Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyer

 

Ft. Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer Credentials and Professional Recognition

Daniel B. Reinfeld is AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and holds Avvo’s highest attorney rating—a 10.0 “Superb.” Dan obtained a $1.6 million unanimous jury verdict in a car accident case involving an injured pedestrian, included in TopVerdict’s Top 100 Verdicts in Florida in 2024. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Dan is also a Life Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, organizations whose membership is limited to attorneys who have served as lead counsel in qualifying million- and multimillion-dollar verdicts or settlements. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. ​

​Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Investigation and Local Evidence

Fort Lauderdale accidents may occur on Broward Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, Federal Highway (U.S. 1), Las Olas Boulevard, A1A, I-95, I-595, or streets serving downtown, beach neighborhoods, and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport area. The exact collision location matters: jurisdiction, roadway control, responding agency, nearby cameras, and witnesses can change from one block or interchange to another.

Potential evidence includes the Florida traffic crash report; responding officers’ body-worn camera footage where available; 911 and dispatch records; fire-rescue and EMS records; FDOT traffic-system information; nearby business, condominium, parking-garage, dash-camera, and doorbell footage; vehicle event data; and witness accounts. Preservation requests should be directed to the actual custodian, which may be Fort Lauderdale Police, the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, FDOT, or another agency depending on the scene.

Why the Exact Location of an FTL Crash Matters

An FLL airport-area collision, for example, should not automatically be treated as a Fort Lauderdale Police case. Confirm the crash location, investigating agency, roadway owner, and records custodian before requesting evidence or evaluating any governmental notice requirements.

Fort Lauderdale Roads and Collision Patterns

Downtown and Las Olas Boulevard crashes can involve pedestrians, parking maneuvers, delivery stops, turns, and dense intersection traffic. Federal Highway and Broward Boulevard can involve multi-lane turns, signals, driveways, and commercial entrances. Sunrise Boulevard and A1A introduce different turning, visibility, visitor-traffic, and beach-access issues. I-95 and I-595 collisions may involve higher speeds, merging, multi-vehicle impacts, and commercial vehicles. These are investigation considerations, not claims that particular locations have the highest crash rates.

Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Guide

What to do after a crash • Types of collisions • Evidence and fault • Insurance and PIP • Liability • Compensation • Frequently asked questions • Trial preparation • Contact and directions

What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Florida?

Car accident? Protect the claim early.

Get medical care, preserve photos and video, keep insurance and vehicle documents, avoid giving unnecessary recorded statements to the other driver’s insurer, and speak with counsel before evidence disappears or deadlines become an issue. The minutes and days after a crash can affect both your health and the evidence available later. Safety comes first, but once immediate danger has passed, a few practical steps can protect your ability to prove what happened and connect your injuries to the collision.

Call 911 When Anyone Is Hurt or the Crash Is Serious

For cases where no report was prepared, see Florida car accident claims without a police report.

Request law enforcement and emergency medical help when someone is injured, reports pain or discomfort, a vehicle needs towing, there may be impaired driving, a driver leaves the scene, or the crash otherwise warrants investigation. Florida law requires law-enforcement long-form crash reports in several of these circumstances, including crashes involving injury or complaints of pain, certain violations, tow-away vehicles, and commercial motor vehicles.

Get Medical Care Promptly

For timing requirements, read about Florida’s 14-day PIP rule. For a practical checklist immediately after a collision, read our Florida car accident first-steps guide. Do not assume that soreness, headache, numbness, dizziness, back pain, or neck pain will simply disappear. Some crash injuries evolve over hours or days. Prompt evaluation is medically sensible and also creates contemporaneous documentation of symptoms. Florida’s PIP statute generally requires initial services and care within 14 days after the motor-vehicle accident for medical benefits to be payable under PIP.

Photograph the Scene and Vehicles

If it is safe, photograph the final resting positions of the vehicles, all sides of the vehicles, license plates, skid marks, debris, traffic lights and signs, road conditions, construction, visibility obstructions, and any physical injuries that can be documented. Take more photographs than you think you need. Vehicle repairs and roadway cleanup can erase evidence quickly.

Identify Witnesses and Cameras

Get names and contact information for independent witnesses. Look for nearby businesses, residences, apartment buildings, traffic systems, doorbell cameras, dash cameras, or parking-lot surveillance. Video may be overwritten in days or weeks, so preservation requests can be time-sensitive.

