Bicycle Accidents Serving Families Throughout Orlando

Bicycle Accident Attorney in Orlando

An All-Female Trial Team Fighting for Orlando Cyclists. No Fees Unless We Win.

Central Florida ranks among the most dangerous regions in the country for cyclists, and too many Orlando riders know this firsthand. At Legally Pink Law, we represent injured cyclists throughout Orlando and Orange County, working to recover the compensation they deserve after a driver’s negligence changes everything.

Founded in 2010 by Carolyn Salzmann, our all-female personal injury law firm has spent over a decade securing millions in settlements for injured clients. Carolyn holds dual credentials as a licensed engineer and a personal injury attorney, which means she approaches every bicycle accident case with a precise, technical eye for how a crash happened and who is responsible.

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, don’t face the insurance company alone. Call our Orlando bicycle accident attorneys at (888) 979-4941 for a free, confidential consultation. We charge no attorney fees unless we win your case.

Why Injured Cyclists in Orlando Choose Legally Pink Law

We concentrate exclusively on personal injury law. No other practice areas divide our attention or dilute our focus. Every case we take is an injury case, and every bicycle accident client works directly with their attorney at every stage rather than being handed off to a case manager.

That direct access matters when evidence needs to be gathered quickly, when an insurer makes a lowball offer, or when a case needs to go to trial. Our all-female trial team isn’t reluctant to take a case before a jury. When an insurer has offered zero and we’ve gone on to secure $4,000,000 for a client, that result reflects what that commitment can look like in practice.

Our credentials include recognition by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the 10 Best Attorneys for Client Satisfaction. We’re also BBB accredited. But what clients most often tell us matters is that they could actually reach us: our team is available 24/7.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Orlando

Orlando’s high tourist traffic and corridors without dedicated bicycle infrastructure create conditions that put cyclists at real risk every day. Understanding what caused a crash is the first step toward proving who is responsible.

These are the driver behaviors and road conditions we most frequently see behind bicycle accident claims in Orlando:

Distracted driving: Texting, using navigation apps, and other distractions are especially prevalent in tourist-heavy corridors where unfamiliar drivers are already uncertain about their route
Failure to yield: Drivers who don’t yield to cyclists at intersections and driveways cause a significant share of serious collisions
Dangerous passing: Not giving a cyclist adequate space can force them off the road or into a direct impact
Dooring: A driver or passenger opening a car door without checking for oncoming cyclists causes serious injuries even at low speeds
Impaired driving: Drunk or drug-impaired drivers present outsized danger to cyclists who have no protective barrier between themselves and the vehicle
Speeding: Higher speeds reduce reaction time and dramatically increase injury severity when a vehicle strikes a cyclist
Road hazards: Poorly maintained surfaces, missing bike lanes, and road debris can make a property owner or government entity liable for a crash

Injuries Cyclists Suffer in a Bicycle Accident

A cyclist struck by a motor vehicle has almost nothing between their body and the impact. The injuries that result are often severe, and the financial consequences follow quickly: medical bills, lost work, and a long road of rehabilitation.

Bicycle accident injuries we see in our practice include:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A potentially life-altering consequence of bicycle crashes, TBI can occur even when a helmet is worn
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis: High-impact collisions with motor vehicles can cause permanent neurological damage
Broken bones and fractures: Among the most common outcomes of a cycling crash, often requiring surgery and extended recovery
Road rash and lacerations: When a cyclist is thrown from a bike, severe skin injuries and scarring frequently result
Soft tissue injuries: Neck, back, and shoulder damage may not be immediately apparent but can cause lasting pain
Facial and dental injuries: Contact with pavement or a vehicle can cause significant structural damage

Many of these injuries require extended treatment, surgery, and rehabilitation. Those costs routinely exceed what Florida’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage provides, which is why understanding every available avenue for compensation matters.

Compensation Available to Injured Cyclists in Orlando

A bicycle accident claim can pursue both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover the financial losses you can document: current and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and the cost to repair or replace your bicycle. Non-economic damages address real but harder-to-quantify losses: pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

In cases involving intentional misconduct or gross negligence, such as a drunk driver, punitive damages may also be available. Florida imposes no statutory cap on economic or non-economic damages in most personal injury cases. Liability can extend beyond the driver to property owners whose negligence created a road hazard or to a bicycle or vehicle manufacturer in product defect cases.

Florida Law & Your Rights as a Cyclist

Under Florida Statutes 316.2065, cyclists have the same rights and duties on public roads as motor vehicle drivers. That legal standing matters when you’re building a claim against a driver who failed to share the road. Several specific rules shape how a bicycle accident claim proceeds in Florida.

Personal Injury Protection & the Serious Injury Threshold

Florida operates under a no-fault insurance system. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost wages up to policy limits, regardless of who caused the crash. PIP doesn’t cover pain and suffering or other non-economic losses. To pursue those, a cyclist must step outside the no-fault system by meeting the serious injury threshold: a significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, a permanent injury, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death.

Florida HB 837: Statute of Limitations & Comparative Negligence

Two changes under Florida HB 837 (effective March 24, 2023) directly affect bicycle accident claims:

Two-year statute of limitations: For negligence claims arising on or after March 24, 2023, injured cyclists have two years from the date of the crash to file a claim. Waiting risks losing the right to recover entirely.
Modified comparative negligence: Florida replaced its prior pure comparative negligence rule. An injured cyclist can recover damages only if they are found 50% or less at fault. If a jury finds a cyclist more than 50% at fault, recovery is barred.

