Is the deadline shorter if a city or agency is involved?

Separate written notice requirements typically apply when a government entity may be responsible, and they generally come due well before the general deadline. Confirm the specifics with a licensed Florida attorney.

Florida injury claim deadlines and why yours may be shorter

Deadlines are the one part of an injury claim that cannot be recovered once missed. Florida's general negligence deadline changed in 2023, and several categories of claim run on their own, shorter clocks.

AnswerSignal is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal representation, or referrals in exchange for a fee. Information on this page is general and may not apply to your situation. No result is promised or implied. Deadlines in Florida are strict — speak with a licensed Florida attorney about your own facts.

The general negligence deadline

Florida changed its negligence deadline in 2023. Many negligence claims arising on or after March 24, 2023 are subject to a two-year deadline, and other deadlines can be shorter or longer depending on who is involved (for example, claims involving a government entity). Deadlines are fact-specific — confirm yours with a licensed Florida attorney rather than relying on any general summary.

Categories that run differently

Claims involving a government entity typically carry separate written notice requirements that come due long before the general deadline, and failing to give notice can end a claim independently.

Wrongful death actions are governed by the Florida Wrongful Death Act and are generally subject to a two-year deadline, with a probate step required before the action can be brought.

Contractual deadlines are separate again: policies commonly impose their own notice and proof-of-loss timeframes that are much shorter than any statute.

Why 'about two years' is not a plan

The date a deadline starts running is itself a legal question and is not always the date of the incident. Multiple deadlines can apply to the same event at once.

Preparing a claim takes time — records, treatment, and identifying the correct parties. Reaching a licensed Florida attorney close to a deadline reduces what anyone can do.

This page describes the general framework only. Confirm the deadlines that apply to your facts with a licensed Florida attorney.

Who this page is for

People unsure how long they have to act on a Florida injury.
Anyone whose incident involved a city, county, state agency or transit authority.

Information worth gathering

The exact incident date and the date of first medical treatment.
The names of every entity that may be responsible, including public bodies.
Your own policy documents and any notice you have already given.

Have someone read your situation

Practical checklist

Write down the incident date and treat it as the earliest possible start point.
Identify immediately whether any government or public entity may be involved.
Read your own policy's notice and proof-of-loss requirements.
Do not wait for treatment to finish before asking about deadlines.
Confirm the applicable deadline with a licensed Florida attorney.

Want a person to look at your situation?

Tell us what happened and where in Florida it happened. We are not a law firm, we do not give legal advice, and we do not accept submissions from anyone already represented by a lawyer for the same matter.

If you choose to share your details, we only contact you about your inquiry. We never publish your information, and we do not accept submissions from people who already have a lawyer for the same matter.

Share your situation

What happens after you submit

1A person reads what you sent. Nothing is automated into a legal decision.
2If your situation is outside Florida, already represented, or something we cannot help with, we tell you that plainly instead of passing it along.
3If it is something an attorney should see, we ask your permission before sharing anything, and we tell you who we would share it with.
4You are never charged, and you are under no obligation. We do not guarantee that any attorney will take your matter.

Common questions

How long do I have to bring a Florida negligence claim?: Florida changed its negligence deadline in 2023. Many negligence claims arising on or after March 24, 2023 are subject to a two-year deadline, and other deadlines can be shorter or longer depending on who is involved (for example, claims involving a government entity). Deadlines are fact-specific — confirm yours with a licensed Florida attorney rather than relying on any general summary.
Is the deadline shorter if a city or agency is involved?: Separate written notice requirements typically apply when a government entity may be responsible, and they generally come due well before the general deadline. Confirm the specifics with a licensed Florida attorney.

Other Florida situations

Who publishes this page

These pages are published by AnswerSignal (AnswerSignalApp), a Florida-focused software company. AnswerSignal is not a law firm, does not employ attorneys, and does not provide legal services.

Content is written in plain English from publicly available Florida statutes and agency materials, and is kept general on purpose. It has not been reviewed by an attorney, and we do not present it as legal advice — where a page describes Florida law it describes the general framework, not how it applies to your facts.

If something here is inaccurate or out of date, tell us and we will correct or remove it.