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With an average of over 110 incidents a day in Hollywood and Broward County, car accidents are common. They can cause you to lose time from work and will require you to repair your car. Even if you don’t think your accident was serious, you could be eligible to file a claim.
Hollywood car accident lawyers understand the law in Florida and can explain your legal rights. You will be able to learn how the accident claims process works through the help of a personal injury attorney.
If you’ve been in an accident, Florin|Roebig has caring, compassionate auto accident attorneys who can help you file a car accident claim in Hollywood.
Common Causes Of Car Accidents In Hollywood
The contributing causes to car crashes fall into two basic categories: preventable or human-caused and acts of nature. Most people are familiar with preventable causes, including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (drunk driving) and distracted driving. Although texting and driving is illegal in the state of Florida, people still do it.
Distracted driving doesn’t just include texting these days. Some unwise drivers watch videos, read magazines, or put on makeup while attempting to drive.
Other preventable causes include poor vehicle maintenance, reckless driving, and falling asleep at the wheel. People may fail to see or heed road signs and signals. Finally, poor weather conditions or obstructions on the road can also lead to car crashes, sometimes very serious ones.
In Florida, the cause of a motor vehicle accident will influence the claims process. Florida uses a concept called comparative negligence to determine who is at fault in a crash, and what each driver’s responsibility will be. If a driver is found negligent in an accident, it will affect the amount of money other drivers who are involved could receive.
Reasons To File A Car Accident Claim
Even if you don’t think you have serious injuries, if you’ve been in a car accident in Hollywood, you should understand your rights and consider whether you should file an accident claim. You aren’t required to speak to insurance adjusters from other drivers involved in the accident.
When you file an accident claim, it will begin the process of determining damages. In the legal system, non-economic damages can refer to property damage, including your car and belongings, and also injuries that you or others may have suffered. Courts can’t restore health or provide your car back in perfect condition, but they can offer financial compensation.
Florida’s comparative negligence standard for personal injury claims means that car accident claims can be complex. Not only does the claims process identify damages, it also identifies how much fault drivers have compared to others involved in the crash. An experienced Hollywood car accident lawyer can guide you through the process, explain your legal rights, and assist you in getting the compensation you’re entitled to receive.
Factors That Affect Car Accident Cases
The more serious an accident, the more likely it is to warrant higher claims for serious injuries or vehicle damage. Car accident attorneys can work with you to determine the different potential damages you could be entitled to receive. Following an auto accident, you are understandably under stress. At such a difficult time, it’s hard to determine what compensation you may need over the long-term.
Using the principle of comparative negligence, one driver may be found to be 80 percent at fault, while another has 20 percent responsibility in a crash. The driver who has 20 percent responsibility could receive an award of $20,000 to pay for auto repairs and medical expenses. But the award would be reduced by the 20 percent they have been found to be responsible for, so they would receive $16,000.
How Much Compensation Can You Win?
The car accident claims process tries to match compensation with the property damage and accident injuries (if any) that have been suffered in an accident. The more serious the injuries and severe the property damage, the higher the eventual award is likely to be.
Car accident case awards can be higher if the following factors are present:
- severe injuries or fatalities
- total loss of vehicles and other property
- loss of the ability to work
- significant time off work/lost wages
- effect on family members and future prospects
A number of studies have shown that people who are represented by car accident attorneys following car crashes are able to receive higher awards than people who work directly with their insurance company.
In Florida, it’s important to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer because of comparative negligence. Some insurance companies, even your own, may be naturally motivated to reduce the amount they pay in damages.
Insurance companies and personal injury lawyers representing others who may have been involved in a crash are motivated to place responsibility on any other person or vehicle in an accident. You can maximize the compensation you are entitled to receive and protect yourself by working with car accident lawyers.
Types Of Damages Awarded In Car Accident Cases
“Damages” in car accident claims refers to the categories where personal injuries can be identified and an amount of compensation can be set.
Categories of damages in Florida auto accident claims include (but aren’t limited to):
- medical bills, rehabilitation, prescriptions, and hospitalization costs
- repair or replacement of vehicles and other property
- restoration of lost wages and income
- retraining or rehabilitation
- counseling and psychiatric medications
- pain and suffering
Florida also allows courts to award punitive damages. These are additional sums of money intended to punish people who were severely negligent in causing an accident. Although punitive damages aren’t common, they are awarded in cases where serious wrongdoing has occurred.
Car Accident Rates In Hollywood
Broward County saw over 41,000 car accidents in 2019, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:
- In 2019, 188 of Broward County’s car accidents were fatal, taking the lives of 203 people.
- Over 16,100 of the auto accidents in Broward County in 2019 led to injuries.
- Taking all of the accidents together, over 23,600 people suffered injuries in car accidents in Broward County in 2019.
- There were 1,081 car accidents involving pedestrians in Broward County in 2019, leading to the loss of life for 53 pedestrians.
- Over 12,300 of Broward County’s 2019 crashes were hit-and-run, including 13 fatalities.
List Of Car Accident Attorneys Serving Hollywood
A car accident can leave you with mounting medical bills, vehicle repair costs, and other expenses impacted by the incident. To successfully file a claim and receive compensation for your losses, you’ll want the legal advice of an experienced attorney to help along the way.
Florin|Roebig has a team of attorneys who are ready to assist you in filing your car accident claim.
Our award-winning team of car accident attorneys who can provide a free case evaluation include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Jordan A. Kolinski
- Shaun M. Cummings
- Luca G. Esposito
We service personal injury clients in Hollywood, as well as many other areas throughout South Florida and the rest of the state, including:
- Miami
- Palm Beach
- West Palm Beach
- Pembroke Pines
- Davie
- Aventure
- Weston
- North Miami Beach
- Hallandale
- Coral Springs
Find Help Filing A Car Accident Claim
If you have been in an accident in Hollywood, you should reach out for experienced, compassionate legal help. Florin|Roebig was founded in 1985 and has been selected as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” by US News and World Report each year since the award started. Find out your rights following a car accident by contacting Florin|Roebig for a free consultation to learn how you can file a car accident claim in Hollywood.