Why Choosing the Right Rideshare Accident Lawyer Matters
On a warm September evening in DUMBO, a commuter coming off the Manhattan Bridge is rolling down the Jay Street bike lane when the Uber ahead of her stops short inside the lane. A passenger in the back seat pushes the rear door wide. The cyclist hits it at speed and lands on the pavement with a broken collarbone. Half an hour later in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, a delivery cyclist swings around a Lyft idling at a Flatbush Avenue bus stop just as its driver pulls back into traffic without signaling. Neither rider booked a trip, and each now needs a rideshare accident lawyer in Brooklyn who can work out whether the driver, the passenger, or both are responsible.
NYC DOT reported on January 2, 2026 that traffic deaths in Brooklyn fell from 69 in 2024 to 63 in 2025, and that citywide traffic injuries dropped to 47,557, with deaths declining for every major travel mode, cyclists included. The TLC’s own Vision Zero guidance tells for-hire drivers that stopping in a bike lane to pick up or discharge passengers is unsafe and illegal, and that they should remind riders to look for cyclists before opening a door.
When a door or a curbside swerve causes the crash, every insurer has somewhere to point. The rideshare carrier may say the passenger, not its driver, opened the door. An adjuster may suggest the cyclist was riding too fast or outside the lane, an argument that now carries more weight than it did a year ago.
The right attorney can make the difference between:
- Blaming the passenger alone, and also holding the driver accountable for stopping inside a bike lane
- Paying an emergency room bill out of pocket, and filing for no-fault benefits with the rideshare vehicle’s insurer within 30 days
- Accepting a fault split that wipes out the claim, and evidence showing the cyclist bore less blame than the driver and passenger
- A collarbone fracture treated as a bruise, and records that match a category in the serious injury statute
New York handles these crashes in layers. NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1214 bars any person, passengers included, from opening a door on the traffic side unless it is reasonably safe to do so. Under the state budget enacted May 27, 2026, motor vehicle actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026 follow modified comparative fault, so a cyclist found more at fault than the defendants recovers nothing. The five firms below were ranked on Brooklyn presence, documented results, and readiness for claims brought by people outside the car.
September 2026 Rankings
| Rank | Law Firm | Lead Attorney | Client Satisfaction | Notable Settlements | Years Experience | Specialization Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kucher Law Group | Samantha Kucher, Esq. | 99% | $50M+ Recovered | 15+ | Rideshare Accidents & Personal Injury |
| 2 | Finz & Finz, P.C. | Stuart L. Finz, Esq. | 97% | $1 Billion+ Recovered | 40+ | Rideshare Accidents & Personal Injury |
| 3 | Ajlouny Injury Law | Paul Ajlouny, Esq. | 95% | $300M+ Recovered | 25+ | Rideshare Accidents & Personal Injury |
| 4 | Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. | Rosenbaum Team | 94% | Multi-Million Recoveries | 40+ | Rideshare Accidents & Personal Injury |
| 5 | Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel | Jay S. Knispel, Esq. | 93% | Multi-Million Recoveries | 25+ | Rideshare Accidents & Personal Injury |
#1 Kucher Law Group
Why They’re #1: A cyclist knocked down by a swinging rear door, or by a rideshare car darting toward the curb, needs a firm that can establish who did what in a few seconds of chaos and defend that account against insurers. Kucher Law Group‘s rideshare accident lawyers for Brooklyn cyclists hurt at pickups and drop-offs bring a dedicated trial attorney, published seven-figure vehicle results, and phones that are answered at any hour.
Firm Overview
Kucher Law Group is the practicing name of RRK Kucher Law Group PLLC, which opened on December 10, 2019. The Brooklyn office sits at 463 Pulaski Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and a Manhattan office operates at 26 Broadway. Its 10 to 19 staff members accept injury cases on contingency only. By its own figures, the firm has recovered over $50 million, settled more than $20 million, and kept a 99% success rate, and it holds a 4.99 out of 5 Google rating from 81 reviews.
Notable Case Results
- $2,500,000 : Head-on vehicle collision in which the client’s cervical spine injury required surgery
- $1,400,000 : Settlement for a client hurt in a motor vehicle accident
- $525,000 : Jury verdict for a client who slipped on an icy sidewalk
- $1,800,000 : Sidewalk trip and fall that ended in surgery
- $1,400,000 : Fall down a flight of stairs at a construction site
Legal Team Excellence
Michael Roitman leads the firm’s trial work. Fault in a dooring crash often turns on a few feet of pavement, and an insurer facing a trial lawyer is less inclined to inflate a cyclist’s share of blame past the point where recovery is barred. Attorney Roitman earned his undergraduate degree at NYU and his law degree at Cooley Law School. He is admitted in the New York and New Jersey courts and in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and he appears on the Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in New York list for 2023. His family fled Ukraine.
