Bicycle Accident Injuries · New Orleans & Metairie

New Orleans Bicycle Accident Lawyer

A cyclist has no steel cage, no airbag, and no crumple zone. The same crash that dents a car bumper can put a rider in the hospital — and the insurance company starts building its case against you right away.

Cyclist riding on a New Orleans city street

New Orleans is a city built for bikes — flat, walkable, and riding year-round. Blue Bikes stations, the Lafitte Greenway, the lakefront, and bike lanes on major corridors have put more cyclists on the road than ever. But those riders share tight, potholed streets with drivers who often aren't looking for them, and when a bicycle and a car collide, the rider almost always pays the price. At Bono Law Firm, we've represented injured people across the New Orleans and Metairie area since 1980. If you've been hurt on a bicycle, you talk directly with an attorney named Bono — John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono — not a case manager — and you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.

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Some firms are built for volume. Bono Law Firm is built for personal attention.

Call for a Free Consultation — (504) 835-9909

Why bicycle cases are different

A car accident is metal against metal. A bicycle crash is a person against a vehicle or the pavement, which is why cyclists so often suffer serious injuries — head trauma, broken bones, road rash, and shoulder and collarbone fractures — from a collision that barely marks the car. That mismatch often explains why a rider can be badly hurt even when the vehicle shows little visible damage.

It also shapes how insurers respond. Adjusters may try to blame the rider — "he came out of nowhere," "she wasn't wearing a helmet," "cyclists shouldn't be in the road" — even when the driver failed to yield, passed too close, or failed to keep a proper lookout. Pushing back with the actual facts, physical evidence, and Louisiana law is a large part of what we do.

There may also be an overlooked source of recovery. If a car hits you while you are riding a bicycle, uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage under your own automobile policy may apply even though you were not driving or occupying your insured vehicle. Coverage depends on who qualifies as an insured, the policy language, whether UM coverage was rejected or limited, and the circumstances of the crash. Because many injured cyclists never think to examine their household automobile policies, every potentially applicable policy should be reviewed.

Who may be liable

Depending on how the crash happened, responsibility may rest with:

  • A motorist who failed to yield, turned across your path, passed too close, or simply wasn't watching for cyclists
  • A driver or passenger who "doored" you — opening a car door into your path is prohibited under Louisiana law (La. R.S. 32:283)
  • A state or local public entity, where a dangerous roadway condition — such as a pothole, uncleared debris, or defective roadway feature — contributed to the crash and the legal requirements for public-entity liability are satisfied. These claims often turn on custody, actual or constructive notice, and whether the entity had a reasonable opportunity to correct the condition
  • A bicycle or component manufacturer, if a failed brake, cracked frame, or defective fork caused you to go down

More than one party may share the blame, and more than one insurance policy may apply. We investigate each angle so the right party — and the right coverage — is held responsible.

Bicycles and Louisiana law

Louisiana law defines a bicycle as a vehicle, and a person riding on a highway generally has the same rights and duties as the driver of a vehicle, subject to bicycle-specific rules and provisions that by their nature do not apply (La. R.S. 32:1 and 32:194). Cyclists may use most public roadways, but bicycles are prohibited on Louisiana interstate highways and may be restricted on other controlled-access roads.

An important protection for riders is the Three-Foot Passing Law (La. R.S. 32:76.1, the Colin Goodier Protection Act): a driver overtaking a cyclist must exercise due care, leave at least three feet of clearance, and maintain that clearance until safely past. A violation may be important evidence when fault is determined. Louisiana law also prohibits harassing, taunting, or maliciously throwing objects at or toward a person riding a bicycle (La. R.S. 32:201).

Riders do have duties — generally to ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable — but Louisiana law includes important exceptions. A cyclist may move left to pass, prepare for a left turn, avoid parked vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or other unsafe conditions, and when the lane is too narrow for a bicycle and motor vehicle to travel safely side by side. Being lawfully positioned in the lane is not the same as riding recklessly, and we make sure that distinction is heard.

The helmet argument has limits. Louisiana law requires bicycle helmets for riders and passengers under age 12 on public roadways, public bicycle paths, and other public rights-of-way, but it does not impose a general statewide helmet requirement on adult bicyclists (La. R.S. 32:199). The statute also provides that issuance of a helmet citation is not prima facie evidence of negligence. The absence of a helmet therefore does not automatically establish fault or excuse the driver who caused the crash. An insurer may still argue that helmet use affected the nature or extent of a particular head injury, but that issue ordinarily requires evidence connecting the lack of a helmet to the injuries claimed.

