One second, you’re in a bike lane. Next thing you know, a driver who didn’t check their mirror sends you across the pavement. They shatter your shoulder, destroy your bike, and quickly try to find ways to shift the blame onto you.
At Suli Law Group, we represent Tampa cyclists who’ve been hit, hurt, and blamed by insurance companies protecting negligent drivers. If a driver hit you, our team is ready to stand up for you. Laura T. Sulisufay, Esq., is a former insurance defense attorney who defended these claims for insurers, so she knows the playbook they use against you. That insider knowledge is what sets our firm apart.
How Do You Know If You Have a Bicycle Accident Case?
If a driver hit you while riding lawfully in Tampa, you likely have a case. Florida law requires four elements to prove negligence. The driver owed you a duty of care: every motorist must keep at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist. The driver breached that duty by texting, running a light, or turning across a bike lane. That breach directly caused your injuries. And you suffered documented damages: medical bills, lost income, pain that changed how you live.
The insurer will try to convince you otherwise. Our job is to prove them wrong.
Florida Bicycle Laws That Affect Your Claim
Florida bicycle laws treat bicycles as vehicles. Cyclists have the same duties as drivers, including obeying signals, and from sunset to sunrise need a white front light and a red rear light and reflector. Drivers owe you the same respect they give any vehicle.
Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can recover compensation even if partially at fault: you just can’t be more than 50% at fault. Some insurance companies will attempt to exploit this, claiming you weren’t wearing reflective gear, that you drifted outside the lane, or that you failed to signal. They’ll strategically craft these arguments to shrink your payout, not describe what happened. We fight back with cold, hard facts.
Common Injuries in Tampa Bicycle Accidents
Common injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries, even with a helmet
- Shattered collarbones and femurs
- Spinal cord damage
- Severe road rashes
- Internal organ damage you may not see
Florida’s 14-day PIP rule makes timing critical. Miss the 14-day treatment window, and you lose $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection benefits, which is coverage that applies regardless of fault. Insurers are counting on you to miss this vital deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do immediately after a bicycle accident in Tampa?
Seek medical attention within 14 days to preserve your $10,000 in Florida PIP benefits, call the police for an official report, and avoid giving a recorded statement to the driver’s insurer before talking to an attorney.
Florida is a "no-fault" state. Can I still sue the driver who hit me?
Yes. While PIP covers your initial medical bills regardless of fault, cyclists can pursue a claim against an at-fault driver when injuries are serious or damages exceed PIP limits.
The driver's insurance says I was partly at fault. Can I still recover anything?
Likely yes. Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can recover as long as you’re not more than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your share of responsibility. Insurers often inflate a cyclist’s share of blame to shrink payouts, but those arguments can be challenged with evidence.
What kinds of compensation can an injured cyclist recover?
You can typically recover medical bills, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, bike and gear replacement, and pain and suffering. The severity of injuries directly affects what your claim is worth.
Why hire Suli Law Group specifically for a bicycle accident case?
Founding attorney Laura T. Sulisufay is a former insurance defense attorney who defended these claims for insurers, so she knows the playbook they use against you, giving the firm an insider edge in anticipating their tactics. You pay no fees or costs unless we win.
