Because Florida is a no-fault state, your first call — and your primary source of initial recovery — is almost always your own insurance provider, regardless of who caused the crash. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays your initial medical bills and lost wages up to your policy limits. Remember to seek medical treatment within 14 days to preserve those benefits. Before giving...
read more? In Florida, the answer depends on whether you're talking about your health, your insurance benefits, or your right to sue. For insurance, the 14-day PIP rule under Florida Statute § 627.736 is critical because if you miss it, you can lose your PIP benefits entirely. For your health, some injuries have delayed symptoms, so you should be seen within 24–72 hours even if you feel fine. For your...
read more? For most motorcycle accidents occurring on or after March 24, 2023, Florida's statute of limitations is two years from the date of the crash. For older accidents, the prior four-year deadline may apply. Certain narrow exceptions can affect the timeline. Because evidence fades quickly, like your bike, your gear, accident scenery, and witness memories, and because missing the deadline can...
read more? Nothing up front. The Ruth Law Team works on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you. We also advance the costs of investigating and building your claim. This structure recognizes that after a motorcycle accident you may be out of work and facing enormous medical bills, and it lets you pursue justice without financial risk. If we...
read more? It depends on the facts, but many motorcycle crashes are caused by drivers who fail to see the rider — especially in left-turn collisions and lane-change crashes. Florida uses a modified comparative negligence rule, so you can recover as long as you are 50 percent or less at fault, with your award reduced by your share of negligence. Insurers often try to shift blame onto riders using unfair...
read more? Motorcycle accident victims can pursue both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include past and future medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, and property damage to your motorcycle. Non-economic damages include chronic pain, disability, reduced quality of life, emotional distress, and PTSD. In cases involving a drunk or grossly...
read more? Yes. In Florida, riders 21 and older can legally ride without a helmet if they carry at least $10,000 in medical coverage. Not wearing a helmet does not bar your claim, but the insurance company may argue it made your injuries worse in order to reduce what they pay. Whether a helmet is even relevant depends on the injury because it has nothing to do with a broken leg, for example. Under...
read more? Usually not. Florida's no-fault PIP system applies to cars, but motorcycles are excluded from the PIP requirement, so a standard motorcycle policy does not carry PIP. That means injured riders generally cannot rely on their own PIP for first-dollar medical benefits the way car drivers can. Instead, compensation typically comes from the at-fault driver's bodily injury coverage and your own...
read more? We’ve all heard these three terms used interchangeably and they mean distinct things. A sideswipe describes the
type of contact between two vehicles. A
lane change and a
merge are two of the
maneuvers that cause that contact. Understanding the difference matters, because the maneuver, not the label, is what determines who is at fault and who pays. If you were hit while someone was changing...
read more? In most Florida sideswipe accidents, the driver who left their lane is at fault. Under Florida Statute § 316.085, a driver cannot move out of their lane until they have confirmed the move can be "completely made with safety." When a driver changes lanes, merges, or drifts into another vehicle, that violation is strong evidence they caused the crash. But fault in a sideswipe is rarely as...
read more? Nothing up front. The Ruth Law Team works on a contingency fee, meaning you pay no attorney's fee unless and until we recover compensation for you. The initial consultation is always free.
...
read more? Most sideswipe claims settle without a trial. But The Ruth Law Team prepares every case as if it will go to court — and insurance companies know it. This trial-ready posture, and the reputation that The Ruth Law Team will pursue a claim to its fullest potential, and do it well, is often what drives a fair settlement offer instead of a lowball one.
...
read more? You may still have options.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your own policy or a qualified policy can step in when the at-fault driver has no insurance, too little, or flees the scene in a hit-and-run. Reviewing your policy and finding available coverage is one of the first things we do.
...
read more? Yes, for your medical bills — Florida is a no-fault state, so your own
PIP coverage (minimum $10,000) pays a portion of your medical bills and lost wages first, regardless of who caused the crash. To recover beyond those limits, and for pain and suffering, you generally must meet the serious-injury threshold and pursue the at-fault driver.
...
read more? Failing to signal before a lane change violates Florida law and is strong evidence of negligence. The challenge is proving it, since the other driver will often deny it. Witness statements, dashcam footage, and nearby surveillance video can be the key to establishing what really happened.
...
read more?
