Hollywood Car Accidents

The city of Hollywood is located in one of the most populated and rapidly growing regions of Florida. The local population alone puts a considerable strain on busy roadways such as I-95, A1A, and Florida’s Turnpike. The beautiful Broward County coastline also beckons tourists from across the country, creating many periods of heavy traffic that sometimes result in devastating motor vehicle collisions. The Hollywood car accident attorneys at Cohn & Smith can assist injured people and families after a crash caused by a careless driver.

When seeking compensation following a car accident, the victim or their family has the burden of proving that the defendant (usually another driver) was at fault. In order to succeed, the plaintiff must show that the defendant breached the duty of reasonable care expected of all Florida motorists, and the accident resulted foreseeably from the defendant’s careless conduct. This encompasses a wide range of situations, such as running a red light, texting behind the wheel, failing to signal a lane change, flagrantly violating the speed limit, failing to adjust speed according to traffic or weather conditions, and other behaviors.

People who have been injured or have lost a family member may have questions about their right to bring a legal claim for compensation, given that Florida is a “no-fault” state. It is true that Florida residents are required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of a certain amount, and they must rely upon their own insurance to pay medical bills up to the limits of their PIP coverage. However, this does not mean that victims who suffer devastating harm cannot seek appropriate compensation from the responsible party, as long as the plaintiff has suffered a permanent injury or lost a loved one to someone else’s negligence.

A plaintiff in a car accident case may need to overcome assertions by the defendant that they also acted negligently. Based on the comparative negligence rule in Florida, a defendant may argue that the plaintiff in a car accident case was partially at fault. In this situation, the amount of damages that the plaintiff receives, such as compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them by the jury. Comparative negligence issues thus may significantly affect the amount of compensation that a victim receives. This is one area in which enlisting knowledgeable legal counsel may make a critical difference to the outcome of your case.

Although many car accident victims may hope to secure a quick and fair settlement from a negligent driver’s insurance company, failing to retain legal counsel soon after a crash is usually unwise. Without an assertive motor vehicle collision attorney pushing the case forward by complying with procedural deadlines, collecting evidence in a timely manner, and preparing a case for trial, the insurance company has little incentive to provide you with the payments that you deserve. Contact the skillful Hollywood car accident lawyers at Cohn & Smith at (954) 431-8100 or online for a free case evaluation. We have advocated vigorously for many people in your position, and we are ready to do the same for you.