Miami Car Accident Lawyer

You Have More Options Than the Insurer Wants You to Know

A serious crash changes everything in an instant: the medical bills, the missed work, the totaled car, and the phone calls from adjusters who sound friendly but work for the other side. In the middle of all that, it is easy to accept the first offer just to make it stop. That is exactly what the insurance company is counting on.

At Leyva Law, your case is handled directly by attorney Daniela Leyva, not passed off to a call center. She builds the case, deals with the adjusters, and prepares every claim as if it will go to trial, because that is what makes insurers pay what a claim is truly worth. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Florida

The steps you take in the first hours and days can protect your health and your claim:

1. Get Safe and Call the Police

Move out of traffic if you can, and call 911. A police report creates an official record of the crash that is difficult to dispute later.

2. Document Everything

Photograph the vehicles, the scene, the damage, and any visible injuries. Get the other driver's insurance and contact information and the names of any witnesses.

3. See a Doctor Within 14 Days

Florida's no-fault system only pays your medical benefits if you are treated within 14 days of the crash. Even if you feel fine, get checked. Some serious injuries do not show symptoms right away.

4. Be Careful With the Insurance Company

You must report the accident to your own insurer, but you are not required to give the at-fault driver's insurance company a recorded statement. Before you do, or before you accept any offer, talk to a lawyer.

Florida Is a No-Fault State: PIP and the 14-Day Rule

Florida law (section 627.736, Florida Statutes) requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection, or PIP. After a crash, your own PIP coverage pays a portion of your medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident, up to your policy limit (commonly $10,000). PIP generally covers 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost income, but only if you begin treatment within 14 days.

PIP is only the starting point. When your injuries are serious, Florida law lets you step outside the no-fault system and pursue a claim directly against the at-fault driver for the full harm you suffered, including pain and suffering. We evaluate whether your injuries meet that threshold and pursue every source of recovery available to you.

How Long You Have to File a Car Accident Claim

Florida deadlines are strict, and missing one can end an otherwise strong case. For accidents that happened after March 24, 2023, you generally have two years to file a negligence lawsuit (section 95.11(5)(a), Florida Statutes). Crashes before that date usually fall under the older four-year deadline. Separately, your insurance policy sets its own, often much shorter, notice requirements.

Beyond the legal deadlines, evidence fades fast: skid marks wash away, vehicles are repaired, and witnesses forget. The sooner we start, the more we can protect. There is no cost to have us review your case.

Car Accident Cases We Handle in Miami-Dade

• Rear-End Collisions
• Intersection and Red-Light Crashes
• Hit-and-Run Accidents
• Uninsured and Underinsured Drivers
• Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) Accidents
• Drunk and Distracted Driving
• Multi-Vehicle Pileups
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes
• Wrongful Death

Miami Car Accident FAQ

Related: property insurance claims · all personal injury cases · meet the attorney. This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.