Tampa Bay and Central Florida understand deadlines, evidence, insurance issues, and next steps. If you are unsure about how much time you have left, speak with a Florida personal injury attorney from KFB Law. What Is the Florida Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims? A statute of limitations is the legal deadline for filing a lawsuit. In a Florida personal injury case, it governs how long an injured person has to bring a claim in court after the incident occurred. For many years, Florida gave injured people a 4-year filing deadline for many negligence-based personal injury lawsuits. That changed in 2023. For negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023, Florida Statutes Section 95.11 now places “an action founded on negligence” under the 2-year limitations category. This means many car accident, slip-and-fall, premises liability, motorcycle accident, and other negligence-based personal injury claims are now subject to a 2-year lawsuit-filing deadline. The change does not mean every injury case has the same deadline. Some claims have different timelines, and others may involve special notice rules. For example, medical malpractice, wrongful death, intentional torts, product liability claims, and claims involving a government agency may be governed by different rules. If the statute of limitations expires, the injured party may lose the ability to recover compensation through court. That is why it is important to review the deadline early, while evidence, witness details, medical treatment records, and insurance communications are still fresh. For example, if a car crash happened on April 10, 2024, the 2-year statute would generally require a lawsuit by April 10, 2026. If the accident occurred before March 24, 2023, the older rule may apply, but the exact deadline should still be reviewed carefully. When Does the Statute of Limitations Begin in a Florida Personal Injury Case? In most personal injury cases, the limitations begin on the date the accident occurred or the injury occurred, not the date the injured person finished treatment, received medical bills, spoke with the insurance company, or realized the full financial impact. However, there are exceptions, which we will outline below. What’s important to remember is that the incident date matters. Because the filing deadline can change based on the facts, the safest step is to have an experienced personal injury lawyer review the case as early as possible. Common Florida Personal Injury Limitation Deadlines by Case Type Case Type General deadline What to know Negligence-based injury claims Generally 2 years for claims arisingafter March 24, 2023 Often includes car accidents, slipand falls, premises liability, dogbites, motorcycle accidents, truckaccidents, pedestrian accidents,and other claims based on failure touse reasonable care. Medical malpractice claims Generally 2 years, but the clockmay run differently The deadline may run from theincident or from when the injury wasdiscovered or should have beendiscovered, with outer limits andpre-suit rules in many cases. Wrongful death claims Generally 2 years The clock usually starts on the dateof death, not necessarily the date ofthe original injury. Product liability claims Often 4 years, depending on theclaim May involve defective consumerproducts, unsafe equipment,defective auto parts, medicaldevices, or failure-to-warn claims. Claims involving governmentagencies Special notice rules may apply Do not rely on the general personalinjury deadline without legal review. Negligence-Based Claims Most personal injury cases based on negligence now have a 2-year deadline if they arose on or after March 24, 2023. Florida’s current personal injury statute places actions founded on negligence in the 2-year category. Negligence-based claims may include car accident cases, motorcycle accident cases, premises liability claims, slip-and-fall injuries, dog bite cases, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, construction site accidents, and other situations where someone failed to use reasonable care. Because different facts can affect the deadline, each claim should be reviewed individually. Medical Malpractice Cases Medical malpractice cases generally have a 2-year deadline, but the clock may run differently than it does in a typical accident case because the harm is not always immediately apparent. Florida law generally gives 2 years from the incident or from when the injury was discovered, or should have been discovered with due diligence, with a 4-year outer limit in many cases. This is where the discovery rule may matter. Medical malpractice cases can also involve separate pre-suit requirements, including investigation and notice rules, so patients and families should not assume the deadline is simple. Wrongful Death Claims Wrongful death claims generally have a 2-year deadline under Florida law. The time usually starts from the date of death, not necessarily the date the original injury occurred. These cases can arise from many of the same events as personal injury claims, including car crashes, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, unsafe property conditions, medical negligence, and other acts of negligence. They can also involve difficult questions about who has the right to bring the claim and what damages may be available to surviving family members. Product Liability Claims Product liability claims can depend on the situation. A case may be based on negligent design, negligent manufacturing, failure to warn, strict liability, breach of warranty, or another theory. These claims may involve defective consumer products, unsafe equipment, defective auto parts, medical devices, or other products that cause injury. Florida has a 4-year limitations period for actions founded on the design, manufacture, distribution, or sale of personal property. Because the filing deadline can depend on how the claim is brought and who the defendant is, anyone injured by a defective product should have the facts reviewed before relying on a general deadline. Does Filing an Insurance Claim Stop the Personal Injury Statute of Limitations? No. Filing an insurance claim does not stop the personal injury statute of limitations. An injured person can be communicating with an insurance company, sending medical bills, and negotiating with an adjuster, but still lose the right to sue if a lawsuit is not filed on time. An insurance claim and a lawsuit are different. An insurance claim asks the insurance company to review and pay covered losses. A lawsuit is a formal court action that must be filed before the statute of limitations expires. Personal injury protection benefits (PIP) are also separate from a lawsuit against an at-fault party. In a Florida car accident, personal injury protection may help pay certain medical expenses or lost wages, but it does