Fort Lauderdale Bicycle Crash Lawyer

Fort Lauderdale Bicycle Crash Lawyer

You went out for a ride on A1A or Las Olas Blvd, and a driver never saw you. Now you are hurt, the bills are coming in, and the insurance company is already calling. You may wonder if anyone believes you were riding safely.

Those fears are exactly why I started this firm. I am George Palaidis, and I ride these same Broward County roads as a member of the Florida Bicycle Association. I built Palaidis Law to represent injured cyclists throughout Fort Lauderdale and hold negligent drivers accountable, not to treat your bicycle crash like a routine car case. We investigate what happened, deal directly with the insurance company, and pursue full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain.

Contact a bicycle crash lawyer at Palaidis Law today for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win your case.

Why Injured Cyclists Trust Palaidis Law

I am not a general injury lawyer who added bicycle crashes to a list of practice areas. I ride the same roads my clients ride, from the A1A coastal route to the streets of Victoria Park and Coral Ridge, and I am an active member of the Florida Bicycle Association. That firsthand experience shapes how I build every case.

I also call these crashes what they are. Most bicycle collisions happen because a negligent driver failed to look, failed to yield, or misjudged how much room a cyclist needs, not because of bad luck. South Florida outlets, including Fort Lauderdale Illustrated and The Coastal Star, have interviewed me about why Florida’s bicycle laws often leave negligent drivers with little to answer for. I built Palaidis Law to change that outcome for my clients, one case at a time.

Common Bicycle Crash Scenarios on Fort Lauderdale Roads

Fort Lauderdale’s riding routes come with real danger. Florida, including Broward County, has one of the highest rates of cyclist injuries and deaths in the country, and many crashes fall into a few common patterns:

• Right-hook and left-cross crashes: A driver turns across your path at an intersection often along US-1/Federal Highway or Sunrise Blvd, without checking for a rider first. The driver’s failure to yield the right of way causes the crash.
• Dooring: A parked driver on Las Olas or in downtown Fort Lauderdale opens a car door directly into a bike lane and hits a cyclist.
• Rear-end crashes: A distracted or speeding driver hits you from behind on higher-speed roads, including stretches of the A1A corridor, and causes a bicycle crash.
• Hit-and-run crashes: A driver strikes you and leaves the scene. Your own uninsured motorist coverage can still provide compensation for your damages.

Whatever the pattern, the outcome is the same. You are left hurt because of someone else’s driving choice, not your own.

Injuries in Fort Lauderdale Bicycle Crashes

Cyclists have almost no protection compared to someone inside a car. That is why bicycle crashes often cause traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, road rash, and spinal injuries.

The more serious the injury, the more your damages claim needs to account for. For example, a concussion may heal in weeks. However, a traumatic brain injury can mean months of therapy, lost income, and care you will need for years. We build your case around what your recovery actually requires, so your claim reflects your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, both now and down the road.

Florida Bicycle Laws and Your Rights as a Cyclist

Under Florida bicycle law, you have the same rights and duties as any driver on the road. For example, as a cyclist you must follow right-of-way rules and you have the right to recover damages if you are hurt by a negligent driver.

Florida’s three-foot passing law (Fla. Stat. § 316.083) requires drivers to leave at least three feet of space when passing you, whether you are in a travel lane or a bike lane. A driver who passes too close and causes a crash may have violated this law, which can support your negligence claim.

Florida also created new Vulnerable Road User protections in 2024. A driver who seriously injures a cyclist while committing another traffic violation, like speeding or running a red light, now faces a minimum $1,500 fine and a 90-day license suspension. Those consequences increase to a minimum $5,000 fine and a one-year revocation if the crash is fatal. 

I have discussed these protections with South Florida media, and I use them to hold negligent drivers accountable whenever they apply. These same protections generally extend to other forms of micromobility, such as e-bike and e-scooter riders, since Florida treats most e-bikes like traditional bicycles on the road.

