Florida Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Cyclists Are Among Florida’s Most Vulnerable Road Users. We Fight for Their Rights.

Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users in Florida. With no metal frame, airbags, or seatbelts to protect them, bicyclists who are struck by motor vehicles often suffer catastrophic injuries. Yet insurance companies routinely blame cyclists, dispute injuries, and minimize claims.

At Florida Advocates, we represent injured cyclists throughout Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, and all of Florida. We investigate the accident scene, preserve critical evidence, document your injuries, and pursue full compensation from negligent drivers and their insurers.

Carlos D. Cabrera spent years as insurance defense counsel before becoming a trial lawyer. He knows from the inside exactly how insurers defend bicycle accident claims — including the blame-shifting tactics they use against cyclists — and he begins building the counter-evidence from day one.

A Real Case: When the X-Ray Missed What the MRI Found

This case demonstrates why accepting quick settlement offers is dangerous. Insurance companies know that injured cyclists often have more severe injuries than initial diagnostics reveal. They push for fast settlements before the full extent of injuries is known. We do not let that happen.

Florida Bicycle Accident Statistics — The Most Dangerous State for Cyclists

Florida is consistently ranked as the most dangerous state in the nation for bicyclists. The combination of year-round cycling weather, high traffic volumes, tourist drivers unfamiliar with local roads, and inadequate bike infrastructure makes Florida roads particularly dangerous for cyclists.

Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)

Broward County alone recorded 888 bicycle crashes in 2023, resulting in 9 fatalities. Many more crashes go unreported, particularly those involving minor property damage where the cyclist leaves the scene to seek medical attention.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Florida

Distracted driving

Drivers looking at phones, adjusting GPS, eating, or otherwise not watching the road. Distracted drivers frequently fail to see cyclists until it is too late.

Failure to yield

Drivers not yielding to cyclists at intersections, driveways, or when turning. Cyclists have the same right to the road as motor vehicles.

Dooring accidents

A parked driver or passenger opens their door directly into the path of an oncoming cyclist. These accidents cause severe injuries because the cyclist has no time to react.

Right hook accidents

A driver passes a cyclist then immediately turns right directly in front of them, cutting off the cyclist’s path.

Left cross accidents

A driver turns left across the path of an oncoming cyclist, often claiming they “didn’t see” the bicycle.

Rear-end collisions

A driver strikes a cyclist from behind, often due to speed, inattention, or following too closely.

Unsafe passing

Passing too close to cyclists without the legally required three feet of clearance under Florida Statute 316.083.

Drunk or impaired driving

Drivers under the influence with impaired reaction times, judgment, and ability to see cyclists.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries

Because cyclists have no protection against multi-ton vehicles, injuries tend to be severe:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

Even with helmets, the force of impact can cause concussions, skull fractures, and permanent brain damage

Spinal cord injuries and paralysis

Impact with vehicles or the ground can damage the spine

Broken bones and fractures

Arms, legs, wrists, collarbones, ribs, pelvis, and facial bones

Road rash and skin abrasions

Severe abrasions requiring skin grafts in serious cases

Internal organ damage

Liver, spleen, and kidney injuries from blunt force trauma

Facial injuries and dental trauma

Facial fractures, lost teeth, and disfigurement

Shoulder and collarbone injuries

Common when cyclists extend arms to break falls

Knee and leg injuries

Ligament tears, fractures, and soft tissue damage

Wrongful death

205 Florida cyclists died in 2023

Florida’s Three-Foot Passing Law

Under Florida Statute 316.083, drivers must maintain a minimum distance of three feet when passing a bicycle. This is not a suggestion — it is the law.

Violations of the three-foot passing law are evidence of negligence. If a driver struck you while passing too closely, this statutory violation significantly strengthens your case. We document passing distances using accident reconstruction, witness testimony, and physical evidence.

Bicyclist Rights and Responsibilities in Florida

Florida law (Statute 316.2065) gives bicyclists the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers. Cyclists are entitled to use the roadway and must be treated as legitimate road users.

