has surged—along with the risk of serious crashes involving cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians, and other cyclists. A bicycle accident can happen in seconds: a driver opens a car door into a bike lane, makes an unsafe turn, speeds through a crosswalk, or drifts into a cyclist’s path. These collisions can cause catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, fractures, internal injuries, road rash, disfigurement, and wrongful death.
Bicycle cases are often more complex than they look. Fault may involve a negligent motorist, a commercial vehicle operator, a rideshare driver, a delivery worker, or even a government entity responsible for roadway design, signage, construction zones, or hazardous street conditions. In some cases, the crash traces back to a defective bicycle part, an e-bike battery failure, or negligent maintenance—creating product liability or third-party negligence issues.
Our Brooklyn bicycle accident lawyers build cases that stand up to insurance company tactics and “cyclist bias.” We move quickly to preserve evidence such as surveillance footage, dashcam video, 911 records, witness statements, vehicle data, crash reports, and roadway condition documentation. We also work with medical professionals and experts to calculate the true cost of your injuries—today and years into the future.
If your bicycle crash involved a city, state, or other government-owned vehicle or roadway responsibility, strict deadlines may apply. A Notice of Claim may need to be filed within 90 days. Acting promptly helps protect your claim and prevents crucial evidence from disappearing.
What are the most common causes of bicycle accidents in NYC?
Common causes include unsafe turns, dooring, distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield, lane changes into bike lanes, truck blind spots, and roadway hazards like potholes, construction plates, and debris.
What should I do immediately after a bicycle crash?
Call 911, get medical care, document the scene with photos/video, obtain driver and witness information, and avoid giving recorded statements to insurers before speaking with counsel.
Can I recover compensation if the driver says I was partly at fault?
Yes. New York follows comparative negligence rules, which means you may still recover damages even if you share some responsibility. Your recovery may be reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned.
What injuries are common in serious bicycle accidents?
Bike crashes often cause traumatic brain injuries, concussions, spinal cord injuries, fractures, shoulder and knee injuries, internal trauma, severe road rash, scarring, and long-term mobility limitations.
What if a pothole or roadway defect caused my crash?
Road defect cases may involve a government entity or contractor responsible for maintenance or construction. These claims can involve strict notice requirements and short deadlines, including a Notice of Claim within 90 days in some situations.
How is a bicycle accident claim proven?
Evidence may include crash reports, witness statements, surveillance or dashcam video, photos of the scene and bike, medical records, and expert analysis of vehicle impact and roadway conditions.
How much does it cost to hire your bicycle accident lawyers?
We handle bicycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.