Boston Bicycle Accident Attorneys
Over 100 years of experience fighting for injured cyclists in Massachusetts
If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, we know you have many questions. Who will pay your medical bills? Who will help you recover from your injuries? And who will pay for the damage to your bicycle? At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our Boston bicycle accident attorneys can assist you with every aspect of the difficulties you face after a serious bicycle crash.
With more than 100 years combined experience, our bicycle accident lawyers have extensive experience representing cyclists and their families. In each case, we are committed to achieving the best financial results to help our clients heal and move ahead.
And we are committed to safety and advocacy for all cyclists in Massachusetts. We have long supported Massachusetts bicycle clubs. Through our Project KidSafe campaign, we have also donated over 33,000 bicycle helmets to children across Massachusetts.
Common questions from injury clients
- What types of bicycle accident claims do you handle?
- What injuries are common in Boston bicycle accidents?
- What compensation can I claim for a Boston bicycle accident?
- Where are the most bicycle accidents reported in Boston?
- Our commitment to bike safety in Massachusetts
- Do you have a bicycle accident injury attorney near me?
What types of bicycle accident claims do you handle?
Not every bicycle accident involves a motor vehicle. We have represented cyclists who have been injured by dog attacks and defective bike parts. But more often than not, cyclists are injured by a driver's negligence. The driver may have failed to yield or keep a proper look-out. They may have misjudged the bike's speed and left the cyclist without enough room.
Drivers can cause bicycle accidents when they speed, attempt to pass, travel 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. These accidents can be profoundly serious, resulting in bone fractures, head injury, scarring and even wrongful death.
Other types of bicycle accident claims we handle include:
- Truck accidents. Truck accidents have injured and killed numerous cyclists in Boston and Cambridge in recent years. After these tragedies, our firm has worked to protect our clients' rights, investigated crashes and when necessary, pursued negligence or wrongful death lawsuits against trucking companies.
- Dooring accidents. Dooring accidents – when drivers open car doors onto the path of cyclists – also cause many injuries, including 22% percent of all bicycle accidents in Boston, per the Boston EMS 2020 Cyclist & Pedestrian Report (“EMS Report”).
- Intersection accidents. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that 32% of all fatal bike accidents in 2020 occurred at intersections. Right hook accidents occur when drivers, often large trucks, strike cyclists while turning right. Left hook bicycle accidents happen when drivers are turning left and collide with cyclists coming from another direction.
- Distracted driving claims. A driver's cell phone use, texting while driving and distracted driving cause many bicycle accidents in Massachusetts.
What injuries are common in Boston bicycle accidents?
Because cyclists have less physical protection, the injuries they sustain are often catastrophic. A minor “fender bender” between two slow-moving vehicles can cause massive internal damage to a cyclist, depending on the vehicle’s size, weight, and speed. Our Boston bicycle accident lawyers represent cyclists who have sustained injuries such as:
- Head injuries. Bicycle accidents causing head injuries can lead to traumatic brain injury and permanent impairment. Even with a helmet, a cyclist can suffer disfiguring lacerations, vision loss, or other types of permanent trauma. Our attorneys have extensive experience representing cyclists who have suffered head injuries, recovering compensation to assist them with short- and long-term financial needs.
- Spinal cord injuries. SCI are among the most catastrophic injuries because they are permanent. While there are exciting advances in medical technology, people who sustain trauma to the spinal cord may be paralyzed to varying degrees for the rest of their lives.
- Internal injuries. Did you know that SUVs account for a quarter of all fatal bicycle crashes? It’s because in a collision with a sedan, the cyclist’s legs are most likely to be hit – but in a collision with an SUV, the point of impact is the chest and/or abdomen. Collisions with larger vehicles can cause organ damage, internal bleeding, and multiple compound, complex fractures.
- Burn injuries. Burns are not the most common type of injury (unless you count “road rash,” a cutesy name for a serious friction burn prone to infection and scarring) in a bike crash, but they can have a lifelong effect on a rider or passenger. Serious burns resulting from car fires or other incidents often require skin grafts to treat, along with other types of surgeries.
