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NEED A DOCTOR AFTER AN ACCIDENT?
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You walked away from the crash. That doesn’t mean you walked away unhurt. In Florida, you have 14 days to see a qualified doctor after a car accident, or you can lose your PIP medical benefits. One call to 1-800-VINCENT gets you an accident doctor, and a personal injury lawyer too if you want one. Same call. Zero cost to you.
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What is an accident doctor? An accident doctor is a physician, chiropractic physician or specialist who treats injuries from car crashes, falls and other accidents, and documents them in a way that insurance companies and attorneys can use. In Florida, seeing one within 14 days of a car accident protects your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits.
Florida’s No-Fault law (§627.736) requires initial care within 14 days of a motor vehicle accident for PIP to pay. That first visit has to be with a hospital, emergency medical services, a medical doctor (MD), an osteopathic doctor (DO), a chiropractic physician or a dentist. Miss the window and your own policy can refuse to pay, even if you’re clearly hurt.
There’s a second hurdle most people never hear about. To unlock your full PIP medical benefit, an MD, DO, dentist, physician assistant or APRN has to determine that you have an emergency medical condition (EMC). Without that finding, the benefit is capped at a much smaller amount. Accident doctors deal with this every day. A random walk-in clinic may not.
| When | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0: at the scene | Call 911, accept an EMS evaluation if offered, photograph everything | EMS and ER care count as initial treatment |
| Days 1–3 | See an accident doctor, even if the pain feels minor | Adrenaline masks pain; early records tie the injury to the crash |
| By day 14 | Complete your initial medical visit | The PIP deadline under Florida law |
| After day 14 | Follow your treatment plan with no gaps | Insurers use gaps in care to cut claims |
Your restoration is our top priority.
You don’t need to know medical titles. Tell us what hurts and we’ll route you. This is how accident referrals usually work:
| What you feel | Who you’ll likely see | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Neck or back stiffness, pain when you turn | Chiropractic physician or physical medicine (PM&R) doctor | Exam, imaging orders, hands-on treatment and a therapy plan |
| Headaches, dizziness, trouble focusing | Medical doctor, then a neurologist if needed | Screening for concussion and head injury |
| Numbness, tingling, pain shooting down an arm or leg | Orthopedic or spine specialist | Checks for nerve involvement; MRI referral |
| Shoulder, knee or wrist pain | Orthopedist | Joint evaluation, imaging and treatment options |
| Pain that isn’t improving after weeks of therapy | Pain management specialist | Advanced treatment options |
| Jaw or tooth injury | Dentist | Also counts as initial care under Florida PIP |
General information only, not medical advice. Only a licensed provider can diagnose an injury.
Adrenaline and shock can hide pain for hours, sometimes days. Soft-tissue injuries like whiplash often tighten up slowly. If you wait until the pain is unbearable, you may already be past day 14, and the adjuster will argue something else caused it.
See a doctor if you notice any of these after an accident:
Severe headache, confusion, weakness on one side of your body, or chest or belly pain? Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room now.
If you feel any pain or discomfort after a motor vehicle accident, pedestrian accident, or slip and fall, you should see a doctor right away. Being involved in an accident often results in the release of adrenaline and endorphins, which temporarily numbs the body. It can take hours or even days for the “adrenaline rush” to subside and for the pain to become apparent. Therefore, although you may not feel pain, you may be injured. A doctor is best suited to evaluate your health condition and determine if any injuries have been sustained due to the accident.
