North Miami and North Miami Beach are separate cities with separate police departments, and people mix them up all the time. Our office is in North Miami Beach, just north of the line, which makes North Miami one of the communities we serve most often. Lavent Law, P.A. has represented injured people in South Florida since 2014. The first consultation is free, and you pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
Call (305) 257-9464.
Accidents we see in North Miami
NE 125th Street. The city’s downtown strip has restaurants, offices, bus stops and a steady flow of people on foot. Pedestrian and turning crashes are the typical cases. See our pedestrian accident page.
Biscayne Boulevard. US-1 carries fast traffic past apartment buildings and the FIU Biscayne Bay campus. Rear-end crashes, lane-change crashes and pedestrians struck crossing mid-block are common. For the turning crashes, see left-turn accidents.
The Broad Causeway approach. NE 123rd Street leads to the causeway toward Bay Harbor Islands, and the merge points near the bridge produce sideswipes and rear-end collisions.
I-95. The interstate runs along the city’s west side. Highway crashes often involve commercial trucks and multiple vehicles; see our truck accident page.
Buses and transit. Metrobus routes cross the city on Biscayne Boulevard and 125th Street. Injuries on or around buses raise different issues, including claims against a government transit agency; see bus accidents.
Off the road, we handle falls in apartment complexes and stores, injuries caused by poor building maintenance, and dog bites, which Florida generally treats as the owner’s responsibility even if the dog never bit anyone before.
After an accident in North Miami
Call 911 if anyone is hurt. North Miami Police handle crashes in the city; the Florida Highway Patrol covers I-95. Ask the officer how to get the report number.
If it was a car accident, get medical care within 14 days. Florida’s no-fault coverage (PIP) will not pay for treatment if your first visit comes after that. If it was a fall, report it to the property manager or store in writing and ask for a copy of the incident report.
Photograph the scene before it changes. For a fall, that means the hazard itself, the lighting and any warning signs. Get the names and numbers of witnesses.
When an insurance adjuster calls, you do not have to give a recorded statement, and you should not give one before you have talked to a lawyer.
Florida law in brief
Deadline. Most negligence claims must be filed within two years of the injury. A claim against a government entity, such as a city or the county transit system, requires written notice first and carries its own limits on recovery.
Shared fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you recover nothing.
Car accidents. Your own PIP pays first, up to $10,000. A claim against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering generally requires a permanent or similarly serious injury.
Falls. In most slip-and-fall cases, you have to show the owner knew or should have known about the hazard. For falls on spilled liquids or other foreign substances in a business, Florida law specifically requires proof of that notice, which often comes from video, cleaning logs or employee testimony. See our slip-and-fall page.
How we work with North Miami clients
We gather the police or incident report and any available video, open the insurance claims, and handle every call from the adjusters. While you recover, we help you find doctors, including providers willing to wait for payment until the case is resolved. When treatment is complete, we document your medical bills, lost income and how the injury has affected your life, and we negotiate with the insurer. If the insurer will not make a fair offer, we file suit.
You work directly with the attorney handling your case. The office is a short drive north, and many clients start by phone or video.
Nearby communities
We also serve North Miami Beach, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Bay Harbor Islands, Miami Beach and Miami Gardens.
Frequently asked questions
Is North Miami the same as North Miami Beach?
No. They are separate cities with separate governments and police departments. Our office is in North Miami Beach, and we handle cases in both.
I was hurt getting off a bus. Who is responsible?
It depends on the cause. If the bus driver or transit agency was at fault, the claim is against a government entity, which has notice requirements and limits on damages. If another driver caused it, the claim may be against that driver instead, or as well.
I fell at my apartment complex. Do I have a case?
Possibly, if the landlord or management company knew or should have known about the hazard and did not fix it or warn you. Broken stairs, poor lighting and unrepaired leaks are typical examples.
How long do I have to file?
For most negligence claims, two years from the date of the injury. Government claims have separate notice deadlines, so call early.
What does it cost?
Nothing up front. The fee is a percentage of what we recover, and there is no attorney fee if there is no recovery.
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