Samantha Kucher, the firm’s lead attorney, joined the New York bar in 2015 after studying at NYU and New York Law School, and she grew up at the Milton Hershey School. She has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, honored by NAOPIA in 2024 and 2025, and selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2020. Attorney Kucher speaks English, Russian, and Spanish. Alex Rybakov, licensed in New York since 2010 and a graduate of NYU and Seton Hall Law School, has practiced personal injury law exclusively for more than a decade.
What Sets Them Apart
- 24/7 Availability: A cyclist doored on the ride home can speak with an attorney that same night.
- No Upfront Fees / Contingency Only: Clients owe no attorney fee unless the firm recovers money for them.
- Brooklyn Knowledge: From Pulaski Street, the team knows the borough’s bike corridors, bus routes, and courthouses.
- Personalized Service: Each client works directly with the attorney on the file.
- Curbside Crash Investigation: The team identifies the passenger as well as the driver, requests trip records showing where the car stopped, and looks for street video before it is overwritten.
Client Testimonials
A car accident client wrote:
“Absolutely delightful personal injury firm. I called them about my car accident and the attorney who answered walked me through the entire case and made me feel comfortable with the process as I now knew what to expect. The staff is very patient and responsive, everyone is respectful and professional. I am very happy with my experience and highly recommend this firm.”
Lena K, Google Review
Why Choose Kucher Law Group
A dooring crash can leave two defendants pointing at each other and a cyclist caught between them. Kucher Law Group identifies everyone involved, sends the no-fault application to the right carrier, and builds proof of fault and injury that fits the rules now governing vehicle cases. Consultations are free, and fees depend on results.
Contact: (929) 563-6780 | 463 Pulaski St #1C, Brooklyn, NY 11221
#2 Finz & Finz, P.C.
Why They Made Our List: Finz & Finz, P.C. pairs more than four decades of New York injury practice with a Brooklyn office on Spencer Street and the largest recovery total stated by any firm in this ranking. Its Brooklyn rideshare page sets out coverage rules and deadlines for people hurt in app-based crashes.
Firm Overview
Finz & Finz, P.C. represents injured New Yorkers from 31 Spencer Street, Suite 1202, in Brooklyn, and it lists a toll-free line, 855-867-3476, alongside its local number. The firm handles cases on contingency, so clients owe no legal fee unless compensation is recovered. It reports more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements over its history.
Notable Achievements
- More than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements (firm-reported)
- Four of the top 20 New York personal injury settlements in 2020 (firm-reported)
- An $18.8 million settlement involving Philip Morris
- A $2.35 million medical malpractice verdict
- Lawyers of Distinction 2024, Super Lawyers, the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell
Lead Attorney and Team
Stuart L. Finz is the attorney featured on the firm’s Brooklyn rideshare page. Leonard L. Finz, a former New York State Supreme Court Justice, founded the practice, and the roster includes Cheri Finz, Todd M. Rubin, Jacquelin Finz, and Brandon S. Finz. The firm states that four former judges are part of its legal team.
Service Approach
The firm’s rideshare guidance is organized as a sequence an injured person can follow. It flags the 30-day window for notifying a no-fault insurer and the 45-day deadline for proof of claim, explains the serious injury standard in NY Insurance Law §5102(d), and notes the three-year period for filing most injury lawsuits along with the 90-day notice that applies to government entities. It also describes how coverage changes with the status of the driver’s app. For a cyclist who never expected to face a rideshare company’s insurer, that roadmap is a clear starting point.
Contact: (718) 957-2407 | 31 Spencer St, Suite 1202, Brooklyn, NY 11205
#3 Ajlouny Injury Law
Why They Made Our List: Ajlouny Injury Law combines more than 25 years of injury practice, a stated $300 million in statewide recoveries, and a dedicated Brooklyn Uber and Lyft page.
Firm Overview
Ajlouny Injury Law practices from 26 Court Street in Brooklyn, a short walk from Borough Hall and the borough’s courthouses. The firm has concentrated on personal injury for more than a quarter century and reports recovering over $300 million for New York clients, including verdicts in the multi-million-dollar range. It accepts cases with no upfront costs, and clients pay nothing unless the firm wins.
Notable Achievements
- More than $300 million recovered for clients across New York (firm-reported)
- Multi-million-dollar verdicts, as described by the firm
- Recognition from Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Association
Lead Attorney and Team
Paul Ajlouny, the founding attorney, leads the practice, and attorney Michael Levitz handles injury matters with him. The firm’s Brooklyn Uber and Lyft page names both lawyers as contacts for people hurt in app-based crashes, so a new client knows from the first call who will be responsible for the file.
