Anyone who lives in New York City can tell you that traffic is almost always a nightmare. That is why bikes are a popular mode of transportation for people all over the city, including Woodside residents in Queens. Unfortunately, bike riders often compete for space on the road with vehicles, and they sometimes get hurt.
In many bicycle crashes, if not most of them, the driver who hit the bike rider is often deemed responsible for the collision. Bike accidents often stem from drivers who blow through intersections when they should not, like running a red light. They might also come from drivers who get too close to bike lanes or even parked cars whose drivers fling their doors open, causing bike riders to crash into them. After your accident, you have 3 years to file a case. If you do not, you risk losing your right to take the matter to court. If you decide to pursue legal action, get help from a lawyer quickly, as we need to begin gathering evidence right away.
Call (718) 841-0083 and ask our Queens bicycle accident attorneys at The Carrion Law Firm for a free review of your case.
Who is At Fault in a Bicycle Accident Case in Woodside?
Bike accidents in Woodside and other neighborhoods around Queens often involve a negligent driver and a bike rider. In many cases, the driver is the one to blame for the accident. This is somewhat different from accidents involving two cars, where there is often more of an investigation to determine who is at fault. In bike crashes, the driver is more often responsible, and bike riders are typically not at fault.
What makes things complicated is when multiple drivers are involved. For example, maybe you were hit by a car that was rear-ended by another car. The driver who hit you might argue that they were pushed into you by the negligent driver who hit them from behind. It is possible that one or both drivers are to blame. Your lawyer can help you figure it out.
How Bicycle Crashes Can Occur Around Woodside
Bike crashes and collisions happen almost every day in New York City. While some are lucky enough to walk away from these accidents with only minor injuries, some bike riders are badly hurt and need emergency medical care. How the accident happened can help our bicycle accident lawyers determine who to hold responsible and how to find the necessary evidence.
Red Lights
A common factor in bike accidents in Woodside is red lights. More specifically, many bike crashes happen because negligent drivers run red lights and strike bike riders crossing the intersection. New York City traffic is infamously busy, and it is common for drivers to speed up to cross intersections before the light turns red. Many drivers continue through the intersection even after the light turns red. Unfortunately, drivers often disregard bike riders, and they might hit them when running red lights.
Bicycle Lanes
Bikes are everywhere in New York City, and many streets have designated bike lanes to keep bikes separated from vehicle traffic. Unfortunately, some drivers either ignore bike lanes or do not care enough to stay out of them. Drivers might swerve into a bike lane and hit a bike rider. It is also possible that bike riders are hit by drivers who turn too sharply and cross the bike lane.
Bike lanes often run alongside parking lanes. It is not unheard of for dooring accidents to injure bike riders. A dooring accident occurs when someone in a parked car opens their door next to a bike lane without checking for oncoming bike riders, and a rider crashes into the door. These accidents are very dangerous and often leave bike riders badly hurt.
Rear-End Collision
It is not unusual for bike riders to be in front of cars on busy streets without bike lanes. However, impatient or distracted drivers might strike unsuspecting cyclists from behind. Bikes are permitted to be in normal lanes of vehicle traffic when streets lack bike lanes, and drivers must give bike riders the same respect and courtesy they must show to other vehicles. However, many drivers treat bike riders as obstacles rather than people, and they sometimes crash into them from behind while trying to hastily get around them.
How Long After a Bike Accident in Woodside Can You Take Legal Action?
If you are injured in a bike accident in Woodside, you should call the authorities to report the accident and contact a lawyer for legal help as soon as possible. You might need time to recover from your injuries, which is perfectly reasonable. However, taking too much time might be detrimental to your legal claims. According to C.V.P. Law § 215(5), you have only 3 years from the day of the accident to file a case for damages.
Your limitation period begins almost immediately, so time is of the essence. While 3 years might sound like more than enough time, it is a surprisingly tight deadline. Injured bike riders might first file insurance claims with the help of our legal team. If insurance does not pan out as hoped, the injured bike rider might turn to other legal options. The entire process can be time-consuming, and getting started sooner is usually better.
Gathering Evidence for Your Woodside Bicycle Accident Case
We must have evidence to support your claims; otherwise, you might never recover damages. Much evidence comes from the accident scene, and you can work to preserve that evidence immediately after the collision. If you can, take pictures of the accident scene while waiting for help. Your photos may preserve valuable details that might be lost later. If you cannot do this because you are badly hurt, just wait for help to arrive.
Our team can return to the area and check for security cameras. In crowded areas like Woodside, many homes, businesses, and apartment buildings have security cameras, and one of them might have recorded the accident. Video evidence of the crash can be extremely persuasive, and we must move quickly or risk videos being deleted.
Even without photos or videos, we can rely on testimony from people who witnessed the accident. On a busy street in Queens, likely, someone was nearby to see your accident. If they spoke to the police, we can check the police report for their name and contact information.
Call Our Woodside Bicycle Accident Attorneys About Your Claims
Call (718) 841-0083 and ask our bicycle accident attorneys at The Carrion Law Firm for a free review of your case.