Keeping Florida injury information and records together

Photos you already took

• Wide shots of the location, plus close-ups of damage or the condition involved.
• Signs, markings, lighting, or road and floor conditions.
• Back up the originals somewhere other than one phone.

The responding agency and report number

Note who responded — for example a city police department, a county sheriff's office, or the Florida Highway Patrol — and any report or case number you were given. Knowing the agency matters, because each keeps its own records. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles explains how Florida traffic crash reports can be requested.

Witness contact details

If someone stopped or saw what happened, keep their name and phone number in your own records, with a note of when and where you spoke.

Existing video

Nearby businesses, homes, or vehicles may have had cameras. Note where they were. Systems and records may be retained for different periods, so an early written request asking that existing footage be kept may be useful. Whether and how to make a formal preservation demand is something a licensed Florida lawyer should advise on. There is no guarantee any footage exists.

Communications and bills

• Letters, emails, and texts from insurers, businesses, or anyone involved.
• A dated log of phone calls: who called, from which company, and what was said.
• Medical bills and receipts, kept in your own files.

If an insurer calls, see what to note on an adjuster call.

What not to put in an intake form

Do not upload photos or documents, and do not enter Social Security numbers, policy or claim numbers, account numbers, or medical record numbers. The Florida personal injury intake page only needs a short description, the county, the date, and whether you already have a lawyer.