Florida · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Miami?

The merge where the Dolphin feeds onto I-95, a lane change on the Palmetto near the airport, a rear-end on Biscayne Boulevard in Edgewater. If you were just in a crash in Miami and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Miami-specific details, and links to the full guides.

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. Jackson Memorial Hospital near the Civic Center is home to the Ryder Trauma Center, a Level I trauma center, and HCA Florida Mercy Hospital in Coconut Grove has a 24-hour emergency room. 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 Miami

Inside city limits, the City of Miami Police Department responds to crashes. On I-95, the Dolphin Expressway, the Palmetto Expressway and Florida's Turnpike, it is usually the Florida Highway Patrol. In unincorporated Miami-Dade, it is the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. 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 Miami crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: I-95 from the Golden Glades interchange south to the I-395 split, the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) between the Dolphin and the Gratigny, Biscayne Boulevard from NE 36th Street through downtown, Flagler Street at NW 27th Avenue, and NW 36th Street at NW 42nd Avenue by the airport. Photos of the intersection, the signals, and the lane markings matter more here than anywhere, because many of these crashes turn into arguments about who had the light or who changed lanes.

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.