Make no mistake: Bicycles can be very dangerous for pedestrians in New York. Many bicyclists try to capitalize on their minimal size and hyper-maneuverability in order to navigate around the busy city streets, and this often leads to injured pedestrians. However, it is important to remember that bicyclists can be victims too. The dangers that bicyclists pose to pedestrians are also dangers that bicyclists themselves face with regard to larger vehicles such as cars.
Unfortunately, this reality was reinforced recently with a bicycle accident in the Upper West Side. A 13-year-old boy who had just left a schoolyard was attempting to turn when a vehicle collided with him and threw him over his bike. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene of the accident as emergency responders arrived. The bicyclist was hospitalized with a fractured leg.
Considering the size and weight difference of a car and a bicycle, the young boy was lucky to survive, albeit with a fractured leg. While it is true that some people bike around the city recklessly, many safe cyclists simply use bicycles as a clean, energy efficient alternative. These bicyclists can easily find themselves on the receiving end of a devastating accident, and the compensation recovered from a successful lawsuit could be the difference between recovery and life-altering injury.
If you often bike your way around New York City, it is highly recommended that you exercise extreme caution on the road. In the event that you find yourself in an accident, it is in your best interests to contact an attorney who is familiar with bicycle accident claims in New York. If you were not at fault in the accident, then you could be entitled to compensation.
Source: NBC New York, “Boy on Bicycle Struck by Vehicle on Upper West Side: FDNY,” Bryan Gingras, March 24, 2015