Boston Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Many people are increasingly turning to bicyclists as a mode of transportation, especially in Boston. But many drivers today still do not pay enough attention to bicyclist safety. Injuries from bicycle accidents can be catastrophic, life-changing, and often deadly. If you or a loved one was injured in a Boston bicycle accident, contact a lawyer with Steinger, Greene & Feiner today to get the compensation and justice you deserve. 

Why You Need a Boston Bicycle Accident Attorney

Boston roads have long been dangerous for bicyclists. The streets weren’t originally designed for bicycle traffic, and motorists often disregard the rights and safety of cyclists. Plus, Boston has one of the highest rates of bicycle commuters in the country. In 2017, the city of Boston counted an average of nearly 40,000 bike trips per day at 62 locations in the city—which does not account for all bike trips throughout the city.

Massachusetts passed the Bicycle Safety Bill in 2009, but serious and even fatal bicycle accidents still occur at high rates in Boston. After a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts bicycle accident fatalities rose to 10 in 2022 according to a 2023 Department of Transportation assessment. In comparison, there were only two bicycle accident fatalities in 2020.

The injuries from bicycle accidents can be devastating. If you are injured in a Boston bicycle accident, you need a lawyer who understands Massachusetts traffic and bicycle laws and the rights and responsibilities of both bicyclists and motorists. An experienced Boston bicycle accident attorney knows how to prove the negligence of the other driver and deal with insurance companies to get you the full compensation you deserve. 

Understanding Boston Bicycle Laws

Massachusetts state law requires that bicycles be treated as vehicles, meaning bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers on the road. All bicyclists have the right to use the road and bike lanes.

Boston has also passed several measures to increase safety for bicyclists, including creating dedicated bike lanes and a bike-sharing program.

Under the Boston Bicycle Safety Bill and other relevant laws, cyclists’ rights include:

• Permission to ride a bike on any public road, street, or bikeway, except limited access highways in locations where there are signs that prohibit cyclists
• Use of right or left hand to alert drivers or others to turns and stops
• Permission to ride on sidewalks outside of local business districts, unless there is a local ordinance that outlaws it. However, in most cases, it is safer to ride on the road than on the sidewalk.
• Permission to put as many reflectors and alights on the bicycle as desired
• Permission to ride two abreast in a lane of traffic, as long as the cyclists do not impede motor vehicle traffic

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Boston

Not all bicycle accidents involve motor vehicles. They can be caused by dog attacks, collisions with pedestrians, and defective bike parts. But more often than not, bicycle accidents are caused by driver negligence.

Drivers can cause bicycle accidents when they speed, attempt to pass, follow too closely, cross into bike lanes, or use cell phones. Drivers who fail to yield to cyclists when turning can cause right hook bicycle accidents or left-hook bicycle accidents. This is when bicyclists are traveling forward into an intersection and drivers turn either right or left into them.

Other types of bicycle accidents include:

• Truck accidents: Collisions involving trucks and bicyclists often result in wrongful deaths. These accidents can be caused by negligence on the part of the truck driver or a trucking company.
• Dooring accidents: These accidents happen when drivers open their doors into the path of cyclists, and they account for about 20% of all bicycle accidents.
• Intersection accidents: A third of all bicycle accidents occur at intersections. Right hook accidents happen when drivers, often in large trucks, hit cyclists while turning right. Left hook accidents happen when drivers turn left and collide with cyclists coming from another direction.
• Distracted driving accidents: Texting while driving or other forms of distracted driving are a major cause of bicycle accidents in Boston.

Steps To Take After a Bicycle Accident

If you’re injured in a Boston bicycle accident, try your best to follow these steps to protect yourself and have all the information you need if you decide to file a claim against the driver’s insurance for your losses.

Collect Contact Information

First, and if you are able, get the identity of the driver and anyone else who may have been a witness or was involved in the accident.

• Ask to see the driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations of all drivers involved in the accident.
• Write down their names, addresses, and driver’s license numbers.
• Get the names of their auto insurance companies from their vehicle registrations
• Look for witnesses of the accident and ask them for their names, addresses, and phone numbers.
• Write down any injuries you or anyone else sustained in the accident.

If you are unable to collect this information because you are injured, request that the police officer on the scene do it for you. 

If the driver leaves the scene of the accident, try your best to get the license plate number, color, make, model, or any other identifying information about the vehicle or the driver. Write it down as soon as you can and call the police immediately. A motorist who leaves the scene of the accident without stopping and identifying themselves has committed a crime. 

Once you have the license plate number, you or your lawyer can find out the owner of the car and their auto insurance company from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Cooperate With the Police

If the police investigate, make sure they get your side of the story. Try to stay calm and speak clearly. Avoid getting angry with the other driver, as this can work against you.

Assess Your Injuries

Before you let the other driver leave, assess your injuries. Make a note of any obvious injuries, but even if you don’t notice any, don’t say so. Injuries like sprains might not become apparent until days later.

If the police or emergency responders want to examine you, let them, even if you think you’re okay. You might not realize you’re injured until the adrenaline from the crash wears off.

Examine Your Bicycle

Even if you feel well enough to ride, that may not be a good idea if there has been any damage to the fork, the handlebars, or the headset bearings that let you turn the handlebars. Lightweight handlebars can snap suddenly if they have been bent. If your fork is bent or your headset is damaged, your bike’s steering and balance might be dangerously affected.

If the front end of the bike looks okay, spin each wheel and apply the brake to stop each one. If either wheel is significantly wobbly or the brakes do not apply smoothly, do not ride the bike. Next, grab each crank and pull it away and toward the bike. If there is any play, don’t get on your bicycle.

