Being a life long New Yorker, born and raised in Manhattan, I have been riding a bicycle in Manhattan since I was a young child and it is something that I continue to do today. As an attorney and a partner at Schulman Blitz, LLP, a New York City based personal injury law firm, I have handled many cases involving bicycle accidents throughout my career. My law firm handles these cases from the very beginning – when the accident first occurs – through successful settlements and trials. It is without question that riding a bike in New York City is a very dangerous thing to do. I have handled countless lawsuits involving bicyclists and motorists, bicyclists and other bicyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians, and bicyclists and street defects, and I have seen many of our bicyclist clients sustain very bad injuries from these accidents. Below are some tips and appciable laws in regards to safe riding. TIPS FOR SAFE NEW YORK CITY BIKE RIDING – Wear a helmet. Helmets save lives! Trust me on this. Brain injuries are very common in bike accidents and are usually the most devastating type of injury. – Be experienced. If you are not an experienced cyclist do not attempt to learn how to cycle properly on City streets. Participants of the program should really have some level of experience in dealing with the chaos of riding a bike in New York City. – Always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. – Yield to cars at stop signs. – Travel only on streets that have designated bike lanes. – Ride with proper clothing and footwear. – If making a left turn at intersection, you must yield to drivers and pedestrians who are going straight. – Only ride in the direction of travel as designated for motorists on that street. Do not ride in opposite direction of traffic of other vehicles. – Do not attempt to pass other bikers. – Do not ride in the middle of avenues or streets – stay towards the side of the roads. – Always ride in a straight line. – Do not weave in and out of traffic. – Always look, signal and then look one more time before making a turn or switching lanes. – A good rule of thumb is to not turn until you have established eye contact with a driver of car you are turning near. Many accidents happen because the bicyclist mistakenly thought the driver saw them. – Always beware of opening car doors. A good rule of thumb is to always ride your bicycle at least three feet from any parked vehicles. – Always wear bright clothing and make yourself visible. When riding in the daytime, wear bright clothing and when cycling at night, always use reflective materials and lights. – Do not wear ear buds or headphones while you are cycling. – Cyclists are required to follow all rules and regulations which apply to drivers of motor vehicles. – Always ride on the street. Never ride a bike on the sidewalk. – Obey traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. – Always ride with traffic, never ride against it. – Stop at stop signs and red lights. – Always use marked bike lanes or paths. The exceptions to this rule are: 1. If the street does not have a marked bike lane; 2. When you are making a turn; 3. If it becomes unsafe to stay in the designated marked lanes or path. If you do choose to ride, be safe, be smart, wear a helmet and ride cautiously. And if unfortunately you are involved in an accident and are injured, give us a call and we will let you know what your rights are. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP today for help.

Our client was a passenger in a vehicle which was being driven recklessly and drove off the road, striking a tree. As a result of the crash, our client sustained a fractured ankle. Fred Schulman, Esq. settled the case for $100,000, the full amount of available insurance, shortly after the lawsuit was commenced. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP today for help.

Our client, a home health care aid, was injured when she tripped and fell on stairs inside a private home in Brooklyn. The lighting on the stairs was poor and the stairs were in a state of disrepair. As a result of falling, our client sustained a fractured leg and missed time from work. Justin Blitz, Esq. settled her case in the early stages of the litigation for $93,000. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP for help.

Justin Blitz, Esq. settled a case for our client who was in her car and stopped in traffic when she was rear-ended by another vehicle. During the course of the litigation, Schulman Blitz, LLP made a motion to have the defendant deemed 100% responsible for causing the accident. That motion was granted and we won summary judgment on the issue of liability. The only issue left for trial was the damages sustained by our client. As a result of the accident, our client re-injured previous injuries to her neck and back – she was a classic “egg shell” plaintiff. Due to these injuries, our client underwent surgery and extensive physical therapy and other treatment. The case was settled in the middle of the trial by Justin Blitz, Esq. for $175,000. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP today for the help you need.

We are proud to announce that Fred Schulman has been named a 2013 Super Lawyer. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP today for all the help and guidance you need.

Click Here to read Schulman Blitz LLP’s Fall 2013 newsletter. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP today for the help you need.

Our client, a Long Island college student, was a pedestrian when she was struck by a minivan. As a result, she sustained a fractured pelvis, a fractured leg and an avulsion wound to her thigh. Fred Schulman, Esq. settled the case with the insurance company for the driver and owner of the minivan for $175,000 at a mediation shortly after depositions were held. Contact Blitz Law Group LLP today for the help you need.

Our client was a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in an accident with another vehicle at an intersection in Queens. As a result of the collision, our client sustained a 6 centimeter laceration to her head which required surgery and left a scar. Stephanie Mastrocola, Esq. settled the case for $135,000 with the insurance companies for both vehicles shortly after the lawsuit was commenced. Contact us at Blitz Law Group LLP today for help.

Excellent article in the New York Times about the impact of injuries sustained in car accidents: How Being Hit by a Vehicle Changed Times Colleagues’ Lives.

Our client was sitting on the couch in the living room of her apartment when all of a sudden and without warning, the celiling collapsed. Parts of the collapsed ceiling struck her on her head and shoulders, causing her to sustain various injuries, including torn ligaments in her shoulder which required surgical intervention. The landlord, despite having been on notice that the ceiling had been leaking, failed to make the necessary repairs, thereby causing the ceiling collapse. Justin Blitz, Esq. settled the case at a mediation with the insurance company for the landlord for $150,000 shortly after depositions were completed.

Our client had just parked and exited her car on Main Street in Mount Kisco when she was stuck by a car. As a result, our client suffered two fractured vertebrae, a fractured clavicle, several fractured ribs and a hemothorax, and was required to undergo multiple surgeries and extensive medical treatment. Prior to filing a lawsuit, Fred Schulman, Esq. settled the case with the insurance company for the car that struck our client for the maximum amount of available insurance that the vehicle had, $100,000. Thereafter, we made a claim to our client’s Supplementary Underinsured Motorist (S.U.M.) coverage and Fred Schulman, Esq. settled that claim for an additional $200,000, the maximum amount of available S.U.M. insurance.

Our client was injured in a truck accident where he sustained a back injury requiring a lumbar laminectomy procedure.  Justin Blitz, Esq. settled the case at trial in Supreme Court, Bronx County.