Car accidents, regardless of their severity, should always be handled with care and urgency. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is the leading cause of fatal car accidents, contributing to 31% of all car accident-related deaths across the United States.
In densely populated areas and major cities like Miami, the risk of car crashes resulting in severe injuries or fatalities is significantly higher due to heavy traffic and urban congestion.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, seeking professional legal guidance can make a critical difference in protecting your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.
A car accident in Florida can upend your health, your income, and your daily routine before you have even had a chance to catch your breath. The crash is over in seconds. What follows can take months, and most of it lands on you while you are still trying to recover.
Medical bills arrive fast, as do calls from insurance adjusters who handle these claims daily. Decisions made in the first days after a crash, often before you have time to think clearly, can shape your later compensation.
At Uriarte Law, our Florida car accident lawyers handle these cases statewide and work with clients through every stage of the claim, from the first call to final resolution. We understand how Florida personal injury cases move through the system here, and we fight to recover the maximum compensation available under state law. Call 305-503-5636 for a free consultation today.
Why Choose Uriarte Law for Your Florida Car Accident Case
At Uriarte Law, our bilingual team handles car accident cases throughout the state. We have successfully managed over 10,000 personal injury cases, so we know how these cases proceed and how the Florida courts work.
Questions after a crash may not follow business hours, and we are available around the clock to help. Consultations about your case are free, and there is no pressure to retain us before you understand what your options are.
Our firm also supports The URIARTE Foundation, a community charity that reflects how we see this work. The law exists to protect people, and serving them extends beyond the courtroom.
Client Testimonials
“I have 1 word for this law office Exceptional! From start to finish Angel and Eden walked me through such a smooth process. After a car accident i was so stressed and i felt like Angel held my hands the whole entire time! Thank you Thank you Thank you! This law office is Heaven sent!” — Arianny S.
“Literally hands down best law firm! Worked with them on a previous case and they did everything possible to I tried working with another law firm and it was a slap in the face. Ended up coming right back here. And they took my case. Ricardo was very respectful and he also was very understanding when we were speaking. This showed me that I can’t just go to any other law firm. They actually care and all about there clients and will do everything in there power to help!” — Erika S.
“I cannot recommend Uriarte Law highly enough! From the moment I walked into their office, I felt reassured and confident that I was in good hands. The entire team was professional, compassionate, and dedicated to my case. Mr. Uriarte went above and beyond so that I understood every step of the legal process and was always available to answer any questions I had. Their attention to detail was evident throughout the entire process, and I truly felt that they had my best interests at heart. Thanks to Mr. Uriarte and their diligent work, I received a settlement that exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for a personal injury law firm that genuinely cares about their clients, look no further than Uriarte Law.” — Jovem W.
According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), Florida has already seen over 114,000 crashes within the first four months of 2026, resulting in 804 fatalities and more than 74,000 injuries. That works out to more than 950 auto crashes every day on Florida roads.
Hit-and-run crashes account for 25% of these car accidents. They create real complications for victims trying to identify and pursue an at-fault driver. However, Florida law does allow specific recovery paths when the at-fault driver cannot be identified.
An experienced car accident lawyer from Uriarte Law can help you evaluate the evidence, determine fault, and pursue fair compensation.
What Types of Car Accidents Happen Most in Florida?
The type of crash you were in affects the evidence, liability, and any potential fault disagreement. Some common car accidents in Florida include the following:
Rear-end collisions: The driver behind has a duty to maintain a safe following distance, while the driver in front has a duty to drive predictably and avoid sudden, unnecessary stops. That duty split often makes liability easier to establish in a rear-end crash, though dashcam footage and vehicle data recorders are still key evidence sources.
T-bone and intersection crashes: Fault is frequently contested. Traffic signal data, witness statements, and skid mark analysis often help determine who had the right of way.
Head-on collisions: These crashes often result in the most severe injuries. Wrong-way and impaired driving are common causes, which makes toxicology reports and Florida Highway Patrol investigation records central to the claim.
Hit-and-run crashes: Florida’s uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply when the at-fault driver cannot be identified. Reporting to the police immediately and preserving any available surveillance footage can help support your case.
Multi-vehicle pileups: Multiple liable parties and insurers can complicate these claims. An experienced lawyer can help manage competing claims and identify all responsible parties.
Regardless of your crash type, the earlier you gather evidence, the stronger your case foundation. Skid marks fade, surveillance footage may get overwritten, and witness recollections can become less precise with time. Contact Uriarte Law as soon as possible so our lawyers can help you build your case.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in Florida?
Cause is the foundation of every negligence claim. What caused the crash matters because it helps determine who may be legally responsible. Each factor below points toward a specific legal basis for a claim and requires supporting evidence.
