Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer

Spencer Morgan Law represents people hurt in crashes, falls, workplace accidents, boating incidents, and medical errors across Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward County, and the firm is paid only if it recovers money for the client. A Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer works in a market unlike most others in Florida: heavy tourist traffic on A1A and Las Olas, the constant movement of boats along the Intracoastal and the New River, hotels, condominiums, and cruise-related travel, and a roadway system where a rear-end collision on I-95 or Federal Highway can happen in seconds.

Those local realities shape how claims get built. Florida changed its injury rules in 2023, and the changes cut both ways for people hurt through someone else’s carelessness. The filing deadline got shorter, and a person who is mostly to blame for their own injury can now lose the claim entirely. Knowing how those rules work from the first week matters far more than most injured people realize.

Injury Claims We Handle for Broward County Clients

• Car and Truck Collisions: Broward’s highways, including I-95, I-595, the Turnpike, and Sunrise Boulevard, produce serious crashes daily. Florida’s no-fault PIP system pays first, but larger injuries usually require a claim against the at-fault driver, and the firm has recovered a $1,000,000 semi-truck crash result and a $1,000,000 auto accident settlement.
• Rideshare Accidents: Passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians hurt in Uber and Lyft crashes face layered insurance coverage that depends on whether the driver was logged in or carrying a rider. The firm has recovered for rideshare passengers.
• Slips, Trips, and Falls: Wet tile in grocery stores, uneven parking lots, broken stairways, and construction hazards at apartment complexes lead to serious fractures. The firm has an $850,000 slip and fall settlement on its record.
• Boating and Maritime Accidents: With so many marinas and waterways, watercraft collisions, passenger injuries, and crew injuries are a real part of South Florida life. The firm has an $800,000 maritime accident recovery and has handled watercraft claims.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes: Cyclists and walkers on Broward’s busy arterials often suffer the worst injuries, and drivers frequently dispute who had the right of way.
• On-the-Job Injuries: Hotel, restaurant, construction, and marine workers injured at work have workers’ compensation benefits, and sometimes a separate claim against a negligent third party.
• Medical Malpractice: Doctors, hospitals, and health care workers who fall below the accepted standard of care can be held responsible, with a separate pre-suit process.
• Negligent Security: Assaults in poorly protected apartment buildings, parking garages, and convenience stores can create claims against owners, though Florida law gives some property owners a presumption in their favor.

Why Choose Spencer Morgan Law for Your Fort Lauderdale Injury Claim

The firm handles auto accidents, rideshare crashes, falls, bicycle accidents, workplace injuries, maritime and watercraft accidents, and medical malpractice for clients in Fort Lauderdale, the greater Broward area, Miami, and across Florida. Consultations are confidential, Spanish-language service is available, and clients owe nothing unless the firm recovers.

Because the firm works in both the trial courts and the insurance claims process, it focuses on what actually moves a case: documenting injuries properly, identifying every available insurance policy, and being prepared to litigate when an adjuster will not pay fairly. The results listed on the firm’s site include a $1,000,000 semi-truck crash recovery, a $1,000,000 auto settlement, an $850,000 slip and fall settlement, an $800,000 maritime recovery, and a long run of policy limits recoveries on car cases, including some where the insurer initially denied liability.

Clients consistently describe the same things: prompt phone calls, clear explanations, and a firm that treats them like family. One client wrote that Mr. Morgan’s way of speaking to the insurance representative was as effective as it was passionate. Beyond the settlement itself, the firm helps clients get their cars repaired, secure fair reimbursement for total losses, resolve medical bills, and get the treatment they need while the case is pending.

What to Do After an Injury in Fort Lauderdale

Get medical care immediately, and be aware of one deadline that catches people off guard: Florida’s PIP coverage pays nothing for medical treatment unless you receive initial care within 14 days of the crash. Even then, the full $10,000 in benefits is available only if a qualified provider, such as a physician, dentist, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse, determines you had an emergency medical condition. Without that finding, benefits stop at $2,500. PIP covers 80 percent of medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages regardless of who caused the crash.

Report the accident to the police agency that responded, whether that is Fort Lauderdale police, the Broward Sheriff’s Office, or another local department, and photograph the scene, your injuries, and any hazard that caused a fall. Do not give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer before you understand your rights, and be careful with social media, since photos and posts get used against injured people.

Be careful about how you arrange treatment. If a provider treats you in exchange for payment out of your eventual settlement, Florida treats that as a letter of protection, and you must disclose it, along with whether someone referred you to that provider, before claiming those medical expenses. Where you have health insurance, what that insurance was obligated to pay can become evidence of the value of your medical care. Talking this through with a lawyer before choosing a treatment path avoids problems later.

