Suffolk County Bicycle Accident Attorney

Bicycle Accident Attorney Serving Suffolk County, Nassau County and Long Island

If you or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle accident, call 631.499.3333 immediately. If you want to get fair monetary compensation for your injury, do not speak with anyone from an insurance company before speaking with one of the attorneys at the Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman.  If you receive a call from an insurance company, tell them you wish to speak with one of our experienced bicycle accident lawyers first.  The only reason that someone from the insurance company wants to speak with you is to protect themselves, not you.   

About 85 million adults and children ride their bikes every year. For children and teens, the bicycle is a primary means of transportation when traveling independently. Every morning an estimated half million people bike to work in the United States. However, injuries do occur. Each year, more than 500,000 bicyclists of all ages sustain a cycling injury that requires emergency department care. Of the approximately 800 bicyclists killed annually, about 750 are killed in traffic crashes. Perhaps not surprisingly, more than half of the bicyclists riding in or near traffic report feeling unsafe.  Source: Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute. http://www.bhsi.org/ 

Bicycle accident cases in Suffolk County and Nassau County frequently result in serious injuries and, often, in death.  Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severely broken bones and lacerations commonly occur since the bicycle rider is totally unprotected.  Unexpected emergency medical care is required and often the injuries result in the need for long term rehabilitation and loss of wages.  

Insurance companies may try to take advantage of you by offering you a small settlement before you even know the full extent of your injuries.   The lawyers and attorneys at the Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman know how to deal with these insurance companies.  Not only will we prevent them from taking advantage of you, we will show them the strengths of your case and the true nature of you injury and will get you the full compensation you and your loved ones deserve.  Make no mistake about it: When you have been seriously injured as the result of a bicycle accident, the insurance company for the responsible party is your enemy. They will spare no expense to attempt to prove that the accident was either your fault or that your injury is not serious.  They are prepared to spend years in court to avoid paying you fair compensation.  The Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman is also prepared for that fight, and we will win. Do not delay, call us immediately.

At the Suffolk County Long Island Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman, an experienced bicycle accident lawyer is available at all hours, 24/7, to help you. We are bicycle accident lawyers with many years of experience.  It is important to act immediately to gather evidence in your case and we have investigators who are ready to go to the scene, find witnesses, take photos and get proof.  Even the slightest delay can ruin your chances of a recovery.  If you are injured in a bicycle accident, you'll need advice about how to protect your rights to insurance benefits and how to get monetary compensation for your injury, suffering and damages. 

No matter what the cause of your bicycle accident, if you have been seriously injured on Long Island in Suffolk County or Nassau County, an immediate call to the Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman is critical.  We are experienced bicycle accident attorneys.  We understand the anxiety and uncertainty that families experience during these times.  We also know how to protect your right to insurance benefits to pay the high cost of medical treatment and to get you other insurance benefits such as lost wages and, in many cases, home care including someone to help clean your house and cook for you and your family.  Our lawyers and staff know what proof is necessary to win your case.  We will immediately have our investigators visit the scene, locate witnesses and take valuable photos that will be needed to prove to the insurance company that the accident was the other person's fault.

HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED IN A BICYCLE ACCIDENT?

For a free consultation and the best representation call 

The Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman

631.499.3333

 Here's why.....

*  Mr. Silverman and his associates have been handling bicycle accident cases on  Long Island for nearly 20 years and they have the resources to begin working on your case immediately.  They work closely with investigators and accident reconstruction experts and they know how important it is to immediately investigate the facts and get the proof you need.  Our bicycle accident attorneys can help you make the important decisions necessary to protect you and your family.

* The Law Office of Laurence A. Silverman is NOT a general law practice. We limit our practice to ONLY 2 areas of law. We represent people who have been injured and those accused of crimes. We are litigators and are not afraid to take your case to court if we need to because we have 30 years of experience in front of judges and juries. We're ready, willing and able to take your case to the limit to make sure you are justly compensated.

*  Mr. Silverman and his staff will immediately take the burden off your shoulders by contacting the insurance companies to get your medical bills paid. They will help you make difficult decisions regarding your choice of medical care.  Mr. Silverman and his colleagues will make sure that you understand what you need to do to obtain the maximum recovery for your bicycle accident injury.

*  Mr. Silverman and his staff will keep in touch with you regularly while your case is pending.  They will make sure at all times that you understand what is happening with your case and know what you can do to strengthen your case.  All of your phone calls will always be returned promptly.

