Long Island Bike Accident

Bikes are regularly used as modes of transportation and as forms of exercise. However, riding a bike can be dangerous, particularly when riding on public streets where there are also cars and trucks. Each year in New York thousands of people are seriously injured or killed in bike accidents. The injuries suffered in bike accidents can be so severe that the victims' lives are forever changed because of permanent injuries, medical bills, and loss of employment. Injuries often include head injuries, back injuries, neck injuries and broken bones. Sadly, many victims of bicycle accidents do not survive, and far too often the victims are children under the age of 16. If you were injured in a bike accident do not hesitate to contact an experienced Long Island bike accident lawyer who is familiar with not only personal injury law, but the specific rules that apply to cyclists.

Common causes of bike accidents

Because bikes are inherently unstable and lightweight, bike riders at an immediate disadvantage compared to cars and trucks. If a bike rider must take quick evasive action, he or she can be thrown off balance. Hazards in the road can also lead to bike accidents such as potholes, faulty grates and debris. Other common reasons for bike accidents include:

• Sideswipe: This type of bike collision occurs when a bike is sideswiped by another vehicle such as a car, SUV or truck.
• Dooring: A bike rider is "doored" when a driver opens the door of a parked car, SUV or truck just as a bike is approaching. The bike rider collides with the opened vehicle door.
• Drive-out: A "drive-out" occurs when a car, truck or SUV pulls out from a driveway, alley or side street into the bike rider's path and either hits the bike or the bike hits the vehicle as he or she does not have enough time to stop or swerve to avoid the collision.
• Poor road conditions: Road conditions can be a key factor in an accident. Bicyclists are particularly vulnerable to wet or icy roads, bad weather, potholes and other road irregularities. If road conditions were a factor in your bicycle accident, you may have a valid claim against the government entity responsible for maintaining the road.

Common bike accident injuries

There are a number of different types of injuries that bike accident victims summer. In many cases victims suffer more than one type of injury. Only injuries that are deemed serious are compensable. Common serious bike accident injuries include a broken leg, arm, or other type of bone fracture, back injury, traumatic brain injury, and neck injuries.

Compensable damages

As an experienced bike accident attorney in Long Island will explain, if you were injured in a bicycle collision you may be entitled to financial compensation from the car driver, government agency or other person or entity whose negligence led to your serious injuries. You may be entitled to payment for the medical expenses associated with your treatment and rehabilitation. These expenses include the fees your doctors and specialists charge, emergency room fees, hospital fees, surgical fees, outpatient treatment expenses, costs of medication, costs of medical equipment, as well as fees associated with physical therapy and psychological counseling. In addition, if you miss work, the person responsible for the accident can be required to pay you the wages and other compensation that you lost.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

While a bicycle accident may have some similarities to an accident involving only motorists, there are nuances to handling a bike accident that only an experienced bike accident attorney serving Long Island will understand. Contact the staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates to discuss the details of your case. Our staff is experienced in handling claims from people injured in bike accidents as well as motorcycle accidents and car accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

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