Civil judges also sit at regional courthouses in places like Hollywood, Plantation, and Deerfield Beach. If your injury occurred at work, report it to your employer as soon as possible and no later than 30 days, or the claim may be denied. A petition for workers’ compensation benefits generally must be filed within two years, depending on the issue.

How Florida’s Fault Rules Affect Your Recovery

If a jury finds you more than 50 percent at fault for your own injury, you recover nothing. At 50 percent or less, your award is reduced by your share. Before that date, Florida was a pure comparative negligence state, so this is a significant change. Insurers now push harder to assign blame to injured people, which is why preserving evidence like surveillance video, witness names, and vehicle data early is so important. The rule does not apply to medical negligence claims under chapter 766.

Florida also no longer uses joint and several liability in most negligence cases. Each defendant pays only its own percentage of fault, so identifying every responsible party matters. In a crash involving a commercial truck, that can include the driver, the carrier, and a maintenance contractor.

Deadlines have tightened as well. For negligence claims that accrued on or after March 24, 2023, the filing deadline is two years, down from four. Claims from before that date keep the four-year period. Medical malpractice is two years from discovery with a four-year outer limit, and the required notice of intent to sue freezes the clock for 90 days while the prospective defendants investigate and respond. Wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years of the death.

Claims against government bodies, like a county road defect or a city vehicle crash, follow separate rules. You must present a written claim first, the agency generally has 180 days to respond, and recovery is capped at $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident unless the Legislature passes a claim bill.

Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Questions Answered

How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Florida?

For most negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023, you have two years. Earlier claims keep the old four-year deadline. Medical malpractice and wrongful death have their own two-year periods, and claims against government agencies require advance written notice.

Does Florida’s no-fault system mean I cannot sue after a car accident?

No. PIP pays your initial medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault, but you can still pursue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and for losses beyond what PIP covers, when the injury is serious enough.

What if I did not see a doctor within 14 days?

PIP will not pay for your medical care in that situation. You may still have a claim against the at-fault party, but treatment delays also give insurers an argument that your injuries were minor, so getting examined quickly matters.

What happens if I was partly at fault?

If you were 50 percent or less responsible, your recovery is reduced by your percentage. If you were more than 50 percent responsible, you generally recover nothing in a negligence case. Arguments over fault are now central to many claims.

How much does it cost to hire the firm?

Nothing upfront. Spencer Morgan Law works on a contingency basis, which means you do not pay unless there is a recovery. Consultations are confidential.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a smaller injury?

Often yes. The firm’s record includes meaningful recoveries on cases with minimal car damage, minor surgery, or no surgery. Insurers tend to undervalue claims when no lawyer is involved, and a lawyer can also deal with liens and unpaid medical bills.

Can I sue a bar or restaurant for serving a drunk driver who hurt me?

Only in narrow situations. Florida generally protects those who serve adults of lawful drinking age, with exceptions for knowingly serving minors or people known to be habitually addicted to alcohol. The law applies to liquor licensees, not social hosts.

Can I sue an apartment complex after a crime happened on the property?

Possibly. Florida allows negligent security claims, but owners of multifamily buildings with five or more units who substantially follow statutory security requirements get a presumption against liability, and fault is divided among everyone responsible, including the criminal.

How long does a Broward injury case take?

It depends on injury severity, insurance limits, and whether the insurer negotiates fairly. Some claims resolve before a lawsuit is filed, while contested ones can take a year or longer. One client wrote that her case was resolved about a year after first contacting the office, with a result she was happy with.

Will my own insurance coverage affect my claim?

It can. Under Florida’s rules on medical bill evidence, what your health insurer was obligated to pay can be used to show the value of your past medical expenses, which is why careful handling of billing and treatment arrangements matters.

What if the at-fault driver has little insurance?

Florida requires only minimal coverage, so low limits are common. Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, if you carry it, and other policies can sometimes fill the gap. The firm has recovered policy limits, including three policies in one case.

Serving Injury Clients Across Broward County and South Florida

Spencer Morgan Law represents injury victims throughout Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, from Las Olas, Victoria Park, Rio Vista, and Flagler Village to Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, and Pompano Beach. The firm also serves clients in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Dania Beach, Davie, Plantation, Sunrise, Lauderhill, and Lauderdale Lakes, as well as Coral Springs, Parkland, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Weston, Cooper City, Tamarac, Margate, Coconut Creek, and Deerfield Beach.

Beyond Broward, the firm’s work extends into Miami and the greater Miami area and across the State of Florida, covering accidents on highways, waterways, and workplaces wherever they happen.

Talk to a Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Attorney Today

The deadlines are shorter than they used to be, the fault rules are tougher on injured people, and insurers know it. Speaking with a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney early gives you time to preserve evidence, line up proper medical care, and understand every source of coverage. Call Spencer Morgan Law to schedule a confidential consultation. You pay nothing unless the firm recovers, and Spanish-language service is available.