Distracted Driving
Almost 40% of Florida car accidents in 2024 involved a distraction, according to FLHSMV. Texting, phone calls, infotainment use, eating, and adjusting controls can all qualify, and in a claim the specific behavior at the moment of impact matters more than the broad category.
Phone records, app usage logs, dashcam footage, and infotainment data can document distraction in the seconds before a crash. Preserving that evidence early is often what turns a likely distracted-driving claim into a provable one.
Speeding and Aggressive Driving
FLHSMV reports that over 14% of Florida car accident fatalities in 2024 resulted from speeding, aggression, or both. Tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and road rage often accompany speeding, and these behaviors can support a negligence claim.
Vehicle data recorders, crash reconstruction, and witness accounts are common evidence sources. Florida treats willful or reckless conduct differently from ordinary negligence, which can affect both how the claim is built and what damages may be available.
Impaired Driving
About 7% of Florida accident fatalities in the first four months of 2026 have been related to alcohol or drug intoxication, according to FLHSMV. A DUI crash often produces a parallel criminal record alongside the civil claim. Impairment is both a safety failure and a legal violation that supports a clear negligence theory.
Toxicology reports, police records, body camera footage, and field sobriety test results can become central evidence. With established impairment, punitive damages may also be available under Florida law depending on the facts of the crash.
Failure to Yield
Failure-to-yield violations resulted in about 14% of all crash fatalities in Florida in 2024, according to FLHSMV. These crashes happen most often at intersections, on merges, and during left turns across oncoming traffic, where one driver’s right of way runs against another’s.
Witness accounts, traffic signal records, surveillance footage, and intersection design data can all help establish who had the right of way. Fault in failure-to-yield cases is often contested, so what evidence gets preserved early often shapes how the claim resolves.
Fatigued or Ill Driving
Fatigue and sudden medical episodes can produce the same kind of reaction-time and judgment failures as impairment, without any substances involved. Long-haul commercial drivers, shift workers, and drivers with untreated medical conditions are commonly involved in these crashes.
Driver logs, employment records, cell data, and medical records can help establish whether a driver had been awake for an unsafe period or was experiencing a known condition behind the wheel. In commercial contexts, hours-of-service violations may also expand the pool of responsible parties to include the employer.
Poor Road Conditions
When road design, signage, or maintenance contributed to the crash, a government entity or contractor may share liability. FLHSMV data shows that 6% of fatal Florida car accidents involved adverse weather, 10% involved adverse road conditions, and 23% occurred in unlit darkness.
These claims involve separate procedural rules and shorter notice deadlines than typical driver-negligence cases. Acting quickly to preserve scene photographs, maintenance records, and weather data is often what makes a road-conditions claim viable.
What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
Car crashes produce a wide range of injuries. Some are apparent immediately, and others develop or worsen over hours or days. Common injuries include:
Whiplash
Soft tissue injuries
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Spinal cord injuries
Broken bones and fractures
Internal bleeding
Lacerations and scarring
Psychological injuries (PTSD, anxiety)
Some of the most serious injuries, including TBIs and spinal injuries, may not produce obvious symptoms immediately. Seek medical attention as soon as possible after an accident.
This is not just a practical step in building a documented medical record that connects your injuries to the crash. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, you must have received medical attention within 14 days of the accident to access the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits.
Do I Have a Car Accident Claim Under Florida Law?
At the most basic level, a viable personal injury claim in Florida requires four elements:
Duty
Breach
Causation
Damages
In simple terms, if someone’s failure to meet a duty of care on the road caused your crash and damages, you likely have a claim. Even if you do not yet have proof of these four elements, you can still contact a lawyer.
Our lawyers at Uriarte Law can help evaluate your case and often collect evidence proving each of these four elements.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Florida Car Accident?
Florida law provides for several categories of damages in a car accident claim. What you may be entitled to depends on the severity of your injuries, your degree of fault, and the available insurance coverage.
The two main categories of compensation include economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages can include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, property damage, and out-of-pocket expenses tied to the crash.
Non-economic damages might cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, permanent disability or disfigurement, and loss of consortium.
Punitive damages may be available in cases involving especially reckless or intentional conduct, such as DUI crashes or road rage. Punitive damages in Florida fall under Fla. Stat. § 768.72 and are subject to statutory caps listed in Fla. Stat. § 768.73. Whether punitive damages apply to your case is a case-specific analysis.
Building a strong claim takes evidence, documentation, and an understanding of how Florida insurance companies handle these cases. Our car accident lawyers can help identify and document the full scope of what you may be entitled to receive.
What If I Was Partly at Fault for the Accident?
