Key Takeaways
Oakland Park personal injury lawyers handle claims that follow car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. A driver who runs a red light and injures a cyclist, for example, can create a claim liability under Florida law. Two rules then shape the claim: Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule and its two-year filing deadline, both of which affect how much compensation an injured person can recover.
Florida recorded 702,162 traffic crashes and 2,962 traffic fatalities in 2024, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, numbers that show why personal injury claims are so common across Broward County. At Barnett Fenton Injury Law, P.A., our injury lawyers in Oakland Park, Florida, handle these cases within Florida’s deadlines and fault rules.
A personal injury attorney in Oakland Park that potential claimants contact becomes useful once an insurance company disputes fault, delays a claim, or offers a settlement that does not cover medical bills and lost income. A person hurt along busy corridors such as Oakland Park Boulevard or Powerline Road often needs ongoing treatment, and legal help becomes especially useful when liability is unclear.
Common kinds of injury claims in Oakland Park include car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian injuries, and slip and fall incidents at local businesses. A personal injury attorney who Broward Park residents contact may also handle dog bite claims and injuries caused by defective products sold or used within the city.
Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule reduces an injured person’s compensation by their percentage of fault and bars recovery entirely once that share reaches 51% or more. For example, a driver found 30% at fault would see any award reduced by that same percentage. This rule changed in 2023, when Florida moved away from a system that allowed recovery no matter how much fault the injured person carried.
Florida law generally requires an injured person to file a personal injury claim within two years of the date of the accident. A court will generally dismiss a claim filed after that deadline, no matter how strong the evidence behind it is. This deadline also shortened in 2023, when Florida cut the filing window from four years down to two.
The most common causes of injury claims in Oakland Park include:
Our Oakland Park accident lawyers help clients pursue personal injury claims that cover medical costs, lost income, property damage, and compensation for pain tied directly to the accident. The exact amount depends on the severity of the injury and the strength of the evidence supporting the claim. Insurance adjusters often weigh these same factors when deciding how much to offer in a settlement.
Fault in an injury claim is typically proved through police reports, witness statements, photographs, and any available surveillance or dash camera footage. A citation for a broken traffic law, such as running a red light or failing to yield, can serve as strong evidence of fault on its own. Our Oakland Park accident lawyers may also request traffic camera footage from nearby intersections to help establish how a crash occurred. Cell phone records can further show whether a driver was distracted at the moment a crash took place.
Florida requires drivers to carry personal injury protection, known as PIP, which covers a portion of medical costs and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident. An injured person can only step outside this no-fault system and pursue a claim against the at-fault driver once the injury meets Florida’s legal threshold for a serious injury, such as significant scarring or permanent loss of bodily function.
A personal injury lawyer who Broward County residents consult often handles cases that begin in Oakland Park but extend into filings at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Claims involving multiple parties, disputed fault, or serious injury frequently require this broader Broward County court process, since Florida law allows a case to move between jurisdictions when more than one party shares responsibility for the harm caused.
We recommend calling 911 and requesting medical care first; document the scene if possible, and avoid giving a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster.
Florida law requires a police report when an accident causes injury, death, or property damage over a set dollar threshold.
Most personal injury cases in Florida settle through negotiation, although a case can proceed to trial if the parties cannot agree on compensation.
You may be entitled to significant compensation for your accident. To learn more, contact the Oakland Park personal injury lawyers at Barnett Fenton Injury Law, P.A. Our experienced legal team will investigate the cause of your accident and ensure that your claim moves forward. Call us at 954-736-3070 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Fort Lauderdale, we serve clients across Florida.
