Bicycle Accident Attorney in Jacksonville

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Riding a bicycle is a healthy, environmentally-friendly activity that is fun and can reduce your costs for traveling short distances. Unfortunately, bicycle accidents involving automobiles are a major cause of serious injuries to children and adults. And Florida is consistently rated as the most dangerous state for bicyclists.

In 2025 alone, there were 9,914 reported motor vehicle crashes involving bicycles in the state of Florida. Those bicycle crashes resulted in 201 deaths and 9,404 injuries. In Duval County alone, there were 383 crashes, 11 fatalities, and 370 injuries.

If you’ve been hit by a car while riding a bicycle, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other income. The best way to learn more about your rights and options is to talk to an experienced bicycle accident attorney.

What to Do after a Jacksonville Bicycle Accident

After a bicycle accident injury or any injury, your first priority should be protecting your health. That means that before you take any of the steps below, you should assess your condition and call for medical help if necessary. Then, you should do only as much as you are physically well enough to do safely. 

1. Call 911. Placing an emergency call allows you to summon police and emergency medical services at the same time.
2. Get insurance information from the driver who hit you. You will need this information to file a claim later, and the driver is legally required to provide it.
3. Take photographs or video of the scene, including your bicycle, the vehicle, the wider accident scene and anything that may have contributed to the accident.
4. Collect contact information from any witnesses at the scene. You should also ask anyone who took pictures or video to send them to you, and to preserve their copy.
5. Look around for cameras. Often, security cameras or traffic cams capture useful information during an accident.
6. Seek medical attention as needed. If you have been injured or are unsure, you should see a doctor or go to the emergency department as soon as possible. Some injuries seem minor at first but worsen if not addressed.
7. Write down what happened. After a traumatic event, you may think you’ll never forget the details. You probably will. Notes you make now can be used to refresh your memory if you have to testify months after the crash.
8. Avoid talking or posting on social media about the accident. When it’s time to pursue compensation, insurance companies will look for every opportunity to deny your claim. Innocent statements you make now could be taken out of context and used against you.
9. Do everything your doctors tell you to do. Skipping follow-ups, slacking on physical therapy, or ignoring restrictions can put both your recovery and your claim at risk.
10. Talk to an experienced bicycle accident lawyer in Jacksonville as soon as possible. 

How Can a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Help?

At Harrell & Harrell, we know how difficult it can be to move forward after a bicycle accident or other serious injury. When you work with a Harrell & Harrell bicycle injury lawyer, we put all of our extensive experience with similar cases and knowledge of the local courts to work for you. 

We’ve been fighting for injured people in and around Jacksonville for decades, and our attorneys are dedicated to securing the best possible outcome for you. To learn more, call (904) 251-1111 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.

Why is It Important to Talk to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer Soon after the Injury? 

You may know that you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida. But that doesn’t mean you can afford to delay. Here are a few reasons you should contact a bicycle accident attorney as soon as possible after your injury. 

• Some cases have special requirements that may require you to take action sooner than you realize.
• Insurance companies are not on your side. Having an attorney between you and the insurance carrier from the beginning can help protect your claim.
• Your attorney can provide you with additional information and advice about how to protect your claim as you recover and move forward.
• Evidence can be lost over time. For example, if a camera captured footage of your crash, that video may be available for a very limited time. 
• Witnesses may be difficult to locate as time passes, or may not clearly recall what they witnessed. 
• A bicycle accident claim can take months to resolve–sometimes longer. The earlier you start the process, the better.
• Your bicycle accident lawyer can take a lot off your plate, so you can focus on your recovery.

At Harrell & Harrell, we offer free consultations and there is never any obligation. That means you have nothing to lose by consulting a Jacksonville bicycle accident attorney right away.

Protecting Yourself Against Florida Bicycle Accidents

There are many steps a bicyclist can take to reduce risks when riding on the road. Some of the most important include wearing a helmet, obeying traffic safety laws, and wearing reflective clothing when riding at night. A bicyclist should also refrain from riding while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and not wear headphones that will make it difficult to hear surrounding traffic. While a bike rider can take every precaution, they can still get hit by a car or truck. The larger size and higher speed of a motor vehicle may make it impossible for the bicyclist to take evasive action in time.

