We are New Jersey Bicycle Accident Lawyers
Enforcing New Jersey’s Safe Passing Law, navigating complex PIP medical insurance rules, and protecting injured cyclists in Passaic, Bergen, and Northern New Jersey since 1922.
Operating a bicycle on New Jersey’s crowded roadways is a healthy, environmentally friendly, and efficient way to travel. But when inattentive motorists fail to share the road, ignore bicycle lanes, or pass too closely, the physical consequences for a cyclist are catastrophic. Because a rider has no steel frame, airbags, or protective shell to absorb the impact of a multi-ton vehicle, a collision routinely inflicts devastating, life-altering orthopedic and neurological trauma. To make matters worse, injured cyclists often face a hostile insurance system and a biased defense narrative that attempts to blame them for the crash, claiming they were riding recklessly or violating traffic rules.
At Raff & Raff, LLP, we have protected injured New Jersey residents and their families for over a century (1922–Present). We know that securing full financial recovery for a bicycle accident requires immediate, decisive action. Led by our Managing Partner Stephen T. Raff, Esq.—recently honored as the Passaic County Bar Association’s Distinguished Lawyer of the Year— and Certified Civil Trial Attorneys Michael S. Raff, Esq. and Daniel A. Levy, Esq., our active trial team immediately goes on the offensive.
We do not let negligent drivers or corporate insurance carriers dismiss your pain or downplay the driver’s failure to yield. We prepare every single bicycle strike case from day one as if we are presenting it to a jury—subpoenaing municipal traffic camera logs, retrieving commercial store surveillance, downloading vehicle telematics data, and identifying all applicable auto, commercial, and umbrella insurance policies to maximize your financial compensation.
We represent injured cyclists strictly on a contingency fee basis under our No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee. This means you do not pay us a single dollar out-of-pocket, and we only collect a legal fee if we successfully win a financial settlement, permanent injury award, or trial verdict on your behalf.
Overcoming Complex Obstacles in New Jersey Bicycle Accident Law
Select a category below to discover how we leverage safe-passing statutes, secure your medical bill coverage, and prove driver negligence:
The Safe Passing Law (N.J.S.A. 39:4-92.4)
Holding Overtaking Drivers Accountable
New Jersey has strict traffic safety laws designed to protect vulnerable road users. Motorists have a heightened, non-delegable legal duty to share the road safely with cyclists.
- The Law: Under New Jersey’s Safe Passing Law (N.J.S.A. 39:4-92.4), drivers must approach a cyclist with “due caution.” This requires the motorist to make a lane change into an adjacent lane if possible. If a lane change is not possible, the driver must leave a minimum safety buffer of at least 4 feet when passing. If 4 feet of clearance is not available, the driver must slow to 25 mph and be prepared to stop until they can pass safely. A violation resulting in bodily injury carries a 500 dollar fine and 2 license points, serving as powerful evidence of negligence in your civil claim.
The Cyclist’s PIP Insurance Maze
Solving the Medical Bill Crisis
A common source of stress for injured cyclists is determining who is responsible for paying their emergency medical and trauma bills, especially if they do not own a car.
- The Solution: New Jersey’s “No-Fault” auto insurance system can be highly confusing. If you are struck by a car while riding a bicycle, your own household’s auto insurance policy PIP (Personal Injury Protection) is legally responsible for paying your medical bills, even though your car was not involved. If you do not own a car or live with an insured family member, the PIP coverage of the at-fault driver’s policy—or a state-mandated safety net fund (PLIGA)—must pay your bills. We handle this entire process to ensure your medical care is fully funded.
Proving Driver Negligence
Sidewalk and Parking Lot Duties
Dismantling Blind-Spot & “Dooring” Defenses
Motorists frequently claim, “The cyclist came out of nowhere” or “I didn’t see them.” Under New Jersey law, these statements are admissions of inattention, not valid legal defenses.
- Our Approach: We work quickly to secure critical electronic and physical evidence. We establish driver liability by proving common violations, including “dooring” (when a driver opens their car door directly into a cyclist’s path), making a right turn directly in front of a cyclist sharing the lane (a “right hook”), or failing to check blind spots before merging into a designated bicycle lane.
Serious & Life-Altering Injuries Resulting from Bicycle Accidents
Because a bicycle provides zero structural protection against the impact of a motor vehicle, collisions routinely result in severe, permanent physical and emotional injuries, including:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Concussions, skull fractures, and permanent cognitive or motor deficits resulting from the head striking the vehicle’s hood, windshield, or the hard asphalt (even when wearing a safety helmet).
- Complex Orthopedic Fractures: Shattered collarbones, broken wrists, fractured pelvises, and compound leg or arm fractures requiring complex surgical hardware or joint reconstructions.
