Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me

Start with the office you can reach, or with a call or video meeting if you are injured. Then ask the lawyer the questions on this page: who pays first, whether the helmet rule matters, which deadline is already running and how the fee works. Licatesi Law Group has offices in Uniondale, Brooklyn, Corona (Queens) and Teaneck, New Jersey, and more than 40 years of injury practice.

On the road you have the rights and duties of a driver. Drivers must use due care to avoid hitting you, pass at a safe distance and not open a door into traffic until it is safe. You must use a usable bike lane where one is provided, except to turn left or avoid an unsafe condition, ride with lights at night, and obey signals. Riders under 14 must wear a helmet.

If a motor vehicle hit you in New York, no-fault generally pays eligible medical bills and part of lost earnings first, up to $50,000 of basic economic loss. A claim against the driver can add losses beyond that and, if the injury meets New York’s serious-injury definition, pain and suffering. Bike damage is a separate property claim. We do not quote values before reviewing the records.

Then the evidence decides it: video, signal timing, lane markings, where the damage is on the bike and the vehicle, and witnesses. Your own fault is compared with the driver’s. It generally reduces damages rather than barring them. In a personal-injury action subject to Insurance Law article 51 that is commenced on or after May 26, 2026, a claimant whose fault is greater than that of the defendant, or of the defendants combined, recovers nothing; whether that rule reaches a cyclist’s case is checked case by case.

Not the way insurers often suggest. New York requires helmets for riders under 14 and for class 3 e-bike riders, but Vehicle and Traffic Law 1238(7) says that failing to comply does not bar the claim and does not diminish or reduce the damages. If you were wearing one, keep it: the damage shows where you were hit.

Call 911 and get medical care the same day. Photograph the vehicle, its plate, the lane and your injuries, and get witness names. Keep the bike, helmet and clothing. If the driver fled, report it to police within 24 hours, and send written notice to the vehicle’s no-fault insurer within 30 days; limited exceptions exist, but they need prompt review. Get advice before giving a recorded statement or posting about the crash, while still meeting your own insurer’s timely notice and cooperation requirements.

Often, yes. Vehicle and Traffic Law 1214 says no one may open a door on the side of moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe and will not interfere with traffic. The person who opened the door, whether a driver or a passenger, can be responsible, and the vehicle’s no-fault coverage generally pays your medical bills first. Fault is still decided on the facts.

We start with the who-pays and deadline questions at the first meeting. The firm has more than 40 years of injury practice and has recovered more than $100 million for clients firm-wide. You can meet us at one of four offices or by phone or video. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless there is a recovery.