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Manhattan Bicycle Accident Lawyer

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    Manhattan has been described as a concrete jungle with people coming and going at all hours of the day. As such, there are multiple methods of getting around the city, including by bicycle. There are tons of bicycle riders in the city, and sometimes they are severely injured in car accidents.

    Bikes tend to ride alongside normal traffic lanes, so cars are frequently involved in bike accidents. Issues like failing to give the right of way to bike riders or dooring accidents are common sources of bike rider injuries. After an accident, a bike rider can often sue the driver that injured them. If that driver was in a taxi or bus, the bike rider might also sue the driver’s employer. Damages often include expensive medical bills and severe pain and suffering. An attorney can help you file your claims and work to get you fair compensation.

    Our Manhattan bike accident lawyers are here to help you begin your claims and get compensation from the negligent driver responsible for your accident. Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case evaluation.

    Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Manhattan

    Bike accidents may happen in many ways. Since bikes ride alongside normal traffic, accidents commonly involve motor vehicles. Our Manhattan bike accident lawyers have handled numerous cases and can help you hold the driver in your case liable.

    Many bicycle accidents occur at intersections. Drivers in cars and trucks must give the same respect to bike riders as they do to other drivers, including yielding the right of way. Often, drivers disregard bike riders and proceed through intersections when bike riders have the right of way. It is usually the bicycle rider who pays the price.

    Also at intersections, many bike accidents happen when drivers fail to stop for red lights or stop signs. If the driver in the vehicle is also speeding, the resulting crash may be catastrophic for the bike rider.

    Drivers must also be mindful of bike riders when changing lanes or making turns. If drivers fail to use turn signals, they may confuse nearby bike riders. Bike riders are frequently sideswiped by drivers who change lanes without signaling.

    Dooring accidents occur when bike lanes ride alongside parking lanes or normal lanes of traffic. Typically, a bike rider will be riding down a bike lane when a driver in a parked car next to the bike lane throws their door open without checking for oncoming traffic. The biker may crash head-first into the door and suffer painful head and neck injuries.

    It is important to discuss the details of how your accident happened with your attorney as soon as possible. The nature of your accident may influence how you and your attorney approach the case and argue for compensation.

    Who Can You Sue After a Manhattan Bicycle Accident?

    Our Manhattan bicycle accident lawyers can help you determine whom you can sue after your crash. In many cases, it is not always clear whom an injured bike rider should sue. In other cases, there may be multiple defendants.

    Generally, you and your attorney should consider suing the driver that hit you. Drivers must share the road with bike riders and treat them as they would another vehicle on the road. When drivers refuse to share the road, they often injure bike riders.

    You must also consider the possibility of suing the driver’s employer. If the defendant drives a taxi, bus, or another commercial vehicle, you might be able to hold their employer vicariously liable for their negligence. This is only possible if the driver’s negligence that caused the crash occurred within the scope of their employment.

    Sometimes, bike riders are injured by drivers who work for the city, such as bicycle accidents involving city buses. In such a case, the bike rider may be able to sue the city. However, there are additional restrictions when suing a municipality in New York. According to GMU Laws § 50-e(a), a notice of claim must be filed with the city no later than 90 days after the bike accident.

    Damages Related to Bicycle Accidents in Manhattan

    Damages include any losses or injuries you sustained in your bicycle accident. Many damages are related to physical injuries, although there may be other damages you can claim. Our Manhattan bicycle accident lawyers can help you accurately calculate your damages.

    Economic

    Economic damages are tied to pre-determined prices or values. Bills and invoices are common measures of economic damages. After a bike accident, many plaintiffs claim their expensive medical bills as part of their economic damages. This not only includes medical bills you have already incurred but future medical expenses too. For example, an injured bike rider might require many months or even years of physical therapy. Physical therapy comes at a steep price and may be factored into economic damages.

    You can also claim property damage. Usually, this amounts mostly to the coast of your bike. While bikes are quite common in Manhattan, they can also be very expensive. It is not unusual for someone to spend several hundred or even several thousand dollars on a bicycle.

    On top of that, an injured bike rider might be unable to return to work for a while. Some injured riders cannot go back to work for the foreseeable future. In those cases, plaintiffs can also claim lost income.

    Non-economic

    Non-economic damages are also known as intangible damages and are more subjective than economic damages. These damages are not connected to a price or value but are still compensable. The most common non-economic damages include pain and suffering, both mental and physical.

    The value of these damages is usually determined by how severely they have impacted your life. The more your daily life has been negatively affected by pain and suffering, the more damages you can claim.

    Call Our Manhattan Bicycle Accident Attorneys

    If you were involved in a bicycle accident and suffered any injured, contact our Manhattan bicycle accident lawyers for assistance. We can help you get compensation to cover your expensive damages. Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case evaluation.