Personal Injury Lawyer in Palm Springs, FL

Before you talk to any insurance company

Do not call your own insurer before speaking with an attorney. Your policy has a duty to cooperate, but that duty does not require you to do it immediately. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first.

A recorded statement given before anyone has seen the video, the crash report, or your medical records can be used later to argue about fault or about how badly you were hurt. You can say, "My lawyer will contact you," and end the call.

What I check early, because it shapes everything else:

• Does the at-fault driver have bodily injury coverage at all? Florida's registration rules call for PIP and property damage liability, not bodily injury coverage, for most private cars (FLHSMV insurance requirements). Many at-fault drivers carry none, or only $10,000.
• Do you have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage? Many Florida drivers carry thin UM coverage or none. "Full coverage" usually does not include it. The Florida Bar's automobile insurance consumer pamphlet explains how UM works.
• Was the other vehicle working? A company truck, delivery van, or transport vehicle may carry business coverage beyond the driver's personal policy.

Palm Springs injury cases I handle

Truck accidents

A truck case can involve the driver, the motor carrier, the truck owner, and separate insurance for each. Fleet cameras, engine data, and electronic logs can be overwritten, so I send preservation letters early. If you can safely see a USDOT number, write it down. Anyone can look up a carrier by that number on the FMCSA Company Snapshot tool. My Palm Springs truck accident page goes deeper.

Commercial vehicle crashes: box trucks, delivery vans, and fleet vehicles

Not every commercial crash involves an 18-wheeler. Box trucks, delivery vans, service trucks, and other fleet vehicles stop and turn all day along Congress Avenue and Lake Worth Road. I sort out who employed the driver, who owned the vehicle, whether the driver was on the job, and which policy responds. A logo on the door is a clue, not an answer. My Palm Beach County commercial vehicle page covers these claims in detail.

Ambulance and medical transport crashes

After an ambulance, wheelchair van, or non-emergency transport crash, the claim can involve a private transport company, a facility contract, or a public fire rescue agency, and claims against a government agency carry their own notice requirements. I figure out who ran the vehicle before anyone gives a statement. My ambulance and medical transport page has more.

Car crashes

For a car crash, coverage usually runs PIP first, then the at-fault driver's bodily injury coverage if any, then your UM coverage if you bought it. See my Palm Springs car accident page, and my Greenacres page for the city just west of here.

Pedestrian and bicycle injuries

Palm Springs has neighborhood streets right next to wide commercial roads, and Palm Tran buses serve the Village along its main corridors. If a vehicle hits you while you are walking or riding, PIP can still apply in many cases, depending on whose policy covers you. UM coverage can matter too, including in hit-and-run cases.

Slip and fall and premises injuries

Falls in stores, apartment complexes, and parking lots turn on what caused the fall, how long the hazard was there, and whether the owner knew or should have known. Report the fall before you leave, get the manager's name, photograph the spot before it is cleaned, and keep your shoes and clothing.

Wrongful death

Florida's wrongful death law has its own rules about who brings the claim and who can recover. If you lost a family member, do not sign anything from an insurer, and do not give a statement for the family, until you have talked with a lawyer.

Palm Springs roads and neighbors

The Village of Palm Springs sits in east-central Palm Beach County, with Greenacres to the west, Lake Clarke Shores and Lake Worth Beach to the east, Atlantis to the south, and West Palm Beach to the northeast. Military Trail runs along its western edge and Congress Avenue near its eastern side. Forest Hill Boulevard crosses near the north end and Lake Worth Road near the south end, with 10th Avenue North and Kirk Road in between. I-95 has interchanges at Forest Hill Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, just outside the Village limits.

On those commercial corridors, delivery vans, box trucks, buses, cars, and people on foot share the road. Many businesses there have street-facing cameras that record over old footage, so tell me early where your crash happened.

What to do after an injury in Palm Springs

1. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Get the report number. Florida crash reports can take up to 10 days to become available through the FLHSMV crash report portal.
2. Get medical care right away. HCA Florida JFK Hospital is on S. Congress Avenue in Atlantis, just south of the Village.
3. Photograph what you safely can. Vehicles, plates, company names, unit and USDOT numbers, the scene, and your injuries. For a fall, the floor, the lighting, and any warning signs.
4. Save the video. Lock your dash cam file, make a copy, and do not edit it. Note nearby cameras.
5. Get witness names and phone numbers. Do not argue about fault at the scene.
6. Follow the insurer rule. Do not call your own insurer before speaking with an attorney. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first.
7. Do not sign releases or post about the crash.
8. Call me while the video and data are still there.

