In order for an injured bicyclist to have grounds for a lawsuit, they must be able to prove that the driver of the vehicle acted negligently. A driver's actions are negligent if they violated a duty of care. A duty of care is a legal obligation that individuals have to take certain precautions when performing an action that could potentially cause harm. Drivers have a duty of care to operate their vehicles in a responsible manner and uphold all the rules of the road. While proving a driver's negligence is essential, it does not in and of itself constitute grounds for a lawsuit. Injured individuals must also be able to prove that the driver's negligence was directly responsible for their injury. For instance, a driver can act negligently and hit a bicyclist, but they may not be found liable if their negligence did not contribute to the accident. Furthermore, the victim must prove that they suffered either economic or non-economic damages in order to have a valid case. Our New York bicycle accident attorneys can help you bring forth a claim if your injury occurred due to any of the following: The driver was speeding The driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs Failure to signal Reckless driving Failure to yield Defects in the road Double parking across the bicycle lane The driver was texting