As a convenient, inexpensive means of transportation, electric bicycles have become more and more popular. Unfortunately, this translates into a greater number of e-bike accidents. If you have had the misfortune to be injured in such an accident due to another person’s negligence, you need more than fine medical care — you need excellent legal representation. In New Jersey, contacting Nagel Rice, LLP is a wise move.

Our electric bicycle attorneys have extensive experience in all kinds of traffic accidents and a long, proud history of successful outcomes. Over the past forty years, our practice has won over $1 billion in damages. Reach out to us now for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your options. We will charge you no attorneys’ fees until we bring you the compensation you deserve.

Common Types of Electric Bicycle Accidents

There are many kinds of e-bike accidents, each presenting its own unique risks and legal considerations. Below are some of the most common types:

Right and Left Cross Accidents

Cross accidents occur when a motorist, exiting a driveway or side street, fails to notice an oncoming e-bike and crosses its path, leading to a collision. The high speed of e-bikes, as well as their relatively quiet sound, can make it hard for motorists to gauge their approach. Their size may also make them harder to notice. Whether the motorist is simply trying to merge with oncoming traffic or is trying to navigate a left turn, a cross accident can seriously injure the cyclist who is unprotected by the metal enclosure of a car.

Riding Against Traffic Accidents

E-bike riders going against the flow of traffic face a higher risk of collisions with vehicles that are not expecting their approach from the wrong direction. Such accidents often result in severe injuries due to head-on impact. Bikers are not only expected to be riding with the flow of traffic but are legally responsible for doing so.

Pedestrian Collisions

As noted, e-bikes are often nearly silent, catching pedestrians off guard. Collisions with pedestrians are all too common in urban areas with high foot traffic and can result in significant injuries to both parties.

Other Common  E-Bike Accidents

Many other types of e-bike accidents occur [1] due to the negligence of one or both parties who may be speeding, distracted, impaired, or reckless or [2] due to dangerous road conditions. These include:

• Doorings, when a parked car’s door opens into the path of an e-bike
• Rear-end collisions, usually due to a motorist misjudging the e-bike’s speed
• Side-swiping, typically occurring in heavy traffic
• Falls of a cyclist due to poor weather or pitted roads

And, of course, e-bicyclists also share risks with others on the road when it comes to crashes with trucks or rideshare vehicles or with drivers who hit and run.

Injuries of Electric Bicyclists Tend To Be Severe

Because e-bikes go at faster speeds than ordinary bicycles and because their riders are unprotected, electric bicycle accidents more frequently lead to severe, catastrophic, or fatal injuries. Tragically, like other riders of similarly lightweight, unenclosed vehicles, e-bikes are extremely unlikely to be involved in fender-benders, and are more likely to suffer:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Bone fractures/bone bruises
• Road rash/lacerations
• Spinal cord injuries (possible paralysis) 
• Internal bleeding
• Organ loss or damage
• Loss of limb
• Wrongful death

Who Should We Hold Accountable?

Anyone whose negligence has contributed to your injuries can be held legally liable in the state of New Jersey. If you’ve been seriously injured in an electric bicycle accident, our sharp attorneys will fight tirelessly to recover the damages you are entitled to receive. We will do the investigative and strategic tasks necessary to build a strong case against the defendant, whether the defendant is:

• The driver of a passenger vehicle
• Pedestrian
• Another bicyclist or motorcyclist
• Rideshare company that employed a negligent driver
• Government agency that failed to maintain the roadway or traffic signs/signals
• Transit Company
• Manufacturer of defective pieces of safety equipment

Even if you were in some measure for the accident, Nagel Rice will fight vigorously to prove that you were less than 50 percent responsible so that we can still recover substantial damages for you under the statutes of modified comparative negligence in New Jersey.

What Our E-Bike Accident Attorneys Will Do for You

Our highly skilled lawyers will take all steps necessary to provide you with every kind of legal support necessary, including:

• Evaluating your case to assess its viability and calculate your potential claim
• Investigating by gathering or subpoenaing evidence, interviewing witnesses, examining police reports and medical records
• Strategizing the best way to proceed
• Negotiating with insurance companies and opposing attorneys
• Fighting for your right to maximum damages in court if a trial becomes necessary 

Damages Our Attorneys Will Fight to Obtain

Our goal is to ensure that you receive compensation for the full extent of your losses.  Depending on your specific circumstances, your losses may include:

• Medical and rehabilitation costs
• Lost income, present and future
• Property damage or loss
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Permanent disability
• Extended nursing care
• Alterations to make your home accessible
• Permanent scarring or other disfigurement
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Contact Our Experienced Electric Bicycle Accident Attorneys Today

Accidents are not only painful physically and financially; they are also demoralizing, interfering with just about every aspect of your life. At Nagel Rice, we are aware that you need moral as well as legal support during this challenging time, and are well-positioned to provide it. As soon as you contact us, we will begin making your situation more manageable by taking over all the heavy lifting. Call us now so that you can begin to relax and recover while we work hard to secure your future.