What To Do After a Car Accident in Miami: A Step-by-Step Guide

Nobody thinks clearly in the twenty minutes after a collision. This is the short version of what matters, in the order it matters, from someone who sees the consequences of getting it wrong.

At the Scene

Get to safety. If the vehicles are drivable and you are on the Palmetto or the Dolphin, move to the shoulder or the nearest exit before anything else.
Call the police and get a report number. Do not agree to sort it out privately, however minor it looks.
Photograph everything — both vehicles from several angles, the position of the cars, the plates, the street, the traffic signals, any debris.
Exchange information and photograph the other driver’s licence and insurance card rather than writing details down.
Get contact details for witnesses. They disappear within minutes and are almost impossible to find later.
Do not say you are fine. You do not know yet. “I am going to get checked out” is accurate and commits you to nothing.

In the First 24 Hours

Report the accident to your own insurer. In a no-fault state your own PIP coverage handles initial medical bills regardless of fault.
Write down what happened while it is fresh — direction of travel, speed, where you were struck, where your head and body went.
Start a symptom log. Date and time of anything you notice, however small. This becomes genuinely valuable evidence later and costs nothing now.
Do not accept a quick settlement offer. Nobody knows the extent of your injuries on day one, least of all an adjuster.

Within 14 Days — The Deadline Nobody Mentions

Florida’s PIP law generally requires you to receive initial medical services and care within 14 days of the accident to remain eligible for PIP medical benefits.

The clock runs from the collision, not from your first symptom. This trips up a great many people, because the injury and the deadline operate on completely different schedules.

PIP provides up to $10,000 in medical benefits, generally limited to $2,500 unless a qualifying provider determines an emergency medical condition exists. Confirm the specifics with your insurer or attorney.

Symptoms That Arrive Late

Adrenaline and cortisol mask pain for hours or days after an impact, while the structural injury is already present. Watch for:

Neck or back stiffness, or range of motion you are quietly working around
Headaches beginning a day or more after the crash
Tingling, numbness or weakness in the arms or hands
Dizziness, poor concentration or disrupted sleep
Pain that moves or spreads rather than staying in one place

None of these should be waited out. Left unaddressed, the joint and disc changes that follow a collision can drive years of accelerated spinal degeneration.

What a Proper Evaluation Looks Like

An accident evaluation should be more than a quick look and a prescription. At Vivify it is a full neuro-structural examination taking at least 45 minutes: structural x-rays analyzed to the millimeter and degree, digital spinal range of motion, a thermographic nervous system scan, orthopedic and neurological testing, and digital postural analysis.

The same findings that tell us how to correct the problem are the objective documentation an insurance or injury claim is built on.

Related Car Accident Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I see a doctor if I feel completely fine?

Yes. Feeling fine in the first days is normal and is not evidence that you are uninjured, and the 14-day PIP window does not pause while you wait.

Do I need an attorney?

That is your decision and it is separate from getting medically evaluated. A good share of our accident patients are referred by attorneys, but no referral is required.

My car had almost no damage. Is it worth being checked?

Yes. Vehicle damage is a poor predictor of spinal injury.

Can I be seen if the accident was in a rideshare?

Yes. Passengers are injured in exactly the same way, and the medical evaluation is identical regardless of whose vehicle you were in.

Get Evaluated This Week

Call (305) 661-4775 for a complimentary consultation. It is a conversation, not a commitment — and if chiropractic is not the right care for your injuries, we will tell you and point you to who is.

We are on Bird Rd., just off the 826, convenient to South Miami, Coral Gables, Kendall, Doral and Hialeah.