Articles & Resources

The statute of limitations is two to three years in most states, but Kentucky, Louisiana, and Tennessee give you only one. Maine and North Dakota allow up to six. Every state sets its own timeline, and no federal law applies. Some deadlines are even shorter than you’d expect. If a government entity vehicle or road defect caused your crash, you may have as little...

Roughly one-third (30-35%) of non-fatal bicycle accidents involve head injuries that require emergency treatment. The numbers are far worse in fatal crashes: TBI and related trauma cause an estimated 60% to 75% of all cyclist deaths, most commonly in collisions with motor vehicles. A properly fitted helmet can significantly reduce head injury risk by 60% and traumatic...

In most NYC bicycle accident cases, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront, and your lawyer only gets paid if they recover compensation for you. In many cases, the fee is 33 1/3% of the final settlement or verdict. The amount you actually receive can also be reduced by case costs, medical liens, and other deductions. How...

The outcome of a bicycle accident claim in Phoenix usually depends on a few core factors: who was at fault, how strong your evidence is, how serious your injuries are, how much insurance coverage is available, and whether you act before key deadlines expire. These factors affect both liability and the amount of compensation you may actually recover after a crash. Common...

Comparative negligence reduces your bike crash recovery by your own percentage of fault, and in most states it erases the claim once your share passes half. Three states have rewritten that negligence rule since 2023, New York as recently as May 26, 2026. Key Takeaways Your damages are cut by your fault percentage: 20 percent fault on a $300,000 claim costs you $60,000. Ten...

If a collision left you injured while riding, you have the right to file a cycling accident claim in New York City and recover compensation for your medical bills, lost income, bike damage, and suffering. When a motorist’s negligence caused the incident, that driver and their insurer can be held liable. New York’s PIP system covers your initial medical expenses...

As of 2026, New York City permits electric bikes in three categories on city highways, bike lanes, and bridges. All e-bikes operating in NYC are subject to a 15 mph limit effective October 24, 2025, and must also be UL-certified for fire safety. Users must be at least 16 years old, and a helmet is mandatory for those aged 16 to 17 and all operators in the fastest category. E-bikes...

No. You cannot be charged with DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) for riding a traditional, human-powered bike. DWI laws apply exclusively to motorized vehicles (VTL § 1192), and a bicycle is not a motorized vehicle (VTL § 125). However, drunk biking carries serious legal consequences, and e-bikes have their own dedicated DUI statute with different rules. If you are a person...

After a bike accident, move out of the traffic lane, call 911, and do not admit fault. Photograph the place, your injuries, and property damage, then collect witness contact details and exchange policy details with the motorist. Seek medical attention within 24 hours, whether you were doored, struck in a lane, or hit at an intersection. Adrenaline masks concussions, fractures,...

Yes, you can legally ride a bicycle on most highways in the United States, but not on all of them. No federal laws prohibit bicycle use on the interstate highway system or other expressways, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Each state sets its own bike laws and regulations. Controlled-access highways and freeways typically ban bicycles with posted...

Most bicycle accident settlements in New York City land between $50,000 and $200,000 when injuries are moderate and driver fault is clear. Your number depends on the crash and injury severity. The national median bicycle accident settlement is around $45,000, but the average bicycle accident settlement in NYC runs higher because of medical expenses, insurance policy limits,...

In New York City NY certified headgear is legally required for minors under 14 years old, commercial cyclists, and all who ride Class 3 e-bikes. Adults on standard bikes are not required to wear approved bicycle helmets by state or city law, though headgear is strongly recommended by the NYC Department of Transportation for all bicyclists. As of 2026, bicycle safety statistics...

In New York City, bicycles and e-bikes are legally treated as vehicles and must follow the same traffic regulations as a motor vehicle driver on the road (VTL 1231). That includes obeying signals, making proper turns, riding with traffic, yielding to pedestrians, and using usable bike lanes unless blocked or unsafe. These provisions apply in the same manner to all who...

Several types of insurance may apply after a bicycle accident, including the at-fault driver’s auto policy, your own auto coverage, health insurance, homeowners or renters insurance, and sometimes a separate bicycle policy. Which policies may apply depends on how the crash happened, who was at fault, and what coverage you already have. Knowing where compensation may...

Bike accidents cause harm ranging from minor skin scrapes to life-changing head injuries. The most common include soft-tissue damage, broken bones (especially the collarbone), and head wounds. Head injuries alone cause more than 60% of fatal cycling outcomes. In 2023, US hospitals treated 341,774 nonfatal cases. Of those, roughly 50,000 involved motor vehicles, and 1,166...

After you’ve been injured and are wondering if you can afford legal assistance, one question hits fast: How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Phoenix, Arizona, and can I afford one? As medical bills continue to pile up and going back to work seems uncertain, additional expenses aren’t something you need. Here’s what most people don’t realize...

In most bicycle-vehicle incidents, the driver bears primary blame. Car vs bicycle accidents are among the most common cycling crashes across NYC. New York law holds motorists to a heightened duty of care to protect cyclists and pedestrians. However, the question of who is responsible is not always all-or-nothing. New York’s shared-blame system allows both parties to...

Bicycling is on the rise in the U.S. In 2024, a record 112M Americans rode a bike at least once. While such popularity brings overall positive signals, there is room for safety concerns, too. After all, cyclist fatality rates account for almost 3% of all traffic fatalities recorded in the country. There are multiple contributing factors to this unfavorable trend, and a...

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 1 in 5 cyclists injured in a US traffic accident in 2023 was struck by someone who left the scene, and more than 70% of everyone killed in a hit-and-run that year was on foot or biking (AAA Foundation, 2026). The National Safety Council estimates that bicyclist fatalities from hit-and-run accidents are among the fastest-growing...

A cycling accident caused by a pothole and poor road maintenance can leave you facing serious injuries and mounting costs, but many of these accidents go unreported. Over 13% of bicycle accidents caused by potholes, debris and other road hazards result from riding into a surface defect. States, counties, and cities owe a duty of care to maintain public roads in reasonably...

There is no single deadline to correct or amend a police report after a bicycle accident, whether the incident involved a car or another type of collision. In most cases, your best chance is to act within the first few days or up to two weeks, before the filing starts influencing the claim and other parts of the case. You may be able to fix a factual inaccuracy, add missing...