*  Mr. Silverman  and his associates take great pride in doing the best job for their clients.  In many cases, the insurance money is not enough to compensate you fairly.  In that case, the bicycle accident lawyers at the Law office of Laurence A. Silverman will go the distance with you to force the responsible party to pay additional money from their own pocket.

* Mr. Silverman and his staff will make sure that the insurance company adjuster knows every detail of your injury so that you will receive maximum compensation.  They will  obtain fair and just compensation for all of your physical and mental injuries, lost past and future earnings, diminished work capacity, need for future medical treatment and loss of enjoyment of life.

*  Mr. Silverman  and his associates will use their skills and experience to find additional insurance coverage that can be used to increase your  monetary recovery.  He and his experienced staff know the importance of finding a "deep pocket" and they know how to find all of them.

USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT BICYCLE RIDING 

A bicycle is often the first vehicle a person gets, usually as a child. It may, therefore, be thought of more as a toy than as a vehicle. Furthermore, having a bicycle is often one's first taste of independence and mobility. With a bicycle, a child has access to roads where he or she may have walked or crossed before. Now as a bicyclist the child must be aware of, and follow, a new set of laws and regulations. While bicyclists may complain that automobile drivers do not "see" them on the road, drivers complain that bicyclists ignore, whether deliberately or through ignorance, safety rules and state/local laws.

Motorists must be alert to the presence of cyclists and drive responsibly. A cyclist should not assume that the motorist has seen them. The cyclist should attempt to establish eye contact and adjust his/her activity in anticipation that the motorist is not aware of their presence. Motorists failing to yield the right of way to a bike causes many accidents. Often the accident happens because cars were making turns and didn't notice the bike.

Does the law require me to wear a helmet?

Yes, if you are under 14 years of age. Effective June 1, 1994, all bicyclists under the age of fourteen are required to wear approved bicycle helmets when they are operators or passengers on bicycles. Child passengers one through four years of age must wear approved bicycle helmets and ride in a specially designed child safety seat. Children under the age of one are prohibited from being transported on a bicycle. [Section 1238(5), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law]

Effective January 1, 1996, in-line skaters under the age of 14 are required to wear approved bicycle helmets. [Section 1238(5-a), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law ]

Effective July 1, 2002, persons under the age of 14 years old are required to wear certified bicycle helmets when riding a non-motorized scooter.  [ Section 1238(5-b), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law ]

Effective January 1, 2005, persons under the age of 14 years old are required to wear certified bicycle helmets when operating a skateboard.  [ Section 1238(2-a), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law ]

Any parent or guardian whose child violates the helmet law is subject to a fine of up to $50. [ Section 1238(3)(6a), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law ]

Certain localities within the State of New York have passed local ordinances regarding helmet use for bicyclists. For example, Rockland and Erie Counties require all people riding bicycles on county property, regardless of age, to wear an approved bicycle helmet.

Every bicyclist, in-line skater or scooter rider, regardless of age, should wear an approved helmet. Helmets significantly reduce the risk of sustaining a serious head injury. A helmet should fit squarely on top of the head in a level position and cover the top of the forehead extending down to about an inch above the eyebrows. The helmet should not be able to slide back and forth on the head or rock from side to side.

Source: SAFENY.COM    http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/bike-ndx.htm 

Safety Tips:

· Obey all traffic laws. Most "rules of the road" that apply to vehicles also apply to bikes.

· Always ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, or use a designated bicycle path.

· Wear bright or light colored clothing during the daytime. At night, wear light colored

clothing and be sure your bicycle is equipped with required reflectors and lights.

· Everyone should wear helmets! NYS Law prohibits children under 1 from riding as a

passenger on a bicycle, and children less than 14 must wear approved bicycle helmets.

· Do not use headphones that prevent you from hearing what is happening around you.

Resources from the Bicycle Highway Safety Institute:  http://www.bhsi.org/ridered.htm

·  Pamphlet on teaching your child to ride a bike.

·  The League of American Bicyclists has bike education courses available from League Certified Instructors all over the US, and other materials from the League.

·  Here is the definitive source of info for course materials on educating riders.

·  Here's a page on how to determine if your child is ready to ride a bike.

Here is a perceptive pamphlet on differences between children and adults in how they perceive traffic situations.

·  Here is our page on taking your toddler along.

·  Here is our page on college campus safety.

·  Here is our page on summer bike safety.

·  Here is our page with other materials for helmet and safety promotions.