Key cyclist rights in Florida:

Right to full use of a lane when necessary for safety
Right to ride two abreast in a single lane
Right to use sidewalks (unless prohibited by local ordinance)
Right to three feet of clearance when being passed
Right to be yielded to at intersections and crosswalks

Insurance companies often try to blame cyclists, arguing they were not visible, were riding unpredictably, failed to signal, or contributed to the accident. These are standard tactics to reduce payouts.

We counter these arguments by:

Investigating the accident scene
Reviewing traffic camera footage and nearby business surveillance
Interviewing witnesses
Working with accident reconstruction experts
Documenting road conditions, lighting, and visibility

What Insurance Companies Do After a Florida Bicycle Accident

When you file a claim after a bicycle accident, the driver’s insurance company (or your own UM/UIM insurer) will work to minimize what they pay. Common tactics include:

Blaming the cyclist

Claiming you were hard to see, riding erratically, not wearing reflective clothing, or not using lights

Arguing you were not in the bike lane

Even though Florida law allows cyclists to use full lanes

Claiming the driver “couldn’t see you”

As if failure to look is a defense rather than negligence

Disputing injury severity

Arguing injuries are minor or pre-existing

Offering quick settlements

Before you understand the full extent of your injuries

Requesting recorded statements

While you are in pain and before you have legal representation

Denying the three-foot violation

Even when evidence clearly shows unsafe passing

Arguing you assumed the risk

By choosing to ride a bicycle on the road

What to Do After a Bicycle Accident in Florida

Call 911

Report the accident and request medical attention even if injuries seem minor. Adrenaline masks pain, and some serious injuries (like internal bleeding or fractures) may not be immediately apparent.

Stay at the scene

Do not leave until police arrive and you have exchanged information with the driver.

Document everything

Take photos of the accident location, vehicle damage, your bicycle, road conditions, traffic signs, and your visible injuries. Photograph the driver’s license plate, insurance card, and driver’s license.

Get witness information

Get names, phone numbers, and email addresses for anyone who saw the accident.

Note surveillance cameras

Look for traffic cameras and nearby business security cameras that may have captured the accident.

Accept medical transport if offered

Do not refuse ambulance transport. If you decline, see a doctor within 24 hours.

Preserve your bicycle

Do not repair or discard your bicycle. It is evidence. Store it exactly as it was after the accident.

Preserve your clothing and helmet

Do not wash or discard what you were wearing. Helmet damage documents impact severity.

Do not give recorded statements

Do not speak with the driver’s insurance company without an attorney.

Do not accept quick settlement offers

These are designed to close your claim before you understand your injuries.

Contact Florida Advocates immediately

We send preservation letters for traffic camera footage and nearby surveillance before it is deleted.

The 14-Day Rule for Bicycle Accidents

Florida’s 14-day rule applies to bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles. Under Florida Statute 627.736, you must receive initial medical treatment within 14 days of the accident to qualify for PIP (Personal Injury Protection) benefits.

If you wait 15 days or longer, you forfeit your right to PIP coverage — even if your injuries are severe. This rule catches many accident victims off guard, especially those who think their pain will go away or who do not realize the severity of their injuries immediately.

If you have been in a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle, see a doctor within 14 days. Do not wait.

Why Carlos D. Cabrera Handles Bicycle Accident Cases Differently

Most personal injury lawyers have only ever worked one side of a bicycle accident claim — the plaintiff’s side. Carlos D. Cabrera worked on both sides before he ever set foot in a courtroom as a trial lawyer.

Before law school, Carlos worked as insurance defense counsel. He evaluated bicycle accident claims, reviewed police reports, and developed the arguments insurers use to blame cyclists and minimize payouts. He was selected to handle his firm’s largest and most complex insurance defense matters.

He was then recruited by a personal injury firm — which is where he decided to switch sides and represent injury victims himself.

When Carlos takes on your bicycle accident case, he is not guessing what the insurance company is going to argue. He already knows. And he begins gathering the evidence that defeats their strategy from day one — including preservation letters for traffic camera footage and nearby surveillance that gets deleted quickly.

