As reported by the New York City Department of Transportation, more than 1,300 bicyclists suffered injuries during collisions with motor vehicles on the streets of Manhattan in 2021. That number represents an average of between three and four bicyclists injured each day in accidents involving motor vehicles. In many cases involving collisions between bicycles and cars, trucks or buses, a bicycle accident attorney plays an important role in recovering damages for the injured bicyclist.
How Could a Bicycle Accident Attorney Help a Bicyclist After a Collision With a Motor Vehicle?
As noted by the CDC, more than 130,000 bike riders are injured in crashes throughout the USA each year. The CDC estimates that the combined costs of the resulting injuries and deaths from bike crashes in the USA can exceed $23 billion annually. According to the NYC Department of Transportation, close to 21,000 commuters rode a bike to work in Manhattan in 2021. In that same year, bike owners made more than 200 million bicycle trips across NYC’s five boroughs.
Many of the bicyclists injured in NYC will require legal representation to recover the costs of medical care and lost income. It’s not uncommon for a personal injury attorney to file a legal action to also address the issue of an injured bike rider’s pain and suffering. Traffic conditions in Manhattan can become distracting and confusing at times for both bicyclists and motorists. Assigning fault for an accident could become a complex affair. A bicycle accident attorney with the Cellino Law team could, however, review the circumstances of an accident and help an injured bicyclist obtain the compensation he or she deserves.
How Do Manhattan’s Bicycle Accidents Compare With the Other Four NYC Boroughs?
NYC’s smallest and most densely populated borough, Manhattan, had the second-highest number of bicyclist injuries after Brooklyn, the NYC borough with more than three times the landmass and about 1 million more people. Across all of the city’s five boroughs, the New York City DOT noted that more than 4,900 bicyclists were injured in 2021 in all types of accidents. When taking into consideration that more than 4,600 of those NYC bicycle accidents involved collisions with motor vehicles, it comes out to over 90 percent of the city’s injury-causing bicycle accidents involved a car, truck or bus.
Overall, bike riders are growing in number in NYC. The city’s DOT notes that almost 55,000 commuters rode a bike to work across the five NYC boroughs in 2021. Close to 21,000 of those commuters rode their bikes to work in Manhattan that same year. If a careless motorist involves you or a loved one in an accident while commuting by bike and causes harm, an experienced Cellino Law bicycle accident attorney can assist you in recovering damages.
What Common Mistakes Do Manhattan’s Motorists Make That Endanger Bicyclists?
Driver error is the primary cause of collisions between bicycles and cars, trucks, and buses. In many cases, recklessness contributes to the accident. Speeding, driving while intoxicated or avoidable distractions can add the element of an unlawful act to what could result in a life-altering accident for a bicyclist hit by a motor vehicle.
A driver may also cause a bicycle crash by failing to follow one or more of the basic rules of roadway safety, such as:
- Making an authorized right-hand turn at a red light in Manhattan and neglecting to look behind and to the right to avoid striking a bicyclist approaching from the right-hand side
- Backing up or parking without checking for nearby bicyclists
- Failing to reduce vehicle speed in wet or slippery road conditions
- Forgetting to check the side-view mirror when exiting the vehicle and causing an approaching bicyclist to slam into the opening door
- Underestimating the speed of a bicycle near the vehicle
Other Than Motor Vehicle Collisions, How Else Could Bike Injuries Occur in Manhattan?
Car, truck and bus drivers are not the only cause of bicycle accidents in Manhattan. Poorly maintained pavement and roadway issues are not uncommon in Manhattan and can cause both bicyclists and pedestrians to lose their balance and fall. Under these circumstances, an injured bicyclist could recover damages for the harm caused. In certain cases, an injured bicyclist could sue the city if it failed to take steps to repair a reported roadway safety issue that led to an accident.
Owners and managers of commercial, residential or city properties must take reasonable steps to ensure that no harm comes to anyone legally on their property. A Cellino Law bicycle accident attorney can determine whether the liability for harm rests with the city or a property owner.
Dangerous or poorly maintained roadway conditions that could cause bicyclists to lose control and get thrown off their bikes include:
- Potholes and other roadway depressions
- Cracked or uneven pavement
- Litter or garbage remaining on road surfaces
- Debris falling from a truck and left uncollected
- Lack of warning signs, cones or yellow caution tape around a road hazard
Although falling from a bike may not cause the massive injuries that could result from a crash involving a car or truck, a thrown bicyclist’s impact with the road surface can still cause serious harm. Even when wearing a helmet, neck or spinal injuries could result from a high-speed fall and cause paralysis. A qualified bicycle accident attorney on the Cellino Law team can assess how the injuries caused by an accident affect a bicyclist’s quality of life. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or emotional distress could become a significant part of a post-accident settlement.
When and Where Do Manhattan Bicycle Accidents Most Commonly Occur?
Although most people would assume that riding a bicycle at night is one of the riskiest times to travel on Manhattan’s streets, daytime business hours could bring greater risks. New York City’s densely populated and commercial areas require a network of delivery and messenger services that could cause certain commercial drivers to become distracted as they rush through their routes.
Risks are high in Manhattan when bicyclists share the same streets as the legions of delivery, messenger, and rideshare vehicles making their rounds. The overlap into the often congested rush hour traffic period can add to the risks posed to bicyclists.
Although bicycle accidents in Manhattan occur in all of its many neighborhoods, a significant number of them have taken place in the Midtown, Harlem and Lower East Side neighborhoods. The access points leading to bridges crossing the East River have also been noted.
What Are the Advantages of Working with a Bicycle Accident Attorney?
An accident involving a bicycle could require a rigorous investigation to determine fault under New York’s comparative negligence laws. A bicycle accident could also involve the owner or manager of a city or commercial property. A skilled New York bicycle accident lawyer can review the evidence and negotiate effectively with insurance company adjusters who may not always have your best interests in mind.
In some cases, your medical costs could exceed an insurance policy’s limits and require a legal action against an at-fault party. Non-economic issues such as pain and suffering could also become part of the equation. Don’t go it alone. The Cellino Law team has the experience and expertise in New York City laws and insurance regulations to determine the best path forward for your accident damage claim. We’re ready to go to court for you and we fight hard for our clients. Contact us 24/7 for a no-fee consultation. You won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.