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Any kind of bike wreck can feel overwhelming in the moment. But if you are injured by a collision with a vehicle while out bicycling, try to keep these important steps in mind:

• First, you need to take care of yourself and your injuries. Call 911 to get medical assistance if needed and also to report the accident to police, who may come and investigate. If they do, you can later try to obtain a copy of their report.
• While waiting for medical assistance, if your injuries aren't that debilitating, you should use your phone and take pictures or videos of what happened, including images of your injuries and damages to your bicycle.
• Be sure to obtain the necessary documentation, including the driver's contact and insurance information, as well as statements and contact information from any witnesses.
• Write down in your own words all the details of what happened, especially when the incident is fresh in your mind. Your pictures, any witness statements, and your first-hand account will all prove vital in making an insurance claim or in filing a lawsuit. This is a confidential document that should not be shown to anyone except your lawyer. It is being created for the purpose of bringing or defending a claim and is known to the legal community as privileged under the work product doctrine.
• Attend to your injuries, even small ones. It may be tempting to shrug everything off and say to yourself, "Okay, I'm fine" because you don't immediately feel anything severe. This is a mistake. An adrenaline rush could help mask your pain following your collision, so you should seek immediate medical evaluation regardless of how few symptoms you have in the moment. Symptoms have a way of not showing up until hours-or even days-later.
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As a bicyclist in Florida, you are expected to observe the same traffic laws as drivers in vehicles. You must travel in a bicycle lane if one is available if you're not traveling at the same speed as vehicles, and you must obey all traffic lights and signs. If you're on a sidewalk, you have the same duties and rights as pedestrians.

You are also required to meet several physical requirements for your bicycle, including a light or lamp to turn on between sunset and sunrise. Of course, there must also be a braking system. Additionally, you must use a fixed, regular seat and carry no passengers.

If you're injured while riding a bicycle, you should be covered by your own auto insurance policy, so your first claim for injuries would be on the personal injury protection (PIP) feature of your policy. You can go beyond that and seek damages from the driver to collect the portion of the medical bills and lost wages PIP does not cover, and to seek pain and suffering compensation if you have a permanent injury.

If you do end up seeking damages from the driver, be sure to contact a personal injury attorney for guidance. Florida has made updates to its statute of limitations (or, time limits for filing personal injury claims), and you'll need skilled counsel to navigate these complexities.

What if your loved one was killed? You may have a path forward. A wrongful death lawsuit is possible if the deceased, had he or she survived, would have been eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit. In Florida, however, only the personal representative of the deceased's estate can file a lawsuit.

If you or a loved one has been injured during a bicycle accident with a vehicle anywhere in Central Florida, contact me immediately. Let's discuss the details and map out a strategy. Let me handle any negotiations on your behalf, and strive for the financial compensation you deserve. Ultimately, I will stand by your side every step of the way. Contact me at the Law Office of Mark A. Cornelius P.A. to set up an initial consultation.