By Shannon J. Sagan, Esq., The Dash Cam Lawyer®, Fla. Bar #10793

If you were hurt in a car accident in Boynton Beach, Florida law gives you two years from the crash date to file a negligence lawsuit and 14 days to seek initial medical care to preserve PIP benefits. A local car accident lawyer can handle the insurers while you recover — and a free consultation costs nothing: 561-561-3274.

Boynton Beach drivers share some of the busiest corridors in Palm Beach County: I-95 and its interchanges at Gateway Boulevard, Boynton Beach Boulevard, and Woolbright Road, plus heavy retail traffic along Congress Avenue and Federal Highway. When a crash happens here, the legal clock starts immediately — and recent changes to Florida law have made deadlines shorter and fault rules stricter. This page explains what Boynton Beach crash victims need to know and how The Dash Cam Lawyer® can help.

What to do first after a Boynton Beach crash

The first two weeks shape the rest of your claim. Under Florida’s no-fault system, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays first — but only if you act quickly.

• Get medical care within 14 days. Florida Statute § 627.736 requires initial treatment within 14 days of the accident. Miss that window and you can lose your PIP benefits entirely.
• Understand the PIP limits. PIP generally pays 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost wages, up to $10,000. Without a determination that you suffered an emergency medical condition, benefits may be capped at $2,500.
• Report the crash. For crashes with injuries or significant damage, a police report from the Boynton Beach Police Department or the agency with jurisdiction creates an official record insurers take seriously.
• Preserve evidence early. Photos, witness contacts, and — if you have one — your dashcam file. Footage is often overwritten within days, so save the clip immediately.
• Be careful with recorded statements. You must notify your own insurer, but you are not required to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement before getting legal advice.

Where crashes happen in Boynton Beach

Crash data from Florida’s traffic safety dashboard shows roughly 4,000 crashes in Boynton Beach in 2024, including a dozen fatalities and well over 100 collisions involving pedestrians or bicyclists. Most serious collisions cluster on a handful of corridors:

• Congress Avenue — especially at Gateway Boulevard, Old Boynton Road, and Boynton Beach Boulevard, where mall and retail traffic meets commuter flow near the Boynton Beach Mall corridor.
• I-95 interchanges — Gateway Boulevard, Boynton Beach Boulevard, and Woolbright Road see high-speed merging traffic and frequent rear-end and lane-change collisions.
• Federal Highway (US-1) — a dense mix of local business traffic, left turns across multiple lanes, and pedestrian crossings.
• Hypoluxo Road and Lawrence Road — growing residential traffic on roads that were not designed for it.

Where your crash happened matters. Intersection collisions raise questions about signal timing, sightlines, and right-of-way; interstate crashes often involve commercial vehicles with their own onboard cameras and data recorders that must be preserved quickly.

Florida law that affects your Boynton Beach claim

Two 2023 changes — both part of House Bill 837, effective March 24, 2023 — reshaped Florida injury claims:

• Two-year filing deadline. Florida Statute § 95.11(4)(a) now gives you two years from the date of a crash to file a negligence lawsuit (the old four-year rule applies only to crashes before March 24, 2023). Two years sounds long; it is not. Investigation, treatment, and insurer negotiation consume most of it.
• Modified comparative negligence. Under Florida Statute § 768.81, if you are found more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. At 50% or less, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault. Insurers know this, and shifting blame onto you is now worth more to them than ever.

That second change is why evidence matters so much. If an insurer can push your share of fault past the 50% line, your claim is gone — not reduced, gone. Objective proof of how the crash actually happened is the counterweight.

Why dashcam footage can change your case

This firm is called The Dash Cam Lawyer® for a reason. Video evidence cuts through the most common defense in a Boynton Beach crash case: “our insured says you were at fault.” A dashcam clip showing the other driver running the light at Congress and Gateway is not a he-said-she-said — it is the crash, as it happened.

Two Florida rules matter here. First, video evidence must be authenticated under Florida Statute § 90.901 — someone with knowledge must show the footage accurately depicts what it claims to. Proper handling of the original file, its metadata, and the chain of custody protects admissibility. Second, Florida is an all-party consent state for audio under Florida Statute § 934.03, so the audio track of a dashcam recording can raise separate legal issues even when the video itself is admissible. We handle both questions routinely.

No dashcam? Footage may still exist — from the other vehicle, a commercial truck‘s onboard camera, nearby businesses along Congress Avenue or Federal Highway, or traffic cameras. Acting fast matters because most systems overwrite within days or weeks. A preservation letter sent early can be the difference between having the video and losing it.