Don’t Accept Rides From the Driver That Hit You

The driver that hit you may appear apologetic and offer to drive you home or to the hospital. Politely refuse this offer and wait for the police or the ambulance. The driver may tell their insurance company that the accident was your fault, and you may regret having accepted a ride.

Accept Ambulance Rides

If you are injured or your bike is damaged, don’t try to leave on your own and risk more injuries or damage. You can accept an ambulance ride even if you’re not sure that you’ve been injured. The driver that hit you should have no-fault insurance that will pay for the ambulance ride, emergency room costs, and any follow-up medical treatment.

If the driver was a hit-and-run driver or was uninsured, there is still no-fault insurance money available to cover the ambulance costs from the state uninsured pool.

How a Boston Bicycle Accident Lawyer Can Help

A Boston bicycle accident attorney will advocate for your rights as a cyclist and secure all the compensation you need to recover so you can focus on healing from your injuries. When you work with Steinger, Greene & Feiner, you won’t have to deal with insurance companies or worry about paying your medical bills and covering your lost wages.

We’ll make sure you don’t fall victim to insurance company tactics and get a settlement that is less than you deserve. The insurance company may try to offer you a low settlement or deny your claim altogether. When we’re representing you, we won’t accept an offer that is not fair and customized to the facts of your case. 

To estimate a full and fair settlement, we will analyze your medical and employment records, speak with witnesses, review the police report, and gather evidence to prove negligence on the part of the other driver. We’re always prepared to file a lawsuit on your behalf if the insurance company refuses to play fair.

Compensation for Bicycle Accident Victims

If you sustained injuries or property damage in a bicycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses.

Potential damages can include:

• Present and future medical bills, including rehabilitative care, physical therapy, etc.
• Lost earnings
• Loss of earning capacity
• Scarring and disability
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium
• Property damages

If a cyclist is killed by a negligent driver, the family can pursue a wrongful death claim, in which punitive damages intended to punish the driver can be awarded.

When a motorist is involved in an accident with a bicyclist, Massachusetts law provides that there is up to $8,000 in personal injury protection benefits (or “no-fault” benefits) available to cover medical bills and lost wages. These benefits are available even if the driver was not negligent.

If a driver’s negligence caused the accident, you may be entitled to pursue a claim for financial compensation for your losses. Motor vehicle liability insurance from the responsible driver and auto insurance held by the bicyclist or a bicyclist’s family member are both sources of insurance to help pay for this compensation in personal injury claims.

However, insurance companies are often reluctant to pay cyclists the full amount of compensation they can and should receive. This is why bicycle accident victims can benefit greatly from hiring an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Boston.

Choosing the Right Boston Bicycle Accident Attorney

When looking for a bicycle accident attorney, you should check that they have specific experience handling bicycle accident cases and bringing them to trial if necessary. They should have a proven track record of case results that provided victims with maximum compensation. Another way you can tell that an attorney works in their client’s best interests is by asking about their fee structure.

At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, we have two decades of experience handling personal injury cases, including bicycle accident claims, and we are always prepared to take cases to trial. We’ve secured maximum compensation for our clients who were injured through no fault of their own. When you hire our bicycle accident attorneys, we take care of every aspect of your case, including all communications with insurance companies, and we’re always available to address your questions and concerns.

Additionally, we operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay us nothing until we win your case, and we offer free, no-obligation case consultations.

Client Testimonials

Our former clients report complete satisfaction with the way we handled their cases. Hear why we’re the leading bicycle crash lawyers in Boston. 

FAQs on Boston Bicycle Accidents

What Do I Do If I’ve Been Injured in a Bike Accident?

Call the police and get medical treatment, even if you feel okay. Collect contact information from drivers, any other at-fault parties, and any witnesses at the scene. Take photos of the accident scene, the damage to your bike, and any injuries. Preserve evidence of injuries and damage like your bike, clothing, and helmet.

Who’s To Blame for My Bicycle Accident?

At-fault motorists can be liable for your accident, but other parties can be liable as well. If your bike was defective and malfunctioned while you were riding, you may be able to sue the companies that manufactured the bike or its parts.

If an uneven road caused your bike accident, property owners, nearby construction workers, plowing companies, or even a government entity could be to blame.

Does Boston Have Laws That Protect Bicycle Riders?

Yes. Massachusetts requires that bicyclists be treated as vehicles and have the same rights to the road as motorists. Boston also has dedicated bike lanes.

What Are the Most Common Bicycle Injuries in Massachusetts?

The most common bicycle accident injuries in Massachusetts are head injuries, fractures, and soft tissue injuries like cuts and bruises. Head injuries account for the majority of bicycle-related deaths and hospitalizations in the state.

What Types of Compensation Can I Receive in a Massachusetts Bike Accident Lawsuit?

There are two types of compensation you can receive in a Massachusetts bike accident lawsuit: economic damages and non-economic damages. 

Economic damages are calculated in monetary terms and intend to compensate the plaintiff (victim) for actual financial losses related to the accident, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and other out-of-pocket expenses.

Non-economic damages are intended to compensate the plaintiff for intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional distress. 

The specific damages that you may be able to recover depend on the circumstances of your case, and an experienced bicycle accident attorney can help you identify the damages that may be available to you.

Get a Free Consultation With a Boston Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Boston, allow us to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Dealing with insurance companies can be difficult and frustrating, but we’re experts in gathering evidence to show the other driver’s negligence and hold them accountable. We’ll handle the entire legal process so you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery.
Get the help you need today and contact us for a free, no-obligation case consultation with a Boston bicycle accident lawyer.