Bicycle Accident Lawyer in West Palm Beach

A bicycle crash in West Palm Beach can leave medical bills, a damaged bike, and an insurer that wants your statement before you have advice. Liability, coverage, fault, and proof decide the claim.

I am Shannon J. Sagan, Fla. Bar #10793, The Dash Cam Lawyer®. I focus primarily on Palm Beach County and Florida state wide injury claims, including bicycle crashes in West Palm Beach. 

Palm Springs and Belle Glade offices serve West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County.

Hablamos español.

This page is the West Palm Beach bicycle claims landing page for pedal bike crashes. It is not my statewide Florida bicycle page or my Palm Beach County e-bike post. Related: e-bike accident lawyer in Palm Beach County.

Important: talk to counsel before you call any insurer

Do not call your own insurer before speaking with an attorney. The duty to cooperate does not require doing it immediately. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first.

What a West Palm Beach bicycle claim is really about

The file that pays medical bills and injury damages usually turns on four questions:

1. Who owed a duty of care, and who breached it (driver, cyclist duties on the road or sidewalk, another road user)?
2. What insurance responds: the at-fault driver’s liability, your PIP when a motor vehicle is involved, uninsured/underinsured coverage you actually purchased, or another policy that fits the facts?
3. Can fault be pushed above 50 percent against you under Florida’s modified comparative fault rule?
4. What proof still exists: crash report, medical records, photos, dash cam, business or traffic cameras, witnesses?

Related: West Palm Beach car accident lawyer.

Florida bicycle rights and duties (plain English)

Fla. Stat. § 316.2065 sets core bicycle rules. I paraphrase; I do not dump the whole statute.

Under § 316.2065(1), a person propelling a vehicle by human power generally has the rights and duties of other vehicle drivers, except special bike rules and rules that cannot apply to bikes.

Location changes the analysis. On a sidewalk or in a crosswalk the rider generally has pedestrian rights and duties, must yield to pedestrians, and must give an audible signal when passing a pedestrian.

Helmet questions come up often. Failure to wear a helmet, or a parent’s failure to prevent a child from riding without one, may not be considered evidence of negligence or contributory negligence. That matters when an insurer tries to cut the claim over a missing helmet.

These rules shape negligence arguments. They do not replace coverage or medical proof.

West Palm Beach corridors people bike (plain terms)

People bike through West Palm Beach on and near corridors such as Okeechobee Boulevard, Flagler Drive, and downtown streets. I name those as example corridors people use. 

A claim may involve a driver who failed to yield, a right hook or left cross, a dooring event, a hit-and-run, or a dispute about roadway versus sidewalk location. Fault arguments often sound like visibility, lane position, lighting, or that the other driver never saw you. Video and scene photos matter.

PIP and the 14-day care clock

Florida personal injury protection (PIP) under Fla. Stat. § 627.736 is built around motor vehicle no-fault benefits. When a qualifying PIP policy applies, medical benefits generally require initial services and care within 14 days.

For many bicycle crashes, PIP can matter when you are struck by a motor vehicle while you are not an occupant of a self-propelled vehicle. That is one of the situations the PIP statute contemplates. Your policy and the exact facts still control.

PIP is usually only a first layer. It does not replace a bodily injury liability claim against an at-fault driver, and it does not create UM coverage you never purchased.

Do not call your own insurer before speaking with an attorney. The duty to cooperate does not require doing it immediately. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first.

Fault, modified comparative fault, and the helmet rule

Florida uses modified comparative fault. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6), in covered negligence actions, a party found greater than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover any damages (medical negligence under chapter 766 is treated differently). If you are 50 percent or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault.

Insurers use that rule aggressively in bike claims. Expect arguments about lane position, lights, sidewalk use, or distraction. That is why it is always good to have a helmet or bike cam when riding. 

Insurance gaps and uninsured drivers

In Florida, “full coverage” is marketing language, not a statute. Collision and comprehensive on a car policy do not automatically create the injury coverage you need after a bike crash. 

Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is a separate election when purchased, with its own limits and rejection forms.

Common gaps include little or no usable bodily injury liability on the at-fault driver, no or low UM/UIM on your auto policy, and a hit-and-run with no identified driver. When liability is thin, damages beyond any available PIP often turn on UM/UIM you carry or another responsible party with coverage.

Proof, dash cams, and nearby cameras

Preserve video immediately. Lock the original. Make a backup. Do not edit it. Bike scenes may have a car’s dash cam, phone video, or storefront cameras. Tell counsel so preservation demands can go out before loops overwrite. More: How to use dashcam footage in a Florida car accident claim.

Footage helps. It is not required to contact me. I also evaluate crash reports, medical records, damage photos, witnesses, and coverage. Helmet photos may corroborate the story. 

Deadlines and first steps after a West Palm Beach bicycle injury

For many Florida negligence actions, Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) sets a two-year limitations period. PIP and UM claims also have timing rules. Act early.

1. Call 911 when there are injuries or a disputed scene. Get a report.
2. Seek medical care. If PIP may apply, Fla. Stat. § 627.736’s 14-day initial treatment rule can control medical PIP access.
3. Photograph the bike, other vehicles, lane position, signals, and injuries if you can do it safely.
4. Preserve dash cam and phone video. Note nearby cameras.
5. Collect witness names. Do not argue fault at the scene.
6. Do not call your own insurer before speaking with an attorney. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first.
7. Contact counsel while coverage and video questions are still open.

If the other driver left the scene, report it and preserve photos and video.

How I handle a West Palm Beach bicycle claim

I focus on medical documentation and PIP sequencing, liability that fits roadway versus sidewalk facts, coverage gaps, modified comparative fault, the helmet evidence rule, video preservation, and the two-year period.

Contingency fee: no fee unless I recover for you. 

Palm Springs office: 3003 S. Congress Ave, Suite 2E, Palm Springs, FL 33461.

 Belle Glade office: 1100 South Main Street, Belle Glade, FL 33430. By appointment.

Statewide bicycle context (not this city LP): bicycle injuries lawyer in Florida.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as your statewide bicycle page or your e-bike post?

No. The statewide page is broader. The July 2026 e-bike post is a county e-bike piece. This page is the West Palm Beach pedal-bike claims LP. Related: e-bike accident lawyer in Palm Beach County.

If I was not wearing a helmet, is my claim over?

Not automatically. Under Fla. Stat. § 316.2065(18), failure to wear a helmet (or a parent’s failure to prevent a child from riding without one) may not be considered evidence of negligence or contributory negligence.

Does PIP apply if a car hit me while I was on a bicycle?

Often when a motor vehicle is involved and you were not an occupant of a self-propelled vehicle, subject to Fla. Stat. § 627.736 and your policy. When PIP medical benefits apply, qualifying initial treatment within 14 days is often required.

What is modified comparative fault in a bicycle case?

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6), greater than 50 percent fault for your own harm bars recovery in covered negligence actions. At 50 percent or less, recovery is reduced by your fault share. That is why it’s important to have a helmet or bike cam if you are injured by a motor vehicle while riding your bike.

How long do I have to sue for negligence after a bicycle crash?

For many Florida negligence actions, Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) provides a two-year period. Act early.

Should I give a recorded statement after a bicycle accident?

Do not call your own insurer before speaking with an attorney. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first.

Do you speak Spanish, and how do fees work?

Hablamos español. Ask when you call 561-561-DASH (3274). 

Contingency fee: no fee unless I recover for you.

Talk with me about a bicycle crash in West Palm Beach

If you or a family member was hurt in a bicycle crash in West Palm Beach, call 561-561-DASH (3274). Contingency fee: no fee unless I recover for you.

The Dash Cam Lawyer®. Shannon J. Sagan, Fla. Bar #10793, owner and attorney. Palm Springs and Belle Glade offices, serving West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.