Uninsured drivers and hit-and-run crashes

Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the country, and Florida law does not require drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage at all — only PIP and property damage liability. In practice, that means the driver who hit you on Gateway Boulevard may have no coverage for your injuries whatsoever.

This is where your own policy matters. Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is optional in Florida, but if you carry it, it can step in when the at-fault driver has no coverage or not enough — and it also applies in many hit-and-run situations, which are unfortunately common on I-95 and on busy commercial corridors where drivers flee before police arrive. UM claims are still adversarial: you are negotiating with your own insurer, which evaluates the claim much the way a defendant’s insurer would. Reviewing your policy stack — PIP, MedPay, UM/UIM, and any resident-relative coverage — is one of the first things we do in every Boynton Beach case, because injured people frequently have more available coverage than they realize.

If you were the victim of a hit-and-run, the same evidence rules apply with extra urgency: dashcam or nearby surveillance video may be the only way to identify the fleeing driver, and it may also be required to corroborate your account for a UM claim.

How a car accident lawyer helps

After a serious crash, you are negotiating against a claims operation that handles thousands of files. A lawyer levels that field:

• Investigation — collecting the police report, scene evidence, witness statements, and video before it disappears.
• Medical coordination — making sure your treatment is documented in a way that connects your injuries to the crash.
• Valuing the claim — accounting for future treatment, lost earning capacity, and non-economic damages, not just the bills in hand.
• Negotiation and litigation — dealing with adjusters, and filing suit within the two-year window when an insurer will not be reasonable.

Shannon J. Sagan represents injured people throughout Palm Beach County, including Boynton Beach, and builds cases around objective evidence — video first whenever it exists.

What it costs

Nothing up front. The Dash Cam Lawyer® handles car accident cases on a contingency fee: no fee unless we recover for you. The consultation is free, and you owe nothing out of pocket while the case is pending. Costs and fees come out of the recovery, and the fee arrangement is explained in writing before we start.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Florida?

Two years from the date of the crash for negligence claims arising from accidents on or after March 24, 2023, under Florida Statute § 95.11(4)(a). Limited exceptions exist, but waiting is risky — evidence disappears long before the deadline does.

What to do after a car accident in Florida?

Check for injuries and call 911, move to safety if you can, photograph the scene, exchange information, get medical care within 14 days to protect PIP benefits, save any dashcam footage, and talk to a lawyer before giving the other insurer a recorded statement.

When should I hire a lawyer after a car accident in Florida?

As early as possible if anyone was injured, fault is disputed, or an insurer is pressuring you to settle. Early involvement lets your lawyer preserve video and witness evidence that is often gone within weeks.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in Florida?

Most Florida car accident lawyers, including this firm, work on contingency: no fee unless we recover. The consultation is free, and fees are a percentage of the recovery agreed to in writing up front.

How can dashcam footage be used in a Florida car accident claim?

Video that accurately shows the crash can be used in negotiations and in court once it is authenticated under Florida Statute § 90.901. Preserve the original file and its metadata, and be aware that the audio track raises separate consent issues under Florida Statute § 934.03.

Is Florida a no-fault state?

Yes, for initial medical bills. Your own PIP coverage pays first regardless of fault, up to $10,000, under Florida Statute § 627.736. But no-fault does not mean fault never matters: for serious injuries, you can pursue a liability claim against the at-fault driver, and fault determines what you recover in that claim.

What happens if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Under Florida Statute § 768.81, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault — and if you are found more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. Because insurers have a strong incentive to inflate your share of blame, objective evidence like video footage is often what keeps a valid claim alive.

What if the driver who hit me has no insurance?

You may still have a path to recovery through your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage if you carry it, through other policies in your household, or through other liable parties such as a negligent driver’s employer. A lawyer can map every available source of coverage before any deadline runs.

Talk to a Boynton Beach car accident lawyer — free consultation

If you or a family member was hurt in a crash in Boynton Beach or anywhere in Palm Beach County, call The Dash Cam Lawyer® at 561-561-3274 for a free consultation, or reach us through thedashcamlawyer.com. No fee unless we recover.

Shannon J. Sagan, Esq. — Florida Bar No. 10793 — The Dash Cam Lawyer® — Serving Palm Beach County, Florida

Disclaimer: This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; consult a licensed Florida attorney about your specific situation.