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Car accident claims

Florida car accident claims

Florida is a no-fault state. Your own PIP usually pays crash medical bills first. Suing the other driver is a different claim.

A crash is a negligence claim: duty, breach, cause, harm. The numbers below are the published Florida rules, not a ruling on your facts.

Last checked Sep 10, 2026 · LawyerUnc editorial. Educational only, not legal advice.

How long you have to file
Ordinary injury claims in Florida often run 2 years (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a)). Tolling and discovery rules can change a date. Confirm the current statute.
If you share blame
If you are more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. At 50% or less, your recovery is cut by your share of blame.
No-fault vs the other driver
Florida is a no-fault state for medical bills. Your own PIP coverage is still $10,000 for most policies. The 2026 repeal bills died in committee on March 13, 2026. PIP is usually the first stop for crash medical expenses, whoever caused it. Initial treatment generally has to start within 14 days or PIP medical benefits can be lost. Suing the other driver for pain and suffering is a different claim, and it still has a serious-injury threshold under § 627.737. No-fault is not the same thing as the 51% shared-blame bar. (Fla. Stat. §§ 627.736, 627.737)
What usually matters
  • · Crashes after March 24, 2023 sit on a two-year clock, not the old four-year one.
  • · Florida still has PIP / no-fault. SB 522 and HB 769, the 2026 repeal bills, died in committee on March 13, 2026.
  • · PIP medical benefits generally need initial treatment within 14 days. That is not the two-year lawsuit clock.
  • · Suing the other driver for pain and suffering still has a serious-injury threshold under § 627.737. HB 837 changed how medical bills are proved at trial.
What to save
Photos of the scene and the cars, the police report number, dashcam or store video, the other driver's insurance card, and your own medical visits in order. Do not post a joke about the crash. Use the preservation letter if a truck or a tape is about to disappear.
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