Hollywood Car Accident Lawyer

While cars serve crucial functions in our daily lives, they can also be deadly when paired with negligent or reckless behavior. If you are involved in a car accident and sustain serious injury, an experienced car accident lawyer in Hollywood can help. They can file a claim against the responsible party and help you recover the money you deserve.

In the aftermath of a car accident, an experienced Hollywood personal injury lawyer with The Schiller Kessler Group can guide you through the process of recovering compensation.

Filing a legal claim can be a complicated, emotionally taxing process. There are many things that you have to juggle at once to make sure your needs are met. Contact us for a free consultation.

How a Car Accident Lawyer Serving Hollywood Can Help

Following a car accident, hiring an experienced lawyer to handle your case can be critical. Your attorney will handle all aspects of your claim while you focus on healing from your injuries and getting your life back to normal.

Your attorney will begin by launching an investigation into your accident to prove fault and gather evidence supporting your claim.

Steps in this investigation will likely include:

• Visiting the accident scene to take photos, record observations, and collect any available evidence
• Securing a copy of the official accident report
• Interviewing witnesses and recording their testimonies
• Reviewing your medical records related to the injuries you sustained in the accident
• Consulting expert witnesses

Once your Hollywood car accident attorney has completed their initial investigation, they will assess the damages you suffered to calculate the full value of your losses. They will then file the required paperwork with the appropriate insurer or file with the court in pursuit of a car accident lawsuit.

Your lawyer will then begin to build your case as they prepare for a potential trial. Your attorney will also be working to negotiate a settlement deal that meets your needs the whole time.

If a deal cannot be reached, your lawyer will take your case to court, where they will fight to obtain a favorable ruling that gets you the compensation you need and deserve.

Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Laws

When pursuing compensation after a car accident in Hollywood, FL, it is important to understand that the state uses a no-fault insurance system. What this means is that your first option for compensation will always be to file a claim with your own insurance provider. 

You will only be able to pursue compensation through a lawsuit if you suffered a severe injury. An experienced car accident attorney in Hollywood can help you determine if your injuries meet the requirements for a lawsuit.

Be Mindful of the Personal Injury Statute of Limitations When Pursuing Compensation

When pursuing compensation after a car accident, it is critical that you pay attention to all applicable deadlines. Following an update to Florida’s statute of limitations laws in early 2023, the window for filing a lawsuit was reduced from four years to two years. Failure to file before two years have passed can result in the loss of your right to pursue legal action.

Hiring an experienced attorney as soon as possible is the best way to ensure you meet all applicable deadlines. Furthermore, by getting started early, your lawyer will be well-positioned to build a strong case on your behalf, as they can collect evidence before it is lost or corrupted and speak with witnesses while their memories are still clear.

Damages You Can Recover After a Hollywood Car Accident

Following a car accident in Hollywood, there are a variety of damages you will likely be eligible to pursue. Identifying all applicable damages is critical for ensuring you recover the full value of your claim.

An experienced attorney can help you determine which damages apply. Some of the compensatory damages that may be available include:

• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Medical bills
• Future medical costs
• Loss of companionship
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Permanent disability
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Decreased quality of life

In addition to these compensatory damages, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages only apply in a small percentage of cases. For punitive damages to be available in your case, the liable party must have caused intentional harm or been criminally negligent.

Common Car Accident Causes in Hollywood

Operating a car requires the full attention of drivers. Distractions and other errors in judgment can lead to severe accidents and injuries. Some of the main causes of accidents include:

• Driver inexperience
• Driver inattention
• Distracted driving
• Poor vehicle maintenance
• Poor road or weather conditions

Steps to Take After a Hollywood Car Accident

Many steps can be taken to protect yourself and your assets after an accident. A key step is to retain a car accident attorney in Hollywood as soon as possible. 

Immediately following an accident, you should move your vehicle to the side of the road if possible to minimize the risk of further damage and injuries. After checking yourself and your passengers for injuries, you should call 911 and proceed to check on the welfare of others involved in the crash. If necessary, administer aid as directed by the 911 operator.

You should take photos of the scene, including physical vehicle damage and injuries. Further, exchanging information with any other drivers involved and witnesses can support your efforts for compensation in the future. Next, you should seek medical attention even if you believe you are unharmed. Finally, contact an experienced lawyer for help.

Call for Help

Calling 911 may help in multiple ways. First, it will ensure that any injuries suffered are treated. Denying medical treatment on the scene can give the impression that your injuries are not severe.

Significant injuries can take days to present fully, so even if you do not have concerns about injury at the moment, you should be evaluated.

The second thing calling 911 does is bring police to the scene to create a police report. Hollywood police reports may be able to provide information on the locations of cars, weather conditions, and a narrative or diagram of how the accident occurred. While it is typically insurance or a judge that determines fault, they may use a police report to inform their decision.

Accident Documentation

Taking pictures can also be an excellent way to document the accident. You should take photos of the cars where they were when the accident occurred, as well as any damage to either vehicle and any injuries. 

Gathering contact information for everyone involved is essential to ensure you or your Hollywood car accident attorney can follow up as needed. Insurance information might be the most crucial to collect, as they will participate in settlement negotiations. 

Bystander contact information can be helpful if your car accident attorney determines they may have beneficial information. Documentation is a large part of building your case. Your attorney may ask you to keep a folder of any medical records, invoices, or receipts from medical costs resulting from the injury. 

Types of Car Accident Injuries

Car accident injuries can range from minor scrapes and bruises to severe injuries that require emergency medical intervention. Some of the more common and serious injuries resulting from car accidents include:

• Facial lacerations and bruising
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Broken bones
• Internal bleeding
• Spinal cord injuries
• Whiplash and neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Knee, shoulder, and joint injuries
• Amputations or loss of limbs
• Permanent disability
• Scarring and disfigurement

These injuries can significantly affect your life, leading to long-term pain, extensive medical care, and lost income. If you’ve suffered one of these injuries in a car accident caused by another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to pursue compensation. This money could be used to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

Get Help From a Car Accident Attorney Serving Hollywood Today

Pursuing compensation after a car accident can be overwhelming. Insurance companies are meant to protect their own assets, and if you aren’t adept at personal injury law, you may walk away with less than the compensation you are due. Our car accident lawyers in Hollywood will fight for your right to compensation on your behalf so you can focus on recovering. 

Call The Schiller Kessler Group for a free case consultation now. If we determine you have a right to seek compensation, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we will only collect money for our services if we recover compensation on your behalf.