Nothing can prepare you for the physical and emotional trauma of a car accident in Hollywood, Florida. Not only will you have the immediate shock to deal with, but you may be left struggling to pay medical bills and household expenses if your injuries prevent you from continuing your usual activities.

If this has happened to you, reaching out to an experienced Hollywood car accident lawyer is a wise decision. Our team of experienced attorneys is here to help you get the compensation you need to get your life back on track and regain a sense of normality.

Imagine that you’re going about your everyday activities, shopping for groceries in Hollywood, Florida, at Yellow Green Farmers Market. Just as you pull out onto Sheridan Street, you are rear-ended by a driver racing to beat a red light. In that split second, you receive debilitating injuries that change your life forever.

Or maybe you’ve just enjoyed a spa treatment at Hollywood’s Margaritaville Beach Resort. Feeling relaxed, you start heading home only to be T-boned by a distracted driver who ran a stop sign on N. Ocean Drive. In a moment, you’ve gone from a place of tranquility to the distress of suffering an accident that clearly wasn’t your fault.

If these or similar situations have happened to you, know that an experienced car accident attorney in Hollywood, Florida, is at hand to help you at every stage of your compensation claim. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Thousands of Annual Collisions in Hollywood, Florida

Hollywood, Florida, is a thriving location in the south of the state. Served by some major roads and in close proximity to rail and air links, it attracts many leisure and business visitors every year. It’s a popular place to settle down as well.

This can mean that traffic gets busy on the main roads, and on I-95, US 1, and US 441 in particular.

Situated within easy reach of the busy locations of Fort Lauderdale and Miami too, the high volume of traffic means there’s an increased risk of vehicle accidents in the vicinity, particularly when it comes to younger, more inexperienced drivers.

In fact, statistics published by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles show that in 2021, there were 4,081 drivers in crashes aged 15 to 19 and 7,929 aged 20 to 24 in Broward County.

Between 2020 and 2021, there was an increase of nearly 31% for the first group and almost 26% for the second group, showing that these incidents are continuing to rise.

What’s more, in 2022, the age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population of deaths from motor vehicle crashes in Broward County was 14.4. While this may be lower than average for the state of Florida, it still represents a tragic loss of life.

If you have been in a car wreck and need assistance from an experienced Hollywood car accident lawyer, contact our law firm today.

What Are the Major Factors Contributing to These Florida Car Crashes?

Unfortunately, compared to other states in the US, Florida has a high rate of vehicle accidents, resulting in injuries and sometimes even death. Indeed, car accidents are a top cause of death for teenagers.

There are many factors behind the excessive number of car crashes which our legal team sees in Florida. These include:

Driving with excessive speed
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Distracted driving, which can include eating or texting while driving
Drowsy driving or driving while overly fatigued
Reckless driving behavior, including ignoring red lights, cutting off other road users, and tailgating
Inexperienced drivers making poor decisions
Poorly maintained vehicles resulting in mechanical failure
Manufacturing faults in a vehicle or part
Adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain, fog, or even excessive heat, which can trigger mechanical failures
Poorly maintained roads

How Do I Know If I Have a Car Accident Claim in Hollywood, Florida?

If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Hollywood, Florida, you may be wondering whether you have a case for compensation.

Consulting with a knowledgeable attorney will help determine whether this is so. They will review the facts and evidence available to understand if you have a good chance of a successful claim.

These are some of the questions they may ask you about your accident:

What kind of injuries did you sustain in the accident?
Did you receive medical care for your injuries?
Did you have to take time off work because of your injuries?
How did your accident happen?
When did the accident happen?
Were there any witnesses to the accident?

Florida is a no-fault state, so your first recourse would be to your own insurance company. They will usually pay out for your medical care and lost earnings, regardless of who was at fault in your accident.

But if you can show that your injuries are permanent, the law permits you to sue the other at-fault driver for additional compensation.

Permanent injuries are deemed to be:

A significant and permanent change to a function of your body
An injury considered to be permanent within reasonable medical probability
Major disfigurement or scarring
Death

Examples of permanent injury include:

Spinal cord damage that results in permanent paralysis
Loss of a limb that restricts your ability to perform everyday tasks
Loss of bladder or bowel function
Disabling back pain or disc problems

To learn more about whether you have a claim or not, contact our experienced Hollywood car accident attorneys today. We offer free case evaluations and are never too busy to speak with you.

How Is Fault Determined in a Hollywood Car Accident?

Florida may be a no-fault state, but if you have suffered damage to your property or permanent or significant injury, you can file a claim for additional compensation. For this to succeed, the fault of the other driver must be established by you or your attorney.

