Car accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury accidents and can have a devastating impact on victims, such as catastrophic physical injuries, emotional trauma, and an inability to live their lives as they had before. Along with the pain of severe car accident injuries, victims will have to find a way to pay for steep medical costs, property damage, and lost wages.
Fort Lauderdale, the largest city in Broward County, has had their fair share of car accidents caused by distracted driving, speeding, and drunk driving. Whether you got in an accident on I-95 or East Broward Boulevard, you need a car accident lawyer to help hold the at-fault party responsible for their negligent behavior that led to your injuries. The car accident attorneys at Russo Law Firm have decades of experience helping car accident victims and can apply that experience to your case.
Why Choose Russo Law Group for Your Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claim?
Following a Fort Lauderdale car accident, you need a car accident lawyer that has your best interests in mind and the expertise necessary to handle your claim effectively. At Russo Law Firm, our car accident lawyers work to get an intimate understanding of the struggles of our clients, so they can effectively negotiate a settlement to account for their car accident damages.
They also work locally, driving down the same streets and intersections that serve as the location of car accidents our clients suffer. Our car accident lawyers use Fort Lauderdale knowledge to add specificity and detail to the car accident claim. They also constantly communicate with clients to ensure their thoughts and concerns are addressed in any settlement or award. Contact Russo Law Firm today for a free consultation to get a feel for how our car accident lawyers can assist with your Fort Lauderdale car accident claim.
Russo Law Firm Case Results
At Russo Law Firm, we know the pressure victims can feel with having to try to secure fair compensation for themselves as they deal with the fallout of a car accident. Our main goal is to represent our clients so they can focus on their recovery. This is not just about handling the claims process but doing everything in our power to secure the best possible financial outcome for car accident damages.
Our car accident lawyers are not interested in quick settlements that leave our clients without full financial restitution. We will work for you and continue the negotiation process until you receive fair compensation. If a fair settlement cannot be reached with the at-fault party’s insurance company, we have no issue with representing you in court.
The following are some of the case results Russo Law Firm has earned for clients:
- 3.3 Million for Automobile Accident Against Drunk Driver
- $2.4 Million for Medical Malpractice Misdiagnosis
- $2 Million for Wrongful Death Trucking Accident
- $1.75 Million Product Liability Jury Award for Crushed Hand
- $650 Thousand Automobile Accident Jury Award for Reconstructed Knee
Florida Car Accident Laws
The Florida statutes dictate what happens regarding liability and procedure following a car accident in Florida’s cities, such as Fort Lauderdale. These laws help to simplify the process by making the rules for everyone universal. There are also laws that help all car owners by providing rules for insurance to ensure all Florida drivers receive compensation from universal insurance plans.
The following are some of the laws concerning Florida car accidents:
- Florida is a no-fault state, which requires drivers to purchase personal injury protection insurance (PIP) that covers up to $10,000 worth of medical costs and lost wages
- Any driver involved in a car accident that resulted in severe injury, death, or at least $500 worth of property damages must notify the local police department of the car crash
- Florida car accident victims are legally allowed to file a fault-based claim or lawsuit for bodily injury damages caused by a negligent party (Florida Statute 627.737)
- The statute of limitations for filing a car accident claim in Fort Lauderdale is four years (Florida Statute 95.11)
- If a wrongful death occurs during the car accident, the statute of limitations changes to two years
Where Do Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents Commonly Occur?
Fort Lauderdale is located in Broward County, ranking as the 17th-most populous county in the United States. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (FLHSMV) department, there were 41,380 motor vehicle crashes in Broward County, with 15,705 resulting in injuries and 261 resulting in death.
As the largest city in Broward County, Fort Lauderdale has seen an increase in car crashes in recent years, with a surge of 30% in car crashes between 2012 and 2019. Between those years, Fort Lauderdale saw 1,677 fatalities and 186,993 injuries because of auto crashes. Two out of every five car crashes in Fort Lauderdale results in an injury or death.
