Florida injury law, in plain English
After a Florida accident, know your rights before you talk to anyone.
Florida's injury laws are unusual — a no-fault PIP system, a short two-year deadline, and a modified comparative negligence rule that can zero out your case. This site explains what matters, in language you can actually use.
What to do in the first 72 hours after a Florida accident
The choices you make in the first three days often decide what your claim is worth. Do these things in order:
- Get medical care within 14 days. Florida's PIP statute cuts off no-fault benefits entirely if you don't see a qualified provider within 14 days of the crash.
- Report the crash. Florida requires a report for any crash involving injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more.
- Photograph everything. Vehicles, positions, skid marks, road conditions, visible injuries, and every insurance and license document.
- Get names and numbers for every witness. Police reports often miss people who saw what happened.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. You are not required to, and anything you say can be used to reduce your claim.
- Open a PIP claim with your own auto insurer — even if the crash wasn't your fault. In Florida, your own PIP pays first.
- Keep a simple daily log of pain, missed work, and appointments. Memory fades fast; contemporaneous notes are gold.
Start with the topic that matters to you
Every guide is written to answer real questions Florida accident victims ask — with citations to Florida statutes where they matter.
Florida PIP / No-Fault
How Florida's $10,000 Personal Injury Protection works — and when you can step outside it.
Read the guide →
Deadlines & Statute of Limitations
Florida's two-year injury deadline (post-2023), plus special rules for government claims and wrongful death.
Read the guide →
Car Accidents
What to do at the scene, how fault works under Florida's modified comparative negligence rule, and what your case may be worth.
Read the guide →
Motorcycle Accidents
Why PIP doesn't cover motorcyclists, helmet law nuances, and common insurance traps in Florida.
Read the guide →
Truck Accidents
Federal trucking rules, multiple liable parties, and preserving evidence in Florida commercial vehicle crashes.
Read the guide →
Slip & Fall
Florida's tough premises liability standard under §768.0755, and what you must prove to win.
Read the guide →
Dealing With Insurers
Recorded statements, quick settlement offers, and Florida bad-faith rules explained.
Read the guide →
Choosing a Lawyer
Contingency fees, trial experience, and the questions every Florida injury client should ask.
Read the guide →
Florida injury law: the short version
Three things about Florida law surprise almost every injury victim:
- Florida is a no-fault car insurance state. Your own PIP coverage pays your first $10,000 of medical bills and lost wages, regardless of who caused the crash — but only if you're treated within 14 days.
- You usually have only two years to sue. A 2023 tort-reform law shortened Florida's general negligence deadline from four years to two. Miss it and your claim is worth zero.
- If you're more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. Florida is now a "modified" comparative negligence state. Under-50% fault reduces your recovery; over-50% eliminates it.
The rest of the site walks through what those rules mean in real cases — car, motorcycle, truck, and slip-and-fall.
How to choose an attorney
Not every injury lawyer belongs on your case. A short checklist:
- Board-certified in civil trial law, or with real trial verdicts (not just settlements).
- Handles your specific accident type regularly.
- Explains their contingency fee — and costs — in writing before you sign.
- Answers your questions without pressure.