Exchange Information—Don't Debate Fault at the Scene

Exchange the information required by law and cooperate with law enforcement. Avoid arguments, speculation, or casual statements about blame, speed, distraction, or injury. People are often shaken immediately after a collision and may not yet know the full facts or extent of their injuries.

Notify Your Own Insurer

Before responding to an adjuster, see our discussion of recorded statements after a Florida accident.

Most auto policies require prompt notice of a loss and reasonable cooperation. Provide accurate basic information. Before giving a recorded statement—especially to another driver’s insurer—consider getting legal advice about the purpose of the statement and your obligations.

Preserve Everything Connected to the Crash

Keep the crash report or exchange form, photographs, videos, towing documents, repair estimates, medical records, prescriptions, bills, health-insurance explanations of benefits, wage-loss records, mileage logs, receipts, correspondence, claim numbers, and insurance policy documents. If the vehicle may contain important physical evidence, discuss preservation before it is sold, salvaged, or destroyed.

Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle

For situations in which no official crash report was prepared, see Florida car accident claims without a police report.

The firm represents clients injured in many forms of vehicle collisions throughout South Florida. Different crash types raise different proof and insurance issues.

Rear-End Collisions

For a closer look at disputed sudden stops, see our guide to sudden-stop rear-end collision fault.

Disputes may involve stopping distance, sudden stops, multiple impacts, or limited visible damage. Vehicle photographs, repair records, event data, witnesses, and medical timing can be important.

Intersection and Left-Turn Crashes

For additional evidence considerations, see Florida intersection and left-turn accidents.

Fault may depend on right-of-way, signal phase, lane position, speed, and visibility. Nearby camera footage should be identified before it is overwritten.

Head-On and Wrong-Way Crashes

These severe collisions may involve impairment, distraction, fatigue, roadway design, medical events, or vehicle defects.

Sideswipe and Unsafe Lane-Change Accidents

Related collision analysis appears in our guide to side-impact and T-bone accident liability.

Damage patterns, roadway geometry, dash cameras, blind spots, signals, and witnesses can help determine which vehicle crossed the lane line.

Highway and I-95 Accidents

High speeds, multiple vehicles, commercial traffic, construction, and secondary impacts can complicate fault and insurance coverage.

Distracted Driving Accidents

Distraction may involve phones, navigation, passengers, food, or in-vehicle systems. Relevant electronic evidence may require prompt preservation and lawful discovery.

For further discussion of fatal collision claims, see wrongful death after a Florida car accident.

Drunk or Drug-Impaired Driving Accidents

Evidence may include DUI reports, body-camera footage, testing records, field-sobriety materials, and bar or restaurant records. The civil claim requires an independent investigation.

Hit-and-Run and Uninsured Driver Accidents

When the responsible driver flees or has no usable bodily injury insurance, uninsured-motorist coverage may become critical. Prompt police reporting, witness identification, camera searches, license-plate information, debris, and policy review can determine whether a viable source of recovery exists.

Rideshare, Delivery, and Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Coverage can depend on employment, agency, vehicle ownership, commercial policy terms, app status, trip status, and contractual relationships. Preserving digital records and identifying every potentially responsible company should happen early.

Car Accidents Involving Children and Minors

Children can suffer physical and emotional injuries in crashes, and claims involving minors may require additional settlement procedures or court approval depending on the amount and circumstances. Parents should preserve medical, school, activity, and behavioral evidence that documents changes after the collision. The legal claim belongs to the child for the child’s injuries, even though a parent or guardian may act on the child’s behalf.

Serious and Catastrophic Car Accident Claims

Catastrophic cases require a different level of investigation because the lifetime consequences can dwarf the immediate hospital bills. A claim involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, amputation, major orthopedic trauma, permanent cognitive impairment, or loss of independence may require life-care planning, vocational analysis, economic projections, future medical opinions, home-modification evidence, and testimony from family members who understand the day-to-day impact. In these cases, identifying all coverage and responsible parties is critical. Policy-limit investigations, umbrella coverage, commercial policies, employer liability, negligent entrustment, product defects, and other theories may materially affect the available recovery.