not extend or pause the lawsuit deadline. If negotiations drag on, it is important to have the claim reviewed before time becomes an issue. Early review can help preserve evidence, track medical bills, and clarify whether filing a personal injury lawsuit is necessary. How Modified Comparative Negligence Can Affect Florida Personal Injury Cases Here’s where things get a little complicated. House Bill (HB) 837 also changed how fault can affect many personal injury cases in Florida. Florida now follows a modified comparative negligence rule for many negligence actions. Under Florida Statutes Section 768.81, a party found to be greater than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover damages in negligence cases where the rule applies. The statute also says this greater-than-50-percent bar does not apply to actions for personal injury or wrongful death arising out of medical negligence under Chapter 766. Because evidence is often central to a personal injury claim, this means photos, videos, crash reports, witness statements, property records, and medical treatment records can help show how the accident caused the injury and who was responsible. Delays can make that harder. A video may be erased. A witness may move. A dangerous condition may be repaired before anyone documents it. For most personal injury lawsuits, it is better to gather evidence early and get legal guidance before the insurance company decides how it wants to frame fault. What Should Personal Injury Victims Do Before the Filing Deadline? Before the filing deadline, personal injury victims should take steps that protect their health, records, and legal options: Talk With a Florida Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Deadline Schedule a Free Consultation with KFB Law Today The personal injury attorneys at KFB Law represent people injured by negligence in TampaBahía y Florida Central. Nuestro bufete ayuda a los clientes a comprender los plazos, las pruebas, los asuntos relacionados con los seguros y los próximos pasos, ofreciéndoles una orientación clara y práctica. Puede llamar, enviar mensajes de texto o chatear con KFB Law las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. Las consultas son gratuitas y usted no paga nada a menos que ganemos. Si no puede acudir a la oficina, la empresa podría reunirse con usted en su domicilio, en el hospital o en algún otro lugar que le resulte más conveniente. Si usted resultó herido en un accidente automovilístico, una caída, un accidente de motocicleta u otro accidente grave, no tiene que lidiar solo con las complejas leyes de Florida. Contacte con KFB Law para una consulta gratuita. Preguntas frecuentes sobre el plazo de prescripción para demandas por lesiones personales en Florida: ¿Se puede extender el plazo de prescripción para demandas por lesiones personales en Florida? El plazo de prescripción para las demandas por lesiones personales podría prorrogarse o suspenderse en determinadas situaciones, pero estas excepciones son limitadas y dependen de las circunstancias específicas de cada caso, así que no cuente con ello. La ley de Florida enumera ciertas circunstancias que pueden suspender o pausar un plazo, incluidas algunas situaciones que involucran a menores de edad, incapacidad, ausencia del estado u ocultamiento. Esto no significa que todas las reclamaciones por lesiones personales reciban más tiempo. En la mayoría de los casos de reclamaciones por accidentes en Florida, lo más seguro es asumir que el plazo comienza a contar a partir de la fecha del accidente o lesión, a menos que nuestros abogados especializados en lesiones personales confirmen lo contrario. ¿Cuál es el plazo de prescripción para una demanda por lesiones personales de un menor en Florida? El plazo de prescripción para una demanda por lesiones personales de un menor en Florida puede verse afectado por las normas de suspensión de plazos, pero los padres no deben asumir que el plazo es ilimitado. La ley de Florida permite la suspensión de plazos en ciertos casos que involucran a menores, pero también limita la duración de dicha suspensión. Las reclamaciones por lesiones infantiles pueden estar relacionadas con accidentes automovilísticos, accidentes de peatones, condiciones inseguras en la propiedad, mordeduras de perros, negligencia médica u otras lesiones graves. Dado que el plazo puede depender de la edad del niño, el tipo de caso y quién causó la lesión, estas reclamaciones deben revisarse cuanto antes. ¿Qué habría pasado si no me hubiera dado cuenta de la gravedad de mi lesión hasta más tarde? Si no se dio cuenta de la gravedad de su lesión hasta más tarde, en muchos casos de lesiones personales en Florida, el plazo puede seguir corriendo a partir de la fecha del accidente. El dolor que aparece más tarde, la aparición de nuevos síntomas o un diagnóstico posterior no siempre extienden el plazo para presentar una demanda. Esta es una de las razones por las que el tratamiento médico (y la documentación) son importantes después de un accidente. Consultar a un médico, seguir el plan de tratamiento y documentar los síntomas puede ayudar a relacionar la lesión con el incidente. Algunos tipos de casos, como la negligencia médica, pueden estar sujetos a normas de descubrimiento de pruebas, pero las reclamaciones por negligencia ordinaria suelen estar vinculadas a la fecha del accidente. ¿Puedo presentar una demanda por lesiones personales después de firmar un acuerdo con la compañía de seguros? Depende de la situación, pero sí, firmar un acuerdo de liberación de responsabilidad con la compañía de seguros puede limitar o incluso anular su capacidad para presentar una demanda por lesiones personales derivadas del mismo accidente. Una vez que se llega a un acuerdo por escrito sobre una reclamación, la ley de Florida exige que las aseguradoras efectúen el pago de acuerdo con los términos del acuerdo dentro del plazo requerido, pero el propio documento de liberación puede renunciar a cualquier reclamación legal posterior. Antes de firmar un acuerdo de liberación, las víctimas de lesiones deben asegurarse de comprender qué reclamaciones se están resolviendo, si se incluyen los gastos médicos futuros y si el acuerdo cubre a todas las partes responsables. Esto es especialmente importante si los síntomas siguen cambiando o si el tratamiento está en curso. KFB Law ofrece una revisión gratuita de su caso para que pueda determinar cómo proceder. ¿Debo esperar a que la compañía de seguros termine de revisar mi reclamación? No. No debes esperar a que la compañía de seguros termine de revisar tu reclamación antes de confirmar el plazo legal. Las negociaciones con las aseguradoras pueden durar meses, y una reclamación pendiente no garantiza automáticamente el derecho a demandar. Si se acerca la fecha límite, consulte con un abogado antes de fiarse del cronograma de la compañía de seguros.