Florida’s Helmet Law

Florida Statutes 316.2065 requires cyclists under 16 to wear a properly fitted helmet. For adult cyclists, not wearing a helmet can’t be used against you as evidence of negligence in a liability or compensation claim.

Talk to an Orlando Bicycle Accident Attorney at No Cost

We offer free, confidential consultations to injured cyclists in Orlando and throughout Orange County. You pay no attorney fees unless we win your case, and our team is available 24/7.

Insurers move quickly after a crash to limit what they pay. We move quickly to protect your claim. Call Legally Pink Law at (888) 979-4941 to speak with a bicycle accident attorney in Orlando today.

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Orlando

The steps you take in the hours and days after a crash directly affect your ability to recover compensation. Some of the most damaging mistakes injured cyclists make aren’t intentional; they’re the result of not knowing what insurers look for when they’re building a case to deny or minimize a claim.

Get Medical Attention Right Away

Even if you feel relatively okay at the scene, see a doctor the same day. Traumatic brain injuries and soft tissue damage don’t always produce immediate symptoms. A gap between the crash and your first medical visit gives an insurer grounds to argue your injuries weren’t caused by the accident.

Call 911 & Get a Police Report

An official police report documents the facts of the crash, the parties involved, and any initial findings about fault. Don’t leave the scene without one, and get the report number so you can obtain a copy later.

Document the Scene

If you’re physically able to do so safely, photograph and video the scene: the position of the vehicle, damage to your bicycle, visible injuries, road conditions, and any missing bike lane markings. Collect contact and insurance information from the driver and names and contact information from any witnesses.

Preserve Your Bicycle & Gear

Don’t repair or discard your damaged bicycle, helmet, or clothing. These items are physical evidence. An attorney reviewing your case may need them to reconstruct exactly how the crash happened.

Don’t Give a Recorded Statement to the Other Driver’s Insurer

The at-fault driver’s insurance company may contact you quickly and ask for a recorded statement. Decline until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Early recorded statements are routinely used to reduce or deny claims, often by capturing a cyclist before they fully understand the extent of their injuries.

Contact an Attorney Promptly

Florida’s two-year statute of limitations for negligence claims (for incidents on or after March 24, 2023) is a hard deadline. Beyond the legal window, physical evidence fades, witnesses become harder to locate, and video footage from nearby cameras gets overwritten. Early attorney involvement can help protect all of it. Insurers sometimes delay claims, hoping the filing window closes without action; an attorney can help prevent that tactic from succeeding.

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Have Questions? GET ANSWERS

What types of damages can I claim?

In all cases, there are two general categories of damages – economic damages and non-economic damages. You can be compensated for both past and future economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are things such as wage loss, mileage expense to go to doctor appointments, prescription costs, co-pays on insurance, over-the-counter medications, diminution in value to your car, etc. The other category is non-economic damages, which may include things such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, etc.
The non-economic damages are often greater than the economic damages if the injuries are significant enough. Consult with an attorney for a full explanation of these types of damages.
Are there deadlines for filing claims?

Yes. Under Florida law, there are very specific, detailed deadlines to file claims. If you do not meet these deadlines, you may be forever barred from bringing your claim forward.
These time restrictions are known as statutes of limitations, and they vary depending on the type of claim you are bringing. It is critical that you consult with an attorney as soon as possible after your incident so you can receive good legal advice on the time limits for filing a personal injury claim.
How can I recover lost wages?

Wage loss is paid out under your Personal Injury Protection benefit, which happens to be mandatory coverage for auto insurance in the State of Florida. There are exceptions, such as when you elected to have your wage loss reimbursement excluded on your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefit when you obtained your policy.
Normally, people who have their wage loss benefits excluded are those who are not employed for some reason or another. You can also elect to have a standard PIP (which covers wage loss at 60%) or extended PIP (which covers wage loss at 80%).
You will need to provide proof of income in the form of a paycheck stub, income tax return, or some other verifiable means. The remaining percentage of your wage loss not covered by your PIP insurance will become part of your claim against the defendant driver.
When cases do not involve PIP coverage, the wage loss becomes part of the demand to the at-fault party. In most cases, proof of lost income is rather simple if the injured person receives a paycheck. For our clients who are self-employed, we work very closely with them to help them assemble the necessary documentation to prove the wage loss claim. Tax returns can be helpful in instances where clients are self-employed.
How can I recover my out-of-pocket expenses?

Out-of-pocket expenses are always made part of your claim and are part of your economic damages that we seek to recover from the at-fault party. When your claim is presented to the at-fault party, we include your out-of-pocket expenses as part of the demand package.
If your case does not settle in what we call the "pre-suit phase," then your case will proceed to court where we will ask a jury for your out-of-pocket expenses as part of your economic damages on the verdict form.
Will my insurance premiums increase if I report an accident to my insurance company?

Your insurance premiums should not go up if you are not at fault for the accident. It will be part of your insurance record, but if you are not at fault, your premiums should not increase.
In most situations, your own insurance company will go after the insurance company that insures the at-fault party to recover the costs it may have paid to you for things such as car repairs or additional medical expenses.

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