In-Depth Guide
Auto accidents in Florida, explained.
A plain-language walk through what actually matters after a crash: your health, the no-fault system, the deadlines, and how fault is argued. General information, not legal advice.
What to do in the first minutes and days
Safety comes first. Check yourself and others for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt. If the vehicles can be moved safely, get out of active traffic. Florida law generally requires a crash involving injury or significant damage to be reported to law enforcement, so a police report is usually part of the picture.
Once the scene is stable, document everything you can: photographs of the vehicles, the intersection or roadway, skid marks, weather, and any visible injuries. Exchange driver's license, registration, and insurance information with the other driver, and collect names and phone numbers of witnesses before they leave.
In the days after, see a doctor even if you feel fine. Some injuries, including soft-tissue and head injuries, show up late, and the medical record created in the first days after a crash is often the most important evidence in a claim.
How Florida's no-fault system works
Florida is a no-fault state. That means your own auto insurance, through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, pays first for a portion of your medical bills and lost wages after a crash, regardless of who caused it.
No-fault does not mean fault never matters. When injuries are serious enough to meet Florida's injury threshold, you can step outside the no-fault system and pursue a claim against the driver who caused the crash for the full scope of your losses.
Whether a particular injury crosses that threshold depends on medical facts, which is one of the main things a case review looks at.
The 14-day medical rule that catches people off guard
Florida's PIP law requires you to seek initial medical care within 14 days of the crash to qualify for PIP medical benefits. People who wait to see how they feel can lose access to those benefits entirely, even when the other driver was clearly at fault.
If you were in a crash and have not been evaluated yet, getting checked promptly protects both your health and your options, even if the visit confirms nothing is seriously wrong.
Fault, shared fault, and Florida's comparative negligence rule
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system. In plain terms, your compensation can be reduced by your share of fault, and under the current law a person found mostly at fault (more than 50%) generally cannot recover from the other party.
Because percentages of fault are argued over by insurance companies, the evidence gathered early, photos, the crash report, witness statements, and vehicle data, often decides how that argument ends.
Dealing with insurance companies
You will likely hear from two insurers: yours and the other driver's. You generally must report the crash to your own carrier promptly under your policy. You are not required to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement, and it is usually wise to understand your situation before doing so.
Early settlement offers often arrive before the full extent of an injury is known. Accepting one typically ends the claim, including injuries discovered later.
Deadlines that can end a case
Florida sets a statute of limitations on injury lawsuits, and for negligence cases it is now generally two years under the law as revised in 2023. Claims against government entities and some other case types have their own, sometimes shorter, notice rules.
The exact deadline that applies depends on when the crash happened and the type of claim, so treat any general number as a starting point, not a guarantee. Missed deadlines usually cannot be undone.
What a claim can actually cover
Depending on the facts, a car accident claim may involve medical expenses (past and future), lost income and reduced earning ability, vehicle damage, and the human costs of the injury: pain, limitation, and the effect on daily life.
Every case turns on its own facts and available coverage. No page can tell you what yours is worth, but a review can tell you what categories realistically apply and what a sensible next step looks like.
Common questions
A traffic citation is helpful evidence but does not by itself decide a civil claim. Fault in a civil case is evaluated separately, and the evidence around the crash usually matters more than the ticket.
Uninsured drivers are common in Florida. Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, if you carry it, often becomes the path for recovery. A review can look at what coverage exists on all sides.
Yes, and soon. Adrenaline masks injuries, some conditions appear days later, and Florida's PIP benefits generally require treatment within 14 days of the crash.
Nothing. Case reviews through Call Kovar are free, and submitting one does not obligate you to anything.
It varies widely. Claims involving clear fault and completed medical treatment can resolve in months; cases with disputed fault or ongoing treatment take longer. A realistic timeline depends on your specific facts.
General information only
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