Learn more about Carlos D. Cabrera →

Damages You Can Recover in a Florida Bicycle Accident Case

Medical expenses

Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and future treatment

Lost wages

Time missed from work during recovery

Reduced earning capacity

If injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation

Pain and suffering

Physical pain and discomfort from the injury

Emotional distress

Anxiety, depression, fear of riding again, PTSD

Permanent disability or disfigurement

Including amputation, scarring, or loss of function

Bicycle replacement

Cost of your damaged bicycle and equipment

Loss of enjoyment of life

Inability to cycle or participate in activities you previously enjoyed

Wrongful death damages

If a loved one died as a result of a bicycle accident

Florida Bicycle Accident Statute of Limitations

Florida law gives you two years from the date of injury to file a bicycle accident lawsuit. Miss this deadline and you lose your right to recover — no matter how strong your case.

The bigger practical deadline is the evidence deadline. Traffic camera footage and nearby business surveillance is typically deleted within 24-72 hours. Contact us immediately to preserve the evidence that proves your case.

About Lawyer Carlos D. Cabrera

Carlos D. Cabrera leads the Personal Injury Department at Florida Advocates. Before becoming a lawyer, Carlos worked as insurance defense counsel. That inside knowledge of how insurance companies evaluate, delay, and undervalue claims is what sets him apart.

Education

• J.D. — St. Thomas University College of Law (2000)
• Managing Editor, St. Thomas Law Review
• B.A. English — Florida International University (1994)

Bar Admissions

• The Florida Bar
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida

Carlos’s federal court admissions mean he can handle complex cases that cross state lines or involve federal questions — not just state court claims.

Credentials & Recognitions

• Million Dollar Advocates Forum Member
• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum Member
• Florida Legal Elite Recognition
• Lead Counsel Verified (Appellate, since 2015)
• Former Insurance Defense Counsel

Learn more about Carlos D. Cabrera →

Frequently Asked Questions — Florida Bicycle Accidents

Florida Bicycle Accident Local Resources

HOSPITALS AND TRAUMA CENTERS (Broward County)

Broward Health Medical Center (Level I Trauma Center — Adult and Pediatric)
1600 S Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Phone: (954) 355-4400
Website: https://www.browardhealth.org/

Memorial Regional Hospital (Level I Trauma Center)
3501 Johnson Street, Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 987-2000

Holy Cross Hospital
4725 N Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Phone: (954) 771-8000

COURTS

Broward County Courthouse (17th Judicial Circuit)
201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Website: https://www.browardclerk.org/

No Fee Unless We Win

We work on a contingency fee basis. That means:

Free consultation — no cost to speak with us about your case
No upfront fees — we advance all case costs
No lawyer fees unless we recover for you

You will never receive a bill from us while your case is active. We only get paid when you do.

About Florida Advocates

Florida Advocates is a personal injury law firm headquartered in Dania Beach, Florida — in the heart of Broward County. We represent bicycle accident victims throughout Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, and all of Florida.

OFFICE LOCATIONS:

Dania Beach (Broward County) — Headquarters
45 E Sheridan Street
Dania Beach, FL 33004

North Miami (Miami-Dade County)
13499 Biscayne Blvd #107
North Miami, FL 33181

Tampa (Hillsborough County)
238 E Davis Blvd #210
Tampa, FL 33606
Phone: 754-290-3803

Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Available by phone 24/7 for emergencies

Serving Bicycle Accident Clients Throughout South Florida

Fort Lauderdale | Dania Beach — Office Location | Hollywood | Pembroke Pines | Coral Springs | Plantation | Hallandale Beach | Miramar | Weston | Pompano Beach | Boca Raton | Miami | Miami Beach | Hialeah | North Miami | Tampa

If you were injured while cycling anywhere in Florida, we can help.

Contact a Florida Bicycle Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident anywhere in Florida, contact Florida Advocates today for a free, confidential consultation. Time matters — traffic camera footage and surveillance may be deleted within 24-72 hours. Call now to protect the evidence that proves your case.

Phone: 754-290-3803
Email: info@fladvocates.com

After all, isn’t that what family would do?

Related Practice Areas

If your bicycle accident involved:

A hit and run driver
A fatal injury
Head trauma
Spinal damage
A truck or commercial vehicle