Representing injured cyclists in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.
New York City is increasingly built around bicycles, e-bikes, bike-share programs, and other forms of micromobility. But even with expanded bike lanes and major street-safety initiatives, cyclists remain among the most vulnerable people on New York roads.
When a bicyclist is struck by a car, truck, rideshare vehicle, taxi, delivery van, or another motor vehicle, the injuries can be life-changing. Even a relatively low-speed collision can throw a cyclist onto the pavement or into another vehicle without the protection afforded to the occupants of a car.
At Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C., we represent people who have been injured because of another party’s negligence. Michael J. Redenburg has spent more than 15 years representing injured New Yorkers and personally handles bicycle accident cases rather than simply passing clients to a case manager. The firm offers free consultations and handles personal injury matters on a contingency-fee basis.
Michael’s experience includes obtaining a $900,000 settlement for a client injured in a Brooklyn e-bike collision, according to the firm’s published case results.
If you were injured while riding a bicycle anywhere in New York City or the surrounding area, call 212-240-9465 to discuss what happened and learn what options may be available to you.
Why Bicycle Accidents in New York City Can Be So Serious
Cyclists have almost no physical protection when a collision occurs.
A driver might walk away from an accident involving minor damage to a bumper or side mirror while the cyclist is taken to the hospital with fractures, head trauma, or spinal injuries.
New York cyclists also contend with circumstances that are especially common in dense urban areas:
- Vehicles turning across bicycle lanes
- Cars and taxis stopping suddenly to pick up passengers
- Delivery vehicles blocking bike lanes
- Drivers opening doors into the path of approaching cyclists
- Trucks with large blind spots
- Congested intersections
- Distracted drivers
- Poorly maintained pavement
- Construction zones
- Drivers failing to yield while turning
- Vehicles entering designated cycling areas
New York City continues to expand its protected bicycle network. NYC DOT reports that protected bike lanes have been associated with an 18.1% reduction in deaths and serious injuries for all road users on streets where they have been installed.
Unfortunately, infrastructure improvements cannot eliminate every collision.
When one occurs, determining exactly how it happened—and who was responsible—can become one of the most important parts of the resulting personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in NYC
Although every accident is different, several patterns repeatedly appear in bicycle accident cases.
Drivers Turning Across Bike Lanes
A driver may attempt a right or left turn without properly checking for a cyclist traveling alongside the vehicle.
These accidents frequently happen at intersections where vehicle traffic and bicycle lanes cross paths.
Dooring Accidents
A cyclist may have only seconds to react when the occupant of a parked car suddenly opens a door into a bicycle lane or traffic lane.
The cyclist can strike the door directly or swerve into moving traffic while trying to avoid it.
Distracted Driving
Texting, navigation systems, phone calls, passengers, and other distractions can cause drivers to overlook cyclists entirely.
Even a few seconds of inattention can be dangerous on a crowded New York street.
Failure to Yield
Drivers are required to share the road with cyclists and follow applicable traffic rules. A motorist who fails to yield at an intersection, bike crossing, driveway, or turn may cause a serious collision.
Unsafe Lane Changes
Drivers who merge into bicycle lanes or change lanes without adequately checking mirrors and blind spots can strike cyclists traveling beside them.
Commercial and Delivery Vehicles
New York streets are constantly occupied by trucks, vans, taxis, rideshare vehicles, and delivery vehicles.
When a commercial vehicle causes a bicycle accident, determining liability may require investigating not only the driver’s conduct but also the driver’s employer, vehicle owner, insurance coverage, and other potentially responsible parties.
What Are the Most Common Bicycle Accident Injuries?
Bicycle crashes can result in injuries ranging from temporary soft-tissue damage to permanent disability.
Some of the injuries frequently associated with serious cycling accidents include:
Traumatic brain injuries. A cyclist’s head may strike the pavement, another vehicle, a curb, or another object. Head injuries can include concussions and more serious traumatic brain injuries.
Broken bones and fractures. Cyclists frequently suffer fractures involving the arms, wrists, hands, shoulders, collarbone, ribs, hips, legs, ankles, and facial bones.
Back and spinal injuries. The force of a collision can result in disc injuries, vertebral fractures, nerve damage, or, in catastrophic cases, damage to the spinal cord.