Who Pays for a Bicycle Crash in Florida, and What Your Claim Is Worth

After a bicycle crash, your own auto insurance usually pays first. Under Florida’s no-fault insurance system, your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays 80% of your medical bills up to $10,000, and your health insurance covers the rest. You must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the crash to receive PIP benefits. Additionally, a qualified provider must certify that you had an emergency medical condition for your bills to be covered up to $10,000. Without that certification, PIP coverage drops to $2,500.

Once your PIP limits run out, you can pursue the at-fault driver’s bodily injury coverage. If the driver has none or fled the scene, your own uninsured motorist coverage can step in instead.

Florida also follows modified comparative negligence to determine each party’s percentage of liability. You may still recover damages if you are 50% or less liable for the crash. If you are found partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault rather than eliminated. A driver’s insurer may argue that riding without a helmet reduced your damages, even though Florida only requires helmets for riders under 16. We counter these arguments with the facts of your crash, not just the law on paper.

What to Do After a Bicycle Crash in Fort Lauderdale

What you do in the hours after a bicycle crash can affect your claim later. As a cyclist, you can:

• Call 911 so a police report is created, even if the crash feels minor
• Get checked by a doctor the same day
• Photograph the scene, your bicycle, and your injuries before anything is moved or repaired
• Get the driver’s name, insurance information, and contact details for any witnesses

Do not give a recorded statement to the driver’s insurance company, and do not accept a settlement offer before having a free consultation with a lawyer. Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize what they pay, and an early recorded statement can be used against you later.

How Palaidis Law Handles Your Bicycle Crash Case

Once you hire us, we start by building the proof your case needs. We pull the police report, track down witnesses, and document the scene, whether that means skid marks near Sunrise Blvd or a damaged bike frame that shows exactly how the crash happened. Our goal is to identify who had the right-of-way, locate the negligent driver, determine liability, and estimate your damages.

We negotiate directly with the insurance company so you do not have to. If the insurer will not offer what your case is worth, we are prepared to take your case to trial at the Broward County Courthouse. 

This all starts when you meet with a Fort Lauderdale bicycle crash lawyer for a free consultation. You pay nothing upfront, and you owe no fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Florida Cyclists Deserve Strong Representation.

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Bicycle Crash FAQ

Who is at fault in a Florida bicycle crash?

Fault comes down to negligence, usually a driver who failed to yield, passed too closely, or was distracted. We investigate the police report, witness statements, and scene evidence to prove what the driver did wrong. Florida’s comparative negligence law can reduce your recovery if you share some fault, but it will not eliminate your claim entirely.

Who pays my medical bills after a bike crash in Florida?

Your own auto insurance PIP coverage pays first, covering 80 percent of your bills up to $10,000, with your health insurance covering the rest. Beyond that, you can pursue the at-fault driver’s insurance and your own uninsured motorist coverage.

How much is a bicycle crash settlement worth in Fort Lauderdale?

Your settlement depends on your medical bills, lost wages, future care, and pain and suffering. A serious injury such as a traumatic brain injury raises the value of a claim significantly. We can give you a realistic range once we review your medical records and the details of your crash.

Does Florida’s comparative negligence law reduce my bicycle crash claim?

Yes, it can. You may still recover compensation if you are 50% or less responsible for the crash. For example, if you are found 20% at fault on a $100,000 claim, you would recover $80,000 instead of the full amount. You are not barred from recovering just because you share some of the blame.

Do I have to wear a helmet, and does it affect my claim?

Florida only requires helmets for riders under 16, so not wearing one is not automatically negligence for an adult. Insurance companies sometimes argue it anyway, and we push back on that argument with the facts of your specific crash.

What should I do right after a bicycle crash?

Call 911 for a police report, get medical care the same day, and photograph the scene and your bike before anything changes. Get the driver’s information and any witnesses’ contact details, and speak with a lawyer before giving the insurance company a recorded statement.

Contact a Fort Lauderdale Bicycle Crash Lawyer Today

You do not have to face the insurance company alone, and you do not have to figure out Florida’s bicycle laws by yourself either. As a Fort Lauderdale bicycle crash lawyer and an active member of the Florida Bicycle Association, I built this firm to represent riders like you.

Contact Palaidis Law today for a free consultation about your bicycle crash. You pay nothing upfront, and you owe no fee unless we win your case.