Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
Cyclists have almost no protection when a car, truck, or bus hits them. What happens in those seconds can mean broken bones, head injuries, and a recovery that stretches on for months. If a driver’s negligence caused your crash, you have the right to pursue compensation for what you’ve been through.
Our bicycle accident lawyer in Yonkers can help you build that case and deal with the insurers on your behalf. At Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers, we’ve recovered $1 billion–plus for injured New Yorkers, including cyclists hurt by careless drivers. Connect with a personal injury lawyer in Yonkers today for a free consultation.
How Insurers Handle Bicycle Accident Claims
When a bicycle accident claim comes in, the at-fault driver’s insurer moves quickly to protect its policyholder. Adjusters look for ways to cast doubt on the cyclist’s account of the crash, question the severity of injuries, and argue that the rider shares some or all of the blame.
Cyclists face a version of the same bias that motorcyclists do. Insurers may claim the rider was not following traffic rules, was riding in an unsafe manner, or was not visible enough in the roadway. These arguments are used to reduce what they pay, even when the driver was clearly at fault.
New York’s comparative negligence rule means your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Our bicycle accident lawyers in Yonkers will fight to establish what actually happened and push back hard on any attempt to shift blame onto you.
What Causes Most Bicycle Accidents in Yonkers
Most bicycle accidents are caused by drivers who fail to see or yield to cyclists. Yonkers has a mix of high-traffic commercial corridors and residential streets where cyclists and vehicles share the road with little separation. The most common causes we see in these cases include:
- Drivers making left turns across the path of an oncoming cyclist
- Dooring incidents where a parked driver opens their door into a cyclist’s path
- Drivers failing to yield when pulling out of driveways or parking lots
- Rear-end collisions when a driver fails to slow down behind a cyclist
- Vehicles drifting into bike lanes or cycling areas
- Distracted drivers on major roads through the city
Identifying the exact cause matters because it determines who is responsible and how liability is established. When we can link your injuries to how your accident happened, we can prove that you’re owed compensation for them.
Injuries Cyclists Commonly Suffer in Accidents
The injuries from a bicycle accident can be severe even at lower vehicle speeds. Cyclists absorb the full force of impact directly, and the fall itself often causes additional injury. Common injuries we see in these cases include:
- Traumatic brain injuries, even when a helmet is worn
- Collarbone, arm, and wrist fractures from impact or bracing the fall
- Road rash requiring medical treatment and sometimes skin grafting
- Knee and hip injuries from contact with the vehicle or the pavement
- Spinal injuries resulting from the force of the collision or the fall
- Internal injuries that may not be immediately apparent
Seeking medical care right after the accident is important both for your health and for establishing the connection between the crash and your injuries in your legal claim.
Evidence That Strengthens a Bicycle Accident Case
The strength of your bicycle accident claim depends heavily on the evidence preserved in the immediate aftermath of the crash. Our team works to gather and secure that evidence as quickly as possible. Key evidence in these cases includes:
- The police report and any citations issued to the driver at the scene
- Surveillance or traffic camera footage showing the collision
- Witness statements from pedestrians, other cyclists, or nearby residents
- Photos of your injuries, your bicycle, the vehicle, and the accident scene
- Medical records documenting your injuries from the time of the crash
- Data from the at-fault vehicle’s event data recorder, if applicable
Camera footage in dash cams and traffic cameras usually has a short window before it is overwritten. Our Yonkers bicycle accident lawyers will work to request and preserve it before that happens.
New York’s No-Fault Rules and Bicycle Riders
New York’s no-fault insurance system applies to bicyclists differently than it does to car drivers. In most cases, cyclists are not covered under standard vehicle PIP policies. However, if you were hit by a motor vehicle, you may be able to access the at-fault driver’s no-fault coverage for medical expenses and lost wages, depending on the circumstances.
Beyond no-fault, if your injuries meet New York’s serious injury threshold, you can file a claim against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages. This is where the full value of a bicycle accident claim is often found. We assess your specific situation and identify every avenue of compensation available to you.
What Compensation May Be Available
Injured cyclists in Yonkers may be able to recover compensation across several categories. Medical expenses, including emergency care, surgery, physical therapy, and future treatment needs, are the most immediate. Lost income from time away from work is also recoverable, as is any lasting reduction in your earning capacity.
Non-economic damages cover what is harder to assign a dollar amount to: the physical pain of your injuries, the emotional impact of the accident, and the activities or aspects of daily life you’ve lost or had to give up during recovery. In cases involving permanent injuries, these damages can be substantial. We evaluate the full picture, not just your current medical bills.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Yonkers
How you respond in the hours after a bicycle accident can shape your legal claim. If you are physically able, stay at the scene and call the police. Get the driver’s name, insurance information, and license plate number. Take photos of the accident scene, the vehicle, and any visible injuries before anything is moved or cleaned up.
Report any injury symptoms to emergency responders, even if they seem minor at the time. Do not give a recorded statement to the driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurers use early recorded statements to lock injured claimants into accounts that may not reflect the full picture of what happened.
Talk to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Yonkers Today
Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers was founded in 2013 and has recovered $1 billion–plus for clients across New York. Our attorneys bring 200-plus years of combined legal experience to bicycle accident and personal injury cases. We serve working New Yorkers across all five boroughs and the greater New York area, including Yonkers.
If you were hurt in a bicycle accident in Yonkers, you don’t have to deal with the insurance company on your own. A bicycle accident attorney in Yonkers at Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers is ready to fight for what you’re owed. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us get to work for you.