Bicycle Accident

Bicycle Accident Lawyers in NYC Lower East Side

Representing Lower East Side Injured Bikers

Riding a bicycle is a great way to get around The Lower East Side of Manhattan, serving as an eco-friendly and extremely healthy alternative to congested traffic. However, drivers of cars and big trucks are not always observant of the space around bicyclists: In a single year, there are hundreds of thousands of bicycle crashes in the United States, while more than one thousand bicyclists succumb to their injuries.

At the law firm of Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. PC, our Lower East Side bicycle accident lawyers have helped many clients in the wake of life-changing bicycle accidents and injuries. We never hesitate to take on tough and complicated cases. We are proud of our ability to represent and protect the rights of severely injured clients.

Lower East Side Bicycle Accidents are not Uncommon and Their Consequences Can Be Severe

A collision between a bike and a car, truck, or SUV often times results in damaging or even fatal injuries to the bicyclists who are involved in the crash. These types of accidents typically have a devastating impact on the bicyclist because bicyclists lack the protections provided to motor vehicles, such as a frame and airbags. The body of the typical automobile serves as a shield for people inside of a motor vehicle and it protects them from direct contact with the road. Unlike drivers of motorized passenger vehicles, bicyclists are not afforded the same protections at the time of impact.

Too many Lower East Side bicyclists are injured every year and many experience debilitating injuries from crashes with motor vehicles that weigh thousands of pounds.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a bike accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your injuries and losses. We will evaluate the circumstances surrounding and facts of your bicycle accident to determine whether or not you may be entitled to financial compensation.

Both motor vehicles and bicyclists are expected to obey New York City’s traffic laws. That said, drivers of cars, trucks and SUVs are required to follow additional guidelines and undertake certain safety precautions that are designed to protect bicyclists due to cyclists’ heightened level of vulnerability on the streets throughout the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

• Drivers of motorized passenger vehicles must yield to bicyclists in a bike lane.
• Drivers of motorized passenger vehicles must yield to bicyclists on a sidewalk.
• Prohibitions on reckless vehicular assault of bicyclists.
• Drivers must drive to the left of bicyclist which they pass, at a safe distance, and only return to their original lane a safe distance away.

How Are Bicycle Accidents Caused?

There are many different causes of bicycle accidents, but because bicyclists are not well protected, they are at a far greater risk of sustaining severe injuries than those in a car or SUV. There can also be a multitude of factors involved in a cycling accident: A collision with a pedestrian or an open car door may not cause serious injuries on its own, for example, but it can send the cyclist into the path of oncoming cars or trucks causing catastrophic injuries.

Some of the most common ways that bicycle crashes occur on the Lower East Side of NY are:

• Crashes at intersections – A bicyclist pauses at an intersection but the operator of the car does not, resulting in a rear-end hit. Too many times, the driver is speeding or traveling too close and can’t stop in time.
• Left-turn hits – As a bicyclist comes through an intersection, a truck already in the intersection makes a left-hand turn. A trucker who isn’t paying attention causes the bicyclist to collide into the side of the truck.
• Right-hook collisions – As a cyclist and car approach an intersection, the car makes a right-hand turn, crossing the bicyclist’s lane of travel & crashes into the cyclist, who is heading straight ahead. Often times the vehicle operator does not activate their turn signal.
• Crashes with doors – A vehicle occupant may open the door without looking into whether or not a cyclist is coming-up from behind. It can be all too easy for the bicyclist to slam into the door.

Although far too many bicycle accidents involve negligent actors, identifying and proving acts of negligence can be challenging. At Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. PC, we are careful to fully investigate your bicycle accident because we need to prove that you deserve the compensation we are seeking– or to prove to a jury that the accident was not your fault.

