Queens Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Serving All of Queens & New York
In recent years, New York has seen an increase in the number of people riding bikes in the city. The city’s bike sharing program, Citi Bikes, has encouraged many to experience the joy of riding through New York’s various neighborhood on two wheels. But the increase in city bikers has also meant a rise in Citi Bike injuries. While more bicycle-friendly than they used to be, New York’s streets are still congested with traffic and are, therefore, a dangerous place for bicycle riders.
Bicyclists who collide with a taxi, car, or truck are likely to sustain serious injuries that require costly long-term treatment. In cases like these, an experienced personal injury attorney is almost always necessary to help injured cyclists recover full and fair compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs. At Davidoff Law, we have helped countless injured bicyclists go up against liable drivers and their insurance providers; our Queens bicycle accident attorneys are known for being aggressive advocates for the injured and have recovered millions of dollars via settlements and verdicts. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you with your bicycle accident case, please reach out to our office in Queens today.
Call (888) 211-1116 or (718) 268-8800 or submit an online contact form today to get started with a free initial consultation. We offer services on contingency, meaning you owe us nothing until we recover compensation for you.
New York Bicycle Laws
As a cyclist, one of the easiest and best things you can do to ensure your own safety and the safety of others is to know and follow all New York bicycle laws.
Here is a brief overview of some of the state laws you should be aware of before riding your bike:
- All bicyclists should follow the same general traffic laws and rules of the road as motorists (e.g., cycling in the direction of traffic, stopping at red lights/stop signs, etc.).
- Anyone under the age of 14 must wear an approved safety helmet while riding a bicycle in New York. Additionally, certain municipalities have their own bicycle helmet laws; make sure you know the rules in your area.
- Bicyclists should use hand signals to indicate when they are turning right, left, or stopping whenever they are using the road, a bicycle lane, or a shared path with pedestrians.
- Bicyclists are not prohibited from riding on sidewalks under state laws, but certain municipalities have their own rules regarding cycling on the sidewalk. Again, make sure you are aware of the laws in your area and always follow local bicycle rules and regulations.
- Bicyclists are permitted to use most public roadways except interstate highways/expressways. If there is a bicycle lane, cyclists must use it. However, when there is no bicycle lane available, bicyclists should ride as far to the right as possible and must always avoid causing undue traffic disruptions.
- Up to two cyclists are permitted to ride side by side in the roadway, but they should ride single file when they are being passed by cars and other vehicles. Additionally, cyclists should ride single file when passing pedestrians or other bicyclists. No more than two cyclists may ride side by side, even when there is enough space for more.
- While most states have accepted 3 feet to be sufficient passing space, New York is one of the few states that leaves it up to the driver of a vehicle to determine how much space is enough room to safely pass a bicyclist.
This list represents only some of the bicycle laws in New York; it’s important that you know and abide by all applicable state and municipal laws anytime you are out cycling.
Drivers Aren’t Looking for Bikes
Despite the recent surge in bicyclists in the city, drivers often don’t remember to look for them when backing up, making turns, or merging in city traffic. Delivery trucks late at night may not see cyclists who are riding in the dark, especially when the cyclists are not wearing light-colored or reflective clothing. If you’ve ever seen a bicycle painted white and chained to a street sign, you’ve seen a place where a cyclist lost his or her life because of such an accident.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
Even when bikers survive these collisions, they can nonetheless suffer ongoing and severe injuries, including:
- Head trauma
- Back injuries
- Fractures
- Spinal injuries
These and other common bicycle accident injuries require costly medical attention. Who will pay for your medical bills or for your lost wages if you require an extended hospital stay? We believe that the person responsible for the accident should also be responsible for the damages you have suffered as a result. At Davidoff Law, our Queens bicycle accident attorneys represent injured bikers who have been hurt by negligent drivers in Queens and throughout New York.
Call Today to Kickstart Start Your Recovery
A contest between a car and a bike isn’t a fair one. Our firm works to even the score by fighting for the compensation you deserve after being injured in a bike accident. Our experienced bicycle accident attorneys offer free initial consultations. If you decide to work with us, we require no payment until we secure money to help pay for your injuries.
