Providence Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Bicycling through Providence’s historic streets and new green-striped bike lanes is an increasingly popular way to commute, exercise, or simply enjoy the city. Yet Rhode Island’s capital also records a disproportionate share of the state’s serious cycling crashes. Between 2019 and 2023, 39 people were killed and more than 300 suffered life-altering injuries on Providence roadways; bicyclists and pedestrians made up a striking share of those numbers. When a ride turns tragic, victims and their families quickly discover that navigating medical bills, insurance adjusters, and fault disputes can feel as hazardous as the collision itself. This page explains, in plain English and with citations to controlling law, how bicycle accident claims work in Providence and statewide, and how our trial-tested personal injury attorneys at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers can protect your rights.

Providence’s dense street grid, narrow colonial-era lanes, and mix of motor vehicles, RIPTA buses, and delivery trucks create frequent conflict points. Although the city is rolling out Vision Zero traffic-calming projects and a “Great Streets” network of protected lanes, those improvements remain incomplete, leaving many gaps where riders must “share” fast urban arterials. The result is a crash profile heavy on broadside impacts at intersections, right-hook turns, and “dooring” incidents in the Downtown and College Hill corridors. Providence also hosts tens of thousands of students and tourists unfamiliar with local traffic patterns, compounding risk.

• Safe-passing rule. Rhode Island motorists must pass a bicycle at “a safe distance sufficient to prevent contact,” explicitly not less than three feet in any circumstance. A driver who buzzes or sideswipes a rider breaches this statutory duty and is presumptively negligent.
• Bicyclists’ rights and duties. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-19-3, cyclists have all the rights and are subject to the same basic rules as motorists, including obeying traffic signals. Subsections on sidewalk riding (§ 31-19-12) grant riders pedestrian-like rights when using a sidewalk or crosswalk but require yielding and audible signals around walkers.
• Helmets for minors. Rhode Island mandates certified helmets for riders and passengers aged 15 or younger (§ 31-19-2.1). Adults are strongly encouraged to wear them, and the lack of a helmet can factor into comparative fault assessments, though it does not bar recovery.
• No-fault medical coverage (PIP) does not apply. Rhode Island is not a no-fault state; cyclists’ medical bills are usually paid first through their health insurance and later reimbursed in a liability claim. However, if you own an auto policy with MedPay, those benefits often cover you while riding a bike—an overlooked source of immediate funds.

Rhode Island applies pure comparative negligence, meaning an injured cyclist can recover damages even if found 99 percent at fault; the award is simply reduced by that percentage. Insurance carriers exploit this rule by arguing the rider “should have been farther right” or “wasn’t using a light.” An attorney’s early investigation and evidence preservation, dash-cam footage, intersection cameras, and GPS data are critical to push back and keep your fault share low.

Most bicycle-injury lawsuits must be filed within three years of the crash date (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b)). Wrongful-death claims carry the same limitation, counted from the date of death. Missing the deadline usually means permanent dismissal, no matter how strong the facts. Certain exceptions—minor plaintiffs, government-created hazards, or defective products—can toll or shorten the period, so prompt legal advice is essential.

• Driver inattention and distraction. Text messaging remains the top culprit, especially on the eastern stretches of I-95 frontage roads and Allens Avenue.
• Right-hook and left-cross collisions. Vehicles turning across a rider’s path at Dean & Atwells or the Eddy & Point Street triangle account for many severe injuries.
• Dooring on parallel-parked corridors. Westminster Street’s curbside parking is notorious; a driver flinging a door into the bike lane leaves no reaction time.
• Bus and commercial truck squeeze. Wide vehicles encroach on narrow unprotected lanes, a frequent scenario on Broad Street.
• Hazardous pavement or construction debris. Under Rhode Island law, both public entities and private contractors can be liable when work zones create an unreasonable risk to cyclists.

Cyclists lack a vehicle’s steel cage, so even a low-speed crash can produce:

• Traumatic brain injuries, sometimes detectable only through later neuropsychological testing.
• Complex orthopedic fractures require external fixation or multiple surgeries.
• Internal organ damage was masked by adrenaline at the scene.
• Permanent scarring or road rash infections.
• Psychological trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Beyond hospital bills, our firm documents future medical procedures, vocational retraining, loss of household services, and reduced retirement benefits—losses insurers rarely volunteer to cover.

Providence’s Traffic Camera Program retains footage for as little as 13 days; many private businesses overwrite video within 48 hours. Act fast to:

• Capture scene photographs showing skid marks, debris trails, and lane markings.
• Retrieve onboard telematics from rideshare vehicles or commercial fleets.
• Download fitness-tracking data (Strava, Garmin) that corroborates your speed and route.
• Identify eyewitnesses, RIPTA riders, baristas, delivery app cyclists—before memories fade.
• Preserve the bicycle itself; frame bends tell collision angles, and paint transfers match the striking vehicle.

An attorney’s letter of spoliation compels defendants to retain this evidence, blocking later claims that it was “accidentally lost.”

Rhode Island follows an “open-file” discovery tradition once litigation begins, but at the claim stage, insurers share little. Adjusters often request recorded statements within 24 hours, then mine innocuous comments (“I didn’t see him either”) to allege comparative fault. Refer all contacts to counsel. Remember that your health-plan subrogation unit may also contact you; negotiating those liens down is part of maximizing your net recovery.

Most bicycle cases resolve through negotiated settlement or pre-trial mediation, but Providence juries are increasingly receptive to Vision Zero safety arguments, and verdicts have climbed accordingly. Our litigation team prepares every file as if it will reach a jury, retaining accident-reconstruction engineers and life-care planners early. This “trial-ready” posture drives higher offers and shortens claim duration.

• Local street-level insight. We have mapped Providence crash clusters and subpoenaed records from the city’s Department of Public Works to expose design defects.
• Bicycle-specific medical network. We coordinate with orthopedic surgeons, vestibular therapists, and prosthetics specialists experienced in cycling trauma.
• No-cost property damage help. We negotiate replacement of carbon frames, custom wheels, and helmet tech—expenses many firms relegate to clients.
• Contingent fee, no retainer. You pay nothing unless we win compensation via a settlement or a verdict.

• Move out of travel lanes, but do not leave the scene until police arrive. Request that the officer classify the incident as a “motor-vehicle collision involving a bicyclist,” not a simple “property-damage event.”
• Photograph license plates, vehicle damage, and any roadway hazards.
• Seek medical evaluation even if you “feel fine.” Concussion and internal bleeding symptoms often manifest hours later.
• Notify your auto insurer to trigger MedPay, if available; this does not raise premiums under Rhode Island law.
• Contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers before speaking with any insurer. We offer free consultations by phone, in our Providence meeting space, or via secure video.

The three-year statute may seem generous, but camera footage and witness memories evaporate within days. Complex cases involving commercial vehicles or multiple parties demand immediate action to secure black-box data and preserve road-construction logs. Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers deploys investigators within 24 hours of retention. Our firm has recovered millions for cyclists across New England and stands ready to pursue full and fair compensation for your Providence bicycle injury. Call or complete our online form for a no-obligation review of your case. Evening and weekend appointments available.