Injuries from Bicycle Accidents with Trucks and Buses

Large Vehicles Pose Deadly Risks to Cyclists

If you’ve ever ridden next to a bus on 8th Avenue or a box truck pulling into a delivery bay in Brooklyn, you know the feeling. You’re exposed. One slip, one missed glance from the driver, and there’s nowhere to go. For cyclists, that kind of risk is daily reality.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our personal injury attorneys have represented riders who were crushed between trucks and curbs, hit by buses swinging wide on turns, or clipped in blind spots. These aren’t small accidents. The weight and force of a heavy vehicle almost always mean devastating injuries. And too often, drivers try to excuse it by saying, “I didn’t see the bike.”

Common Causes of Truck and Bus Bicycle Accidents in New York

New York is built for movement, but not always for safe movement. Trucks double-park to unload, MTA buses race to stay on schedule, and cyclists get squeezed out.

The causes come up again and again:

• Wide turns cutting across bike lanes, especially at busy intersections.
• Blind spots on buses or trucks that leave riders completely invisible.
• Drivers speeding through yellow lights to make time.
• Fatigue, delivery drivers pushing 12-hour shifts, bus operators working back-to-back routes.
• Careless lane changes with no check for bikes nearby.

Picture Queens Boulevard at rush hour: trucks pulling out, buses cutting across lanes, cyclists forced to hug the curb. The ingredients for disaster are all there, and when drivers stop paying attention, cyclists pay the price.

Evidence That Proves Driver Negligence

When a truck or bus driver causes a crash, excuses fly fast. “The bike came out of nowhere.” “They were in my blind spot.” That’s why evidence is everything.

Cases are often built with:

• Camera footage from intersections, bus dashcams, or nearby storefronts.
• Black box data from commercial trucks showing speed and braking.
• Police reports listing violations of New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law.
• Witness accounts from pedestrians or other drivers who saw the collision.
• Expert testimony explaining how drivers should have avoided the crash.

Federal law also matters here. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations cap driving hours, require inspection logs, and track service times. If those rules are broken, it’s not just a technicality—it’s proof the driver or their employer put others at risk. In cases involving federal trucks or buses, the FTCA controls how victims pursue claims, with strict filing rules that can’t be ignored.

Severe Injuries That Result From Heavy Vehicle Collisions

Cyclists don’t stand a chance against vehicles weighing 20,000 pounds or more. Even at slow speeds, the damage is often permanent.

We’ve seen:

• Traumatic brain injuries leaving victims unable to return to work.
• Spinal cord injuries that cause partial or total paralysis.
• Compound fractures requiring multiple surgeries.
• Crush injuries to arms or legs, sometimes ending in amputation.
• Internal organ damage from the force of impact.

When crashes turn fatal, families can file wrongful death actions under EPTL § 5-4.1. These aren’t just numbers on a case file, they’re lives turned upside down in a matter of seconds.

New Hampshire Provides Narrower Protections for Cyclists in Truck Accidents Than New York

Not every state treats cyclists equally. In New Hampshire, legal protections are thinner than in New York, especially in heavy-vehicle crashes.

• Comparative negligence is tougher. Over 50% fault means no recovery at all.
• Damage awards are often smaller, particularly for non-economic losses like pain or trauma.
• Fewer statutory protections exist to hold truck or bus operators accountable around cyclists.

So the same crash, a bus sideswiping a cyclist near an intersection, might result in substantial damages in Manhattan but little or nothing in Concord. Geography alone changes justice.

Recovery Options for Victims Injured by Large Vehicle Collisions

The injuries from truck and bus crashes aren’t temporary. Victims face surgeries, lost jobs, and years of rehab. New York law allows recovery for both the financial and emotional fallout.

Compensation can include:

• Medical costs, from ER bills to long-term care.
• Lost wages, plus reduced earning capacity if victims can’t return to their jobs.
• Non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of life’s pleasures.
• Wrongful death recovery for families, including funeral expenses and financial support.

If the vehicle is operated by the city, like an MTA bus, victims must file a notice of claim within 90 days under General Municipal Law § 50-e. For federal trucks, the FTCA applies, requiring an administrative claim within two years. These deadlines matter as much as the evidence itself.

Why These Cases Require Experienced Lawyers

Truck and bus cases aren’t like regular car accidents. There are more defendants, drivers, employers, contractors, and sometimes government agencies. The evidence is technical, the rules are strict, and insurers fight hard to avoid paying what’s fair.

Experienced lawyers know how to track down logbooks, subpoena black box data, and bring in experts who can explain why the crash was preventable. Without that kind of support, victims risk walking away with nothing, or with a settlement that barely covers medical bills.

Horn Wright, LLP, Handles Complex Truck and Bus Bicycle Cases

A collision with a heavy vehicle can leave a cyclist in the hospital, struggling to recover, and wondering how to pay the bills. These are not accidents riders can handle alone.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our personal injury attorneys focus on complex cases involving buses, trucks, and government vehicles. We dig into the evidence, hold drivers and companies accountable, and make sure cyclists and their families aren’t left carrying the financial and emotional burden.

Cyclists deserve safety on every ride. When massive vehicles cut corners on care, we fight to make sure accountability follows.