New York City Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group represents injured cyclists across New York City, including Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and the wider metro area. As a personal injury law firm, we’ve recovered over $1 billion for accident victims nationwide and handle bicycle, e-bike, and e-scooter matters exclusively.

Whether you were hit by a negligent motorist on 4th Avenue, doored in a Manhattan bike lane, or struck in a hit-and-run in Queens, we’ve seen your situation before and we know how to win.

New York law is on your side. Bicyclists have the same rights as motorists (VTL § 1231). You can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault (CPLR § 1411).

Call 888-521-6377 for a free consultation with no upfront costs and no fee unless Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group wins.

Why Choose Our NYC Bicycle Injury Attorneys

Over 5,100 bicyclists and cyclists were injured in New York City in 2024. Brooklyn leads in cyclist injuries. Manhattan accounts for nearly a quarter of all accident victims. 4th Avenue, Northern Boulevard, Broadway are the avenues where our clients get hit.

Bicycle accidents often leave people with brain trauma, spinal damage, fractures, and deep abrasions. Before you’ve even left the hospital, the insurance company is already working to pay you less. Our team handles bicycle, e-bike, and e-scooter matters exclusively, so we know what they’re doing and how to stop it.

• Over $1 billion recovered for crash victims across the United States
• Zero financial risk — free consultation, no upfront costs, and no fee unless we win
• Direct access to your lawyer — you talk to a bike crash lawyer who returns calls, not a paralegal reading from a script

Were you hit in traffic? Doored in a cycling lane? Sideswiped at an intersection? Call 888-521-6377 or fill out our contact form. A bike crash lawyer from our legal team will get back to you.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents We Handle in NYC

Insurance adjusters will try to blame you for what happened. Our NYC bicycle injury lawyers investigate every cause below, from reckless drivers to dangerous circumstances. Each one changes who pays, how much you recover, and how Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group builds your bicycle accident claim.

• Distracted motorists. Texting, eating, talking to passengers. The motorist never saw you because they weren’t looking. In 2024, motorist inattention caused resulting injuries to over 1,500 bicyclists citywide.
• Failure to yield. Motorists must yield the right of way to cyclists. Many ignore this rule. Failure to yield is a leading cause of fatal car vs bicycle crashes in NYC.
• Dooring. A motorist or passenger opens their car door without checking the mirror, throwing you from your bicycle into traffic with fractures, lacerations, or worse. Where parked cars line every block, dooring is a constant threat.
• Intoxicated motorists. DUI collisions involving bicyclists cause some of the most severe injuries. An intoxicated motorist has almost no reaction time.
• Speeding and aggressive driving. Higher speed means less reaction time and harder impact. Every mph raises severity, especially on congested NYC avenues.
• Unsafe lane changes. Someone merges without checking their blind spot and sideswipes you without warning. This is common on multi-lane avenues across all five boroughs.
• Dangerous conditions. Potholes, missing lighting, debris, faded lane markings, construction plates. When poor infrastructure design causes the incident, the municipality or the responsible government agency can be held liable.

The cause determines who pays and how much you recover. Our bicycle injury attorneys investigate each one to find every liable party.

Common Bike Accident Injuries We Help Recover Compensation For

A bicyclist hit by a vehicle has nothing between them and the impact. No frame, no airbag, no crumple zone. Bicycle accident injuries are severe.

Losses start severe and medical expenses follow fast. Insurance companies push to settle before you know the full extent of your condition. If someone else caused it, you deserve maximum compensation.

• Traumatic brain injuries

  About 33% of non-fatal cycling injuries are head traumas. Even a mild traumatic brain injury can disrupt memory, focus, and daily life. Severe TBI can cause permanent cognitive damage.

• Spinal cord damage

  The back absorbs the worst of a cycling collision. Without structural protection, severe spinal trauma can lead to partial or complete paralysis.

• Fractures

  Broken bones make up 26% of cycling harm. Broken collarbones, wrists, ribs, and femurs often require surgery, hardware, and months of rehab.

• Lacerations and abrasions

  Skin abrasions account for 15% of collisions. Deep abrasions that look minor at the scene can require skin grafts, infection treatment, and ongoing wound care.

• Internal injuries

  Organ damage, internal bleeding, and abdominal trauma may not show symptoms for hours. These injuries are life-threatening and easy for adjusters to undervalue.