Often when a motor vehicle hits a bicyclist, the driver says that they simply failed to see the cyclist in time. Although this may be true, it is no defense against the charge of negligence while carelessly operating a motor vehicle. Note that the driver may not always be cited at the scene—in some cases, the bicyclist may even receive a citation. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the driver was in the right, and the injured cyclist or surviving family members may still be entitled to compensation. At Harrell & Harrell, P.A., our injury attorneys are experienced at investigating and documenting personal injury and wrongful death claims for injured cyclists, and fighting for them in court.

Florida Bicycle Safety with Renee Harrell

Florida Legal Rules Related to Bicycle Accidents

Negligence in Bicycle Accident Cases

The most important law relating to Jacksonville bicycle accidents is the legal standard that determines who is liable for damages. When you choose to drive a motor vehicle, you have a duty to operate that vehicle safely, for the protection of others on the road and their property. Not all drivers live up to that duty. Too often, a bicyclist is hurt or killed because a driver wasn’t paying attention, was driving too aggressively, or in some other way operated unsafely. Some common causes of bike accidents include:

• Failure to yield the right of way
• Driving in bicycle lanes
• Making illegal turns
• Driving under the influence
• Speeding or reckless driving
• Hazardous road conditions
• Intentional acts by drivers
• Distracted drivers
• Backing out of a driveway
• Failure to check blind spots

When a driver fails to live up to their duty and someone gets hurt as a result, they are usually liable for any damages caused. Those damages may include: 

• Medical expenses related to the injury, including reimbursement for care already provided and projected continuing medical costs
• Cost of assistance needed due to the injuries, such as household assistance and transportation services
• Cost of equipment necessitated by the accident, such as a wheelchair or an accessible van
• Cost of adaptations to your home to accommodate injury-related limitations, such as installation of ramps or remodelling of a bathroom to accommodate a wheelchair
• Lost income, including both wages lost during your recovery and any long-term loss of earning capacity
• Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life

Every case is different, so the best source of information about the damages you may be entitled to is your bicycle injury attorney. In some cases, expert witnesses may be required to help establish the extent of any long-term injuries and projected medical care, or to project lost future earnings. An experienced bicycle accident attorney in Jacksonville can identify, hire and work with the experts necessary to build the strongest possible case for you.

The Statute of Limitations in Bicycle Accident Cases

The statute of limitations for most Florida negligence cases, including most bicycle accident cases, is two years from the date of the injury. However, there are some exceptions. For example, if you were injured by a governmental entity–maybe hit by a public bus–you may be required to provide notice much sooner. And, if you were a minor when you were hit by a car while bicycling, you may have longer to pursue damages.

Bicycle Accident Attorneys Help You Recover from a Bike Injury

Car-on-bicycle collisions often cause serious injuries to the cyclist. In part, that’s because of the size and weight of the vehicle colliding with the bike. In part, it’s because the cyclist is entirely exposed, and may be struck directly by the vehicle, thrown, or even run over. The results can be catastrophic, with bike accident victims receiving extensive road rash, fractured limbs, neck or spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), disfigurement, or paralysis. If you were injured in a vehicle-related accident, you may be facing long-term recovery or lifelong injuries.

That means your recovery may be expensive, with large medical bills, additional assistance, and costly special equipment combined with extensive lost work time. Insurance companies know that long-term costs can be very high, and they don’t want to be on the hook for years of medical expenses and other damages. So, they’ll often offer a quick settlement, claiming that they understand the situation you’re in and know that you need the money as soon as possible. It’s more likely that they are trying to lock down a settlement before you find out the full extent of your damages so that they won’t have to pay the full amount. If they’re successful and you need future medical care, you could end up responsible for the bills.

Free Consultation with a Bicycle Accident Lawyer

The best way to avoid pitfalls like this is to consult an experienced bicycle accident attorney or wrongful death attorney right away after the accident. Let your personal injury lawyer talk with the insurance company, gather evidence, negotiate on your behalf, and—if it’s in your best interest—fight for you at trial. To learn more about how Harrell & Harrell can help, call 904-251-1111 right now.

DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS THAN YOU DESERVE.^®

Bicycle Accident FAQs

After a bicycle accident injury, you’ll want to talk to a Jacksonville bicycle accident lawyer right away. There’s no substitute for personalized advice from an experienced attorney. Until then, the information below will give you a general idea of what to expect.