Long Island Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
From the LIE to the Southern State Parkway. 23 Long Island motorcyclists were killed in 2025. Motorcycles are excluded from New York no-fault. These cases go straight to tort.
Long Island is dangerous for riders, and the legal framework reflects it
Long Island's parkways and expressways were never designed for modern traffic, and they are not friendly to motorcyclists. The Southern State Parkway carries twists, low overhead clearances, and parkway commercial vehicle bans that push trucks onto the LIE and onto surface streets shared with riders. Sunrise Highway and the Long Island Expressway concentrate high-speed traffic through Nassau and Suffolk County commuter towns. As of December 2025, 23 motorcyclists had been killed on Long Island that year, with roughly two-thirds of the deaths in Suffolk County. The number was part of a statewide total of 134 motorcycle fatalities (down from 157 in 2024). Overall motor-vehicle fatalities on Long Island edged up from 103 to 110 in the same period.
Motorcycle cases move differently than car cases because the no-fault insurance rules that govern most New York crashes do not apply to motorcycles. A motorcyclist cannot collect PIP benefits from the at-fault driver's auto policy and does not need to clear the Insurance Law 5102(d) "serious injury" threshold to sue for pain and suffering. Every claim is a direct bodily injury claim against the at-fault party, with damages limited only by that driver's policy limits and any excess coverage.
Most dangerous Long Island roads for riders
- Long Island Expressway (I-495). Third deadliest New York State roadway with 42 fatal crashes over five years. High speeds, constant merging, and truck presence. News 12 Long Island, NY DMV.
- Sunrise Highway (Route 27). Fifth deadliest. 36 fatal crashes over five years. Multiple fatalities near Nicolls Road and Robert Moses Causeway since 2019.
- Southern State Parkway. Seventh deadliest. The Exit 17-32 stretch is known as "Blood Alley" for its 1920s-era curves, steep hills, and poor night lighting.
- Middle Country Road (Route 25, Jericho Turnpike). Tenth deadliest with 24 fatal crashes over five years. Eight fatalities east of Nicolls Road in Selden and Coram from 2019 to 2023.
- Straight Path at West Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst. One of the five deadliest Long Island intersections, with 72 fatal or serious-injury crashes over ten years.
- Veterans Memorial Highway at Old Nichols Road, Islandia. High-volume intersection with heavy commercial traffic.
- Nesconset Highway (Route 347) at Nicolls Road, Lake Grove. Shopping-mall freight traffic combined with merging highways.
- Route 110 through Huntington Station. Over 200 crashes annually at the intersection of Route 110 and Jericho Turnpike alone.
New York no-fault does not cover motorcycles
Most New York drivers assume no-fault picks up the first $50,000 of medical bills and lost wages. Motorcyclists do not get that coverage. Insurance Law 5103(a)(2) and Vehicle and Traffic Law 125 exclude motorcycles from the Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Insurance Reparations Act. The practical consequences:
- No PIP benefits. Medical bills go through your health insurance, an optional Basic Economic Loss endorsement on your motorcycle policy if you carry it, or come out of the bodily injury recovery.
- No serious-injury threshold. Because you are outside the no-fault system, you do not need to clear Insurance Law 5102(d) to sue for pain and suffering.
- Full tort claim from day one. Past and future medicals, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and permanency all go into a single claim against the at-fault party and any excess insurers.
Deadlines and statutes
- CPLR 214(5). Three-year personal-injury statute of limitations.
- CPLR 214(4). Three-year property-damage limit.
- EPTL 5-4.1. Two years from death for wrongful death.
- GML 50-e. 90-day Notice of Claim against a county, town, or the MTA.
- CPLR 217-a / GML 50-i. One year and 90 days to sue after Notice.
- VTL 381. Helmet requirement for motorcycle operators and passengers.
- CPLR 1411. Pure comparative negligence. Partial fault reduces but does not bar recovery.
- CPLR 208. Tolling for minors until age 18.
Where Long Island motorcycle cases are filed
Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive in Mineola handles cases from Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay. Suffolk County Supreme Court at 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip and 210 Center Drive in Riverhead covers the ten Suffolk towns. Cases go up on appeal to the Appellate Division, Second Department, whose motorcycle-case precedent shapes how we frame comparative-fault and helmet-use arguments.
If a county vehicle, town vehicle, MTA bus, or New York State Police cruiser was involved in the crash, General Municipal Law 50-e requires a Notice of Claim within 90 days. Miss that deadline and the case against the government entity is usually over. We file the Notice of Claim the first week.
