Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Orlando
Family-Style Representation in Four Languages for Injured Cyclists
We represent cyclists injured by negligent drivers, helping them understand Florida fault rules, insurance coverage, and the evidence supporting their claims. From our Orlando office, we serve clients throughout the surrounding metro area in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole.
Our founding attorney, Jean Walkens Merilien, brings his perspective as a Haitian immigrant to every client relationship. That experience shapes our family-style approach. We listen closely, explain each stage clearly, and treat every injured person as more than a case number.
Speak with our Orlando bicycle accident lawyers about your next steps. Call (561) 786-2289 to request a free consultation.
How Negligent Drivers Cause Orlando Bicycle Accidents
Many bicycle crashes begin when a driver overlooks a cyclist who has the right to use the road. Determining what happened may require examining vehicle movements, traffic controls, sightlines, and the bicycle’s position before impact.
Frequent causes of cyclist injuries include:
- Failure to yield: A driver turns across a cyclist’s path at an intersection, driveway, or bike lane.
- Distracted driving: Phone use or another distraction prevents a motorist from seeing a nearby rider.
- Dooring accidents: A driver or passenger opens a parked vehicle’s door into an approaching cyclist’s path.
- Unsafe passing: A motorist clips a bicycle or forces its rider off the road. Florida Statute 316.083 generally requires at least three feet of clearance when a vehicle passes a bicycle traveling in the same direction.
Florida Fault Rules & Filing Deadlines
Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, compensation is reduced according to an injured person’s share of fault. Florida Statute 768.81 allows a cyclist who is 50% or less at fault to recover damages reduced by that percentage. Someone found more than 50% responsible generally can’t recover damages in a negligence action.
HB 837 revised this standard in 2023 and generally established a two-year statute of limitations for negligence claims arising after the law took effect. The precise deadline depends on the crash date and circumstances, so delaying a review may put your right to file at risk.
Florida Statute 316.2065 generally gives bicyclists on public roads the same rights and responsibilities as vehicle drivers. A cyclist’s conduct may affect a claim, but an insurer can’t treat the mere presence of a bicycle as proof that the rider caused the collision.
Clear Communication at Every Stage of Your Claim
We explain the evidence, insurance issues, available options, and important decisions in straightforward language, from the initial consultation through each stage of representation. You won’t be left to interpret unfamiliar legal terms alone.
Clients can discuss a crash and its consequences with us in English, Spanish, French, or Haitian Creole. We also offer virtual consultations and work to keep our services as affordable as possible for those who need legal guidance.
Insurance Coverage Available After a Bicycle Collision
Florida’s no-fault insurance system may apply even when the injured person was cycling instead of driving. Personal Injury Protection, commonly called PIP, pays certain medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused a covered motor vehicle crash. The cyclist’s own policy or qualifying household coverage may apply, depending on the policy and circumstances.
If a negligent driver causes injuries that exceed the available PIP benefits, the driver’s bodily injury liability coverage may provide another source of compensation. What can be pursued depends on the policy terms, injury severity, available evidence, and applicable Florida law.
Uninsured motorist coverage may protect an insured cyclist when the at-fault driver has no applicable liability insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage may apply when the responsible driver has insurance but not enough to address the covered losses. We review the available policies and explain how these forms of coverage may work together.
Real Reviews From Real Clients
Trusted by Clients Across Florida
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“Best lawyer in town, I would recommend them to anyone who is in need of some legal advice.”- J.C.
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“I had an amazing experience with the Merilien Law Firm! The best personal injury, immigration and real estate attorneys in central Florida.”- J.L.