One Of New York City’s Most
Prominent & Respected Litigation Law Firms

Bicycle Accidents

The crowded streets of the city of New York now include messengers and delivery persons on bicycles. This growth has, unfortunately, led to more and more pedestrians being struck by bicyclists who are employed by various businesses utilizing their services. What many people may not be aware of is that these bicyclists are subject to many of the same “rules of the road” that govern vehicular traffic. They must yield to pedestrians, not ride on sidewalks and, of course, obey traffic signals and controls.

Additionally, because many of these bicyclists are operating in the “course and scope” of employment, the liability insurance policy of these businesses will often provide coverage to compensate the victims of any accidents. We have found, however, that an immediate investigation is usually necessary as often police do not respond to these accidents, and identifying the employee and the employer can be difficult if there is any delay. Bicycles do not have license plates and bicyclists do not need a driver’s license. Nevertheless, our experience has shown that bicycle-pedestrian accidents can cause catastrophic injuries often on par with an automobile accident.

We Get Results

Recently our firm recovered a settlement of $1.35 million for a 60-year-old woman who was struck by a delivery bicyclist in Manhattan. While no one at the scene was able to identify the bicyclist, our investigation allowed us to trace the bicycle to a well-known, citywide messenger service. Suit was promptly started and our client, who suffered a fractured hip, was able to obtain meaningful compensation.

Another case of ours involved a married couple visiting from California when they were struck by a food-delivery bicyclist who turned the wrong way onto 82nd Street. The woman sustained a head injury that required emergency surgery. After a trial, we obtained a verdict in excess of $900,000.

We also represent bicyclists who are injured in accidents. One such client was struck by a bus that failed to yield the right of way and moved into the bicyclist’s lane of travel. Our client suffered shoulder and knee injuries. A Nassau County jury awarded our client compensation in excess of $600,000.