Related analysis from our team
- NYC and Long Island Motorcycle Accident Hotspots
- New York No-Fault Insurance, Explained
- Long Island Personal Injury Lawyers
- NYC Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research. NYS Motorcycle Crash Fact Sheet (Dec 2025).
https://www.itsmr.org/New York State DMV. Statewide Crash Statistics and Fatality Report.
https://dmv.ny.gov/statisticNews 12 Long Island. "Long Island Home to 4 of the Deadliest Roads in the State."
https://longisland.news12.com/long-island-home-to-4-of-the-deadliest-roads-in-the-stateNew York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) §§ 208, 214, 217-a, 1411.
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/208New York Insurance Law §§ 5102(d), 5103(a)(2).
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ISCNew York Vehicle and Traffic Law §§ 125, 381.
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VATNew York General Municipal Law §§ 50-e, 50-i.
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GMU/50-ENew York Estates, Powers and Trusts Law § 5-4.1.
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EPTFrequently Asked Questions
Why are motorcycle cases on Long Island different from car accident cases?
New York excludes motorcycles from the no-fault insurance system. That means a motorcyclist injured by a negligent driver cannot collect Personal Injury Protection benefits from the other driver's auto policy the way a car occupant can. Medical bills run through your health insurance, MedPay if you carry it, or a direct bodily injury claim against the at-fault driver. Because there is no no-fault pool, you do not need to meet the 'serious injury' threshold to sue for pain and suffering. Every claim goes straight to tort.
Where are the deadliest roads for Long Island motorcyclists?
The Long Island Expressway (I-495) is the third deadliest road in New York State. The Southern State Parkway ranks seventh, with a stretch between exits 17 and 32 nicknamed 'Blood Alley' for its twists, hills, and poor night lighting. Sunrise Highway (Route 27) ranks fifth with 36 fatal crashes over five years. Middle Country Road (Route 25) and Jericho Turnpike concentrate intersection crashes. Sources: News 12 Long Island, NY DMV.
How many motorcyclists die on Long Island each year?
As of December 2025, 23 motorcyclists had been killed on Long Island in the calendar year, with roughly two-thirds of the deaths in Suffolk County. Statewide, New York recorded 134 motorcycle fatalities in 2025, down from 157 in 2024. Long Island's overall motor-vehicle fatality count rose from 103 to 110 in the same year. Source: ITSMR / NY DMV.
Does a helmet violation kill my case?
No. New York requires helmets by statute, and a helmet violation can be argued as comparative fault for head-injury damages. But New York follows pure comparative negligence under CPLR 1411: even if a jury attributes a percentage of fault to a rider for helmet use or riding choices, recovery is reduced, not barred. Helmets also do not affect claims for unrelated injuries, like a leg fracture.
Where are Long Island motorcycle cases filed?
Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive in Mineola for crashes in Nassau. Suffolk County Supreme Court at 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip or 210 Center Drive in Riverhead for Suffolk. Appeals go to the Appellate Division, Second Department. If a county, town, or MTA vehicle was involved, a Notice of Claim must be served within 90 days under General Municipal Law 50-e.
How long do I have to sue after a Long Island motorcycle crash?
Three years from the accident date for personal injury under CPLR 214(5). Two years for wrongful death under EPTL 5-4.1, measured from the date of death. 90 days for a Notice of Claim against a government defendant under GML 50-e, followed by one year and 90 days to file suit. Minors can toll the clock until age 18 under CPLR 208.
What compensation is available in a Long Island motorcycle case?
Past and future medical expenses, lost wages and future earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of consortium for a spouse, and, in fatal cases, pecuniary loss to the statutory distributees under EPTL 5-4.3. Motorcycle cases often produce higher per-injury damages than passenger-car cases because the injuries are more severe. Road rash, crush injuries, compound fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage are common. Settlement ranges in New York motorcycle cases commonly run from $250,000 for soft-tissue and fracture claims into seven and eight figures for catastrophic injury.
What evidence should I preserve after a Long Island motorcycle crash?
Photographs of the scene, the bike, the other vehicle, the roadway, and your injuries. Witness contact information. The police report number from Nassau County Police, Suffolk County Police, or New York State Police (parkways and the LIE). Your helmet, jacket, and riding gear. Do not throw them out, they are evidence. Any dash cam or helmet cam footage. Medical records from the ER and any follow-up treatment. Contact a lawyer before giving any recorded statement to the other driver's insurer.