Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Long Island
Getting hit by a car while riding your bike can change your life in seconds. One moment, you’re going about your day. The next, you’re dealing with injuries, medical bills, and an insurance company that may not be making things easy.
A Long Island bicycle accident lawyer can help you figure out what comes next. At Edelman, Krasin & Jaye, we’ve recovered over half a billion dollars for injured clients, and we’re here to help you understand your options.
You shouldn’t have to chase down answers while trying to recover. When you work with a Long Island personal injury lawyer, you want someone who actually picks up the phone. At Edelman, Krasin & Jaye, we’re available 24/7, and no question is too small. We’ll take your concerns seriously from the first conversation.
How a Long Island Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help
After a bicycle accident, it’s not always clear who’s responsible. Maybe a driver turned without looking. Maybe they passed too closely, or the insurance company is arguing that you caused the crash. Whatever happened, you’ll want to work with someone who’s willing to look closely at the details.
At Edelman, Krasin & Jaye, we investigate bicycle crashes and handle the legal work that follows. Our Long Island bike accident attorneys can help you by:
- Investigating the accident: Reviewing police reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, and available photographs.
- Determining responsibility: Looking at negligent drivers, roadway hazards, and other possible causes.
- Documenting your injuries: Gathering medical records and information about your treatment and recovery.
- Dealing with insurance companies: We’ll handle the back-and-forth with insurers and push back when they offer less than your claim may be worth.
- Preparing your case: We’ll gather evidence, bring in accident reconstruction experts if needed, and take your case to court when necessary.
We know you have enough to worry about without managing a personal injury claim on your own. Our Long Island bike crash lawyers are here for you.
For a free legal consultation with a bicycle accident lawyer serving Long Island, call (800) 469-7429
Why Bicycle Accidents Happen on Long Island
Drivers don’t always give cyclists the space or attention they need. That’s especially concerning on busy Long Island roads like Hempstead Turnpike and Sunrise Highway, where bicycles share the road with cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles.
According to the New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, 7,523 bicycle crashes and 50 related fatalities occurred in New York in 2022. That’s a lot of accidents, and for many injured cyclists, the effects don’t end once they leave the hospital.
Some common causes of bike accidents include:
- Distracted driving: A driver checking a phone may not notice a cyclist until it’s too late.
- Failure to yield: Turning vehicles can strike cyclists traveling straight through an intersection.
- Unsafe passing: A driver gets too close to a cyclist while passing, leaving little room to maneuver or avoid a collision.
- Impaired driving: Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs may react too slowly or fail to notice a cyclist nearby.
- Road hazards: A pothole, loose gravel, or debris in the road can send a cyclist off balance or cause a serious fall.
At Edelman, Krasin & Jaye, our Long Island bike accident lawyers will look beyond the obvious explanation. Sometimes more than one factor contributed to a collision, and those details matter.
Long Island Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near Me (800) 469-7429
Bicycle Injuries Can Be More Serious Than They First Appear
Some bicycle injuries take time to show up. You might walk away from a crash feeling sore but think you’re mostly okay. A day or two later, though, you could be dealing with headaches, a stiff shoulder, or back pain that makes it difficult to get through your normal routine.
Cyclists with significant injuries may need treatment at Nassau University Medical Center or Stony Brook University Hospital. Some require surgery, physical therapy, and months away from work.
Common injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Concussions and more severe brain injuries can affect memory, concentration, and daily functioning.
- Broken bones: Fractures may involve the wrists, arms, legs, ribs, or pelvis.
- Road rash: Scraping against the pavement can leave deep wounds that take weeks to heal and may cause infections or permanent scars.
- Spinal injuries: A hard fall or impact can injure the neck, back, or spinal cord, sometimes leaving a cyclist with chronic pain or difficulty moving.
- Shoulder injuries: Landing on your shoulder can cause a dislocation, broken collarbone, or torn ligaments that make everyday movements painful.
At Edelman, Krasin & Jaye, our Long Island bike crash lawyers want to understand how your injuries affect your life, not just what appears on your first medical bill.
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What New York Law Says About Bicycle Accident Claims
Cyclists have rights on Long Island roads. Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1122-a, motorists passing a bicycle from behind must leave a safe distance until they’ve safely cleared the cyclist. Drivers can’t simply squeeze past because they’re in a hurry.
Sometimes, both the driver and the cyclist may have played a part in the accident. Because bicycle accident claims typically involve a motor vehicle, New York’s modified comparative negligence rule (CPLR § 1411) applies.
If you are found to be more than 50% at fault, you may be barred from recovering compensation. If you are 50% or less at fault, your recovery will be reduced in proportion to your share of responsibility. This is one reason it’s important to look closely at how the crash happened.
Depending on your injuries and how the accident has affected your life, you may be able to recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses: The cost of emergency care, hospital stays, surgery, physical therapy, and any treatment you may need down the road.
- Lost wages: Money you couldn’t earn because your injuries kept you out of work, including any impact on your ability to earn a living in the future.
- Pain and suffering: The physical pain, emotional stress, and difficulties you’ve experienced in your everyday life since the accident.
- Future losses: Reduced earning capacity or ongoing care needs.
Under CPLR § 214, most New York personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years, although exceptions and shorter deadlines exist in some circumstances. Our Long Island bicycle accident attorneys from Edelman, Krasin & Jaye can help you understand which deadlines apply.
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What Should You Do After a Bicycle Crash?
The first priority is your health. After that, a few practical steps can make a real difference if you decide to pursue a claim. You don’t need to have everything figured out immediately, but it’s worth preserving whatever information you can.
If you’ve been injured, you should:
- Get medical care: Have your injuries evaluated, even if you’re unsure how serious they are.
- Report the crash: Contact the appropriate Nassau County or Suffolk County police department.
- Take photographs: If you’re able to, get pictures of your damaged bike, any visible injuries, the vehicle involved, and the area where the crash happened.
- Save important records: Hold onto medical bills, receipts, messages from insurance companies, and contact details for anyone who witnessed the accident.
- Get legal guidance: Speak with an attorney before agreeing to a settlement or signing a release.
At Edelman, Krasin & Jaye, we know these situations can get confusing quickly. When you need a Long Island bike wreck lawyer, we’ll listen to what happened and explain what we can do.
Talk to a Long Island Bicycle Accident Attorney Today
You don’t have to figure out an injury claim on your own. If a driver hit you while you were cycling or you’re getting nowhere with an insurance company, Edelman, Krasin & Jaye can help you understand your options. We offer free consultations, and we’re available to answer your questions.
If you’ve been searching for a “bicycle accident lawyer near me on Long Island,” you’ll want to find someone who will listen, return your calls, and take your concerns seriously. That’s how we approach every case. Our team includes attorneys with experience as former prosecutors and on the insurance side, which gives us valuable insight into how injury claims are handled.
Call or text our team or complete our free case evaluation form. You can meet with us at our Westbury office, schedule a Zoom consultation, or arrange for us to travel to you when appropriate. Let’s talk about what happened and what we can do to help.
Call or text (800) 469-7429 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
