Quick answer: after a Florida crash, get medical care within 14 days to preserve PIP benefits under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, document the scene, and do not assume you are barred from recovery if you were partly at fault — Fla. Stat. § 768.81 uses a 50% modified comparative-negligence bar.
These answers are for Palm Beach County and Orlando auto claims. They are general information, not a guarantee about your case.
Reviewed by Aaron R. Coven , Florida Bar No. 38988. Updated August 21, 2026.
Move to safety, call 911 if anyone is hurt, photograph the vehicles and scene, exchange insurance information, and seek medical evaluation the same day if possible. Florida PIP medical benefits under Fla. Stat. § 627.736 generally require initial treatment within 14 days of the crash. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you understand your rights.
As soon as practical — the same day if you have pain, dizziness, or visible injury. Fla. Stat. § 627.736 generally requires initial medical treatment within 14 days of the motor-vehicle accident to preserve Personal Injury Protection medical benefits. Delayed care also makes it easier for a carrier to argue the crash did not cause your injuries.
The crash report, scene and vehicle photos, witness contacts, medical records that tie symptoms to the collision date, wage documentation, and a simple chronology of treatment. For rideshare crashes, save the Lyft or Uber trip receipt and app screenshots showing the trip status.
No. You may have a duty to cooperate with your own carrier under your policy, but the at-fault driver’s insurer is adversarial. Many people consult an attorney before any recorded statement so answers stay accurate and complete.
Personal Injury Protection is Florida’s no-fault auto coverage under Fla. Stat. § 627.736. It generally pays a portion of reasonable crash-related medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault, up to policy limits and subject to deductibles, exclusions, and the 14-day initial-treatment rule. PIP is not a substitute for a claim against an at-fault driver when injuries are serious.
Under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, initial medical treatment generally must begin within 14 days of the motor-vehicle accident for PIP medical benefits to apply. Follow-up care should stay consistent with those first records. If a carrier later says treatment was not related or not medically necessary, those early notes are often the strongest response.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may apply when the at-fault driver has no insurance or limits too low to cover your injuries. It is frequently critical in serious Palm Beach County and Orlando crashes. Your declarations page shows whether you selected or rejected UM in line with Florida requirements.
Rideshare crashes can involve the driver’s personal policy, the company’s commercial coverage, and your own UM/UIM. Coverage phases change depending on whether the driver was waiting for a ride, en route, or carrying a passenger. Save the trip receipt, report the crash, get medical care within the PIP 14-day window, and avoid assuming only one policy applies.
Often yes, in proportion to fault. Fla. Stat. § 768.81 uses modified comparative negligence: if you are found more than 50% at fault, you typically cannot recover from other at-fault parties. If you are 50% or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Most negligence claims must be filed within four years under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, but shorter deadlines can apply to certain defendants and claim types. PIP medical benefits have a separate, much shorter 14-day initial-treatment window under § 627.736. Do not wait on the four-year clock to start care or preserve evidence.
No. PIP pays limited no-fault benefits first. You may still pursue the at-fault driver, their liability insurer, and UM/UIM when injuries and damages go beyond PIP — including medical bills PIP did not cover, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering when the facts and Florida’s tort rules support it.
Keep the denial letter and every deadline on it. Ask your treating providers for records that tie care to the crash. PIP denials often turn on relatedness, medical necessity, or the 14-day rule. A liability denial often turns on fault under § 768.81. Do not accept a low walk-away offer just because the first letter said no.
Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee: you pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation. The percentage and any case costs are spelled out in a written fee agreement at the consultation. Consultations are free.
The main office is in Palm Springs, Florida — Palm Beach County, not Palm Springs, California — at 4300 10th Ave. N., Second Floor, 33461. There is also an Orlando satellite office at 450 S Orange Ave, 3rd Floor. Call (561) 540-3636 to schedule.
PIP is limited. It does not automatically collect from the at-fault driver, does not replace UM/UIM analysis, and carriers still deny or cut off treatment. A lawyer is most useful when injuries last beyond first-aid care, fault is disputed, a rideshare or commercial policy is involved, or the insurer wants a recorded statement or early release.
If there is no recovery, you do not owe an attorney’s fee under the contingency agreement. That is why documentation, the 14-day PIP window, and early evidence preservation matter — they are what make a claim viable in the first place.