Short answer: after a car accident in Florida, your own PIP insurance pays first, no matter who caused the crash. It covers 80% of reasonable medical expenses up to your policy limit. Other accidents work differently:
| Type of accident | Who usually pays first | If that runs out or doesn’t apply |
|---|---|---|
| Car or truck crash (you were in a car) | Your own PIP | Health insurance, MedPay, or treatment on a letter of protection while your attorney goes after the at-fault driver |
| Hit while walking or on a bicycle | In many cases, your PIP or a household member’s PIP | Same options, plus uninsured motorist (UM) coverage if the driver had no insurance |
| Motorcycle crash | Not PIP: Florida PIP doesn’t cover motorcycle riders | Health insurance, MedPay on your motorcycle policy, or a letter of protection |
| Uber or Lyft passenger | Usually your own PIP (or a household member’s) | The vehicle’s or the rideshare company’s coverage, depending on the situation |
No insurance and no money for a copay? Many accident providers can treat you on a letter of protection (LOP): they get paid from your settlement instead of from your pocket. Your attorney explains the terms before you sign anything.
Most people call a clinic, then a lawyer, then their insurance, then the clinic again. You’ll make one call.
Step 1: Collect Evidence
Take pictures of the accident scene and collect eyewitness statements. Document everything to build a strong case.
Step 2: Call 1-800-VINCENT
Call Vincent and give him the details about your accident. Let Vincent match your case with a personal injury lawyer near you.
Step 3: Just Chill
Leave your worries in the hands of your injury attorney. Relax while we handle your case professionally.
You don’t need a lawyer to see a doctor. But when your doctor and your lawyer work from the same records, your claim gets a lot stronger. Not sure you need an attorney at all? Read do you need a personal injury lawyer.
Pro tip: Tell the doctor about every symptom on the first visit. Anything left out of your first record is harder to connect to the accident later.
1-800-VINCENT connects injured people across South Florida and Central Florida, including Miami, Hialeah, Doral, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and Ocala. Hurt in Miami-Dade? Start with our Miami personal injury referral page. Everywhere else, one call routes you to a provider near your home or work.
| Feature | 1-800-VINCENT |
|---|---|
| Doctor + Lawyer in one call | ✓Yes |
| Native bilingual (EN + ES) | ✓Fully bilingual |
| Florida-focused network | ✓Miami-Dade specialists |
| 24/7 availability | ✓Yes |
| Free consultation | ✓Always |
| No Win, No Fee | ✓Always |
| Same-day medical appointment | ✓Yes |
You have 14 days. Under Florida’s No-Fault law (§627.736), you must receive initial care within 14 days of the accident for your PIP insurance to pay. That first visit can be with a hospital, EMS, an MD, a DO, a chiropractic physician or a dentist. 1-800-VINCENT can help you book it the same week you call.
If it’s an emergency, go to the ER. If not, start with a medical doctor (MD), osteopathic doctor (DO) or chiropractic physician who treats accident injuries. They examine you, document the injuries and refer you to a specialist such as an orthopedist or neurologist if you need one.
Yes. A chiropractic physician can provide covered care under Florida PIP when the 14-day rule is met. To unlock your full PIP medical benefit, though, an MD, DO, dentist, physician assistant or APRN has to determine that you have an emergency medical condition. A good accident doctor coordinates both.
After a car accident, your own PIP pays first, whoever caused the crash. If PIP runs out or doesn’t apply, many accident providers treat on a letter of protection and get paid from your settlement. Your attorney explains the terms before you sign anything.
Absolutely. In Florida, your auto insurance PIP coverage is your medical coverage after a car accident — health insurance isn’t required. For slip and fall, premises liability, or other non-auto injuries, the doctors in our Miami network treat under a ‘medical lien’ arrangement, meaning they get paid from your settlement, not upfront. You pay nothing today.
Sí, completamente. 1-800-VINCENT es 100% bilingüe — médicos, abogados, y atención al cliente. Te conectamos con doctores hispanohablantes en Hialeah, Little Havana, Doral, Kendall, y todo Miami-Dade. Llama 24/7 y te atendemos en español sin pasarte a otro número.
Yes — that’s the entire point of 1-800-VINCENT. We coordinate communication between your attorney and your medical provider so your treatment records support your case, billing flows correctly through PIP and any other coverage, and you don’t have to play middleman. One call, one team, zero hassle.
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