Fatal Car Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims

When a collision causes death, the family faces legal issues while dealing with a profound personal loss. Florida wrongful death claims are governed by statute, including rules about who brings the action and which survivors may recover particular damages. The personal representative generally brings the action on behalf of the estate and survivors. A fatal-crash investigation may require rapid preservation of vehicles, event data, commercial records, phone evidence, toxicology, surveillance, roadway evidence, and witness testimony. Because wrongful death actions are generally subject to a two-year limitations period and evidence can disappear much sooner, families should seek case-specific advice promptly.

How Fault Is Proven in a Car Accident Case

Insurance companies do not have to accept a claimant’s description of the crash. A strong liability presentation is built from evidence that can be tested: physical damage, roadway evidence, witness testimony, video, electronic data, records, and expert analysis when needed.

Important Evidence May Include

Florida Traffic Crash Report and related law-enforcement materials;

scene photographs, measurements, debris patterns, skid or yaw marks, and roadway conditions;

vehicle photographs, repair documentation, total-loss records, and event data recorder information when available;

dash-cam, surveillance, traffic-camera, doorbell-camera, rideshare, or delivery-app video and data;

cell-phone records or other evidence relevant to distraction, when legally obtainable;

witness statements and deposition testimony;

911 calls, body-camera footage, citations, DUI investigation materials, and toxicology evidence where relevant;

For a deeper discussion of how insurers and juries assess responsibility, see how fault is determined after a Florida car accident.

vehicle ownership, employment, maintenance, inspection, and commercial safety records; and

accident reconstruction or other expert analysis in disputed or severe crashes.

 

Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyer — Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I hire a Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer after a serious crash?

A Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer can investigate the collision, preserve evidence, identify available insurance coverage, and pursue compensation for injuries caused by another person’s negligence. Daniel B Reinfeld, PA represents injured drivers and passengers throughout Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Dan has more than 25 years of litigation experience, including prior insurance-defense work, and personally handles every case the firm accepts. His trial experience includes a $1.6 million unanimous pedestrian injury verdict recognized by TopVerdict among Florida’s leading pedestrian verdicts of 2024. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. For an overview of the representation process, see what happens after hiring a Florida car accident lawyer. A Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney can also identify insurance and evidence issues early.

How much does a Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer cost?

Daniel B Reinfeld, PA offers free consultations and handles personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning there is no attorney’s fee unless compensation is recovered. The fee is generally a percentage of the recovery, governed by a written agreement and applicable Florida Bar rules. Case costs, litigation expenses, medical liens, and reimbursement obligations are separate matters that should be explained before representation begins. When comparing Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers or choosing a Fort Lauderdale car accident law firm, ask who will handle your case, how fees and costs are calculated, and whether the attorney has experience trying disputed injury claims. For a detailed explanation of contingency fees, see how much a Florida personal injury lawyer costs. People comparing Fort Lauderdale auto accident lawyers, Ft Lauderdale car accident lawyers, or an Ft Lauderdale car accident law firm should ask who handles negotiations and trial preparation. A Fort Lauderdale accident attorney should explain who will handle the case and its costs.

Can I meet with a Ft Lauderdale car accident lawyer at your Fort Lauderdale office?

Yes. Daniel B Reinfeld, PA offers in-person consultations at our Fort Lauderdale office at 110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, by appointment only. Please contact our firm to schedule and confirm your appointment before visiting to ensure the attorney's availability for our first meeting. Learn what representation involves in what happens after hiring a Florida car accident lawyer.

When should I contact an Ft Laud car accident lawyer after a collision?

Contact an Ft Laud car accident lawyer promptly when you are injured, fault is disputed, insurance coverage is uncertain, or important evidence may disappear. A Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorney can help preserve surveillance recordings, dash-camera footage, vehicle data, photographs, and witness information while investigating PIP, bodily injury liability, and uninsured motorist coverage. Seek appropriate medical care immediately rather than waiting for legal advice, particularly if you experience serious pain, dizziness, weakness, numbness, or symptoms of a head injury. Evidence can be lost when vehicles are repaired or video is overwritten, and early insurance communications can affect the claim.

How does a Fort Lauderdale car crash lawyer investigate accidents on I-95, I-595, and Federal Highway?

