Collisions Involving Cyclists

According to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles in 2014 there were 5827 collisions involving cyclists and motor vehicles. Of those accidents, 46 of them involved fatalities and 5722 involved non-fatal injuries. Because New York does not require people who are 14-years-old or over to wear helmets, cyclists often do not wear them. This leaves the cyclist's body completely unprotected. As a result a bike accident can leave a cyclist with a traumatic brain injury, broken bones, contusions, abrasions, or a spinal cord injury. As a result the injured cyclist must suffer painful, devastating injuries with long recovery periods. If you are in need of a New York Injury Lawyer because you were injured in a cycling accident, do not hesitate to contact an experienced Bronx Collisions Involving Cyclists Lawyer who is familiar with not only personal injury law, but the specific New York state and local rules that apply to cyclists. In addition, if during the course of the treatment for your injuries your doctor commits medical malpractice, the party responsible for your car accident injuries may be required to compensate you for the medical malpractice injury as well.

Vehicle collisions with cyclists commonly occur when a vehicle overtakes a cyclist and attempts to turn right in front of the bike, resulting in collision. On other occasions cyclists are injured when a motorist recklessly opens his or her car door just as the cyclist is approaching, causing the cyclist to collide with the car door. Cyclists are also hit by vehicles that are exiting a driveway, parking lot or alley without taking care make sure it is safe to proceed.

While it is not always the fault of the driver of the car or truck when there is a collision with a bicycle, if the motorist was operating the car or truck in an unsafe manner, then the motorist was indeed negligent. If you are a bicyclist injured in an accident due to the negligence of another person, you may be able to recover damages from the person who caused the accident through a personal injury lawsuit. California motorists are prohibited from operating their vehicles in an unsafe manner. CVC § 21070. If, for example, a motorist fails to obey a traffic law then that motorist is negligent. If as a result of such negligence a bicyclist is injured, then the motorist is responsible for the losses suffered by the cyclist. For example, it is a violation of California law to open a car door unless it is reasonably safe to do so. CVC § 22517. If a cyclist slams into a car door that was just opened, it is likely as a result of the motorist failing to first check to see if it was safe to open the car door. Likewise, if driver proceeds to exit a driveway, parking lot or similar area and collides with a bicyclist, the motorist was negligent as in bicyclist would have had the right-of-way under the law.

Whether the victim is a pedestrian or in a vehicle, victims injured in parking lot accidents sometimes suffer a variety of serious injuries. Common injuries include back injuries, head trauma, broken bones, and neck injuries. Such injuries typically require expensive treatment and extended recovery time. As a result victims miss work, losing a significant amount of income. In other cases victims suffer permanent injuries so that they are not able to return to work at all. In the most serious cases victims do not survive. Through a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit victims or their family members may be able to recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, as well as pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one was injured in a parking lot accident, New York law allows you to seek compensation from the person whose negligence caused the injuries. In order to ensure that your rights are protected, it is important to you contact an attorney with experience. The staff at Stephen Bilkis and Associates, PLLC has extensive experience representing clients injured in SUV rollover accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, and other types of accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your car accident.