Injured in a Bicycle Accident in St. Petersburg?
Cyclists have every right to share Florida’s roads — but when a careless driver hits one, the rider pays the price. Florida is one of the most dangerous states in the country for bicyclists, and the Tampa Bay area sees more than its share of serious and fatal bike crashes. If you were hurt while cycling in St. Petersburg, Jorgensen Law, P.A. has fought for injured Floridians for more than 40 years. Our consultations are free, and you pay no attorney fee unless we win.
Why You Need a Bicycle Accident Lawyer
After a bike crash, the driver’s insurer will often try to flip the blame onto the cyclist — claiming you ran a light, rode outside the bike lane, or were not wearing a helmet. At the same time, bicycle injuries are usually severe and costly, which gives the insurer every reason to minimize your claim. An experienced lawyer knows how to prove the driver was at fault, push back on blame-shifting, document the full cost of your injuries, and make sure the insurance company does not decide what your case is worth.
Does Insurance Cover a Cyclist Hit by a Car in Florida?
Yes — and most cyclists do not realize it. Even though you were on a bicycle, Florida’s no-fault system still applies. If you own a car, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays the first $10,000 of medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault, and a household member’s policy may cover you if you do not. Because bicycle injuries are usually serious, you can also pursue a full claim against the at-fault driver’s bodily-injury coverage — and if the driver fled or had no insurance, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply. Identifying every policy that covers you is one of the first things we do.
What You Can Recover
When a driver’s negligence caused your crash, Florida law lets you pursue compensation for much more than your first hospital bill:
| Type of damages | What it may cover |
|---|---|
| Medical expenses | Ambulance and ER care, surgery, hospitalization, follow-up treatment, rehabilitation, and future medical needs |
| Lost income | Wages lost during recovery, plus reduced or lost earning capacity for a disabling injury |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain, scarring and disfigurement, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life |
| Bike and property damage | Repair or replacement of your bicycle, helmet, and gear |
| Long-term and wrongful death | Lifetime care for a catastrophic injury, or funeral costs and family losses if a loved one was killed |
Two things shape your recovery. First, your rights: under Florida law, a bicycle is a vehicle and you have the same rights to the road as a driver, and motorists must give at least three feet when passing. Second, the 51% rule: under the 2023 tort reform, Florida uses modified comparative negligence — if you are more than 50% at fault you recover nothing, and at 50% or less your award is reduced by your share. Note on helmets: Florida only requires riders under 16 to wear one, so an adult not wearing a helmet is not automatically at fault — though the insurer may still try to use it against you, and we know how to limit that argument.
Florida’s Two-Year Deadline
Under Florida’s 2023 tort reform, you generally have just two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit (Fla. Stat. § 95.11). Evidence in bicycle cases fades fast — surveillance and traffic-camera video is often erased within days or weeks. The sooner an attorney can send a preservation letter and begin investigating, the stronger your case will be.
Where and Why Bicycle Accidents Happen in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a popular place to ride, but its busy roads can be dangerous. We handle crashes on corridors like US-19, 34th Street, 4th Street, Central Avenue, and along the Pinellas Trail crossings and beach routes. The most common causes are drivers who fail to yield, turn across a cyclist’s path (the ‘right hook’), open a car door into the bike lane (‘dooring’), pass too closely, speed, or drive distracted or impaired. Florida’s crash data records thousands of bicycle injuries statewide each year. When a driver’s carelessness caused your crash, they should answer for it.
Common Bicycle Accident Injuries
With little protection against a vehicle, cyclists often suffer severe injuries: traumatic brain injuries (even with a helmet), spinal cord injuries and paralysis, broken bones, facial and dental injuries, road rash and scarring, and internal injuries. Many require surgery and long-term rehabilitation. Tragically, some bicycle crashes are fatal — if you lost a loved one, our St. Petersburg wrongful death attorneys can help your family seek justice.
What to Do After a Bicycle Accident
What you do after a bike crash protects both your health and your claim:
- Call 911 and get medical care. Be examined even if you feel okay — bike injuries, especially head injuries, can be serious and worsen, and prompt care ties them to the crash.
- Document the scene. Photograph the vehicle, the roadway, your bike, and your injuries, and note the driver’s information and any witnesses.
- Get the police report. Make sure officers document the crash and the driver’s details.
- Keep your bike and gear. Do not repair or discard them — they are evidence.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the insurer, and call a lawyer before accepting anything.
How We Build Your Bicycle Accident Case
Bicycle cases are won with evidence. When you hire Jorgensen Law, we move quickly to obtain the crash report and any traffic-camera or business surveillance footage; identify and interview witnesses; document the scene, the bike lane, and the vehicle damage; work with accident-reconstruction and medical experts when needed; and identify every available insurance policy — the driver’s, yours, and a household member’s. In hit-and-run cases we pursue uninsured-motorist coverage and work to identify the driver. Then we calculate the full lifetime cost of your injuries, take on the insurer, and if they will not pay fairly, we are ready for trial.
Why Injured Cyclists Choose Jorgensen Law
Jorgensen Law, P.A. is a family firm that has fought for injured Floridians for more than 40 years. We are based right here in St. Petersburg, we keep our caseload personal, and you work directly with an attorney — not a call center. We know the local roads, courts, and insurance tactics, we carry a 4.9-star Google rating, and we take bicycle accident cases on contingency, so there is never a fee unless we win. We also handle car accident, pedestrian accident, wrongful death, and every other kind of personal injury claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my insurance cover me if I was hit while riding a bike?
Usually yes. Florida PIP follows the person, so your own auto policy (or a household member’s) typically pays the first $10,000 of medical bills and lost wages even though you were on a bicycle. Serious injuries can also be pursued against the at-fault driver.
Do I lose my case if I was not wearing a helmet?
No. Florida only requires helmets for riders under 16, so an adult riding without one is not automatically at fault. The insurer may still try to argue it, but that argument is limited, and we know how to keep it from unfairly reducing your recovery.
Who is at fault in a bicycle accident?
It depends on the facts. In Florida a bicycle is a vehicle with the same road rights as a car, and drivers must give at least three feet when passing. Insurers often exaggerate a cyclist’s share of blame, which is why early evidence matters under the 51% rule.
What if the driver fled the scene?
You may still recover through your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and we work to identify the driver using video, witnesses, and the police investigation.
What is the 51% rule in Florida?
It is Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule. If you are more than 50% at fault you cannot recover; at 50% or less your award is reduced by your share of fault.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Generally two years from the date of the crash under Florida’s 2023 tort reform. Because evidence disappears quickly, contact an attorney as soon as possible.
How much is a bicycle accident case worth?
There is no flat average. Because bike injuries are often severe, these cases can be substantial — value depends on the injuries, the liability evidence, and available insurance.
How much does a bicycle accident lawyer cost?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee — our fee comes from the recovery we obtain, and if we do not win, you owe no attorney fee.
Talk to a St. Petersburg Bicycle Accident Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love was hurt in a bicycle accident in St. Petersburg or anywhere in Pinellas County, do not face the insurance company alone. Call Jorgensen Law, P.A. at (727) 347-7733 for a free, no-obligation consultation. There is no fee unless we win — and the sooner we start, the more evidence we can protect.
Related reading: Florida bicycle laws: what St. Petersburg riders need to know after a crash.
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