Service Approach
The firm keeps its work centered on New York personal injury law and the courts where these claims are heard. Because representation begins with no upfront cost, a cyclist who cannot ride to work after a crash can bring in counsel without dipping into savings. Its dedicated Brooklyn rideshare page explains the kinds of Uber and Lyft claims the firm handles. The phone number listed on that page carries a 516 area code, while the office itself sits on Court Street.
Contact: (516) 535-5555 | 26 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY 11242
#4 Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C.
Why They Made Our List: Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. keeps a Court Street office in Brooklyn, publishes a dedicated Brooklyn Uber accident page, and states that its attorneys bring 40 or more years of experience.
Firm Overview
The firm, which also practices as Rosenbaum Meier Personal Injury Lawyers, works from 32 Court Street, Suite 704. It takes Uber and Lyft accident claims on a contingency fee basis and reports recovering tens of millions of dollars for injured clients. A second number with a 212 area code, 212-514-5007, is also listed.
Notable Achievements
The firm cites tens of millions of dollars in recoveries for injured New Yorkers. Its rideshare page does not publish individual case results or awards, so someone comparing firms can ask about similar claims during the free case assessment.
Lead Attorney and Team
Rather than naming one lead attorney, the firm presents its lawyers as a group and credits them with 40 or more years of experience. A Spanish-language version of the website is available, which lets Spanish-speaking riders and cyclists read about their options in their own language.
Service Approach
Each case begins with a free assessment, and fees are owed only after a recovery. The Court Street office is close to the borough’s courts, which is convenient for clients who prefer to meet in person while they recover.
Contact: (718) 550-3601 | 32 Court Street, Suite 704, Brooklyn, NY 11201
#5 Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel
Why They Made Our List: Jay S. Knispel, a Brooklyn native, brings more than 25 years of litigation experience and a dedicated Brooklyn Lyft accident page.
Firm Overview
The Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel is located at 26 Court Street, Suite 2511, and also lists the number (718) 802-1600. The firm reports tens of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements over the attorney’s career.
Notable Achievements
The firm’s rideshare page points to that career total rather than listing individual cases or named awards.
Lead Attorney and Team
Jay S. Knispel has litigated injury cases for more than 25 years. Clients work with him through his own named practice, and having grown up in Brooklyn, he knows the streets where these crashes happen.
Service Approach
The firm’s Brooklyn Lyft page outlines common rideshare claims and invites injured people to call for guidance. “Hablamos Espanol” appears on the website, so Spanish-speaking clients can talk through a crash in the language they know best.
Contact: (718) 395-2960 | 26 Court St., Suite 2511, Brooklyn, NY 11242
Understanding Brooklyn Rideshare Accident Cases
Pickups and drop-offs are where rideshare cars meet cyclists most often. Four parts of the borough show how those few seconds turn into claims.
Jay Street Between DUMBO and the Busway
Jay Street links the Manhattan Bridge bike path to DUMBO and Downtown Brooklyn. Between Tillary and Livingston streets it runs as a busway with protected bike lanes, where cars are allowed only for local access on weekdays. Drivers sometimes stop in the bike lane instead of circling the block, and a passenger stepping out on the street side puts a door right in a cyclist’s path.
Schermerhorn Street in Boerum Hill
Along the northern edge of Boerum Hill, Schermerhorn Street carries a two-way protected bike lane between Smith Street and Flatbush Avenue, a route that 6sqft reported serves more than 1,000 cyclists on a typical weekday. Cars turning across the lane toward a drop-off create conflicts at intersections where riders have no barrier.
Court Street and Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill
Restaurants and shops on Court Street and Atlantic Avenue generate a steady flow of short trips, and open curb space is scarce. Drivers double-park beside parked cars, which leaves passengers opening doors into the same lane cyclists are riding in.
Nostrand Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Nostrand Avenue carries the B44 Select Bus Service, and Flatbush Avenue is lined with crowded bus stops. NYC DOT guidance lets drivers enter an active bus lane only to make the next right turn or to quickly pick up or drop off passengers. A rideshare car that lingers there or pulls out without looking can strike a cyclist passing on the left.
