Susan Smith

Susan Smith is a partner at the Law Offices of Cohn & Smith, and a dedicated Pembroke Pines injury attorney who assists individuals in communities throughout South Florida. Ms. Smith obtained her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, located in Miami, Florida, and was admitted to practice in 1983. Since then, she has helped numerous clients pursue negligence claims after accidents caused by the carelessness of others. With over three decades of experience, she has cultivated a strong understanding of all areas of personal injury law, including those involving vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation claims, and cases arising from defective products.

Negligence usually consists of the failure to exercise the degree of care that a reasonable person or entity would have used in a similar situation, although sometimes the standard of care can vary. For example, medical malpractice cases require the victim to establish through expert testimony that a doctor, nurse, or other health care provider failed to take the same precautions that the typical professional in the same specialty and community would have used.

To prevail on a negligence claim, a victim must demonstrate that the defendant owed him or her a duty to exercise a certain level of care. There must be specific acts or omissions that fell below this standard, and there must be a direct link from that conduct to the injuries. Causation is generally shown by proving that the victim would not have been hurt if the defendant had acted with reasonable care. Once those elements are established, the last step consists of identifying actual damages that arose from the accident. These can consist of medical expenses, property damage, the costs of future treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, and even more.

Under Florida law, an ordinary personal injury action must be brought within four years of the incident giving rise to it. Otherwise, the victim generally will be deemed to have waived the right to compensation. Actions arising from alleged medical malpractice must be brought within two years from the date of the incident or from the date when the harm should have been discovered. Similarly, wrongful death actions are subject to a two year statute of limitations, and can only be initiated by certain individuals, such as close family members of the deceased. These technical rules and other nuances of personal injury law are thoroughly familiar to Ms. Smith, who acts quickly to seek the compensation that her clients need.

Ms. Smith believes that everyone should have access to high-quality yet affordable legal representation. She understands that coping with an injury can be extremely stressful, and she is committed to helping clients in a compassionate manner while aggressively protecting their rights. Although no amount of money can undo the harm that you have suffered, financial compensation can help ease the burden of expenses that typically accompany such an accident. Ms. Smith can analyze the facts of your case and give you a realistic assessment of the legal rights and options that may be available to you.