Liability for bike accidents caused by potholes

Victims of Bike Accidents Caused by Potholes in the Road May be Entitled to Financial Damages.

Not all bike accidents are caused by car crashes. In many cases, accidents may be caused by road hazards and other dangerous conditions, regardless of whether or not there are other drivers around.

If you were injured in a bike accident that you can attribute to hazardous roadway conditions, liability for the accident may fall on another party, potentially entitling you to financial compensation. An experienced NYC injury lawyer can help evaluate your case and see if this option for compensation is available to you.

Some of the most common roadway occurrences that lead to bike crashes are potholes. These nuisances typically appear due to one of two reasons:

  • General wear and tear on the road that has caused the asphalt to crack and break.
  • Temporary road work that has left behind sunken or cracked earth.

In the case of the latter, liability can be put on the utility company responsible for the road work – provided they did not provide warning, such as signs or traffic cones, that marked the area as dangerous.

For the former, the answer is a little trickier. In the event of a pothole caused by wear and tear, liability falls on the agency responsible for managing the roadways. If the pothole has only been there a short time, the organization would usually be free from blame. But if you can prove the pothole has been there for at least 15 days, months or even years, you could argue that the management has been negligent in addressing a road hazard, especially if that area has been the site of prior accidents.

Crashing on your bicycle can be a serious incident, resulting in injuries, medical expenses and lost wages that could detrimentally impact a victim’s well-being. The law firm of Daniella Levi & Associates can help you fight for any potential damages you may be owed.

 

 

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Daniella Levi
This article was reviewed and approved by Daniella Levi, Esq. Ms. Levi is an experienced and aggressive personal injury attorney. In practice for over 35 years, she has dedicated her legal career to helping injured persons receive the compensation they deserve. Clients of Ms. Levi have received compensation worth tens of millions of dollars through tireless efforts with settlement negotiations and successful trial verdicts. Read full bio