There are some streets in Fort Lauderdale that are statistically more dangerous than others, with a higher concentration of accidents over the last couple of years. The following are the most dangerous streets in Florida for car crashes:
- East Las Olas Boulevard
- A1A (Fort Lauderdale)
- South Flamingo Road
- Interstate 75/I-75 (Everglades Parkway)
- State Road 84 (Marina Mile Boulevard)
- State Road/SR 91 (Florida Turnpike)
- Pembroke Road
Causes of Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents
Causes of Fort Lauderdale car accidents normally boil down to negligent behavior behind the wheel. While there are weather and road conditions that can lead to accidents, it is up to the drivers on the road to exercise caution when operating their vehicles. There are defensive driving techniques that can mitigate the impact of poor road conditions that each driver must exercise to prevent catastrophic damage.
Any Fort Lauderdale driver that breaches the duty of care they owe other drivers can share liability in a car accident claim. Duty of care refers to driving safely based on acceptable standards of the road, including following road rules, driving with two hands on the wheel, and keeping focused on the road rather than a manual, physical, or cognitive distraction.
The following are some of the negligent driving behaviors that can cause a Fort Lauderdale car accident:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Drowsy driving
- Reckless driving (ignoring road rules)
- Not using turn signals
- Road rage
Types of Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents
The location another car strikes your car can dictate the type of collision, the severity of damage to the driver and passengers, and how much property damage occurs. Some types of car collisions, such as head-on collisions, bring the driver into more danger and exposes their body parts to more trauma.
The type of car collision also can change based on how many cars were involved in the crash. Although it is most common for two cars to be involved in a car accident, highways like I-95, due to the congested traffic, can bring multiple cars into danger during a car accident.
The following are some of the types of Fort Lauderdale car accidents:
- Rear-end collision
- Sideswipe accident
- T-bone accident
- Rollover accident
- Head-on collision
- Multi-car crash
- Single car accident
Severe Injuries Caused by Fort Lauderdale Car Accidents
Car accident victims can receive severe injuries due to the direct, high-speed trauma provided by another moving vehicle. Blunt force trauma from another object striking your body can provide enough pressure to crack bones, injure the brain, or cause internal bleeding.
Severe injuries can also result from impact with objects outside of the car. A car accident can bring a driver or passenger into contact with a hard object, possibly pressing them up against it and causing a crushing injury. Penetrating trauma can occur when a sharp object like shattered glass can penetrate the body and cause soft tissue and internal damage.
The following are some of the types of severe injuries that can result from a Fort Lauderdale car accident:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal injuries
- Broken bones
- Back and neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Facial injuries
- Knee injuries
What to do After a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident
Certain steps in the aftermath of a car accident can help you in a future car accident claim. On top of helping your legal situation, these steps can help with your medical status and allow you to receive treatment if you received severe car accident injuries.
The following are the steps you should take after a Fort Lauderdale car accident:
- Contact the police: It is a Florida law that you must contact law enforcement if you were involved in a car accident with injury, death, or $500 of property damage. The responding officer can collect vital information you may not be in the physical condition to collect, such as the location of the accident, what damages occurred, and the name, address, and contact information of witnesses and others involved in the accident. They will file a police report you can access later for all of this information.
- Receive medical attention: Your health should be your number one priority after a car accident, as it only takes a few hours for severe injuries to get even worse. You may also have delayed symptoms, and recognizing your severe injury may require analysis by a doctor. They can check you for injuries and begin the treatment process if necessary.
- Gather evidence at the scene of the accident: Collecting evidence at the scene of the accident with your smartphone can greatly assist your car accident claim. The at-fault party or their insurance company may try to say the accident wasn’t that bad or your injuries were overstated. By having physical evidence in the form of a picture, you can refute this to strengthen your case.
- Contact a car accident lawyer: You need someone by your side during a car accident lawyer that can help you combat any bad faith tactics employed by an insurance company. Without law experience, you may not know the best way to put yourself in a greater position to recover compensation. Contact local Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers that have the experience, knowledge, and patience to handle your car accident claim.
Liability in a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claim
The first party you should look to for liability in a Fort Lauderdale car accident claim is the other driver. If they caused the accident because of negligent driving behavior, they could be held liable for the damages they caused. Some of this negligent driving behavior can include speeding, distracted driving, and not using turn signals.