• Muscle and ligament damage

  Torn ligaments, sprains, and whiplash can cause chronic pain and emotional distress that outlasts every visible wound.

• Wrongful death

  When a bicycle accident is fatal, surviving families can pursue damages for loss of companionship, financial support, funeral expenses, and pain and suffering endured by the family. In 2024, 24 bicyclist deaths occurred on NYC streets.

NYC Bicycle Accident Laws That Protect You

If you were partially at fault, you can still recover compensation. New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule (CPLR § 1411). There is no threshold that blocks your result. A cyclist found 30% responsible recovers 70% of damages. Our legal team uses that rule every time an adjuster tries to shift blame onto you.

Insurers love to argue: you weren’t wearing a helmet, you rode outside the lane, you were “taking the lane.” New York law answers all three.

• VTL § 1231. Cyclists have the same rights and duties as any motorist.
• Helmet law is limited. New York only requires helmets for children under 14 (VTL § 1238). Adults don’t have to wear one. Not wearing a helmet cannot bar your recovery.
• Lane use. Cyclists must use a usable bike lane when one exists (RCNY § 4-12(p)). But you may leave the lane to avoid hazards, make turns, or when the lane is blocked. Riding outside a blocked or unsafe lane is not negligence.
• Three-foot passing. New York State law requires those operating motor vehicles to give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing.
• No-fault insurance (VTL § 5102). New York is a no-fault state. After a bike accident, you may qualify for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. That’s up to $50,000 for medical bills, wages, and other expenses, regardless of who is responsible. This applies if you have auto insurance, are covered under a household member’s policy, or qualify through MVAIC.

When an adjuster raises any of these, Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group responds with the statute, not speculation.

Filing Deadlines for a NYC Bicycle Accident Claim

You have three years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury lawsuit (CPLR § 214). Miss it and you lose the right to recover anything.

The 90-day Notice of Claim deadline is critical. If the incident involves a pothole, missing signage, an unsafe lane, or construction zone maintained by the municipality or any municipal agency, you must act fast. Miss it and you lose your right to sue.

We track every deadline from the day you hire us and move to protect your bicycle accident claims before any window closes.

E-Bike Laws in New York

New York classifies e-bikes into three classes:

• Class 1: pedal-assist, no throttle, max 20 mph
• Class 2: throttle-equipped, max 20 mph
• Class 3: pedal-assist, max 25 mph

All three classes are legal on city streets. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes may use bike lanes. Class 3 models are allowed on certain lanes but banned on sidewalks and certain multi-use paths. Helmets are required for Class 3 e-bike riders.

Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group handles all e-bike and e-scooter accidents under these legal frameworks. These incidents require a personal injury lawyer who understands the classifications.

Who Is Liable for a Bicycle Accident?

The person who caused the incident is rarely the only one responsible. Most injury cases we handle involve multiple defendants. That means multiple insurance policies and a higher total recovery for you.

In 2024, negligent drivers caused over 2,600 collisions involving bicyclists in NYC. Other vulnerable users caused 467.

• The at-fault driver. The driver’s auto liability policy is the first source of compensation. If their coverage falls short, we look for every additional defendant on this list.
• Their employer. If they were at work (delivery driver, rideshare operator, commercial fleet), the employer’s commercial policy applies. 
• The municipality, MTA, or NYCDOT. A missing lane marking, an unlit intersection, a pothole reported but never fixed. When the government fails to keep streets safe, we hold them liable. These require a Notice of Claim within 90 days (General Municipal Law § 50-e). We file early.
• Construction contractors. Construction that narrows lanes, removes markings, or creates uneven pavement without signage. Both the contractor and the government that awarded the contract can be named.
• Parts and product manufacturers. A defective brake, a cracked fork, a tire blowout, a bad headlight. If a product defect caused or worsened the incident, the manufacturer is liable under strict product liability law. You only need to show the product failed.
• Rental and share companies. A mechanical failure on a rented or rental bicycle can lead to a claim against the company that maintained it.
• Other users. A pedestrian stepping into a lane, another cyclist running a red light, an e-scooter rider cutting across traffic. Each party pays based on their share of fault. We make sure yours is as low as the evidence supports.

