Hollywood Pedestrian Accidents

The beachfront city of Hollywood, Florida, is just 30 square miles in size, but it is home to over 60 parks, seven miles of beaches, and a unique boardwalk promenade. This makes Hollywood a great town for people who love to walk, run, rollerblade, bike, and just enjoy the great outdoors. Of course, enjoying the scenery on foot rather than inside an automobile does leave a person more vulnerable to certain types of pedestrian accidents and injuries, especially when motorists drive negligently. If you or a loved one has been hurt by a careless driver, the Hollywood pedestrian accident lawyers at Cohn & Smith are here to help you seek compensation for what you have been through.

Pedestrian accidents often result in very serious injuries, including not only contusions, lacerations, and fractures, but also paralysis or brain injuries in some cases. Medical bills may be staggering, and a victim may be out of work for weeks, months, or indefinitely. In order to pursue the payment of medical expenses, reimbursement for lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering, an injured person must file a negligence claim against the person who caused the accident. A negligence claim has four elements: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages. In other words, this simply means that the person who was hurt needs to be able to prove that the defendant owed them a duty to act reasonably and safely, that the defendant failed to do this, that the plaintiff was hurt, and that the defendant’s unreasonable conduct was the reason why they were hurt. A pedestrian accident attorney can advise Hollywood residents on how each of these elements may apply to their case.

Sometimes, an accident happens because two or more people are negligent. If one of those people is the person who was hurt, Florida law allows the jury in a personal injury lawsuit to reduce the compensation award by the percentage of negligence attributable to the plaintiff. In other words, if the jury finds that both the plaintiff and the defendant were negligent and apportions the fault 70% to the defendant and 30% to the plaintiff, the plaintiff’s overall damages award will be reduced by 30%. If the jury finds that the plaintiff should receive $200,000 in compensation for their pain and suffering, lost earnings, and medical costs, the net verdict will be $140,000.

The sooner that an injured person talks to an attorney, the more likely it is for the plaintiff to receive fair compensation. Waiting too long to hire counsel may result in spoliation of evidence, and it may give the defendant’s insurance company the upper hand in obtaining statements from witnesses. By asking leading questions, an insurance adjuster may often mold a witness’ testimony to suit a version of the facts that is more favorable to the defendant than to the plaintiff. Not only may speaking with counsel as soon as possible after an accident help alleviate these potential issues, but also it helps ensure that important deadlines – like the statute of limitations – are not missed.

Pedestrian accidents are almost always preventable. A motorist’s momentary lapse in judgment, care, and caution may leave a pedestrian with life-threatening or even fatal injuries. If you or someone in your family has been affected by a pedestrian accident, you have a right to pursue fair compensation. The car crash attorneys at Cohn & Smith have handled many motor vehicle collision cases. To schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable Hollywood pedestrian accident attorneys, call us at 954-431-8100 or contact us online. We also handle personal injury and wrongful death cases in Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Weston, Sunrise, Tamarac, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Aventura, and cities throughout North Dade County. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you do not need to worry about paying any legal fees upfront.