Who Can Be Held Liable
- The passenger who opened the door, under NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §1214
- The rideshare driver, for stopping in a bike lane, failing to warn the passenger, or pulling out unsafely
- The owner of the TLC-licensed vehicle, who can answer for the driver’s negligence under NY Vehicle and Traffic Law §388
- Another motorist who hit a cyclist forced out of the lane
- A government entity, when a city vehicle or a defective roadway contributed
Critical NYC Requirements
- The door rule: VTL §1214 bars any person from opening a door on the side next to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe, and from leaving it open longer than needed to load or unload passengers. In Gonzalez v O Tembelis Trans, Inc. (1st Dept 2020), the court found a prima facie showing that a taxi passenger violated the statute. In Singh v Hana Express Cab Corp. (2d Dept 2023), a cyclist who struck a taxi passenger’s door was denied summary judgment against the cab’s driver and owner because factual questions remained,.
- No-fault for cyclists: A cyclist injured through the use of a car generally applies to that car’s no-fault insurer, because the mandatory endorsement in 11 NYCRR 65-1.1 excludes a named insured struck as a pedestrian by another insured vehicle from his or her own policy. Written notice is due within 30 days, and basic economic loss runs up to $50,000 under NY Insurance Law §5102(a).
- Liability coverage: Pain and suffering come from liability policies. The rideshare vehicle’s TLC-required policy responds to the driver’s negligence, but whether it covers a passenger’s door can be disputed.
- Reformed fault and threshold rules: For motor vehicle actions commenced on or after May 26, 2026, the 90/180-day category is gone from NY Insurance Law §5102(d), and new CPLR §1411(b) bars a claimant whose culpable conduct is greater than the defendants’. Claims with no motor vehicle involved keep pure comparative fault under CPLR §1411.
- Deadlines: Most suits must be filed within three years under NY CPLR §214, and General Municipal Law §50-e requires a 90-day notice of claim for city vehicles.
Selection Criteria
Each firm was evaluated from the point of view of a cyclist hurt by a rideshare car or by a door opened from one.
Case Results and Recovery Amounts. Published verdicts and settlements in vehicle cases show what a firm has achieved against insurers that resisted. Specific dollar figures counted for more than general claims of success, and self-reported totals were labeled so readers can weigh them on their own terms.
Trial Readiness. With modified comparative fault now governing vehicle cases, a fault split can decide whether a cyclist recovers anything at all. Firms with a dedicated trial attorney or a verdict record give clients a credible answer to an insurer that inflates the rider’s share of blame.
Legal Experience and Expertise. A dooring claim can involve VTL §1214, no-fault eligibility for a non-occupant, two possible defendants, and the reformed serious injury statute. Long New York injury practice helps a lawyer keep each of those pieces straight and avoid a misstep that costs the client benefits.
Innovation in Practice. The best proof of where a car stopped often sits in trip logs, dashcams, and storefront cameras that record over themselves within days. Firms that move quickly to request and preserve that digital trail earned credit over those relying on witness memory.
Client Satisfaction. Reviews show how a firm treats people during a long recovery. We looked for consistent comments about clear explanations and responsiveness across many reviews, rather than a few standout remarks.
Accessibility and Communication. Many cyclists are hurt commuting at dusk or riding deliveries late at night. Firms that answer around the clock and keep clients informed as fault is argued ranked higher than those limited to weekday hours.
Brooklyn Community Connection. Knowing which streets carry protected lanes, busways, and crowded bus stops helps a lawyer reconstruct a curbside crash. A Brooklyn office also makes it easier for an injured rider to meet in person.
Fee Structure and Transparency. Contingency representation lets a cyclist who cannot work pursue a claim without paying up front. Firms that state their fee model openly and offer a free consultation or case assessment were credited, and unstated terms were never assumed.
Scope of Services. One crash can produce a no-fault claim, a bike repair claim, and a lawsuit against a driver, a passenger, and a vehicle owner. A firm able to handle every track keeps the case coordinated under one roof.
Moving Forward
A crash with a rideshare door or a car darting to the curb happens in seconds, and the evidence can vanish almost as fast. Get medical care right away and follow through with imaging and specialists, since the serious injury standard now rests on objective proof. Photograph the car, its TLC plate, and the spot where it stopped, ask for the passenger’s name, collect witness contacts, and note any storefront cameras nearby. Keep the damaged bike and helmet as they are.
Whether the crash happened on Jay Street in DUMBO, beside a Schermerhorn Street lane in Boerum Hill, or at a Flatbush Avenue bus stop in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, a first conversation with a lawyer can be free. Kucher Law Group offers a free consultation, and other firms on this list describe contingency fees or free case assessments. Ask each firm how it handles dooring and cyclist claims, then choose the representation you trust.
About Our Rankings: Busisess Leader Post’s monthly rankings recognize excellence in specialized practice areas. Our evaluation process examines case results, client satisfaction, professional experience, and community impact. Rankings are based on verified data and are updated monthly to reflect current performance. Enhanced profiles are available but not required for ranking consideration.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique, and results depend on specific facts and circumstances.