If you were injured riding your bicycle in Queens, New York, you are not alone — and you may be entitled to significant compensation. This guide explains the dangers Queens cyclists face every day, your legal rights under New York law, and how the team at Mushiyev Law, Queens’ dedicated bicycle accident law firm, can help you recover everything you deserve.

Bicycle Accidents in Queens: A Growing Crisis

Queens is one of New York City’s most hazardous boroughs for cyclists. In 2024 alone, 787 bicyclists were injured in Queens traffic crashes — accounting for roughly 13% of all bicycle injuries across the entire city. Four cyclists lost their lives that year. The borough’s wide arterial roads, high-speed corridors, and complex intersections create a near-daily gauntlet for anyone riding a bike.

Nationally, the picture is equally alarming. Since 2010, cyclist deaths across the United States have risen by 87%. While New York City has made progress through its Vision Zero program — overall traffic deaths fell to a historic low of 205 in 2025 — cyclist injuries citywide remain stubbornly high, with an estimated 5,250 riders injured in 2025 alone.

For Queens cyclists, the most dangerous areas are not random. Crash clusters consistently emerge along these corridors and neighborhoods:

• Northern Boulevard — one of the borough’s most lethal arterials
• Queens Boulevard (the former “Boulevard of Death”) — now improved with protected lanes but still high-risk near Sunnyside and Long Island City
• Jamaica Avenue & Hillside Avenue — heavy commercial traffic, frequent turning conflicts
• Flushing, College Point & Whitestone — high bicycle injury concentrations
• Jackson Heights, Astoria & Long Island City — dense mixed traffic and delivery vehicle conflicts
• Bridge approaches and service roads — reduced visibility, merging hazards

The 114th Precinct, covering northwest Queens, recorded the highest number of cyclist crashes in the borough. If you ride in any of these areas, you are riding in one of New York City’s most dangerous cycling zones.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Queens

Understanding what causes bicycle accidents is essential to building a strong legal claim. At Mushiyev Law, our attorneys investigate every angle of your crash to identify all liable parties. The leading causes of Queens bike accidents include:

1. Distracted Driving

Driver inattention — texting, GPS use, eating — is the single most common cause of bicycle crashes in New York City, responsible for roughly 30% of all incidents. A driver scrolling their phone for two seconds at 30 mph travels nearly 90 feet without looking. That is more than enough to strike a cyclist with no warning.

2. Failure to Yield Right-of-Way

Left-hook and right-hook collisions — where a turning vehicle cuts across a cyclist’s path — are among the most deadly crash types. Failure to yield accounts for more than 12% of all bicycle crashes in the city and is over-represented among fatalities. Under New York Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1146(a), every driver must exercise due care to avoid colliding with any bicyclist. When they don’t, they are liable.

3. Dooring Incidents

When a parked car’s door swings open into a cyclist’s path, the results can be catastrophic — fractured arms, traumatic brain injuries, and severe road rash. Dooring incidents account for up to 7% of all cyclist injuries in New York City but are widely under-reported. Both the driver and, in some cases, the vehicle owner may be held liable.

4. Unsafe Road Conditions

Potholes, broken pavement, unmarked construction zones, and missing signage regularly send Queens cyclists to the emergency room. When a government entity or property owner is responsible for a dangerous condition, they may be liable for your injuries — but strict notice-of-claim deadlines apply.

5. Speeding & Aggressive Driving

Speeding dramatically increases crash severity. A bicycle rider struck at 40 mph faces a dramatically higher risk of death than one struck at 20 mph. Queens’ wide, multi-lane roads invite speeding — and speed cameras have been shown to reduce deadly speeding by over 90% where installed. Until infrastructure catches up, cyclists remain exposed.

6. E-Bike & Delivery Vehicle Conflicts

Between 2020 and 2024, e-bikes were involved in more than 1,218 injuries and 13 deaths in New York City. Delivery riders — often on unregistered or improperly operated e-bikes — regularly travel on sidewalks and against traffic, creating unpredictable hazards for traditional cyclists.

Injuries Our Queens Bicycle Accident Clients Suffer

Cyclists have virtually no protection in a collision with a motor vehicle. Even with a helmet, the force of impact routinely causes severe and life-altering injuries. We represent clients who have suffered:

Your Legal Rights as a Cyclist in Queens, New York

New York law treats cyclists as full road users with equal rights and responsibilities. Under Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1231, bicyclists have all the same rights that apply to drivers of motor vehicles. This means drivers must yield to you, share the road with you, and treat you with the same care they would any other vehicle. When they fail to do so, they are negligent.