Florida deadlines, PIP, and modified comparative fault

Three rules change what you should do next.

Get medical care within 14 days. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, PIP medical benefits generally require initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident. FLHSMV describes PIP as covering 80 percent of necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000.

Two years for most negligence claims. The 2023 tort reform law, HB 837, cut the general negligence deadline from four years to two for claims arising after March 24, 2023. It is now Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a). Medical negligence and claims against government agencies follow different rules.

Modified comparative fault. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6), if you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your own harm, you recover nothing. At 50 percent or less, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault. Medical negligence claims under chapter 766 are treated differently.

How I handle a Palm Springs injury case

I do not promise results. Facts, coverage, injuries, and proof decide every file. The process:

• Free consultation. You tell me what happened. I tell you plainly what I see and what I need.
• Insurance map. PIP, bodily injury, UM, and any business, fleet, or premises coverage.
• Preservation. Letters to trucking companies, fleets, transport companies, and property owners to hold video and data.
• Records. Crash or incident reports, medical records, bills, and proof of lost work.
• Claim and negotiation with every responsible insurer.
• Lawsuit if needed, filed before the deadline.

Video is why I call myself The Dash Cam Lawyer®. Through my Community Dash Cam Safety Program, I give free dash cams to Palm Beach County drivers, one per household while supplies last. Requesting one does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Información en español

Se habla español. Si usted o un familiar se lesionó en un accidente en Palm Springs, llame al 561-561-DASH (3274) para una consulta gratuita. No llame a su propia aseguradora ni dé una declaración grabada a ninguna aseguradora antes de hablar con un abogado. Busque atención médica pronto, porque en Florida los beneficios médicos de PIP generalmente requieren tratamiento inicial dentro de los 14 días después del accidente. Honorarios de contingencia: no cobro honorarios a menos que logre una recuperación para usted. Mi oficina está en 3003 S. Congress Ave, Suite 2E, Palm Springs, FL 33461.

Frequently asked questions

Should I call my own insurance company after a crash in Palm Springs?

Not before you speak with an attorney. Your policy has a duty to cooperate, but it does not require you to call immediately. Never give a recorded statement to any insurer first, including your own.

The driver who hit me has no bodily injury coverage. Do I still have options?

Maybe. Florida does not require bodily injury coverage to register most private cars, so many at-fault drivers have none or only $10,000. I check your own UM coverage, other policies that may cover you, and whether a business or employer policy applies.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Florida?

For most negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023, Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) sets a two-year deadline. Medical negligence and claims against government agencies follow different rules.

What if the insurance company says I was partly at fault?

Florida uses modified comparative fault under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6). If you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your own harm, you recover nothing. At 50 percent or less, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault.

Do I have to see a doctor within 14 days after a car accident in Florida?

If PIP applies, Fla. Stat. § 627.736 generally requires initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident for PIP medical benefits.

A delivery van or company truck hit me in Palm Springs. Who pays?

It depends on who employed the driver, who owned the vehicle, and which policies apply. I send preservation letters early because fleet cameras and vehicle data can be overwritten.

I was hurt in an ambulance or medical transport crash. Is that a car accident claim?

It can be a vehicle claim, a medical negligence claim, or both, depending on whether the harm came from the driving or from patient care. If a public agency ran the ambulance, special notice rules can apply.

Can I get help in Spanish, and how do fees work?

Yes. Se habla español. Call 561-561-DASH (3274) for a free consultation. I work on a contingency fee: no fee unless I recover for you.

Talk with me about an injury in Palm Springs

If you were hurt in Palm Springs, or you lost a family member, call 561-561-DASH (3274) for a free consultation. Contingency fee: no fee unless I recover for you.

The Dash Cam Lawyer®
Shannon J. Sagan, Fla. Bar #10793, owner and attorney
Palm Springs office: 3003 S. Congress Ave, Suite 2E, Palm Springs, FL 33461
Belle Glade office: 1100 South Main Street, Belle Glade, FL 33430 (by appointment)
Phone: 561-561-DASH (3274)

This page is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.