Forty years representing South Florida crash victims — car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, rideshare, bus, and rollover. More than $100 million recovered across our case results. Same-day response. No fee unless we recover for you.
Under Florida's PIP statute (Fla. Stat. § 627.736(1)(a)), if you didn't receive medical treatment within 14 days of the crash, you forfeit your $10,000 in PIP benefits entirely. The most-missed deadline in Florida personal-injury law.
"I felt fine the next day. By the time my back started hurting, it was too late."
HB 837, effective March 24, 2023, cut Florida's negligence statute of limitations from four years to two (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a)). Most accident victims still don't know about the change. Waiting too long is the most common way strong cases evaporate.
"I figured I had plenty of time to think about it."
Under the modified comparative negligence rule (Fla. Stat. § 768.81, post-HB 837), if the insurance company can argue you were more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. They will argue exactly that — and evidence collected in the first 72 hours decides whether they win the argument.
"They said the accident was partly my fault. I assumed I'd still get something."
The "routine" recorded statement isn't routine. It's an evidence-gathering exercise designed to lock you into a version of events while you're still in shock and don't yet know the full extent of your injuries. Every word becomes ammunition to reduce or deny your claim.
"They told me they just wanted to get me taken care of."
Updated for the March 24, 2023 reform (HB 837). Two of Florida's major personal-injury statutes changed substantively that day. If a website still cites four-year deadlines or "pure comparative negligence," it hasn't been updated — and the law on your case is not what it says.
Fla. Stat. § 627.736
Florida is a no-fault state. Every driver carries $10,000 in PIP medical benefits regardless of who caused the crash. The 14-day rule (§ 627.736(1)(a)) requires medical treatment within 14 days of the crash or you forfeit PIP entirely. The standard cap is $2,500 unless a qualified provider certifies an Emergency Medical Condition (EMC), which unlocks the full $10,000.
Fla. Stat. § 627.737
You can sue the at-fault driver beyond PIP only if you meet the statutory permanent-injury threshold: significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function; permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability; significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement; or death. Diagnostic imaging and a treating physician's permanent-injury opinion are what unlock the third-party claim.
Fla. Stat. § 768.81 amended 2023
Effective March 24, 2023 (HB 837), Florida moved from pure to modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar. If you are found more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. At 50% or less, your recovery is reduced by your fault percentage. Carriers exploit this rule aggressively — early evidence collection is what keeps your fault percentage below 51%.
Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a) amended 2023
Effective March 24, 2023 (HB 837), the negligence statute of limitations was cut from four years to two years for new claims. Wrongful death is two years from date of death. Government-defendant claims have separate notice rules. Crashes before March 24, 2023 may still fall under the old four-year rule. If you're unsure, call before you assume.
This page provides general information about Florida motor vehicle accident law and is not legal advice. Statutes and case law change; your specific case requires a consultation.
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reports roughly 41,000 reported crashes per year in Broward County — the highest single-county volume in South Florida. Most of them happen on the same set of roads.
If your crash happened on any of these roads, we've handled cases on it. Call (954) 572-8000 and tell us where it happened.
$2,000,000
Automobile Accident
Traumatic brain & bodily injury
Settlement · 2019
$1,200,000
Trucking Accident
Neck & back injuries
Settlement · 2022
$1,100,000
Automobile Accident
Broken bones
Settlement · 2019
$400,000
Automobile Accident
Head & bodily injury
Settlement · 2022
$200,000
Automobile Accident
Traumatic brain & bodily injury
Settlement · 2017
$95,000
Automobile Accident
Bodily injury
Verdict · 2021
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits.
Robert has been opposite the same defense counsel in Broward courthouses for decades — he knows their adjusters, their medical examiners, and their settlement ranges by injury type.
Motor vehicle accident cases at DiStefano Law are not a volume business. They are not handed to a paralegal pool, routed to a junior associate, or processed by an out-of-state call center. The attorney whose name is on the door — Robert DiStefano — is the attorney handling your case.
That matters because Florida motor vehicle accident law is built around a specific set of insurance companies, defense firms, and judges. None of that local knowledge is in a textbook. It's also why the firm takes fewer cases per year than the billboard firms and still recovers more than $100 million across a select set of results — cases that get individual attention move differently than cases that get processed.
You speak directly with Robert. We listen, ask the right questions, and tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.
Result — a straight answer about whether to move forward.
Scene photos, police reports, witness statements, surveillance-footage requests, vehicle-data downloads, and (for commercial vehicles) the federal preservation letter within 72 hours.
Result — a documented file before the carrier finishes building theirs.
PIP coordination, EMC determination, permanent-injury documentation, lien negotiation, future-care projection, lost-wage calculation. Settling early on incomplete medical information is how claims get undervalued.
Result — a damages model the carrier has to take seriously.
A demand letter documenting liability, damages, and the law. Most cases resolve here — we negotiate from the position that filing suit is on the table.
Result — settlement at full value, or a trial-ready file.
When settlement undervalues your claim, we file and try the case. Robert has tried cases in Broward County for forty years — and the carriers know it.
Result — a verdict or court-supervised resolution.
Founding Attorney · Admitted 1982 · J.D., Nova Southeastern
Robert has personally handled motor vehicle accident cases — car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, rideshare, bus, and rollover — for more than forty years across Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties. The results above are his. When you call DiStefano Law, you reach Robert directly.
★★★★★
“The best lawyer in South Florida. Thank you DiStefano for all the hard work that you and your team have done to get me amazing results.”
Taravia Google
★★★★★
“I had a wonderful experience with Robert! He fought hard for me and kept me in the loop the whole time. The whole office is just great!”
Paulavia Google
★★★★★
“Mr. DiStefano is the best! Kept me up to date with everything, and his paralegal Michelle also kept us informed. Happy with my settlement — I highly recommend him.”
Stacy Leevia Google
Lisa Marie Santamarta, Esq.
Bilingual — English & Spanish
Lisa Marie Santamarta handles personal-injury, medical malpractice, and immigration matters for clients throughout Florida, and has practiced in South Florida since 2011. Like every attorney at DiStefano Law, she handles your matter personally, without an intake call center or a rotating roster of associates.
Fluent in English and Spanish, she can guide you through an accident claim or the immigration system in the language you are most comfortable speaking.
Same-day response, Monday through Friday. Free case evaluation. No fee unless we recover for you.
(954) 572-8000