Florida’s statute of limitations for negligence-based personal injury claims was reduced from four years to two years when Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 837 into law in March 2023. For car accident victims in Hollywood and throughout Florida, this change has significant practical consequences. What once felt like a comfortable window has been cut in half, and the two-year clock starts running on the date of the accident itself.
Under Florida Statute § 95.11, the two-year limitation now applies to most personal injury claims arising from negligence. Missing this deadline almost always results in permanently losing the right to pursue compensation regardless of how strong the underlying claim may be.
Why Two Years Passes Faster Than People Expect
The two-year window feels long in the abstract. In practice, it disappears quickly. After a serious car accident, the immediate months are consumed by medical treatment, recovery, insurance communications, vehicle repairs, and returning to work. Legal action feels like something to address later, once the immediate crisis has passed.
By the time many accident victims begin seriously considering a lawsuit, a significant portion of the two years has elapsed. And the evidence that would have made the case strongest, surveillance footage, witness recollections, physical scene evidence, has already degraded or disappeared entirely.
Loshak Law PLLC handles car accident claims throughout Hollywood and Broward County and understands how the shortened limitation period changes the urgency of getting legal help after a serious crash.
How the Deadline Interacts with Florida’s No-Fault System
Florida’s no-fault PIP system adds another layer of time-sensitive requirements. Injured drivers must seek initial medical care and submit a no-fault application to their own insurer within 14 days of the accident to preserve PIP benefits. This is a separate and much shorter deadline than the two-year litigation window, and missing it results in the loss of PIP coverage regardless of who caused the crash.
The no-fault system pays for medical expenses and lost wages up to policy limits, but it does not cover pain and suffering. To pursue those damages, a victim must meet Florida’s serious injury threshold and step outside no-fault to file a claim against the at-fault driver. That claim is subject to the two-year deadline.
A Hollywood car accident lawyer can handle no-fault paperwork, communicate with insurers, preserve evidence, and build the liability record while the two-year clock is still running in the client’s favor rather than against them.
Steps That Matter Most in the First Days After a Crash
Acting promptly after a car accident in Hollywood means taking the following steps as quickly as possible:
- Calling 911 and ensuring a police report is filed at the scene before any vehicles are moved
- Seeking medical care immediately or within 14 days to preserve PIP eligibility and create a record connecting injuries to the accident
- Documenting the scene with photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, and any visible injuries
- Collecting contact information from witnesses before they leave the scene
- Avoiding recorded statements to the at-fault driver’s insurer before speaking with an attorney
The Risk of Relying on Insurer Negotiations
One of the most common ways Florida accident victims lose valid claims is by assuming that ongoing settlement discussions with an insurer extend the filing deadline. They do not. An insurer can negotiate for months and then deny a claim because no lawsuit was filed in time.
If you were injured in a car accident in the Hollywood area, speaking with a Hollywood car accident lawyer as soon as possible after the crash gives you the strongest foundation to preserve evidence, meet Florida’s deadlines, and pursue the full compensation available under current state law.
