Trusted Hollywood Accident Lawyers — Standing Up for Injured Victims for Over 24 Years
Every day, collisions disrupt lives along Hollywood’s busiest corridors — from Hollywood Boulevard and Federal Highway (US-1) to Sheridan Street, Pembroke Road, Hallandale Beach Boulevard, and the congested ramps feeding I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike. When a car crash, truck wreck, motorcycle accident, or other sudden injury leaves you facing mounting medical bills and time away from work, the pressure can feel impossible to carry alone. For more than two decades, the Law Offices of Suarez & Montero have stood beside injured people across Hollywood and Broward County, and our dedicated accident attorneys push relentlessly for the full compensation you are owed. Call us anytime — we are available 24/7 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Hollywood?
The moments right after a crash on a road like US-1 or I-95 are stressful and confusing, but a few calm steps protect both your safety and your claim. First, check on anyone who is hurt and call 911 so police and paramedics can respond. If your vehicle is creating a hazard and you can move it safely, get it out of live traffic. Exchange names, contact details, insurance information, and license plate numbers with the other drivers, and give the same details to the responding officer. Photograph the vehicles, the roadway, traffic signals, and your visible injuries, and gather contact information from any witnesses. Then seek medical care promptly — some injuries do not show symptoms for hours or days.
What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
More than half of all Florida collisions leave a driver or passenger injured, and our team is well acquainted with the full range of injuries caused by car accidents. At Suarez & Montero, we understand how badly a serious injury can upend your life, your work, and your family. When a negligent driver hurts you or someone you love, you deserve to be compensated fairly for harms that often include:
- Catastrophic injuries
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Bruising
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Eye injuries
- Chest injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputation
- Paralysis
- Soft tissue injuries
- Wrongful death
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Hollywood?
Most people picture drunk driving when they think of a crash, and impaired driving is indeed a leading cause of deadly wrecks across South Florida. But many car accidents have other roots, including:
- Speeding: Drivers routinely exceed posted limits on Hollywood’s arterials and highways, and the faster a vehicle travels the less time anyone has to react. Excessive speed contributes to a large share of fatal crashes nationwide.
- Drunk driving: Alcohol and drugs slow reaction time and impair judgment, and impaired drivers remain a serious threat on local roads, especially at night and on weekends.
- Distracted driving: Texting, navigation apps, eating, and other distractions pull a driver’s eyes and attention off the road. Even a few seconds of inattention at highway speed can cause a devastating collision.
Should I Hire a Hollywood Car Accident Attorney?
After a crash that causes injury, your next step is usually a claim with your own insurer and with the at-fault driver’s insurer. Because Florida is a no-fault state, a PIP (Personal Injury Protection) claim is opened first, but PIP only covers up to $10,000 — often far less than the true cost of a serious injury. Once medical bills and lost wages exceed that limit, you must pursue the at-fault party’s coverage, and insurers frequently delay, undervalue, or deny what they owe. When that happens, an experienced personal injury attorney can level the playing field and fight for what your claim is genuinely worth.
How to Choose the Right Hollywood Car Accident Attorney
Choosing the right lawyer matters as much as the decision to hire one. As you compare attorneys for your personal injury claim, keep these factors in mind:
- Education and qualifications: A reputable firm is open about its credentials. If those details are hard to find, treat it as a warning sign.
- Reviews: Read independent client reviews of the lawyer and the firm. What former clients say reveals a great deal about how you will be treated.
- Experience: Look for a track record with cases like yours, handled successfully in Broward County and the surrounding area.
- The whole team: Evaluate the staff who will actually manage your case day to day, not just the names on the door.
When Can I Sue for a Car Accident in Florida?
After a car accident in South Florida, it is wise to speak with a lawyer early. Your attorney will gather the evidence, build your claim, and negotiate with the insurance adjuster toward a fair settlement amount. If those negotiations stall or the insurer’s offer is unreasonably low, the next step is filing a lawsuit to pursue full compensation in court.
What Do I Need to Know About Florida Car Accident Laws?
Every Florida driver should understand a few basic rules that apply after a crash:
You must stop and report the accident. Florida law requires drivers to stop and help anyone injured. Crashes involving injury or significant property damage must be reported to local law enforcement.
You must not leave the scene. Exchange names, addresses, and vehicle registration with everyone involved, and note witness contact information as well as road and weather conditions.
You must carry insurance. Florida drivers must hold at least $10,000 in PIP and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage.
Florida is a no-fault state. Each driver’s own insurer pays initial accident costs regardless of fault, but you may sue the at-fault driver when your injuries exceed your coverage.
The statute of limitations applies. You generally have a limited window from the date of the crash to file suit, so it is important not to wait.
Comparative fault applies. Even if you share some blame, you may still recover, with your award reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault.
What Compensation Can You Receive After a Car Accident?
Damages are the compensation paid to an injured person for the harm another’s negligence caused. How much you can recover depends on the facts of your case — the negligence involved, the severity of your injuries, and more. Because Florida applies comparative negligence, any fault on your part reduces your recovery. Common categories of damages include:
Medical Treatment
Crash injuries range from minor whiplash to permanent disability. Recovery often requires therapy, specialist care, medication, and assistive items, all of which can be claimed. Your PIP coverage pays 80 percent of reasonable, necessary medical expenses as long as you seek care within 14 days of the accident.
