Florida car accident questions answered.

Call 911 if anyone is hurt, move to safety, and let officers document the crash. Photograph the vehicles, the scene, and visible injuries, exchange insurance information, and collect witness contacts. Get medical care the same day even if you feel fine, since some injuries appear later and gaps in treatment are used against claims.

Florida sets a statutory deadline for negligence lawsuits, and the 2023 tort reform legislation shortened it. Which window applies depends on your crash date and claim type, and claims against a government entity add separate notice rules. Because a missed deadline can end a claim permanently, confirm your exact date with an attorney.

Yes. Your own Personal Injury Protection coverage pays first for medical bills and part of lost wages, regardless of fault. You can pursue the at-fault driver directly only when injuries meet Florida's serious injury threshold. Whether your injuries qualify depends on medical documentation, so early records matter.

Most Florida car accident cases run on a contingency fee, meaning no attorney fee up front and the fee comes from any recovery. Florida Bar rules regulate contingency percentages, and the rate plus how case costs are handled must be written into a signed fee agreement. The initial review is free.

Your own Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage may apply if you carry it, and PIP still covers initial medical care. Other sources sometimes exist, such as an employer's policy when the driver was working. Send your declarations page with a review request so all available coverage can be identified.

Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule, so your recovery can be reduced by your share of fault and barred entirely if your share is too high. Insurers frequently overstate a claimant's fault early on. Do not concede fault in a recorded statement before the crash facts are reviewed.

You must cooperate with your own insurer, but you are generally not required to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. Early statements are often used to lock in details before injuries are fully diagnosed. Get guidance before agreeing to one.

Value depends on medical treatment and prognosis, lost income, available insurance limits, fault allocation, and documentation quality. Anyone quoting a number before reviewing your records is guessing. A realistic range comes after the medical picture and coverage are known.

Straightforward claims with clear liability and completed treatment can resolve in months. Cases with disputed fault, serious injuries, or ongoing treatment take longer, because settling before treatment ends risks undervaluing future care. Filing suit extends the timeline further.

Not always. If there were no injuries and only minor property damage, you may handle it directly with the insurers. Consider a review if you sought medical care, missed work, feel symptoms days later, or the insurer disputes fault or pressures a quick settlement.