Florida Accident Guide
Download this practical checklist designed for drivers in Florida, offering step-by-step instructions on what to do if they are involved in a vehicle accident.
No two cases move at the same pace. Some resolve in a matter of months through negotiation, while others proceed to a jury trial. Almost every Florida injury claim, however, follows the same six stages. Understanding them in advance removes much of the uncertainty that makes this process feel overwhelming.
The process begins with a conversation. We listen to what happened, explain your rights under Florida law, and give you an honest assessment of whether you have a claim worth pursuing.
Insurance companies begin building their defense on the day of the accident, and so do we. Fault must be proven, but the evidence can disappear quickly. We start investigating to establish fault accurately, which is especially important under Florida’s 51 percent bar, where a victim found more than half at fault recovers nothing.
This stage is one that many injured people do not anticipate, and it is among the most important. We wait until you reach Maximum Medical Improvement, the point at which your physicians can determine how fully you will recover and what future care you will require. Only then do we know the true value of your case.
With your treatment complete and your losses documented, we prepare your demand. We calculate your economic and non-economic damages and present the demand to the insurance company. Then, we negotiate. Most Florida injury cases are resolved at this stage, because a well-supported demand from a firm known for trying cases carries real weight.
When the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement, we file a lawsuit. In Florida, that means drafting and filing a complaint in the appropriate circuit court, serving the at-fault party, and entering discovery. Throughout this stage, we prepare you for each step, and we keep the case moving in accordance with the court’s schedule and your filing deadline.
Before a Florida injury case proceeds to trial, the court almost always orders the parties to mediation, a structured session with a neutral mediator who helps them work toward a settlement. Many cases resolve at this point. If mediation does not succeed and the insurer still refuses to pay fair value, we take the case to trial.
Download this practical checklist designed for drivers in Florida, offering step-by-step instructions on what to do if they are involved in a vehicle accident.
explains the errors that commonly undermine claims, what to do in the hours after a crash, and what you should never say to an adjuster.
The process described above applies to most claims, but each type of accident has its own rules, evidence, and challenges.
Florida’s no-fault system makes car accident claims more complicated than they appear, and the steps you take in the first days affect everything that follows. Our Florida car accident lawyers handle cases ranging from rear-end collisions to catastrophic highway crashes.
These cases involve federal trucking regulations, electronic data, and often a company working to limit its liability. Our Florida truck accident lawyers know where the evidence is and how quickly it can disappear.
Motorcyclists are often blamed for crashes they did not cause and tend to suffer more serious injuries, a difficult combination under Florida’s comparative fault rules. Our Florida motorcycle accident lawyers work to counter that bias and establish the facts.
When a property owner’s negligence causes your injury, Florida law allows you to hold them accountable, but these cases depend on proof and deadlines that are easy to overlook. Our Florida premises liability lawyers understand what it takes to prove them.
It is the question nearly every client asks. The answer is that it depends on your injuries, your total losses, the insurance available, and the degree of fault the other side can attribute to you.
*Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Past-result figures represent gross verdicts and settlements before deduction of fees, costs, and medical liens.
For more than 50 years, Meldon Law has represented injured Floridians against the insurance companies that try to underpay them. Several things set our firm apart:
Jeffrey Meldon founded the firm in 1971 and is a member of the Million-Dollar Advocates Forum, a distinction held by fewer than one percent of trial attorneys in the country.
At our firm, your personal injury lawyer handles your case from start to finish. Each client is also supported by an experienced case manager, so you are kept informed at every stage.
We do not accept every case, so that the clients we represent receive the time, resources, and attention they deserve.
We retain leading experts in accident reconstruction, biomechanics, medicine, and economic losses.
We treat every client with respect, assisting them in their preferred language. Moreover, if you cannot
travel to one of our offices, we will
come to you.
You should not have to choose between hiring an experienced attorney and managing your expenses. We accept personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means we advance the costs of investigating and building your claim, retaining experts, and taking the case to trial when necessary. You pay an attorney’s fee only if we recover compensation for you.
The more information you can provide at the outset, the more thoroughly we can evaluate your case.
Modified Comparative Negligence (the 51 percent bar).
Following HB 837 in 2023, you may recover compensation only if you are found 50 percent or less at fault. If you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover, and any award is reduced in proportion to your share of fault.
No-Fault Insurance and PIP.
Florida requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection, which pays a portion of your medical bills and lost wages after a crash regardless of who was at fault, up to $10,000. A permanent injury allows you to step outside the PIP system and pursue the at-fault driver directly.
The 14-Day Rule.
Under Florida’s no-fault law, you generally must receive initial medical care within 14 days of a crash. If you do not, you may lose your PIP benefits.
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
The point at which your physicians determine that your condition has stabilized and can assess your future care needs. We value a case at MMI so that the demand reflects your true long-term costs.
Serious or Permanent Injury Threshold.
The standard that must be met to pursue pain and suffering damages in Florida. It generally requires a permanent injury, significant scarring or disfigurement, or similar lasting harm, supported by medical evidence.
You do not have to face the insurance company on your own, and you do not have to face the personal injury claim process alone. Speak with our team, learn where your case stands, and let us handle the rest. The consultation is free, and you owe no fee unless we win.
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