Damage to Your Property
You can claim repair or replacement of your vehicle and other personal property damaged in the crash, such as clothing, electronics, or jewelry.
Lost Wages
Time missed from work while you heal is compensable. Depending on the injury, you may be out for weeks or months, or return to reduced hours and duties — all of which can support a lost-wage claim.
Pain and Suffering
When you file a car accident lawsuit, you can also seek non-economic damages for the physical pain and emotional toll of your injuries. These damages reflect the severity of the harm and its lasting impact, and they can include anxiety, stress, and emotional distress as well as physical pain.
Loss of Companionship
When a serious injury affects a marriage, the uninjured spouse may claim loss of companionship, care, and support, a claim that depends on the success of the injured person’s case.
Call Our Experienced Hollywood Car Accident Lawyers Today
At Suarez & Montero Car Accident Attorneys, our clients trust us to deliver the aggressive, well-prepared representation it takes to stand up to insurance companies. If you have been hurt in any kind of vehicle crash, our Hollywood car accident attorneys will work tirelessly to hold the responsible parties accountable and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve. Let us review your case and explain your options. We are available 24/7 for a free, no-risk consultation.
Here are some of the types of accident cases we handle:
Schedule a FREE Consultation ! Call 305-631-1911
We serve clients throughout Florida including those in the following areas:
Miami-Dade: Aventura, Coral Gables, Doral, Fontainebleau, Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Lakes, North Miami, Tamiami, and Westchester.
Broward: Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Weston; and Palm Beach County including Boca Raton, Lake Worth, and West Palm Beach.
Hollywood Car Accident – Blog/News
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Car Accident Resources
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Auto Warranties and Maintenance – Provides consumer education materials on automobile warranties and the importance of routine maintenance.
Insurance Information Institute: Auto Insurance – Great introduction to automobile insurance, with information to help you choose the right policy or make a claim.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – Provides crash statistics and articles about automobile accidents, product safety, and child passenger safety.
National Safety Council (NSC): Driving information – Information about defensive driving, distracted driving, employer traffic safety, teen driving, and related topics.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – Features consumer publications, product recalls, reports on unsafe products, statistics and more; including content pertaining to automobile safety.
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) – Features automobile statistics, dockets, rules and references; with dedicated sections on distracted driving and other vehicle safety issues.
SaferCar.gov – Comprehensive resource for car owners, car shoppers, and parents; with crash test ratings, recalls, and other automobile safety information (NHTSA).
The Center for Auto Safety – Organization that provides news headlines and action alerts for defective automobiles and other vehicle safety information.
Motorcycle Safety Foundation – Organization that develops comprehensive safety training programs for motorcyclists.
Motorcycle Safety (NHTSA) – Motorcycle safety guide published by the NHTSA in conjunction with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Must You Prove to Win a Personal Injury Claim in Florida?
To win a personal injury claim, you must show that the at-fault party was negligent. Negligence means failing to use the care a reasonably careful person would use in the same situation — either by doing something careless or by failing to do something a prudent person would have done. You must prove the other party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and that the breach directly caused your injuries and resulting losses.
Who Is at Fault in a Hollywood Rear-End Collision?
Rear-end collisions are extremely common across Hollywood and South Florida, from backups on I-95 and the Turnpike to fender-benders in shopping-center parking lots. Florida law generally presumes the rear driver is at fault, because a driver is expected to leave enough room to stop safely. Proving the case still requires showing a breach of that duty of care and that the breach caused the crash. When more than two vehicles are involved in a chain-reaction collision, the question of causation can become far more complicated.
How Do Florida PIP (Personal Injury Protection) Benefits Work?
One of our first priorities is securing your insurance benefits, because many clients are out of work and facing medical bills soon after a crash. We make sure your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) application is submitted promptly so benefits are paid as quickly as possible. Under Florida law, PIP is your primary coverage for accident-related medical costs and lost wages, though any workers’ compensation benefits are credited against it when the accident is work-related.
How Does Gap Insurance Work After a Florida Car Accident?
Gap insurance is not required by Florida law, but lenders and leasing companies often require it. It is valuable when you owe more on a newer vehicle than the car is actually worth, since standard policies only pay a vehicle’s current cash value and cars lose value quickly. If your vehicle is totaled, gap coverage pays the difference between its value and your loan balance. Review your loan balance against your car’s value over time, and once you are no longer “upside down” you can drop the coverage.
What Is a Proposal for Settlement and How Can It Affect My Case?
A proposal for settlement is a pretrial tool under Florida law. A plaintiff may serve one no earlier than 90 days after serving the defendant and no later than 45 days before trial. If the defendant rejects the offer and the plaintiff’s net recovery ends up at least 25 percent greater than the proposal, the plaintiff may be entitled to an award of attorneys’ fees and costs. A valid proposal must contain several specific provisions to be enforceable.
Will I Have to Pay Court Costs Up Front?
When you hire us on a contingency-fee basis, your interests and ours are fully aligned — we are paid only if we recover compensation for you. Litigation involves real costs, and in most cases we advance those expenses on your behalf as your case proceeds. Those costs are then repaid out of the recovery at the conclusion of the case, so you are not asked to pay out of pocket along the way.
