Who is Liable if a Car Hits a Cyclist in New York City?
Injuries can be severe in any car accident. When an accident involves a car and a cyclist, the cyclist is at a much greater risk of harm. A cyclist could potentially be thrown from their bike or crushed under the wheel of the car. Meanwhile, the driver of the car is safe inside their vehicle. Despite this disparity in possible damages, liability could fall on either party, depending on the circumstances. We might assume that the driver of the car is liable because they have the greater potential for causing harm, but cyclists can also break highway laws and cause the accident.
In an accident where a car hits a cyclist, either party could be liable regardless of who suffers the most grievous injuries. The driver might be liable if they attempted to turn or change lanes without watching out for cyclists. On the other hand, the cyclist could be liable if they ignored a stop sign and attempted to ride through a busy intersection. Each accident scenario is unique and must be reviewed individually to determine who is liable.
If you were involved in a car accident with a cyclist, you might want to think about filing a personal injury lawsuit to cover the costs of your damages and recovery. Our Brooklyn car accident attorneys can help you whether you were the driver of the car or the cyclist. Schedule a free legal consultation with our experienced team at The Carrion Law Firm. Call our offices at (718) 841-0083 to get help today.
Liability for a Car Accident with a Cyclist in New York City
Liability is difficult to determine even at the best of times. Unless the defendant agrees to settle out of court, proving liability will be the main goal of your personal injury lawsuit. There could be many different ways to prove the defendant is liable for your accident. We may need to utilize physical evidence from the accident scene or testimonial evidence from eyewitnesses.
Drivers of vehicles tend to face a bit more scrutiny when figuring out liability after an accident with a cyclist. You could argue that a driver has a greater responsibility to be safe on the road and look out for cyclists because a driver has the greatest potential for causing harm. A driver could be liable if the accident happened because they failed to stop at a red light or stop sign or committed some other violation.
Even though a cyclist is unlikely to cause any serious injuries to car drivers, they could still be liable for causing the accident. Just like drivers of vehicles, cyclists must abide by certain rules and regulations when riding their bikes. Cyclists and drivers share the roads, so cyclists are also tasked with staying safe and keeping an eye out for drivers. A cyclist could be liable if they ran a stop sign and slammed into the back of a car. Many people fail to realize that road signs like stop signs or yield signs apply to cyclists the same as drivers.
If you were involved in a car crash with a cyclist, our Long Island car accident attorneys can help you hold the defendant responsible. Our dedicated team can help both cyclists and drivers recover damages from an accident.
When the Driver of a Car is Liable for Hitting a Cyclist in New York City
Drivers on the road have a legal duty to drive safely. Violations of this duty could lead to citations for the driver or accidents involving other drivers or cyclists. Cars and trucks are large, powerful vehicles that can cause serious injury and damage when drivers are negligent. If a driver’s negligence caused your accident, you might be able to hold them liable.
Some examples of when drivers might be liable for an accident with cyclists include running red lights or stops signs, speeding, merging or changing lanes without checking blind spots, general inattentive driving, or a combination of these or other acts of negligence. A driver could strike a cyclist because the driver ran a stop sign and could not stop in time because they were speeding.
Liability for drivers can be shown by examining the circumstances and events surrounding the accident. If a driver was issued a traffic ticket at the accident scene after the police arrived, that citation could be used to help us prove the driver is liable. We could also use video footage from any nearby surveillance cameras that may have recorded the accident.
We could analyze your injuries to prove liability. For example, if your injuries are consistent with being struck from behind, that may support our argument that the driver struck you and should be held liable. Injuries from behind are more likely to be caused by a car striking a cyclist, not the other way around. It is highly unlikely that a cyclist reversed their bike into a car hard enough to injure themselves. Call our Bronx car accident attorneys for help proving liability in your case.
When a Cyclist is Liable for A Collision with a Car in New York City
Cyclists may suffer more severe injuries, but that does not mean they are never liable for accidents. Cyclists must also follow the rules and laws regarding biking on roads and highways. If a cyclist breaks these rules, they could be liable for an accident.
Cyclists are required to obey all traffic control signals and devices just like the driver of a car would be. Cyclists could be held liable for an accident if they ran a red light before being struck. Additionally, cyclists are responsible for signaling to other drivers when they are turning or changing lanes. A cyclist who fails to signal a turn or lane change could be responsible for creating a risky situation that leads to an accident. Call our Queens car accident lawyers for help.
Call Our New York City Car Accident Lawyers
After an accident between a car and a cyclist, there could be serious injuries and damage to your bike or vehicle. Our Staten Island car accident attorneys can help you prove the other party is liable for the collision. Schedule a free legal consultation with our staff at The Carrion Law Firm. Call us today at (718) 841-0083.