Florida · Injured in a crash
Car Accidents in Florida: What to Do and What the Law Says
Florida has its own rules for car accidents, and they are not the rules most people assume. This page is the short version of all of them, with links to the full guides and to the pages we have written for towns across the state.
The five Florida rules that decide most cases
- See a doctor within 14 days. Florida is a no-fault state. Your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) pays your first medical bills, up to $10,000, no matter who caused the crash, but only if you get treatment within 14 days. Miss the window and PIP pays nothing. The 14-day rule.
- You have two years to file. For most car accident injury claims in Florida the deadline to file a lawsuit is two years from the date of the crash. It used to be four; it changed in 2023. How long you have.
- More than half at fault means nothing. Florida uses modified comparative negligence. If you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you recover nothing. At 50 percent or less, your recovery is reduced by your share. That is why the police report and the photos matter so much.
- Many drivers carry no bodily injury coverage. Florida does not require it. If the driver who hit you has none, your own uninsured motorist coverage is what pays, if you bought it. Hit by an uninsured driver.
- The other driver's insurer will call first. You are not required to give them a recorded statement. What to say when they call.
What to do in the first 48 hours
- Call 911 and get a police report, even for a small crash.
- Photograph both cars, both licenses, both insurance cards, and the scene.
- See a doctor. Within 14 days is the rule; the same day 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.
The Florida guides
- Altamonte Springs
- Casselberry
- Clermont
- Do I need a lawyer if it wasn't my fault
- Hit by an uninsured driver in Florida
- How long after a crash can you claim an injury
- How long you have to file in Florida
- How much does a car accident lawyer cost
- Injured in an Uber or Lyft
- Leesburg
- Melbourne
- Oviedo
- Palm Coast
- Port Orange
- Should I talk to the other driver's insurance
- The 14-day PIP rule
- Titusville
- What decides how much a car accident case is worth
- What to do after a car accident in Florida
- Winter Garden
Florida towns we cover
Each page below has the local details for that town: which police agency writes the crash report and how to get it, the nearest emergency room and trauma center, and the roads where crashes actually happen.
- Apopka
- Arcadia
- Belle Glade
- Boca Raton
- Boynton Beach
- Bradenton
- Brandon
- Cape Coral
- Clearwater
- Clewiston
- Coconut Creek
- Coral Springs
- Cutler Bay
- Dade City
- Dania Beach
- Davie
- Daytona Beach
- Deerfield Beach
- Delray Beach
- Deltona
- Doral
- Florida City
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Myers
- Fort Pierce
- Greenacres
- Haines City
- Hallandale Beach
- Hialeah
- Hialeah Gardens
- Hollywood
- Homestead
- Immokalee
- Jacksonville
- Jupiter
- Kendall
- Kissimmee
- Lake Wales
- Lake Worth Beach
- Lakeland
- Largo
- Lauderhill
- Lehigh Acres
- Margate
- Miami
- Miami Gardens
- Miramar
- New Port Richey
- North Miami
- Oakland Park
- Ocala
- Ocoee
- Okeechobee
- Opa-locka
- Orlando
- Pahokee
- Palatka
- Palm Bay
- Pembroke Pines
- Pinellas Park
- Plant City
- Plantation
- Poinciana
- Pompano Beach
- Port St. Lucie
- Riviera Beach
- Royal Palm Beach
- Sanford
- Sebring
- Spring Hill
- St. Cloud
- St. Petersburg
- Stuart
- Sunrise
- Sweetwater
- Tamarac
- Tampa
- Vero Beach
- Wauchula
- Wellington
- Wesley Chapel
- West Palm Beach
- Wimauma
- Winter Haven
Don't see your town? The Florida rules above apply everywhere in the state, and so does the free case review.
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. How much does a car accident lawyer cost.
If you were injured in Florida, we can help
Call Clyne connects people who were injured in a crash with a licensed Florida personal injury attorney for a free case review. We are not a law firm. We ask you a few questions, the attorney looks at your case at no cost, and you decide. No obligation.
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.