Florida · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Arcadia?

A left turn across US 17 at the light by the rodeo grounds, a rear-end on SR 70 where the traffic from Bradenton and Okeechobee funnels through downtown, a pickup off the road on SR 31 heading south toward Fort Myers. If you were just in a crash in Arcadia and you are trying to work out what to do, this page is the short version, with the DeSoto County details, and links to the full guides.

It costs nothing to find out

If you are reading this and thinking you cannot afford a lawyer, read this part first. Personal injury lawyers do not charge you to talk, do not charge by the hour, and do not charge anything unless they recover money for you. The fee comes out of the recovery at the end, never out of your pocket. The first conversation is free. Call Clyne is free too: we ask you a few questions and connect you with a licensed Florida attorney who looks at your case at no cost. Nobody will ask you for money. Read How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost.

First, the two things that matter most in Florida

See a doctor within 14 days. Florida is a no-fault state, and your own policy's Personal Injury Protection pays your first medical bills no matter who caused the crash, but only if you get treatment within 14 days. DeSoto Memorial Hospital on North Robert Avenue has a 24-hour emergency room, and the nearest trauma centers are Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers and Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Urgent care or your own doctor counts too. Read the 14-day rule guide.

Do not give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. They will call fast and sound friendly. You are not required to talk to them. Read what to say when they call.

Getting your crash report in Arcadia

Inside city limits, the Arcadia Police Department responds to crashes. In Nocatee, Fort Ogden, Lake Suzy and the rest of the county it is the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office, and on US 17, SR 70, SR 31 and SR 72 it is often the Florida Highway Patrol. Ask the officer at the scene which agency wrote the report and get the report number.

Florida crash reports are available online through the state's Florida Crash Portal, usually within about ten days, and from the responding agency's records unit. For the first 60 days the report is only available to the people involved, their insurers and their lawyers, so have your license and the report number ready.

Roads where Arcadia crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: SR 70 on both sides of town, where it drops to two lanes and carries trucks between Bradenton and the east coast, US 17 south toward Punta Gorda and north toward Wauchula, SR 31 toward Fort Myers, SR 72 toward Sarasota, and the US 17 and SR 70 intersection downtown. Many of the worst are head-on or passing crashes on two-lane highway with ranch land on both sides. Photos of the center line and where each vehicle stopped matter a great deal, because often the only witnesses are the drivers.

What to do in the first 48 hours

• Call 911 and get a report, even for a "small" crash.
• Photograph both cars, both licenses, both insurance cards, and the scene.
• See a doctor within 14 days. Sooner is better.
• Report the crash to your own insurer. Facts only.
• Do not accept a quick check or sign anything from the other driver's insurer.
• Keep every bill, receipt and visit summary.

The full step-by-step list is in What to Do After a Car Accident in Florida.

Know the Florida clock

For most car accident injury claims in Florida you have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit, and if you are found more than half at fault you recover nothing. Both changed in 2023. Details in How Long Do You Have to File in Florida.

When to talk to a lawyer

Not every fender bender needs one. Talk to a lawyer when you were injured and are still treating after a week or two, when the other driver was uninsured or fled, when fault is being disputed, or when you missed work. Florida personal injury lawyers work on contingency, which means no fee unless they recover money for you, and the first conversation is free. More in Do I Need a Lawyer If It Wasn't My Fault and How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost.

More Florida towns and the full set of guides: Car accidents in Florida.

Call Clyne is a lawyer referral service, not a law firm. Stephen Clyne is not an attorney. This article is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. Talk to a licensed Florida attorney about your situation.