Under Florida’s modified comparative fault rule (effective March 24, 2023), you cannot recover anything if you are found more than 50% responsible for the crash. However, you can receive compensation if you are found 50% or less at fault. Your recovery is simply reduced by that same percentage.
For example, if you are found 40% at fault and your compensation totals $100,000, your recovery is reduced by that same percentage. You would receive $60,000.
Our car accident lawyers can help gather and preserve evidence that contests an unfair fault assignment. Acting early, before recorded statements are given and before key evidence degrades, can make a meaningful difference in how the court apportions fault.
What Happens If the Other Driver Is Uninsured?
Florida does not require drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage, which means an at-fault driver may have no coverage for your injuries beyond their own PIP. If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, your own UM/UIM coverage can cover the gap between what the other driver can pay and what your injuries actually cost, if you carry that coverage.
The Uriarte Law legal team can review your policy and identify all available coverage sources. UM/UIM claims involve their own procedures and deadlines, and understanding your options early can help protect your ability to make a full claim.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Florida?
Your safety and health come first after any crash. Once you have addressed immediate medical needs, the steps you take can also help protect your legal rights.
Seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel okay. Florida’s 14-day PIP rule means delay can cost you access to your own benefits, and delayed symptoms are common with injuries like TBI and spinal damage.
Call 911. This step initiates the creation of the police report, which is usually required under Florida law.
Document the scene. As you are able, photograph vehicles, road conditions, visible injuries, license plates, and nearby signage. Collect contact information from witnesses before they leave.
Avoid giving a recorded statement to any insurer before consulting an attorney. Statements made in the hours or days after a crash can be used to reduce or deny your claim.
Exchange information with the other driver, including license, insurance, and vehicle registration.
Contact a lawyer as soon as possible. A car accident lawyer can help preserve evidence, respond to insurer contact, and protect your rights before critical deadlines pass.
The steps you take in the days after a crash often shape what follows. Acting early, especially before speaking with an insurance adjuster, can put you in a stronger position to pursue full recovery.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Florida?
Under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, injured victims have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida. This deadline, established under HB 837, took effect on March 24, 2023, and reduced the prior four-year window.
The 14-day PIP rule is a separate and shorter clock. Medical treatment must begin within 14 days of the crash to access PIP benefits at all, independent of the two-year lawsuit deadline.
Evidence has its own timeline. Dashcam footage gets overwritten, witness recollections fade, and surveillance systems cycle through recordings. The legal deadline is the outer boundary, and the practical window for preserving the strongest possible case is often much shorter.
Reaching out to a lawyer as soon as possible after a crash can help protect your options regardless of which situation you are in.
How Do I Choose a Florida Car Accident Lawyer?
The attorney you choose can directly affect the strength of your claim and its outcome. Look for the following things in a Florida personal injury lawyer:
Knowledge of Florida’s current personal injury laws: HB 837 changed comparative fault rules, evidence standards for medical damages, and the filing deadline. An experienced lawyer who understands those specific changes can build your claim around the law as it actually stands.
Experience with your type of case: The evidence, liability questions, and insurance dynamics in a rideshare crash, hit-and-run, or multi-vehicle pileup differ in meaningful ways. A law firm familiar with your specific crash type can anticipate where a case is likely to push back and plan around it.
Bilingual capability: If English is not your first language, a bilingual firm can remove a significant barrier to understanding your rights and the legal process.
Direct attorney access: Look for firms where you can reach the attorney handling your case, not only a case manager or paralegal.
Responsiveness: Consider lawyers who keep clients informed throughout the process, not only at major milestones. Client reviews can offer a practical window into how a firm actually operates.
Around-the-clock availability: Car accidents do not follow a schedule, and neither do the questions that follow. Firms that are accessible beyond standard business hours can respond when you actually need them.
Your chosen law firm can become your advocate during one of the most difficult periods of your life. Take the time to ask the right questions before signing.
Injured in a Crash? Contact the Car Accident Lawyers at Uriarte Law Today.
When you’re hurt, missing work, and getting calls from insurance adjusters, it’s hard to know what to do next. That’s where we come in to help. Contact the legal team at Uriarte Law today to start building your case.
Our bilingual team is ready to offer you a free consultation. Call 305-503-5636or fill out our contact form to start a conversation about your case.
Written By Alex Uriarte
Founder / Managing Partner
Alejandro Uriarte is the founding attorney of Uriarte Law, a Miami-based personal injury firm with over 12 years of experience and more than 10,000 cases successfully handled across Florida and Texas. He earned his Juris Doctor from Barry University and has built his career representing clients injured in car, truck, motorcycle, rideshare, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents, as well as slip and fall and premises liability cases. Alejandro’s mission is straightforward: maximize every client’s recovery and ensure they have direct access to their attorney, full transparency, and fierce representation from start to finish.