Knee and joint injuries. Shoulders, knees, wrists, and other joints may absorb much of the impact during a fall.
Road rash and lacerations. Sliding across pavement can cause deep abrasions, scarring, nerve damage, infection, or injuries requiring reconstructive treatment.
Internal injuries. Trauma involving the abdomen or chest may cause internal bleeding or damage to internal organs.
Facial and dental injuries. Facial fractures, broken teeth, cuts, and permanent scarring can occur when a cyclist strikes the ground or another object.
Some injuries are obvious immediately. Others become more noticeable in the hours or days following the crash. Seeking appropriate medical care also creates documentation connecting the injuries to the collision.
Motorists Are Frequently at the Center of Bicycle Accident Claims
When a motor vehicle and bicycle collide, one of the first questions is why the crash occurred.
A driver’s negligence may involve speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, failing to yield, opening a vehicle door into a cyclist’s path, making an unsafe turn, or entering a bicycle lane without sufficient care.
But drivers are not necessarily the only possible defendants.
Depending upon the circumstances, responsibility could potentially involve:
- The driver of the vehicle
- The owner of the vehicle
- An employer
- A trucking or delivery company
- A rideshare-related entity
- A contractor
- A property owner
- A governmental entity responsible for a roadway
A proper investigation should examine the entire chain of events rather than automatically assuming there is only one responsible party.
What If the Cyclist Was Partially Responsible?
Being accused of contributing to an accident does not necessarily prevent an injured cyclist from pursuing compensation in New York.
New York follows a comparative negligence system. Under CPLR §1411, a claimant’s own culpable conduct generally does not completely bar recovery; instead, recoverable damages can be reduced according to the claimant’s percentage of responsibility.
For example, an insurance company might argue that a cyclist was riding too quickly, failed to react soon enough, or was positioned improperly in the roadway.
Those allegations do not automatically end the case.
Evidence may show that a driver nevertheless made an unsafe turn, failed to yield, entered a bicycle lane, was distracted, or otherwise contributed substantially to the collision.
Fault should be determined from the evidence—not from assumptions about cyclists.
Our Bicycle Accident Attorney Can Help Build Your Case
Bicycle accident cases can become evidence-intensive very quickly.
New York City is filled with cameras, businesses, residential buildings, traffic-control equipment, delivery vehicles, and witnesses. That creates potential evidence—but much of it may not remain available indefinitely.
At Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C., investigating a bicycle accident claim may include obtaining and evaluating:
- NYPD accident reports
- Photographs and videos from the scene
- Surveillance footage from nearby businesses
- Dash-camera or bicycle-camera footage
- Witness statements
- Vehicle damage
- Bicycle damage
- Medical records
- Employment and wage documentation
- Insurance information
- Traffic-control information
- GPS or commercial vehicle records when applicable
- Evidence concerning roadway conditions
A lawyer may also evaluate whether additional parties or insurance policies could apply.
The objective is not merely to establish that an accident occurred. It is to develop evidence showing how it occurred, who was responsible, and how the collision changed the injured cyclist’s life.
Compensation That May Be Available After a New York Bicycle Accident
The damages available after a bicycle accident depend upon the circumstances of the collision, the injuries involved, applicable insurance coverage, and other factors.
Before we dive into types of compensation you can potentially achieve, let’s look at some recent bicycle accident recoveries in NYC:
A claim may potentially seek compensation for losses such as:
Medical Expenses
Emergency transportation, hospital treatment, surgery, physician visits, rehabilitation, physical therapy, medications, diagnostic testing, and future medical care may all become significant after a serious bicycle crash.
Lost Income
An injured cyclist may be unable to work temporarily—or may no longer be capable of performing the same job.
Lost wages and reductions in future earning capacity may therefore become part of the case.
Pain and Suffering
Physical pain, emotional distress, disability, loss of mobility, scarring, and the effect an injury has on day-to-day activities may also be considered when determining damages.
Future Costs
Serious injuries sometimes require years of treatment, additional surgery, therapy, medical equipment, assistance, or other ongoing care.
Property Damage
A high-end bicycle, electronics, clothing, helmet, accessories, or other property may also be damaged or destroyed during the collision.
There is no universal dollar amount for a bicycle accident case.
