Florida · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in West Palm Beach?

The Okeechobee Boulevard ramps off I-95, a T-bone at Okeechobee and Military Trail, a rear-end on Belvedere Road near the airport. If you were just in a crash in West Palm Beach and are trying to figure out what to do next, this is the short version, with the West Palm 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. St. Mary's Medical Center on 45th Street is the area's Level I trauma center and has a 24-hour emergency room. Good Samaritan Medical Center on Flagler Drive near downtown also has an 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 West Palm Beach

Inside city limits, the West Palm Beach Police Department responds to crashes. On I-95, Florida's Turnpike, and in the unincorporated areas west of the city, it is usually the Florida Highway Patrol or the Palm Beach County 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 West Palm Beach crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: Okeechobee Boulevard at Military Trail, the I-95 interchange at Okeechobee Boulevard, Southern Boulevard from the Turnpike to downtown, Belvedere Road by Palm Beach International Airport, and US-1 along Dixie Highway. 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.