May 5, 2025 | Car Accidents
Rear-end accidents are among the most frequent types of car crashes, and they often happen without warning. Because they strike from behind, outside your line of sight, they can catch you completely off guard. In those chaotic first moments, it’s easy to feel disoriented. But the actions you take immediately after the collision can have a major effect on your health, financial well-being, and legal options.
Below are five things our Port St. Lucie car accident attorneys suggest you do following a rear-end collision to help protect your health and legal claim.
1. Take Safety Measures
It’s important to take immediate safety measures after an accident.
You should:
- Check for Injuries: Prioritize your safety and that of your passengers. Call 911 immediately if anyone is hurt.
- Move to Safety: If your vehicle is drivable, move it to a safe location to avoid further danger.
- Call the Police: A police report provides an official record of the crash, which is crucial for insurance and legal claims.
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you feel fine, some injuries (like whiplash) may not show symptoms right away. Always get checked by a doctor.
Taking these steps right after a rear-end collision can help ensure your immediate safety and lay the groundwork for any insurance or legal claims you may need to pursue.
2. Exchange Contact Information With the Other Vehicle’s Driver
If you were driving your vehicle and were involved in an accident in Florida, the law requires you to:
- Provide your name, address, and vehicle registration number to the other driver;
- Show your driver’s license to the other driver if requested; and
- Provide the same information to a law enforcement officer upon arrival at the scene.
However, you should refrain from admitting fault even if you believe you were responsible for the accident.
3. Gather Evidence
Evidence includes anything that can support your car accident claim. Start by taking photos of the accident scene—this can include skid marks, vehicle damage, visible injuries, and road conditions. These images can be invaluable when establishing what happened. Additionally, jot down a detailed account of the crash while it’s still fresh in your memory to preserve important details you might forget later.
4. Contact Your Insurance Company
Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, which means that after a car accident, each driver typically turns to their own insurance, specifically their Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, to pay for medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of who was at fault. Florida law requires every driver to carry at least $10,000 in PIP coverage.
However, compensation through PIP is limited and does not cover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. To pursue these damages, you must meet Florida’s serious injury threshold, which allows you to step outside the no-fault system and file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
Qualifying injuries may include:
- Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability
- Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Significant and permanent loss of a bodily function
- Death
In rear-end collisions, Florida law generally presumes the rear driver was at fault, unless they can present evidence to rebut that presumption (e.g., sudden stop without cause). This presumption can strengthen your negotiating position in a settlement or lawsuit.
5. Contact a Port St. Lucie Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Florida consistently ranks among the most accident-prone states in the country, so the chances of needing personal injury compensation are higher than average. If you’ve sustained a serious injury in a Florida car crash, trying to handle your claim alone can be risky and overwhelming.Your best opportunity to recover full and fair compensation is by working with an experienced Port St. Lucie car accident attorney. Most personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t pay any attorney’s fees unless they win your case. Contact one today for a free consultation.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Florida
If you’ve been injured in an accident, please contact our experienced car accident lawyers at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group to schedule a free consultation today. We have three convenient locations in Florida, including Vero Beach, St. Petersburg, and Port St. Lucie.
Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group – Vero Beach
2651 20th St
Vero Beach, FL 32960
(772) 758-5735
Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group – St. Petersburg
200 Central Ave Suite 304
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(772) 404-3858
Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group – Port St. Lucie
10805 SW Tradition Square Unit 024A
Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
(772) 617-8814