- Spinal Cord Trauma & Paralysis: Herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, permanent nerve damage, paraplegia, or quadriplegia caused by high-velocity impacts or ejections.
- Severe Road Rash & Friction Burns: Deep-tissue friction burns, skin tearing, and painful keloid tissue requiring extensive surgical debridement, skin grafts, and plastic reconstruction.
- Internal Organ Damage: Internal bleeding, punctured lungs, ruptured spleens, and severe abdominal trauma caused by direct impact with the vehicle’s bumper or handlebars.
Your Step-by-Step Action Plan After a Bicycle Accident
- Seek Immediate Emergency Medical Care: Go to the nearest emergency department or trauma center (such as St. Joseph’s Level 1 Trauma Center in Paterson) to document your physical injuries immediately. This prevents the insurance company from claiming your injuries were caused by an unrelated event.
- Ensure Law Enforcement Files a Report: Call the police to the scene immediately. Ensure that the responding officer files an official New Jersey Police Accident Report (NJTR-1) detailing the at-fault driver’s insurance information and any traffic citations issued.
- Take High-Resolution Photos: If you are physically able, take detailed photos of your damaged bicycle, the vehicle’s damage, the final resting positions, tire skid marks, local traffic signals, and your physical wounds or torn clothing.
- Do NOT Allow Your Bicycle to be Altered or Discarded: Preserve your damaged bicycle, helmet, and safety gear exactly as they are. They represent critical physical evidence of the speed and angle of the impact.
- Do NOT Speak to the Driver’s Insurance Adjuster: Never give a recorded statement or sign any quick-settlement release forms. Speak with an experienced trial attorney first to protect your long-term recovery rights.
Rooted in Paterson to Serve Passaic, Bergen & Northern New Jersey
Because civil personal injury lawsuits are litigated in the local county courthouse, our central office on Church Street in Paterson is located less than a 5-minute walk from the Passaic County Courthouse Complex, where all local Passaic County bicycle negligence lawsuits are filed, litigated, and decided.
Because we maintain a fully staffed second office footprint in Ridgewood, we are uniquely positioned to represent Bergen County residents. We routinely represent bicycle accident victims receiving critical emergency care at major regional healthcare hubs throughout Northern New Jersey, including:
- St. Joseph’s University Medical Center (Paterson – Passaic County’s premier Level 1 Trauma Center)
- The Valley Hospital (Paramus / Ridgewood – directly adjacent to our Bergen County office footprint)
- Hackensack University Medical Center (Hackensack – Bergen County’s leading trauma hub)
- Morristown Medical Center (Morristown – serving our Morris County accident clients)
- Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston – serving our western Essex County clients)
- St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center (Wayne)
- Clifton Urgent Care & Local Medical Centers (Clifton)
- Holy Name Medical Center (Teaneck)
- Jersey City Medical Center (Jersey City – serving our Hudson County clients)
Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Bicycle Law
Yes. Under New Jersey law, bicycles are classified as vehicles and have the legal right to share the roadway. Bicyclists are expected to ride as near to the right side of the road as “practicable,” but they may legally take the full lane to avoid debris, parked cars, or dangerous road conditions. Under New Jersey’s comparative negligence statute (N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1), you can still recover financial compensation as long as your share of responsibility for the accident is 50% or less (meaning you were not more than half at fault).
This is a highly common scenario for city residents, children, and avid cyclists. Under New Jersey’s “No-Fault” auto insurance rules, if you do not own a vehicle or reside with an insured family member, you are still protected. We file a claim with the New Jersey Property-Liability Insurance Guaranty Association (PLIGA). PLIGA administers a state-mandated safety net fund that will provide up to 250,000 dollars in emergency medical and PIP coverage to pay for your hospital, surgery, and physical therapy bills.
Under New Jersey’s statute of limitations (N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2), you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a formal personal injury lawsuit in court. If you fail to file within this two-year window, you will lose your right to seek compensation forever. However, if you were struck by a public or government-owned vehicle (such as a NJ Transit bus, a school bus, or a municipal truck), you must file a formal Tort Claims Notice (Title 59 Notice) within 90 days of the incident to preserve your right to sue.
We represent injured clients strictly on a contingency fee basis under New Jersey Court Rule 1:21-7. This means we cover all upfront costs of your litigation—including hiring accident reconstruction and medical experts, securing medical records, and paying court filing fees. You do not pay us a single dollar out-of-pocket, and we only collect a legal fee if we successfully win a financial settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.
Protect Your Recovery. Protect Your Future.
Do not allow a negligent driver or their insurance carrier to delay your medical treatment, downplay your pain, or offer a cheap settlement. Speak face-to-face with an experienced, award-winning Northern New Jersey trial attorney in our office or via a secure Zoom meeting. We will analyze your accident reports, review your medical files, and outline a clear, aggressive strategy to secure your future.
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