E-bikes have become incredibly popular throughout Orlando and the rest of Florida. Teenagers use them to get to school, visit friends, travel around their neighborhoods, and enjoy a little independence. Adults use them for transportation, exercise, and recreation.
But when an e-bike rider is hit by a car, the consequences can be devastating.
If your son or daughter was injured in an e-bike accident, you are probably dealing with fear, confusion, medical appointments, and questions about what happened. You may also be hearing different stories from the driver, witnesses, or insurance companies.
One of the most important things I can tell you is this: do not wait to begin protecting the evidence.
E-bike accident cases can quickly turn into a dispute over who caused the collision. The motorist may blame your child. The insurance company may immediately assume the e-bike rider was careless. If evidence is not preserved quickly, you could end up in a situation where it is simply your child’s word against the driver’s.
That is not where you want to be.
E-Bike Riders Are Often Blamed Before the Facts Are Known
There is a bias that exists in many bicycle and e-bike accident cases.
People sometimes assume that a rider or teenager on an e-bike must have been riding too fast, ignoring traffic, weaving through vehicles, or not paying attention. They take the behavior of a few riders and apply it to every person involved in an e-bike crash.
Insurance companies understand that bias, and they may try to use it.
The driver who hits a rider may say the e-bike suddenly came out of nowhere. The driver may claim that you or your son or daughter entered the road unexpectedly, ignored a traffic signal, or rode recklessly.
That does not mean the driver’s story is true.
A motorist may have been distracted, speeding, making an unsafe turn, backing out without looking, or failing to yield. But unless we have evidence showing what really happened, the insurance company may try to place as much blame as possible on the e-bike rider.
That is why these cases need immediate attention.
Video Evidence Can Prove What Really Happened
Video footage can sometimes prove an entire e-bike accident case.
The crash may have happened near:
- A business with exterior security cameras
- A residential doorbell camera
- A school
- An apartment or condominium complex
- A traffic camera
- A gas station or convenience store
- A shopping center
- A parking garage
- A city bus or rideshare vehicle with onboard cameras
That footage may show the motorist speeding, failing to yield, making an unsafe turn, or striking the e-bike rider within an intersection or crosswalk.
The problem is that surveillance footage may not be stored for very long.
Some systems automatically record over older video within days or weeks. A business may not realize the footage is important unless someone formally tells it to preserve the recording.
That is why I want to get involved as soon as possible.
My firm can identify potential sources of video and send preservation letters placing the businesses, property owners, or other parties on notice that the footage must not be destroyed. If we wait too long, the evidence that could prove the entire case may be gone forever.
Witnesses Can Make the Difference Between a Recovery and Nothing
A credible witness can be one of the strongest pieces of evidence in an e-bike accident case.
Maybe someone was driving behind the car that hit you or your child. Maybe a pedestrian saw the vehicle make an unsafe turn. Maybe a nearby resident saw the driver looking down at a phone.
That witness may be able to confirm exactly how the crash happened.
Whenever possible, obtain the witness’s:
- Full name
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Home or business address
- Brief description of what the person saw
Do not assume the police report will contain every witness.
People sometimes leave the scene after giving limited information, or they assume someone else will handle it. Six months later, when we need their testimony, they can be difficult or impossible to locate.
One reliable witness can change the direction of a case. Without that witness, it may become the injured rider’s account against the motorist’s account.
Photograph the Scene and the E-Bike
If you can safely return to the scene, take photographs and videos from several angles.
Document:
- The location of the impact
- Traffic signs and signals
- Crosswalk markings
- Sight obstructions
- Skid marks
- Debris
- Damage to the e-bike
- Damage to the vehicle
- Road conditions
- Nearby businesses or homes with cameras
Do not repair or dispose of the e-bike before speaking with an attorney.
The condition of the bicycle may help an expert understand the force, angle, and location of the impact. Damage patterns can sometimes challenge a driver’s version of events.
The helmet, clothing, lights, reflectors, and other equipment should also be preserved. Put those items somewhere safe and do not alter them.
Get Medical Treatment and Follow the Doctors’ Instructions
E-bike accidents can cause serious injuries because riders have very little protection from the force of a motor vehicle.
A rider may suffer head trauma, broken bones, road rash, neck or back injuries, internal injuries, or damage requiring surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
An injured loved one’s health must come first.
Get appropriate medical treatment and follow the recommendations of the treating doctors. If you or your child is referred for imaging, therapy, an orthopedic evaluation, or another specialist, make those appointments a priority.
Medical records are also part of the evidence used to prove the injury claim.
The insurance company will examine the treatment timeline. If there are long, unexplained gaps, it may argue that the injuries were not serious or that they healed sooner than claimed.
I understand that families are busy. Parents have jobs, children have school, and medical appointments can become overwhelming. But consistent treatment can be important for your or your child’s recovery and for documenting the full effect of the accident.
Do Not Assume the Driver’s Insurance Company Will Be Fair
After the accident, the motorist’s insurance company may contact you quickly.
The adjuster may sound friendly and concerned. The company may ask for a recorded statement, medical authorizations, or access to information about you or your child.
Remember who the adjuster works for.
The insurance company’s job is to protect its money and the interests of its policyholder. It may look for statements that can be used to blame the e-bike rider or minimize the injuries.
You should be careful about giving recorded statements or signing documents before speaking with an attorney.
A young rider may describe the accident differently at different times because they are nervous, injured, or struggling to remember a traumatic event. An insurance company may take an innocent inconsistency and try to turn it into a credibility problem.
Let an attorney communicate with the insurance company and make sure the claim is presented accurately.
What if the Driver Says You or Your Child Caused the Accident?
Do not panic, and do not assume the case is over.
Drivers frequently blame cyclists and e-bike riders after collisions. Their version of events is not automatically accepted as fact.
We can investigate the case by reviewing:
- Surveillance and doorbell video
- Witness statements
- Vehicle and e-bike damage
- Photographs of the scene
- Electronic information from the vehicle
- Cellphone records when appropriate
- Police body-camera footage
- Medical records
- Accident reconstruction evidence
The goal is to move the case away from competing stories and toward objective evidence.
That is why timing matters so much. The sooner the investigation begins, the more opportunities we have to find and preserve that evidence.
How The Jaspon Firm Helps After an Orlando E-Bike Accident
When an injured victim or parent calls me after an e-bike crash, I want to understand exactly what happened.
Where did the collision occur? Were there cameras nearby? Did anyone witness it? What did the driver say at the scene? What injuries did you or your child suffer? Where is the e-bike now?
From there, my firm can begin investigating immediately.
That may include contacting witnesses, preserving video, collecting records, inspecting the scene, communicating with the insurance companies, and bringing in an expert when the circumstances require it.
My job is to put your family’s case in the strongest position possible.
I cannot undo the accident or take away what you or your child has experienced. What I can do is fight to make sure the motorist and the insurance company do not avoid responsibility by relying on stereotypes or unsupported accusations.
Speak With Jeremiah Jaspon About Your E-Bike Accident
If you, or your son or daughter, was injured in an e-bike accident in Orlando, please do not wait until the video is erased, witnesses disappear, or the insurance company has already built its version of the story.
Get the evidence preserved immediately.
Contact me, Jeremiah Jaspon at The Jaspon Firm, for a free case evaluation at (407) 513-9515. I will personally speak with you about the accident, explain what evidence may be available, and discuss how I can help protect your family’s claim. You pay no upfront attorney’s fees, and you owe no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.