The severity and permanence of the injury, medical evidence, income loss, liability evidence, available insurance coverage, and numerous other considerations can affect the value of an individual claim.
No-Fault Insurance and Bicycle Accidents
Insurance issues involving cyclists can be confusing because the cyclist was not necessarily driving a motor vehicle.
When a bicyclist is injured by a covered motor vehicle, New York’s No-Fault insurance system may apply to certain accident-related economic losses, depending on the facts and applicable coverage. The New York Department of Financial Services describes No-Fault, also known as Personal Injury Protection or PIP, as coverage for certain expenses resulting from motor vehicle accidents.
Determining the proper insurer and what additional claims may be available can become complicated, particularly when the accident involves a hit-and-run driver, commercial vehicle, rideshare vehicle, or multiple vehicles.
That is another reason to investigate insurance coverage early.
Recent Bicycle Accident Data in New York City
New York City has made measurable progress in reducing traffic fatalities, but cyclists continue to suffer serious and fatal injuries.
The NYPD Motor Vehicle Collisions database contains police-reported crash information and specifically tracks the number of cyclists injured and killed in collisions throughout the five boroughs.
NYC DOT and the city’s Vision Zero agencies use NYPD collision data together with other traffic-safety information to identify dangerous streets, intersections, and transportation trends.
According to NYC DOT:
- New York City recorded 205 total traffic fatalities during 2025, down 19% from 253 in 2024.
- Total reported traffic injuries through December 15, 2025 were approximately 47,557, compared with 51,540 during the comparable reporting figures for 2024.
- Traffic deaths declined across major travel modes in 2025, including among cyclists.
The numbers remain significant in 2026.
Through June 29, 2026, NYC DOT reported 94 total traffic fatalities. Traditional bicycle fatalities remained comparatively low, with three deaths reported during that period. At the same time, deaths involving riders of e-bikes, stand-up scooters, and mopeds totaled 18, illustrating the continuing risks faced by New Yorkers using two-wheeled transportation.
These statistics tell only part of the story.
A cyclist does not need to suffer a fatal or catastrophic injury for an accident to have a profound financial and physical impact. Thousands of collisions can lead to emergency treatment, surgery, missed work, rehabilitation, and months or years of recovery.
What Should You Do After a Bicycle Accident in NYC?
If possible, taking several steps after the crash may help protect both your health and any future claim.
First, seek medical attention. Serious injuries do not always produce immediate symptoms.
Report the collision to the police when appropriate and obtain information identifying the driver and vehicle involved.
Photograph the accident scene, bicycle, vehicle, street signs, intersection, road conditions, bicycle lane, and visible injuries when possible.
Collect contact information from witnesses.
Avoid repairing or disposing of a severely damaged bicycle before the condition of the bike has been documented.
It may also be important to identify nearby surveillance cameras quickly. Video footage can sometimes establish exactly how a collision occurred, but recordings may eventually be overwritten.
Finally, be cautious about providing detailed recorded statements to an insurance carrier before understanding your rights.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in New York?
Deadlines depend heavily on who caused the accident and what type of claim is being pursued.
Many New York personal injury actions are subject to a three-year statute of limitations under CPLR §214, although exceptions can apply.
Claims involving a governmental entity can have much shorter procedural deadlines. For certain municipal claims, New York General Municipal Law §50-e generally requires a notice of claim within 90 days, and other deadlines may also apply.
Those shorter deadlines can become particularly important when a cyclist believes poor roadway maintenance, a dangerous street condition, or another municipal issue contributed to the accident.
Waiting can create another problem: evidence disappears.
Even when the legal deadline is months or years away, surveillance footage may vanish within days or weeks and witnesses can become harder to locate.
Speak With a New York City Bicycle Accident Attorney
A serious bicycle accident can suddenly leave you dealing with medical appointments, lost income, insurance companies, pain, and uncertainty about what comes next.
You do not have to determine fault, locate insurance coverage, preserve evidence, and evaluate the value of your case on your own.
At Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C., clients work directly with an experienced New York personal injury attorney. Michael has spent more than 15 years representing injured New Yorkers and handles personal injury matters on a contingency-fee basis.
The firm represents injured cyclists throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Westchester County.
If you or a family member has been injured in a bicycle accident, call Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. P.C. at 212-240-9465 for a free consultation.