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Fort Lauderdale’s warm weather and flat terrain make it a great place to ride, but they also put cyclists in constant contact with heavy traffic. When a driver fails to share the road, the cyclist almost always pays the price. If you were hurt in a bicycle accident, the steps you take in the hours and days afterward can protect both your health and your right to compensation. This guide walks through what to do, your rights under Florida law, and the deadline you cannot afford to miss.
At the Scene
Call 911 and Report the Crash
Always call the police, even if the driver is apologetic and offers to settle privately. A police report creates an official record, documents the driver’s information, and notes any traffic violations. Without it, the case can come down to your word against the driver’s, and memories and stories change. Stay at the scene until officers arrive and a report is made.
Document Everything You Can
If you are physically able, photograph the vehicle, your bicycle, the roadway, traffic signals, bike lane markings, and your visible injuries. Capture the driver’s license plate and insurance information, and get the names and contact details of any witnesses before they leave. In a busy area, independent witnesses and nearby surveillance or traffic-camera footage can disappear within days, so the sooner this evidence is identified, the better.
Get Medical Care the Same Day
See a doctor immediately, even if you think your injuries are minor. Adrenaline masks pain, and head and internal injuries can worsen over the following days. Prompt treatment protects your health and creates a medical record that ties your injuries to the crash. A gap between the accident and your first visit is one of the first things an insurer will use to argue that you were not really hurt.
Common Causes of Fort Lauderdale Bicycle Accidents
Most bicycle crashes are caused by driver inattention rather than rider error. Common causes include drivers failing to yield at intersections, drivers turning across a cyclist’s path, motorists opening a car door into the bike lane, distracted and impaired driving, and unsafe passing that gives the rider too little room. Understanding the cause of your crash is the first step in establishing who is responsible and protecting your right to recover.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
Because a cyclist has no protective barrier, even a single collision can cause lasting harm. Common injuries include head and traumatic brain injuries, especially when no helmet was worn, broken bones in the arms, wrists, and collarbone from bracing on impact, facial injuries, spinal damage, road rash requiring wound care, and joint injuries that affect long-term mobility. These injuries can mean weeks or months away from work and significant medical costs. Capturing the full extent of your treatment, including any future care, is essential to recovering what your claim is truly worth rather than settling for the value of your initial emergency visit.
Your Rights as a Cyclist Under Florida Law
Many drivers wrongly assume cyclists do not belong on the road. Florida law says otherwise. Under Florida Statute 316.2065, a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and all of the duties that apply to the driver of any other vehicle. When a cyclist is riding on a sidewalk or crosswalk, they have the rights and duties of a pedestrian. That means a driver who hits a lawfully riding cyclist can be held responsible just as if they had struck another car, and the rider is entitled to pursue the same kinds of compensation.
Compensation You May Recover
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may be able to recover emergency and ongoing medical costs, future care and rehabilitation, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, damage to your bicycle and gear, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Because cyclists are so exposed, these crashes often produce serious injuries like fractures, head trauma, and joint damage, which can carry costs well into the future.
How Fault and Deadlines Work in Florida
Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule under Florida Statute 768.81. You can recover compensation if you were partly at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share of the blame, but if you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover at all. Drivers and their insurers often argue that the cyclist was not visible, was riding outside a bike lane, or darted into traffic, all in an effort to push your fault over that line. Careful documentation and a clear account of the crash are the best defense.
Florida also limits how long you have to act. For most injury claims, including bicycle accidents, the deadline is two years from the date of the crash. Waiting risks losing both evidence and your right to file entirely.
What Your Bicycle Accident Claim May Be Worth
No two bicycle accident claims are worth the same amount, because the value depends on the specific harm you suffered. The biggest factors are the severity and permanence of your injuries, the total of your past and future medical costs, the income and earning capacity you lost, the degree of fault assigned to each party, and the insurance coverage available. A minor injury that heals fully is worth far less than one that leaves lasting limitations or requires future surgery. Non-economic harm, such as pain, the inability to ride or work as before, and the emotional toll of a long recovery, often makes up a significant share of a serious claim. Because insurers tend to focus only on your immediate bills, having someone document the full and future picture is what protects the real value of your case.
What Not to Do After a Bicycle Accident
- Do not leave the scene before police arrive and a report is made
- Do not tell the driver or their insurer that you are “fine” before you have been examined
- Do not give a recorded statement to the driver’s insurer before speaking with an attorney
- Do not repair or discard your bicycle or damaged gear, which can serve as evidence
- Do not accept an early settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries
State-Specific Notes
Florida requires bicycle helmets only for riders under 16, and riding without one does not bar an adult’s claim, though an insurer may raise it to argue comparative fault. Milano Legal Group also serves Arizona, California, and Texas, each with its own bicycle, fault, and deadline rules. If a dangerous road design or a government vehicle contributed to your crash, much shorter notice deadlines apply, so it is important to identify any government involvement early.
How Milano Legal Group Can Help
We help injured cyclists preserve evidence before it disappears, push back on unfair fault arguments, calculate the full value of their injuries, and deal with the insurance company directly so they can focus on recovery. Learn more on our Fort Lauderdale bicycle accidents page.
We work on a contingency basis, so there are no fees unless we win. Contact Milano Legal Group today at 855-545-1777 for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Serving clients throughout Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas.
