By: The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois, P.A. February 16, 2024

Common Causes of Personal Injuries in Hollywood, Florida and Your Legal Rights

Hollywood’s Most Common Personal Injuries

Hollywood, FL is a great place to live and visit. For most people, this positive experience will continue unhindered. Unfortunately, it only takes a single instance of negligence or a wrongful act from a third party to destroy this visage. If you or a loved one have suffered harm, there’s a good chance it’s related to one of the common causes of personal injuries in Hollywood, FL:

Car accidents
Medical malpractice
Truck accidents
Wrongful death
Boat and waterway accidents
Slip and fall accidents
Dog bites
Construction accidents
Recreational activities
Bicycle accidents
Premises liability
Motorcycle accidents

This list might seem like it’s extensive, but it’s nowhere close to exhaustive. Any incident that causes you harm has the potential to be a valid personal injury case. While not all injuries result in liability, those that do are especially disheartening because of how easily they could’ve been avoided. If you or a loved one suffered any of these common personal injuries in Hollywood, FL, it’s important to seek legal advice.

When Do You Have a Valid Personal Injury Case?

As we’ll discuss in a later section, many people have the right to recover compensation after suffering a personal injury. However, not everyone who suffers harm will be entitled to financial recovery. That’s because you first need to prove liability to establish fault on the part of the at-fault party. To do so, proving the following three elements is crucial:

Duty of care: This is a responsibility to avoid negligent, reckless, and other actions that could cause harm to others. For instance, motorists are expected to drive safely — and physicians are expected to follow best care practices.
Violation of duty: Victims suffering common personal injuries in Hollywood, FL will also need to show that a duty of care was violated. This could be a motorist speeding, a doctor misdiagnosing a patient, and other wrongful acts.
Harm causation: Personal injury victims also need to establish that they suffered some form of harm due to the liable party’s violation of duty. Medical expenses, pain and suffering, property damage, lost income, emotional distress, and other losses may qualify.

Keep in mind there are times when proving these elements in court may not be necessary. For instance, a negligent driver’s insurance company may opt to offer a settlement rather than litigation. You may also not need to establish liability if your injuries aren’t sufficiently severe. This is thanks to Florida’s no-fault auto insurance laws.
Clearly, these issues can be complex. That’s why it never hurts to seek legal counsel.

What Are Your Rights After Suffering a Personal Injury?

Understanding your rights after suffering a personal injury in Hollywood, FL is critical. Failing in this endeavor could result in you being taken advantage of by the insurance company. In worst-case scenarios, you could see far less compensation than you deserve. In some instances, you might even be barred from financial recovery.

Therefore, make sure you keep these legal rights in mind:

Right to compensation
Right to medical treatment
Right to file a lawsuit (when the no-fault threshold is met)
Right to legal representation
Right to privacy
Right to file a police report (in cases involving criminal acts)

When suffering common personal injuries in Hollywood, FL — or harm that’s not seen as frequently — understanding these rights is critical. This is the only way to increase your chances of securing fair compensation so you can start working towards a normal life. At The Law Offices of James Jean-Francois, P.A., our Hollywood personal injury attorney is here to help.