This is usually done by insurance company adjusters in Florida by studying a range of evidence including police reports, witness statements, and other information relating to the accident. Once they’ve taken all of this data in, they will state who is at fault and what proportion of fault should be assigned to them.

A “pure comparative fault” rule is in operation in Florida. This means that when more than one person is found to be at fault in a car crash, each driver is responsible for their share of the total losses incurred.

So, a percentage of fault will be attributed to each of them. For example, if you are found to be 25% at fault, then you would only be able to claim compensation for 75% of your total losses.

Determination of fault is a crucial part of your compensation claim. Remember that insurance companies will not be working in your best interests — that’s why you need to enlist the help of an experienced Hollywood car accident lawyer who can present evidence to reduce or eliminate the amount of fault apportioned to you. This means that you will receive the compensation package that you truly deserve.

What Happens If the At-Fault Party Was Uninsured?

In Florida, you must have insurance to legally drive on the state’s roads. What’s more, your policy must cover the following minimum liability values:

$10,000 per person for bodily injury
$10,000 for damage to property
$20,000 worth of liability per accident

Because Florida is a no-fault state, your insurance company should pay out for the majority of your claim up to a limit of $10,000. If the other driver is at fault, their insurance company will pay out for the rest of what you are due.

But if you are in a crash with an uninsured driver, you will need to file a claim to recoup this shortfall.

You may also file a personal injury lawsuit if you sustain serious or permanent bodily injury, which exceeds the $10,000 limit.

However, if the uninsured at-fault driver is in a position of financial hardship, you may have to settle for an amount that doesn’t push them further into difficulties.

In the event that they fail to make the agreed payments, you can:

Place a lien on their property
Garnish their wages, where a court orders payment to be deducted at source to be paid directly to you
Garnish their bank account, where funds are taken directly from the other party’s bank account to benefit you
Seize their personal property
Negotiate for the state to confiscate the driver’s license until they have paid you in full

To help you work through these steps and get the compensation you are due when the other driver is uninsured, seek the advice of a skilled Florida personal injury lawyer.

What Compensation Is Available for Car Crash Claims in Hollywood, Florida?

When your losses exceed the amount of compensation available from your insurance coverage and the other driver was at fault, you can claim for several different types of losses:

Medical expenses – If found to be at fault, the other driver will be liable for all your medical expenses. These include care immediately after the accident, surgery and ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and physical therapy. This category also covers care you are likely to need in the future.
Medical supplies – This covers expenses relating to medication and travel costs to and from appointments with healthcare providers.
Damage to your vehicle or property – Your insurance claim may cover the cost of repairs to your vehicle up to a certain point. Beyond this, you may seek compensation for the rest in a personal claim.
Lost earnings – This refers to the loss of wages if you have to take time off work following your accident. And if your injuries mean that you can’t work in the same role with equal earning capacity, you may claim for future lost wages.
Emotional trauma – Accidents can be distressing and traumatic. Your Hollywood car accident lawyer will be able to guide you to claim a fair sum to reflect the pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment that you have experienced as a result of your accident.
Funeral and burial costs – If you have lost a loved one due to a car accident where the other driver was at fault, you may a wrongful death claim for the costs of their funeral and burial.

Hollywood, Florida

Hollywood, Florida, is a thriving community with many facilities and service providers to help you following an accident.

For outstanding customer service and quality vehicle repairs, turn to Flame Auto Repair. They’ve been serving the Hollywood community for a decade, offering everything from minor repairs through to major accident work.

J.N.L. Auto Repair has been family owned and operated since 1986, making it your go-to place for professional repairs. With their solid emphasis on safety, you know you can trust their experts to repair your vehicle after an accident.

Located just half a mile from I-95, Caffi Brothers Body Shop offers a convenient vehicle repair service. In business since 1990, this local company is a great choice for quality, reliable repairs.

Kindred Hospital offers long-term acute care, which may be exactly what you need after an accident. The caring professionals will nurse you through your recovery, helping you to achieve your post-accident health goals.

Skilled Accident and Injury Lawyers in Hollywood, Florida

After an accident, you are bound to experience a range of thoughts and emotions. Following the initial shock, you may feel anxious and stressed about your injuries, future earning potential, and more.

But you don’t have to undergo the process of claiming compensation for your loss alone — the team at Schilling & Silvers Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is here to fight your corner for you.

Our experienced Hollywood car accident lawyers understand the laws and processes around personal injury claims and will do everything in their power to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

Get in touch to know more about how our professional team can help you. If you’re eligible for compensation following an accident that wasn’t your fault, they will get you a fair and just package as swiftly as possible. This will allow you to gain closure from your accident and start living again, with a renewed sense of direction and the peace of mind that you deserve.

In addition to Hollywood, our skilled legal team serves Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Plantation, Davie, and more.

Hollywood Car Accident Attorney