See a physician within 14 days of the accident. Florida's PIP law requires initial medical treatment within 14 days for your own auto policy to pay medical benefits, and a gap in care also makes any later claim harder to support. Many crash injuries, including whiplash and disc injuries, feel minor at the scene and get worse over the following days, so being examined early protects both your recovery and your claim.
What the 14-day rule means
Florida is a no-fault state. Your own auto insurance policy includes personal injury protection, which pays a share of your medical bills after a crash regardless of who caused it. The law requires that you receive initial services and care within 14 days of the accident for those benefits to apply. Miss the window and PIP can refuse to pay. The examining physician's records also determine whether your injury is classed as an emergency medical condition, which affects how much of the benefit is available. Treatment can begin at a physician's office; it does not have to start in an emergency room.
Injuries that show up late
- Neck and back strain, including whiplash. The most common injury after a rear-end collision. Muscle spasm, stiffness and headaches may not appear until a day or two after the crash.
- Disc injuries and pinched nerves. The force of a crash can herniate a disc, with pain travelling into an arm or leg, tingling or weakness that develops over days.
- Shoulder and knee injuries. Rotator cuff strains from bracing on the steering wheel, and knee injuries from dashboard impact.
- Nerve injuries. Numbness, tingling and burning pain that may need nerve testing to confirm.
Pain that seems minor in the first week often gets worse when it is not treated. Being seen early means it is documented from the start.
What to do in the first two weeks
- Get checked the same week, even if you feel mostly fine. Tell the physician about every symptom, however small.
- Keep the police report number, the other driver's details and your own policy information together.
- Write down how you feel each day. Symptoms that change over the first week matter to both the doctor and the adjuster.
- Follow the treatment plan and keep every appointment. Gaps in care are the most common reason claims are questioned.
- If you have an attorney, give the clinic their details so records go where they need to.
How AffordaHealth handles auto injury care
We treat Florida auto injury patients at both the Davie and Boynton Beach clinics. The physician examines you thoroughly, orders the imaging the injury needs, documents every finding in the format PIP requires, and coordinates with your adjuster or attorney. Treatment is the same as for any spine or joint injury: medication management, trigger point and joint injections, nerve blocks where a nerve is involved, and referral for physical therapy. The work and auto injury page describes the process, and our physicians also treat neck pain and back pain from crashes every week.
Arranging a visit
Book an appointment online or call either clinic, and tell us the date of the accident. The front desk will take your policy details and arrange an examination with the 14-day window in mind.
Questions patients ask
What happens if I do not see a doctor within 14 days of a car accident in Florida?
Your PIP benefits can be denied. Florida law requires initial medical treatment within 14 days of the accident for personal injury protection to pay medical benefits.
Do I have to go to the emergency room for PIP to apply?
No. Initial treatment can be at a physician's office. What matters is that a licensed provider examines you and documents the injury within 14 days.
Why does my neck hurt more two days after the accident?
Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries commonly get worse over the first 24 to 72 hours as inflammation and muscle spasm develop. That delayed pattern is normal and is one reason to be examined early rather than waiting to see.
Does AffordaHealth treat car accident injuries in Davie and Boynton Beach?
Yes, at both clinics. The physicians examine, image and document auto injuries in the format PIP requires and coordinate with your adjuster or attorney.