A Fort Lauderdale car crash lawyer investigates roadway conditions, vehicle movements, witness accounts, police records, and electronic evidence to determine how a collision occurred. Crashes on I-95 and I-595 may involve merging vehicles, high speeds, trucks, construction zones, and multiple impacts, while collisions on Federal Highway, Broward Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, and Las Olas Boulevard may involve turning vehicles, traffic signals, and pedestrian activity. A Fort Lauderdale motor vehicle accident lawyer may obtain available surveillance footage, 911 communications, vehicle event data, and expert reconstruction when warranted.

Who is responsible for a rear-end collision or intersection accident in Fort Lauderdale?

Responsibility depends on how the collision occurred, the conduct of each driver, and the available evidence. A Fort Lauderdale rear-end accident lawyer may examine following distance, braking, vehicle damage, and Florida’s rebuttable presumption of negligence against a rear driver. A Fort Lauderdale intersection accident lawyer may investigate traffic-signal timing, left turns, right-of-way violations, speed, visibility, and witness accounts. A citation or the location of vehicle damage does not necessarily settle every issue of civil fault. A Fort Lauderdale rear end accident lawyer may examine braking and the rebuttable rear-driver presumption; a Fort Lauderdale intersection accident lawyer reviews signals, turns, and right-of-way. Even when an insurer initially blames one driver, surveillance footage, vehicle data, and other evidence may support a different allocation of responsibility.

What evidence matters in a Fort Lauderdale rollover accident or head-on collision?

Vehicle event data, roadway photographs, witness accounts, crash reports, and reconstruction evidence can help establish how a rollover or head-on collision occurred. A Fort Lauderdale rollover accident lawyer may investigate tripping hazards, vehicle stability, tires, road design, and possible defects. A Fort Lauderdale head-on collision lawyer may examine wrong-way driving, impairment, distraction, unsafe passing, and lane departures. Relevant evidence can include photographs, crash reports, event-data recordings, roadway measurements, witness accounts, and accident reconstruction. A Fort Lauderdale rollover accident lawyer may investigate vehicle stability and road hazards; a Fort Lauderdale head on collision lawyer may examine wrong-way travel and lane departures. Serious claims may also involve commercial insurance, vehicle ownership, employers, or other potentially responsible parties.

Can an Ft Lauderdale car accident attorney help after a drunk or distracted driving crash?

Yes. An Ft Lauderdale car accident attorney can pursue a civil injury claim when an impaired or distracted driver’s negligence causes a collision. A Fort Lauderdale drunk driving accident lawyer may investigate DUI records, body-camera footage, witness accounts, and available evidence of impairment. A Fort Lauderdale distracted driving accident lawyer may examine phone use, navigation activity, and other legally obtainable electronic evidence. Particularly egregious conduct may also warrant evaluation of punitive damages under Florida law. Criminal prosecution and a civil injury lawsuit are separate proceedings, so a criminal conviction is not necessarily required to establish negligence.

What if the driver who hit me in Fort Lauderdale fled the scene or had no insurance?

You may still have a viable injury claim if the responsible driver fled or had inadequate insurance. A Fort Lauderdale hit-and-run accident lawyer can investigate witnesses, nearby surveillance cameras, vehicle debris, police records, and other evidence that may identify the driver. A Fort Lauderdale uninsured motorist accident lawyer can review UM/UIM coverage, which may provide compensation when the negligent driver has no bodily injury liability insurance, insufficient limits, or cannot be identified after a qualifying hit-and-run. Coverage depends on the policy and circumstances. For a deeper discussion of uninsured-motorist policy options, see stacked versus non-stacked UM coverage. A Fort Lauderdale hit and run accident lawyer seeks evidence identifying the fleeing driver; a Fort Lauderdale uninsured motorist accident lawyer reviews applicable UM/UIM coverage. The investigation should also consider vehicle owners, employers, and other potentially responsible parties before concluding that recovery is unavailable.

Who is liable for a Fort Lauderdale parking lot, highway, or rideshare accident?

Liability depends on who acted negligently and which insurance policies apply. Parking lot collisions may involve backing vehicles, blocked sightlines, pedestrians, and business surveillance; highway crashes may involve unsafe lane changes, speeding, and multiple impacts. Rideshare collisions can raise additional insurance questions depending on the driver’s activity at the time of the crash. For a detailed discussion of backing collisions, see our parking lot accident guide, which addresses Florida fault rules and insurance coverage. An FTL car accident lawyer can investigate the available insurance coverage. A Fort Lauderdale parking lot accident lawyer examines backing and visibility; a Fort Lauderdale highway accident lawyer investigates merging and multiple impacts; a Fort Lauderdale rideshare accident lawyer reviews app status and coverage.

