Guided Bike tours can be a fun way to see the city. However, in the span of a couple of hours, your life could change dramatically if your sightseeing Tour ends with a trip to the hospital after a bike accident. Under these circumstances, it can be crucial to identify the liable party and hold them accountable.
But who is liable for these accidents?
Tour operators
Tour companies and guides have responsibilities ranging from doing the actual tour to renting out the bikes and setting the rules for conduct. If they fail to deliver a safe experience, riders can get hurt. However, checking a waiver you may have signed before the tour is crucial; it can give you a better idea of whether and when the tour operators may be liable for damages in an accident.Yourself
New York City can be intimidating, loud and confusing, and navigating the streets on a bike can be challenging. Under these circumstances, you could wind up getting into an accident. It is imperative to understand that per New York contributory negligence laws, you can still recover damages from the other negligent parties even if you are partially to blame for an accident. However, courts will reduce the damages you stand to receive in proportion to the role you played in the accident.A driver
Whether you are on a bike tour or not, motorists can fail to see you and share the road safely. Drivers in New York can be distracted, impaired or tired; they can be reckless and aggressive. If one of these motorists strikes you on your bicycle, they could be legally responsible.Another rider
Depending on your tour, you could be riding with a handful of friends or a large group of strangers. Any of these riders could be at risk of hurting someone else in the group if they:- Ride too fast
- Weave or swerve
- Ride too closely to others
- Fail to watch out for traffic
- Crash into someone
This post first appeared on NY Injury Law Blog | Tolmage, Peskin, Harris, Falick, please read the originial post: here