We investigate every case to identify each responsible party and available policy. More defendants means more leverage in negotiations and a stronger position at trial in the New York Supreme Court.

How We Prove Negligence in a Bicycle Accident Case

The party who hit you, or their insurer, owes you for every dollar of damage they caused. Proving it takes four elements:

Our Recent Case Settlements

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in NYC

Your case starts at the scene. What you do in the first hours shapes everything that follows.

• Call 911

  Get to safety if you can. Make sure police respond — New York requires reporting any incident involving harm. The police report becomes the foundation of your case.

• Get Medical Attention

  Go to the ER even if you feel fine. Concussions, internal bleeding, and hairline fractures can take days to show up. Without records from that first visit, the insurer will say your condition was pre-existing.

• Document the Scene

  Photograph your injuries, your damaged bicycle, and any hazards. Get insurance info and plate numbers. Collect witness contacts. Note any nearby traffic or surveillance cameras — this footage can be overwritten fast.

• Call a Bike Injury Lawyer Before You Talk to the Insurer

  The adjuster will reach out fast and ask for a recorded statement designed to reduce your bicycle accident claim. Decline it, reject any early offer, and stay off social media. Call 888-521-6377, let us handle the insurance company from day one.

When Should You Contact a New York City Bike Accident Lawyer?

If any of these apply, contact a bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible:

• Your losses are serious. Surgery, hospitalization, broken bones, head trauma, or spinal injuries raise the value of your case. The more serious the harm, the harder insurance companies push to lowball you.
• The insurance company is stalling or fighting liability. Low offers, slow responses, or blame-shifting mean the adjuster is not treating your case fairly.
• Your case involves complex liability. Bicycle accidents caused by hazards, construction debris, or multiple liable parties need a personal injury attorney who can identify every defendant and pursue each source of compensation.
• You were hit by an uninsured or unknown driver. In hit-and-run situations, UM/UIM coverage from your own auto policy, or through MVAIC, may be your only option. In 2024, the NYPD reported over 37,000 hit-and-run incidents. A New York bicycle accident lawyer with experience in these circumstances can find which policies apply and file for you.
• A government entity may be liable. If your crash involved a pothole, missing signage, or unsafe section maintained by the municipality, you must file a Notice within 90 days. Missing this deadline can destroy your case.

How Your Case Works

You talk directly to your lawyer throughout the process, never a paralegal or an answering service. If you have questions, call us.

We Serve All NYC Boroughs and Nearby Areas

Were you hit by a car in Brooklyn? Doored in Manhattan? Struck on Northern Boulevard in Queens? Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group represents the injured across the metro area and pursue justice on your behalf.

• Brooklyn. Over 2.7 million residents. Highest collision rate in NYC. Cyclist collisions make up over 11% of all crashes in the borough. Our Brooklyn bicycle accident lawyer handles cases from 4th Avenue to Flatbush.
• Manhattan. In 2024, riders made up 23% of all bicycle accident victims. 25% of biking incidents happened on Broadway. Narrow lanes, heavy traffic, and blocked bike lanes make every case complex.
• Queens. Third-highest bicycle accident volume. Northern Boulevard is the 8th most dangerous road for cyclists in NYC. Our Queens City bicycle accident lawyer knows these intersections.
• The Bronx. Bicyclist fatalities continue to increase, with the number of fatal incidents among the highest in the city. Crashes cluster at intersections like Jerome Ave & Fordham Rd. Our Bronx bicycle accident lawyer will fight for your recovery.
• Staten Island. Bicycle accidents account for over 5% of all crashes in the borough. Only about 75 miles of bicycle infrastructure. Limited safety measures and high speed limits are key factors that increase the risk for anyone riding home through the borough.
• Long Island. Accounted for 18% of cyclist deaths statewide in 2023 despite 15% of the population. Suburban roads and poor cycling infrastructure drive fatalities higher.
• Other areas. We also represent injured riders in the Hudson Valley, Newark, Jersey City, and across the metro region. Contact us today for legal representation and support wherever you ride.

Contact Our New York City Bicycle Accident Lawyers Today

Whether it was minor or catastrophic, our New York City bicycle accident lawyers fight for the full compensation every client is owed. You pay nothing upfront, and we only collect a fee if we win your case.

Call 888-521-6377 or fill out the form to speak with an experienced New York personal injury attorney the same day.

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