There are many thing that lead to bicycle accidents, and some of our cases have involved:

• Careless driving – Drivers of trucks and autos should share the road with bicyclists by paying attention and complying with all of the State’s traffic laws. We’ve also found that careless drivers make mistakes based on poor judgment. Distracted driving, forgetting to signal or failing to yield the right-of-way contribute to bicycle accidents and the cyclists’ resulting injuries.
• Road rage – It is no secret that drivers throughout Manhattan are usually in a big rush. Drivers move much faster than bicyclists, and hurried drivers oftentimes turn aggressively. Drivers can also be tailgating a cyclist to try and get a cycler to speed up. Drivers can also try to illegally pass cyclists and come too close for comfort, smashing into them. Road-ragers may even intentionally strike a biker due to anger.
• Opening doors in a bicyclist’s path – As mentioned aforesaid, dooring accidents occur far too often. A cyclist coming into contact with a car door can cause devastating injuries.

Prudent Safety Practices Can Reduce Bicycle Accident Injuries

To aid in avoiding accident-related injuries, be sure to cycle safely. Some basic steps that can reduce your risk of being involved in a serious bike accident include:

• Be sure to wear a helmet, shoulder pads, and knee pads.
• Equip your bicycle with headlights, bells, and a horn.
• Keep a close eye out for distracted drivers and try to meet their eye or slow down if you don’t think that they can see you.
• When bicycling on the left hand side of parked cars, you should ride far enough to the left to avoid crashing into the door of a car if the driver suddenly opens the door in front of you.
• Don’t ride against traffic: This is an extremely dangerous practice to be avoided at all costs. Every year bicyclists are seriously injured or worse yet, killed, because they choose to ride the wrong way down the road.

There are many dangerous, negligent (careless), or reckless practices that may contribute to a serious bicycle accident. Some of the most common causes of bike accidents on roadways are:

• Intoxicated drivers;
• Distracted drivers;
• Aggressive drivers;
• Fatigued drivers;
• Anxious or impatient drivers;
• Roads that are in a state of disrepair.

Serious bicycle accidents in New York City may lead to permanent life changes that can interfere with your profession, personal relationships and your ability to fully enjoy and participate in life’s activities. When these simple pleasures are taken from a bike accident victim, it is both fair and reasonable that that victim should receive financial compensation for the injuries that he or she suffered. A negligent driver cannot give you back your ability to walk or the joy of being able to carry your child on your shoulders, but he or she can provide the financial compensation so that you can obtain the physical therapy and medical care you need to improve the quality of your post-accident life.

Injuries That Can Result From Bicycle Accidents

If you are involved in a bike accident on the Lower East Side of NY, you may suffer serious injuries that have far-reaching and devastating consequences on your quality of life, that of your family, and your financial future. It is not uncommon for auto-bicycle collisions to result in the following life-altering injuries and medical conditions:

• Paralysis.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries, TBI
• Temporary loss of use of one’s extremities.
• Internal organ damage.
• Soft tissue neck and back injuries
• Broken bones and contusions.

NEWS: October 19, 2023: MANHATTAN, N.Y.: A man was accused of crashing into a bicyclist and trying to flee the scene while driving a stolen moped in Manhattan on the 18^th of October, according to the NYPD. Police said a 24-year-old suspect was driving southbound on Chrystie Street around 10:10 p.m. when he struck a 33-year-old man on a bicycle. The victim sustained head trauma and was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, according to authorities.

The moped driver tried to run from the scene, police said, and was seen trying to throw away a gun. 

Recovering Damages That Were the Result of a Bicycle Accident

The damages available in a bike-related accident lawsuit in Manhattan often include medical expenses including therapy, lost income, and pain and suffering. You need the assistance of experienced bicycle injury attorneys to determine what damages are recoverable given the specific details of your accident and injuries.

Because of the severity of many bicycle accident injuries, victims can suffer significant losses. We know how to calculate high-value claims worth millions of dollars to ensure that tragically injured clients receive the amount they need to recover as much as possible, from medical care to lost wages to pain and suffering. Call 212-240-9465 for a free, in-office consultation and get the wheels of justice spinning for you!