There have been a lot of sensational news stories lately about e-bike accidents in New York City. There will, without a doubt, be more as this transportation trend takes off. But what those stories don’t often highlight is that the operators of those e-bikes are often the victims in these scenarios while automobile operators continue to be liable in the majority of cases.
While e-bike accidents in New York have more than tripled in the past year, the overall number of those accidents isn’t really anywhere near as shocking as these news stories would make you believe. In fact, there were only 20 e-bike accidents reported (compared to 6 the previous year). Compared to the hundreds of bicycle accidents and the thousands of automobile accidents in New York, that number is tiny.
Unfortunately for e-bike riders, a number of the most recent collisions have been between e-bike riders and pedestrians, which is not good press.
All of this negative media can have a negative effect on the recovery process for victims. Indeed, as e-bike accidents in New York City gain more attention in the public sector, judges and juries likely become more biased against e-bike riders—potentially regarding them as a more dangerous version of a bicyclist. In fact, there is a piece of legislation in the works that would require all e-bike riders to obtain insurance before they’re legally allowed to ride in New York. Before you dismiss this as fear mongering, examine the effect that movies like Easy Rider had on the recovery process for motorcycle accident victims over the past 30 years. This bias is well known, documented in multiple scientific studies, and is one of the major obstacles that motorcycle accident advocates have to overcome.
If you’ve been injured while riding, you need an advocate who can fight for you and overcome this unconscious bias the media has created. Speak with an experienced e-bike accident attorney in New York City today. Call The law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 for your free consultation.