How do Florida car accident PIP benefits work, and why must I use my own insurance?

Florida’s Personal Injury Protection system generally pays qualifying medical and disability benefits without first deciding which driver caused the crash. Florida car accident PIP benefits ordinarily cover 80% of eligible medical expenses and 60% of qualifying lost income, subject to statutory restrictions, deductibles, and policy limits. Medical benefits may be limited to $2,500 unless an authorized provider determines that an emergency medical condition exists, potentially making up to $10,000 in statutory PIP benefits available. Initial medical services generally must be received within 14 days. Using your own PIP coverage does not mean you caused the accident or prevent a separate negligence claim against an at-fault driver when legally appropriate. Florida’s no-fault injury threshold for noneconomic damages must be evaluated separately from PIP benefits. A Florida car accident insurance claim can involve PIP, bodily injury liability, and uninsured-motorist coverage.

Should I visit urgent care after a Fort Lauderdale car accident, and what is an emergency medical condition?

Seek medical care appropriate to your symptoms after a Fort Lauderdale car accident, particularly if you experience pain, dizziness, headache, weakness, numbness, or other concerning symptoms. Urgent care after a car accident may be appropriate for some nonemergency conditions, while serious symptoms may require emergency department evaluation. Under Florida’s PIP statute, an emergency medical condition is a specific medical determination involving acute symptoms of sufficient severity that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to cause serious jeopardy to health, serious impairment of bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of a bodily organ or part. A qualifying determination must be made by an authorized medical provider. For treatment decisions and documentation, see emergency-room treatment after a Florida car accident. Urgent care after car accident injuries may be appropriate for nonemergency symptoms; an emergency medical condition after car accident treatment has a specific meaning under Florida PIP law.

How long does a car accident claim take in Florida?

There is no fixed period in which every Florida car accident claim must settle. How long a car accident claim takes in Florida depends on injury severity, medical prognosis, disputed fault, insurance coverage, negotiations, and whether litigation becomes necessary. Some claims resolve after treatment and investigation, while cases involving surgery, permanent injuries, multiple defendants, or expert testimony can take considerably longer. Car accident mediation is a settlement conference with a neutral mediator; an individual session may last several hours, but complex cases sometimes require additional sessions. For distinct insurer deadlines, read Florida insurance settlement deadlines. How long does a car accident mediation take? A session may last several hours or require additional sessions. To understand how to sue after a car accident in Florida, counsel evaluates defendants and deadlines before filing a complaint and conducting discovery. The goal should be a fair resolution based on developed evidence rather than a premature settlement before future medical needs are understood.

How much is my Fort Lauderdale car accident case worth?

A Fort Lauderdale car accident case is worth what the evidence, applicable law, and available sources of recovery support—not a standard amount based on the type of collision alone. A Florida car accident settlement may account for recoverable medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, permanent injury, pain and suffering where legally permitted, and other proven losses. Case value also depends on fault, medical causation, prior conditions, future treatment, insurance limits, and litigation risk. A first Florida car accident settlement offer may not reflect the full claim, especially before the injured person reaches a stable medical prognosis. Recoverable damages depend on the evidence and applicable Florida law. A Florida car accident settlement offer must be assessed against documented losses and the consequences of signing a release.

Who is liable for a Florida car accident—the vehicle owner or the driver?

The negligent driver may be responsible, but a vehicle owner, employer, or another party may also be liable depending on the circumstances. Determining who is liable in a car accident, owner or driver, requires examining ownership, permission to use the vehicle, employment relationships, and applicable Florida law. Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine may impose liability on certain vehicle owners for negligent operation by permissive drivers, subject to statutory limitations and exceptions. Employers may also be responsible when an employee causes a crash within the course and scope of employment. The question “who is liable in a car accident owner or driver” depends on ownership, permission, employment, and statutory exceptions. Identifying every potentially responsible party matters because different parties may have separate insurance coverage or assets available to satisfy a judgment.

Can I recover vehicle damage, diminished value, or GAP insurance benefits after a Florida car accident?

