What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in New York

In New York City and the surrounding areas, bicyclists are a common sight. People on bikes have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists, but drivers don’t always show the same respect and care. When a driver is negligent, cyclists often pay the price and suffer immense losses. If you were in a bicycle accident, there are key steps you can take to protect your health and your potential legal claim. A New York bicycle accident lawyer from Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. can review the circumstances of your crash and provide powerful representation, working to protect and promote your best interests when seeking compensation.

Get to Safety and Seek Medical Care

Right after an accident, try to get out of the roadway. If you stay in traffic, you and the other party risk a second collision before help arrives. Then, call 911. Police need to document the crash, and paramedics need to check you for injuries. Broken bones show up on an X-ray right away. Soft tissue damage can take days to become symptomatic, yet can progress into a very severe condition. See a doctor if you were hurt in the accident, and follow through on every appointment your treatment plan calls for. Additionally, keep copies of your medical records. Insurance companies will ask for them later, and gaps in treatment give adjusters an opening to argue your injuries weren't serious.

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Document the Scene of Your Crash

Take photos of everything, provided it is safe for you to do so. Photograph the bike, the vehicle (if one was involved), your injuries, the road surface, any skid marks, and traffic signals. Do this before anything gets moved or cleaned up. If a driver was involved, get their name, phone number, insurance company, and license plate. Get contact information from anyone who saw what happened, too. Witnesses are often willing to talk at the scene, but are often much harder to track down as time passes. Also, write down details about the accident. Record information like the time of the accident, the exact location, and which direction you were riding.

Report the Accident

Police should come to the scene, but if for some reason they don't, go to the nearest precinct and file a report yourself. That report becomes an official record of what happened, and insurance companies may ask for it. After letting the authorities know about the crash, it is important to follow up with the auto insurance provider of the at-fault vehicle. New York's no-fault coverage applies to cyclists struck by a vehicle. The at-fault driver’s policy should cover medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused the crash. If you choose to hire our law firm, we can take care of filing the application for No-Fault benefits within the 30-day time limit. Be honest and factual when you report the accident. Stick to what you observed. Save your opinions about who was at fault for your lawyer.

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Be Careful What You Say and Sign

Insurance adjusters call quickly after an accident, sometimes within a day or two. They sound friendly and concerned, but their job is to close claims for as little money as possible. Decline to give a recorded statement to the driver's insurance company until you've spoken with an attorney from Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. Don't accept an early settlement offer either. The full extent of an injury often isn't clear for weeks or months, and an offer that seems reasonable now can fall far short of what treatment actually costs. New York's shared fault rules may seem complicated, especially when they're applied to a bicycle accident rather than a typical car-versus-car collision. An adjuster may try to pin some of the blame on you. Don't agree to anything, and don't discuss the accident on social media while your claim is open.

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Keep Track of How the Accident Has Affected Your Life

One important part of any bicycle accident claim is logging how the injury affects your daily life. Write down your pain levels, what you can no longer do, and the days you miss from work. A log written in the moment holds up better than a memory pieced together months later. Save your bills and receipts too. Medical costs, a damaged bike, even a rideshare fare from a trip you couldn't take yourself. Keep them in one place so nothing gets lost.

Don't Let Time Work Against You

New York law limits how long you have to file a claim after an accident, and waiting too long can cost you the right to pursue compensation at all. Time also works against you in smaller ways. Surveillance footage from a nearby business gets overwritten within days or weeks. Witnesses move, forget details, or become harder to reach. Skid marks fade, and damaged property gets repaired or replaced. The sooner you speak with one of our attorneys at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P., the sooner we can preserve evidence and build your case while the facts are still fresh.

When a Bicycle Accident Case Gets Complicated

Some cases involve more than the driver who hit you. A delivery company may be liable for an employee's actions behind the wheel. A property owner's creation of an obstruction on a bike lane might have contributed to the crash. Serious injuries raise the stakes, too. A broken wrist heals differently than a spinal injury that changes what work you're able to do for the rest of your life. The more significant the injury, the more factors go into determining what the case is actually worth. Our legal team at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. can sort through these questions early, before evidence disappears and before an insurance company settles on its own version of events.

Don’t Give Up After a Bike Accident Without a Fight

For over 30 years, Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. has successfully advocated for accident injury victims. Cyclists deserve the same respect as all other road users, and we’re here to champion them and their needs. We know you have a lot on your mind right now, and we’re here to advocate on your behalf. We offer free consultations, and we are available to take your call now.

Call or text (516) 932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form