West Palm Beach Bicycle Accident Lawyers

Types of Bicycle Accidents We Handle in Palm Beach County

West Palm Beach cycling creates diverse collision patterns:

• Right-hook collisions: Drivers turning right across bike lanes or into driveways strike cyclists proceeding straight, failing to yield right-of-way to through traffic, not checking mirrors before turns, or misjudging cyclist speed and distance.
• Left-cross intersections crashes: Motorists turning left across traffic strike oncoming cyclists proceeding straight through intersections, claiming they didn’t see bicycles or misjudged cyclist speed—violations of yield requirements for turning vehicles.
• Dooring accidents: Vehicle occupants opening doors into bike lanes or traffic lanes strike passing cyclists, causing falls into traffic, serious impact injuries, or crashes when cyclists swerve to avoid doors and collide with other vehicles or fixed objects.
• Rear-end collisions: Drivers striking cyclists from behind through distracted driving, following too closely, failure to slow for cyclists ahead, or aggressive driving attempting to pass in inadequate space—often occurring on roads without bike lanes where cyclists use full traffic lanes.
• Sideswipe accidents: Motorists passing too closely violate Florida’s three-foot passing law, sideswiping cyclists or forcing them off roads into curbs, drainage ditches, or parked vehicles—particularly dangerous on narrow roads where drivers attempt unsafe passes.
• Intersection failures to yield: Drivers running red lights or stop signs strike cyclists with right-of-way, or drivers turning at intersections fail to yield to cyclists in crosswalks or proceeding straight through traffic signals.
• Driveway and parking lot exits: Vehicles exiting driveways, parking lots, or gas stations strike cyclists on sidewalks or bike paths, failing to stop before crossing pedestrian and bicycle pathways as required by traffic laws.
• Road rage and intentional harassment: Aggressive drivers deliberately buzzing cyclists by passing dangerously close, throwing objects at cyclists, brake-checking in front of bicycles, or intentionally forcing cyclists off roads—conduct creating both negligence and intentional tort claims.
• Night and low-visibility crashes: Drivers striking cyclists at dawn, dusk, or night claiming they couldn’t see bicycles—but Florida law requires drivers to operate at speeds allowing stops within assured clear distance, and visibility issues don’t excuse striking visible cyclists.

Compensation in West Palm Beach Bicycle Accident Cases

Florida law determines recoverable damages in bicycle collision claims:

• Economic damages (no Florida caps): All medical expenses including emergency treatment, surgeries, hospitalizations, physical therapy, skin grafts for road rash, dental work from facial injuries, medications, medical devices, ongoing care for permanent disabilities, and lifetime treatment costs—plus lost wages from missed work and diminished earning capacity if injuries prevent returning to previous employment or cycling-dependent occupations.
• Non-economic damages (pain and suffering): Physical pain from injuries, emotional trauma from collisions, post-traumatic stress affecting ability to cycle or drive, loss of enjoyment in cycling activities and outdoor recreation, disfigurement from scarring, disability’s impact on daily activities, and reduced quality of life from permanent limitations.
• Property damage: Bicycle replacement or repair costs (often significant for high-end road bikes), damaged cycling equipment including helmets and clothing, damaged electronics or other personal items, and loss of use during replacement period.
• Wrongful death damages: Florida’s Wrongful Death Act allows survivors to recover for loss of companionship, support, and guidance, while estates recover lost future earnings, medical expenses before death, and funeral costs—critical in fatal bicycle accidents where driver negligence caused entirely preventable deaths.
• PIP coverage as first layer: Florida’s no-fault system provides $10,000 Personal Injury Protection through your auto insurance (if you own a vehicle) covering 80% of medical expenses and 60% of lost wages regardless of fault—but many cyclists lack PIP coverage and must rely entirely on at-fault driver’s insurance.
• Uninsured motorist coverage: When hit-and-run drivers flee or at-fault motorists lack adequate insurance, cyclists with their own auto insurance policies pursue uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits—though these claims face the same aggressive defense tactics as third-party claims. 

Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule (Florida Statute §768.81 effective March 24, 2023) bars recovery entirely if cyclists are found more than 50% at fault, making insurance company attempts to inflate cyclist responsibility an existential threat to compensation.

If 50% or less at fault, damages are reduced by fault percentage—meaning 30% cyclist fault on $200,000 damages reduces recovery to $140,000.

Insurance companies exploit anti-cyclist bias by arguing that cyclists shouldn’t have been on roads, should have used different routes, or contributed to accidents by riding lawfully in traffic lanes—arguments designed to push fault percentages above 50% and eliminate all recovery.

Felice Trial Attorneys Counters Anti-Cyclist Bias and Fights Comparative Fault Allegations

Bicycle accidents on Palm Beach County roads create insurance defense strategies exploiting anti-cyclist bias—adjuster arguments that cyclists shouldn’t have been on roads, should have used different routes, or contributed to collisions by riding lawfully in traffic lanes where drivers struck them through inattention, aggressive passing, or deliberate disregard for three-foot passing requirements. 

Felice Trial Attorneys handles bicycle accident cases throughout Palm Beach County from our West Palm Beach office at 3 Harvard Circle—available 24/7 when time-sensitive evidence requires immediate attorney response and when insurance companies attempt to establish fault narratives before cyclists understand their legal rights.

Call today to discuss your case.