Tampa Accident Law Snapshot

Tampa Car Accident Claims

Legal Options After a Car Accident in Tampa Accident victims in Tampa can file claims with the at-fault driver's insurance or pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Florida follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar under HB 837 (Fla. Stat. §768.81), effective March 24, 2023 - recovery is barred when fault exceeds 50%. Compensation may include medical expenses, lost income, vehicle repair costs, and pain and suffering. Filing promptly is critical due to Florida's statute of limitations of two years for personal injury claims under HB 837.

Quick Facts

Statute: 2 years (HB 837, eff. March 24, 2023).
Fault Rule: Modified comparative negligence, 51% bar (HB 837, eff. March 24, 2023 - barred if fault exceeds 50%).
Minimum Coverage: 10/20/10.

Tampa Law

Key Facts for Tampa Accident Claims

Statute of Limitations

2 years (HB 837, eff. March 24, 2023).

Personal injury claims

Fault System

Modified comparative negligence, 51% bar (HB 837, eff. March 24, 2023 - barred if fault exceeds 50%).

Comparative fault rules

Min. Liability Coverage

10/20/10.

State minimums

Uninsured Motorist

Must be offered unless rejected.

Coverage status

Statute of Limitations in Tampa

For accidents on or after March 24, 2023, generally two years from the date of the accident applies to Tampa personal injury lawsuits under HB 837. Older claims may still be governed by the previous four-year rule, and property damage claims generally still have a four-year filing period. Late filing can result in dismissal of the claim. Acting quickly preserves key evidence and strengthens legal or insurance claims.

Don't Wait: Evidence can disappear and memories fade. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.

Tampa's Fault System

Florida follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar under HB 837 (Fla. Stat. §768.81), effective March 24, 2023. Injured parties may recover compensation only if their fault does not exceed 50%; those found 51% or more at fault are barred from recovery. Damages are reduced by the degree of fault. Proper documentation is essential to ensure that the insurer does not assign excessive fault to trigger the bar or minimize payout.

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Insurance Requirements

Minimum liability insurance in Tampa is 10/20/10. Insurers must offer uninsured motorist coverage unless rejected. Maintaining UM coverage protects you financially if the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.

Author

Cash4Crashes Editorial Team

Legal Review

Cash4Crashes Legal Review Team

Last Updated

2026-08-04

Sources

Free FL Case Review

Tampa FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

For accidents on or after March 24, 2023, generally two years from the date of the accident applies to a Tampa personal injury lawsuit under Florida's HB 837 deadline. That two-year window governs the lawsuit itself, and it's shorter than many people assume, so treating it as a distant deadline is a mistake. Evidence like traffic camera footage and vehicle damage documentation is easiest to preserve right after the crash, not months later. Acting early gives an attorney time to build the strongest possible case before the deadline approaches.

Florida's modified comparative negligence rule under HB 837 allows you to recover damages only if your fault does not exceed 50% - a driver assigned 40% fault still recovers 60% of their damages, but a driver assigned 51% or more is barred entirely. Because insurers benefit from assigning injured drivers a larger share of blame to trigger the bar or shrink payouts, proper documentation matters. Getting a copy of the police report and any available witness statements gives you a clearer basis to dispute an unfair fault determination during negotiations.

Tampa drivers, like all Florida drivers, must carry 10/20/10 minimum liability coverage: $10,000 bodily injury per person, $20,000 per accident, and $10,000 in property damage. These limits are low relative to real medical costs, so a serious crash can quickly exceed the at-fault driver's policy. When that happens, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage becomes the backstop for the remaining bills. Confirming both the at-fault driver's coverage and your own UM limits early helps you understand what's actually available to cover your claim.

Insurers operating in Florida must offer uninsured motorist coverage, but a Tampa driver can decline it in writing, meaning it's not automatically part of every policy. This coverage pays out when the at-fault driver carries no insurance or too little to cover your injuries, a real risk given how many underinsured drivers are on Florida roads. Checking your own declarations page is the surest way to know whether you have UM coverage. If you rejected it in the past, you can typically add it back at renewal.

Get Help from a Tampa Attorney

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