Call us at (888) 211-1116 or (718) 268-8800 to schedule your visit at our office, or connect with us online to tell us about your accident.
How Do I Prove Liability in a Bicycle Accident?
Proving liability in a bicycle accident is essential to getting the compensation that you deserve. In New York, the state’s pure comparative negligence rule allows you to recover more compensation the less liability you have. To prove that your liability should remain low – ideally, at 0% – you will want to team up with a bicycle accident attorney to make the most of available evidence. Eyewitness testimonies, police reports, medical records, dashcam footage, and more can all be crucial pieces of evidence that clearly establish liability on the driver who hit you.
Can You Sue an Uninsured Driver?
Did the driver who hit you have no insurance? You might be feeling out of luck, but you could still have a chance to recover compensation through alternative insurance policies. New York has personal injury protection (PIP) insurance that is available for a variety of situations, including bicycle accidents. If you have PIP insurance, then your insurance provider should cover your damages up to your policy cap. You might also be able to make a similar recovery if you have uninsured motorist (UM) insurance that applies when you are riding your bicycle, rather than driving.
Don’t assume you can’t sue an uninsured motorist, either. Provide their contact information to your attorney and let them decide if pursuing a claim is feasible.
Are Bicyclists Considered Pedestrians?
In most legal contexts, a bicyclist is considered a type of pedestrian. This distinction is particularly important in bicycle accident claims involving a bicyclist who has been hit by a driver. Even when there are dedicated bicycle lanes, a bicyclist will still likely be a pedestrian in terms of liability and roadway expectations.
Do You Need Lights on Your Bike to Ride at Night?
Most cities and municipalities require bicyclists to use some form of light on their bicycle and/or person while riding at night. For example, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) requires bicyclists to have a white headlight and red taillight in use whenever they are riding between the hours of dusk and dawn or sunset to sunrise. Bicyclists in NYC also need to have reflective devices throughout their bicycles to make them more visible. Riding at night without a light makes you more vulnerable to vehicle collisions and could also affect your liability.
Are You Able to File a Claim If You’re Hit by a Car Door?
Yes, you can file a personal injury claim against anyone who hurts you due to their negligence, be it a driver who hits you with their car or a passenger who is getting out of a parked car and hits you with the door. This type of accident is called “dooring.” The trouble with dooring claims is that it can sometimes be more difficult to prove liability.
Our Results Speak for Themselves
Millions Recovered for Our Clients
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$10 Million Wrongful Death from Motor Vehicle Accident
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$5 Million Trip-and-Fall Accident
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$2.3 Million Student Riding Motor Scooter
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$2 Million Pedestrian Accident Involving a School Bus
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$1.7 Million Trucking Accident Resulting in Multi-Level Disc Fusion
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$1.6 Million MVA - Rear End Collision
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$1.5 Million Motor Vehicle Accident
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$1.4 Million Slip & Fall Accident
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$1.4 Million Motor Vehicle Accident from a Rear-End Collision
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$1.4 Million Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Lower Back Injury
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$1.3 Million Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting from Rear-End Collision
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$1.3 Million Pedestrian Accident While Crossing the Street
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$1.2 Million Motor Vehicle Accident - Rear-End Collision
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$1.1 Million Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting from Rear-End Collision
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$1 Million Motor Vehicle Accident Involving a Parked Car
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$1 Million Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Neck & Back Injury
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$975 Thousand Motor Vehicle Accident Involving a Cab Driver
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$960 Thousand Truck Accident Back Injuries
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$950 Thousand Trucking Accident Resulting in Neck Surgery
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$925 Thousand Truck Accident – Rear-End Collision
Treating Clients Like Family
When you hire Davidoff Law, it's like having an attorney in the family. That is because we treat each and every one of our clients like members of our family. Throughout our years of experience, we've build strong bonds with members of our community and amassed an ever-growing list of success stories from clients right here in the neighborhood.
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“Very friendly” - Rosa
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“I want to thank you ALL personally for treating my case with the utmost importance and for being there every time I had questions.” - Steven A.
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Experience on Your Side
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Focused on Personal Injury
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Unwavering Guidance
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Ethical Representation
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Personalized Attention
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Available & Accessible