- Fatal injuries. Few experiences are more emotionally challenging than the sudden loss of a loved one. Our Boston wrongful death attorneys treat you and your family with the dignity and compassion you deserve. We know that no amount of compensation will make up for the loss of your loved one, but we fight to hold the negligent parties accountable so that justice is served.
What compensation can I claim for a Boston bicycle accident?
Motor vehicle liability insurance from the responsible driver, as well as the insurance on a car owned by the bicyclist or a family member, are all sources of insurance to help pay for personal injury claims.
When a motorist collides with a bike, Massachusetts law provides that there will be up to $8,000 in personal injury protection benefits (“no-fault” benefits) which can help pay for medical bills and lost wages. These benefits are available even if the driver was not negligent. Additional compensation for victims of bicycle accidents may include:
- Medical bills
- Lost earnings
- Scarring and disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
When a cyclist is killed by someone else's negligence, our attorneys can pursue a wrongful death claim for your family. Punitive damages may be awarded.
After a bicycle accident, a driver's negligence may be clear. You may be entitled to pursue a claim for financial compensation for your losses. But the truth is insurance companies are often reluctant to pay cyclists full compensation on claims. Because of this, it is important to hire an experienced lawyer with a reputation for reaching full compensation for cyclists, including pain and suffering and past and future earnings. You should also hire an attorney with whom you can work well and trust.
Where are the most bicycle accidents reported in Boston?
According to the 2020 EMS Report, the following neighborhoods had the highest number of pedestrian and bicycle-related incidents in Boston:
The most common types of incidents in each neighborhood included:
For a more in depth look at the dangers Boston cyclists face you can check out the Vision Zero Safety Map. It covers the entire city of Boston proper and provides detailed explanations of the different safety concerns in the city.
Our commitment to bike safety in Massachusetts
Breakstone, White & Gluck, P.C., is a proud supporter of cycling and cycling safety programs in Massachusetts. We support the following organizations:
In 2013, we launched our Project KidSafe campaign to help protect children on bikes from head injuries. Since then, we have donated over 33,000 bike helmets to children across Massachusetts, with help from over 50 partners, including Massachusetts Safe Routes to School, Boston Bikes, Roll It Forward, CYCLE Kids of Cambridge, the Dedham Police Department (shown in the photo) and the Somerville Kiwanis Club. Several bicycle committees and more than 10 police departments have participated, including the Boston Police Department, the Cambridge Police Department and Quincy Police Department.
Bicycle accident resources
Insurance Coverage for Cyclists
Massachusetts bicyclists can protect themselves in the event of a serious injury by having adequate uninsured/underinsured motorist protection in their car insurance policies.
Facts About Cycling in Massachusetts
Our attorneys answer some of the most common questions about the rights and responsibilities of Massachusetts cyclists under the law.
Gluck Legal Takeaway - Bike Safety Articles
Articles written by Attorney Ron Gluck for the Charles River Wheelers' newsletter, WheelPeople.
Tips for Safe Bike Commuting in Boston
Our attorneys provide an overview on cycling resources.
MassBike provides information about bicycling issues and advocacy in Massachusetts.
Do you have a bicycle accident injury attorney near me?
Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Boston office is located at 2 Center Plaza #530, close to the John Adams Courthouse and Suffolk County Superior Court. There’s a bus stop near our building and a parking lot nearby. If you cannot travel because of your injuries, we can arrange a phone or video conference, or a hospital visit.
Put experience on your side after a bicycle accident in Boston
Because the statute of limitations applies to bicycle accident cases, victims have a limited time in which to file their cases. If you feel you have a bike accident case, it is vital that you act immediately to protect your rights. Please call the experienced Boston bicycle accident attorneys of Breakstone, White & Gluck or use our contact form. We will be happy to provide you with a free consultation.