However, sometimes a car accident seemingly caused by another driver can be the result of a defective car part. For example, it’s possible that a car accident cause that seemed like an aggressive driver refusing to stop at a stop sign was actually caused by a defective brake. In that case, the designer, manufacturer, seller, or distributor of the defective car part can be held liable in a product liability claim.
Comparative Negligence in a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claim
Florida courts apply comparative negligence in car accident claims. Comparative negligence involves the court deciding how much each party involved in a car accident contributed to the crash. The court will assign blame to each party involved (including the plaintiff) to determine what percentage each party is responsible for paying.
For example, let’s say a driver is distracted, runs a red light, and crashes into you as you pass through an intersection. However, at the time, you were traveling ten miles per hour above the speed limit. Although the distracted driver contributed more to the car accident, it could be argued that you could have reacted to their car and avoided an accident if you weren’t speeding. In this case, the court will determine what percentage you contributed to the car accident and deduct that percentage from your settlement or award.
Proving Liability in a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claim
You can file a Fort Lauderdale car accident if another party behaved negligently and that resulted in you suffering injuries and damages. Filing a car accident claim allows you to attempt to hold the at-fault party responsible for their negligence and receive a settlement from their insurance company.
With the help of an experienced car accident attorney, you can prove that all four elements of negligence were present in your car accident. Those four elements of negligence are:
- A duty of care was owed
- A duty of care was breached
- You suffered severe injuries and damages
- The breach of duty of care caused the damages
Evidence That Can Help Prove Liability in a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claim
A car accident lawyer can collect evidence to help prove liability in a car accident claim. This tangible evidence can help to establish the conditions in which the accident happened. They can also show a connection between the car accident and the damages you are pursuing compensation for.
The following is some of the evidence that can help prove fault in a Fort Lauderdale car accident claim:
- The police report
- Witness statements
- Accident reconstruction
- Scene surveys
- Video or photographs
- Medical records
- Insurance statements
- Expert testimony
- Documentation of the victim’s damages
What Damages Can You Pursue for a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident?
You can file a Fort Lauderdale car accident claim in an attempt to receive compensation for car accident damages, which are losses associated with the car accident. There are two types of damages you can pursue in a car accident claim: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are those with a monetary value or bill attached to them, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages are intangible damages that reflect how your life has changed following the car accident, which can include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium.
The following are some of the damages a car accident lawyer can help you pursue:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Disability costs
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish
How Can a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Lawyer Help With Your Car Accident Claim?
Without experience in personal injury law, a car accident victim will not be able to handle a car accident claim with the efficiency and effectiveness necessary to maximize their potential compensation. An experienced, local car accident attorney can assist in the claims process by applying their law experience and knowledge of the Fort Lauderdale area to put you in the best position to recover damages.
During a Fort Lauderdale car accident settlement negotiation, the at-fault party’s insurance company will do everything in its power to limit your settlement to keep the company’s profits up. A car accident attorney can handle the negotiation, see through any attempts to limit your compensation, and combat those attempts to preserve your potential fair compensation.
The following are some of the ways a car accident lawyer can help you with a Fort Lauderdale car accident:
- Assess your damages
- Determine the liable party
- Draft and send out the demand letter
- Collect evidence to prove your case
- Interview expert witnesses
- Collect records to provide a timeline of your accident and injuries
- Negotiate a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company
- Represent you in court
Contact Russo Law Group for Help With Your Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claim
Fort Lauderdale car accident victims need a local car accident law firm that knows the specifics of how the city’s streets, intersections, and highways operate. This specificity can add depth to a car accident claim, along with tangible evidence that can help prove a case. Fort Lauderdale car accident victims should seek local car accident law advice from Russo Law Firm.
The experienced car accident lawyers at Russo Law Firm have a proven track record of earning fair compensation for Fort Lauderdale clients for decades. Our car accident lawyers believe in providing personalized attention to ensure your legal counsel has the specificity and in-depth details necessary to put you in the best position to receive fair compensation for your car accident damages. Let us help you assess your claim, file your claim, and negotiate a settlement so you can focus on recovering from your car accident injuries.
At Russo Law Firm, we offer free consultations to personal injury victims to learn how we can help with your case. If you suffered damages from a Fort Lauderdale car accident, contact us at 844-847-8300 or leave a message on our online contact page.