Fault matters more than it used to. For accidents occurring on or after January 1, 2026, Louisiana follows a modified comparative-fault system. If an injured person is found 51% or more at fault, recovery is barred. If the person is less than 51% at fault, damages are reduced by that percentage. Accidents occurring before January 1, 2026 generally remain governed by Louisiana's former pure comparative-fault rule. Because insurers may try to assign substantial blame to the cyclist, a careful investigation of the facts and evidence is especially important.

Don't wait — deadlines apply

In Louisiana, the deadline to bring an injury claim depends on when the accident happened and the type of claim involved. Delictual injury claims arising from accidents on or after July 1, 2024 are generally subject to a two-year prescriptive period, while accidents before that date generally remain subject to the former one-year period. Different deadlines or rules may apply in particular circumstances, so do not wait to speak with an attorney. Evidence, witnesses, video footage, and insurance issues all become harder to deal with as time passes — and missing a legal deadline can cost you the claim entirely.

The evidence here disappears fast. Intersection cameras, business security footage, and doorbell cameras often capture the crash — but many overwrite within days or weeks. The vehicle's damage and the driver's phone records matter too. And don't repair or throw away your bike, helmet, or damaged gear — they're physical evidence of the force involved. Getting a lawyer involved quickly is how that proof gets preserved before it's gone.

What to do after a bicycle crash

  1. Get medical attention, even if you feel "okay" — head and spine injuries can hide, and adrenaline masks pain.
  2. Call 911 and get a police report — it's key documentation, even if the crash seems minor.
  3. Photograph everything — the scene, the car, your bike, your injuries, skid marks, and any road hazards.
  4. Get the driver's information and the names and numbers of any witnesses.
  5. Preserve your bike, helmet, and gear — don't repair or discard anything until it's been documented.
  6. Don't give a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
  7. Call us for a free consultation.

Why Bono Law Firm

We're a family-owned firm based in Metairie, serving New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, the Westbank, the Northshore, and the surrounding parishes since 1980. We keep our caseload manageable on purpose, so every client gets prompt answers and personal attention — and your legal questions are answered by John C. Bono or Michael P. Bono, not a call center. When an insurance company won't be fair, we're ready to go to trial. There's no fee unless we recover money for you, and we'll come to you at home or in the hospital. You can see the kind of outcomes we fight for in our case results, and more about our approach on the Bono difference.

No fee unless we recover

Hurt on a bicycle? Let's talk — for free.

Since 1980, Bono Law Firm has represented more than 6,000 injured people across Jefferson, Orleans, St. Tammany, St. Charles, and the surrounding parishes. Consultations are free, home and hospital visits are available, our phones are answered 24 hours a day, and there's no fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Free Consultation — Call (504) 835-9909

Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español

Common questions

Bicycle accident FAQ

A car hit me while I was cycling and the driver has no insurance — or took off. Am I out of luck?

Not necessarily. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage under your own automobile policy may apply even though you were riding a bicycle rather than occupying your insured vehicle. Coverage depends on the policy language, whether you qualify as an insured, whether UM coverage was rejected or limited, and how the crash occurred. Hit-and-run claims may also be covered, but no-contact crashes have special proof requirements, including corroboration by an independent and disinterested witness under Louisiana's UM statute. We review every potentially applicable household and automobile policy.

The insurer says I'm partly at fault because I wasn't wearing a helmet. Can they do that?

An insurer may raise the issue, but the lack of a helmet does not automatically establish fault. Louisiana does not impose a general statewide bicycle-helmet requirement on adults, and the statute says issuance of a helmet citation is not prima facie evidence of negligence. An insurer may still argue that helmet use affected a particular head injury, but that argument should be supported by evidence connecting the lack of a helmet to the injury claimed. The driver's conduct and the actual cause of the crash remain central issues.

I was "doored" by a parked car — is that really a claim?

It may be. Louisiana law prohibits opening a vehicle door on a highway without first taking due precaution to ensure that doing so will not interfere with traffic or endanger another person or vehicle (La. R.S. 32:283). Liability still depends on the particular facts, which is why photographs, witness information, video footage, and prompt documentation are important.

How long do I have to file?

Delictual injury claims arising from accidents on or after July 1, 2024 are generally subject to a two-year prescriptive period. Accidents before that date generally remain subject to the former one-year period, and different deadlines or rules may apply depending on the parties and type of claim. Because camera footage can be overwritten quickly and physical evidence such as your bicycle and helmet should be preserved, do not wait — the first call is free.

Hit while cycling in the New Orleans or Metairie area? Talk to a firm that knows how to push back on the blame, find every source of coverage, and preserve the evidence before it's gone.

Call (504) 835-9909 — Free Consultation

Direct attorney access · No fee unless we recover · Se Habla Español

Serving New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, the Westbank & Gretna, and the Northshore · Se Habla Español