New York’s No-Fault Insurance & the “Serious Injury” Threshold

New York is a no-fault insurance state, which means your own insurance (or the driver’s PIP coverage) typically pays for your initial medical bills regardless of fault. However, to sue the negligent driver for pain and suffering, you must meet New York’s “serious injury” threshold under Insurance Law § 5102(d). Qualifying serious injuries include:

• Significant disfigurement
• Fracture
• Permanent loss or limitation of a body organ, member, function, or system
• A medically determined injury preventing you from performing substantially all daily activities for 90 out of 180 days following the accident

Most bicycle accident injuries our clients suffer easily meet this threshold. Our attorneys carefully document your injuries to satisfy this requirement and maximize your recovery.

Comparative Negligence in New York

New York follows a pure comparative negligence rule. This means even if you were partially at fault — perhaps for not wearing a helmet or riding through a yellow light — you can still recover compensation. Your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies will try to maximize your share of blame to minimize what they pay. That is why having a skilled bicycle accident attorney matters.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Queens

1. Call 911 immediately. Get police and EMS to the scene. A police report is one of the most important pieces of evidence in your case. Ensure the report accurately captures what happened.
2. Document everything at the scene. If you are physically able, photograph the vehicle, license plate, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signals, and any signage. Get witness names and contact information. Note the time, weather, and lighting.
3. Seek medical attention right away — even if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks pain. Internal injuries, concussions, and spinal damage may not manifest symptoms for hours or days. A same-day medical record ties your injuries to the crash and prevents insurers from arguing they occurred elsewhere.
4. Do not speak to the other driver’s insurance company. Adjusters are trained to obtain statements that minimize your claim. Do not accept any settlement without speaking to an attorney first. You cannot know the full extent of your injuries or damages yet.
5. Preserve evidence of your bike and gear. Do not repair or discard your bicycle, helmet, or clothing. These items are physical evidence.
6. Send evidence-preservation letters. Nearby businesses, residences, and the MTA may have captured your crash on surveillance cameras. These recordings are often overwritten within 24–72 hours. Your attorney can send immediate preservation demand letters.
7. Contact Mushiyev Law for a free consultation. The sooner we begin investigating, the stronger your case. Our team handles everything — from evidence gathering to negotiating with insurers — while you focus on recovery.

Critical Deadlines: Don’t Miss Your Window to File

These deadlines are hard cutoffs — courts almost never grant extensions. If a dangerous road condition, malfunctioning traffic signal, or poorly designed bike lane contributed to your accident, the City of New York or another government entity may share liability. If your accident involved any government property, infrastructure, or vehicle, the 90-day Notice of Claim deadline is non-negotiable. Contact Mushiyev Law immediately.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Bicycle accidents impose enormous financial, physical, and emotional costs. Our Queens bicycle accident attorneys fight to recover every dollar of damages available to you, including:

• Medical expenses — emergency room, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, medication, and all future medical care
• Lost wages — income lost while you recover, including if your injuries prevent you from returning to your prior work
• Loss of earning capacity — if a permanent disability reduces your future ability to earn income
• Pain and suffering — compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries
• Property damage — the cost to repair or replace your bicycle, helmet, and other equipment
• Loss of enjoyment of life — if your injuries prevent you from engaging in activities you enjoyed before the accident
• Wrongful death damages — funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship if a family member was killed

Why Choose Mushiyev Law as Your Queens Bicycle Accident Law Firm?

Not every personal injury attorney understands the unique complexities of bicycle accident cases in Queens. Our firm brings specific experience in Queens’ streets, courts, and insurance landscape — and we are committed to results, not volume.

• Queens-focused practice. We know the dangerous corridors, the local courts, and the tactics insurance companies use against Queens cyclists. We use that knowledge to your advantage.
• Aggressive evidence preservation. We immediately send letters to local businesses, residences, the MTA, and the NYPD to preserve camera footage. We order the full NYPD report package and retain accident reconstruction experts when needed.
• We fight the serious injury threshold battle for you. Insurers will challenge whether your injuries qualify. Our attorneys work with your medical team to document your injuries thoroughly and defeat these tactics.
• Bilingual representation. We serve Queens’ diverse communities in multiple languages, ensuring nothing is lost in translation when your rights are on the line.
• No fee unless we win. You pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes only from the recovery we secure for you. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.
• We go to trial. Insurance companies know which law firms take cases to trial and which ones settle cheap. We are willing to go to court, and that leverage results in higher settlements for our clients.

Frequently Asked Questions