Possibly. Vehicle-related losses may include repair expenses, total-loss value, towing, storage, rental expenses, and diminished value, depending on the facts and applicable coverage. A diminished value claim in Florida concerns a vehicle’s reduction in market value after an accident, even when repairs have been completed. GAP insurance in Florida generally addresses an eligible difference between the outstanding loan or lease balance and the amount paid after a covered total loss, subject to the agreement. GAP insurance does not replace bodily injury liability coverage. An Ft Laud car accident attorney can review these issues alongside an injury claim, although property-damage and bodily injury claims may involve different insurers and legal questions. A diminished value claim Florida evaluation concerns the vehicle’s post-repair market value; GAP insurance Florida benefits depend on the applicable loan or lease agreement.

How does Florida’s comparative negligence law affect my car accident claim?

Florida generally allows recovery in an ordinary negligence case when the injured person is 50% or less responsible for the harm, but damages are reduced by that person’s percentage of fault. Under Florida Statutes § 768.81(6), a claimant found more than 50% at fault is generally barred from recovering damages in actions governed by that provision. For example, if proven damages are $100,000 and the injured person is 20% responsible, the adjusted amount is $80,000 before other applicable adjustments. At 51% fault, recovery is generally barred. For examples involving backing vehicles and disputed fault, see our Florida parking lot accident liability guide. Fault must be supported by evidence rather than an insurer’s unsupported allegation.

Can I recover compensation for whiplash, back injuries, PTSD, or traumatic brain injuries?

Yes, when the evidence establishes that the collision caused or aggravated compensable injuries and the applicable legal requirements are met. Back injuries from car accidents may include disc injuries, fractures, and nerve damage, while neck injuries may involve whiplash, cervical disc problems, or radiculopathy. Airbag injuries can include burns, abrasions, facial trauma, and eye injuries. PTSD and traumatic brain injuries may also support claims when properly diagnosed and causally related to the crash. Florida’s statutory threshold for noneconomic damages may also apply. Preexisting conditions can complicate medical causation and settlement evaluation. An FTL car accident attorney evaluates medical records and causation evidence. Whiplash after car accident injuries and back injuries from car accidents require medical causation evidence. Can you sue for PTSD after a car accident? Potentially, if diagnosis, causation, and applicable law support it. Airbag injuries car accident claims require documentation. A car accident traumatic brain injury lawyer also examines neurological and functional evidence.

Who pays medical bills when a passenger is injured in a Fort Lauderdale car accident?

Depending on the circumstances, applicable PIP coverage, health insurance, and liability insurance may help pay a passenger’s accident-related medical bills. Which coverage applies depends on the passenger’s insurance status, household coverage, vehicle occupancy, and responsible drivers. A passenger injured in a Florida car accident may have claims against one or more negligent drivers and possible rights under bodily injury liability or UM/UIM coverage. Car accident medical bills in Florida may involve PIP payments, health-insurance benefits, outstanding balances, provider liens, and reimbursement claims. Although a passenger generally did not control either vehicle, liability and insurance coverage still require investigation. A passenger injured in car accident Florida claims may have access to several policies; car accident medical bills Florida payment can involve PIP, health insurance, liens, and reimbursement. Reviewing the applicable policies early can help identify payment sources and protect the passenger’s separate injury claim.

How long do I have to sue after a Fort Lauderdale car accident?

Most Florida negligence lawsuits arising from accidents governed by the 2023 statutory amendments are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, although the applicable deadline depends on when the claim accrued and other circumstances. The Florida car accident statute of limitations may be affected by governmental defendants, statutory notice requirements, tolling provisions, or other case-specific issues. Wrongful death claims generally have a separate two-year limitations period measured from the date of death. An early investigation is important even when a lawsuit is not immediately anticipated. For a focused discussion of filing deadlines, see Florida car accident lawsuit deadlines. Evidence can disappear long before the filing deadline, including surveillance recordings, vehicle data, and witness recollections.

 

Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer — Free Consultation, No Fee Unless We Win

Injured in Fort Lauderdale? Call (954) 923-6110 for a free consultation with attorney Daniel Reinfeld. We handle accepted personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning no attorney's fee unless compensation is recovered. Litigation costs and expenses are addressed in the written fee agreement. For representation involving car crashes and other injuries in Fort Lauderdale, visit our Fort Lauderdale personal injury page or call (954) 923-6110.