Hurt in Fort Lauderdale? Start here.
Fort Lauderdale sits at the heart of one of America's busiest tourism corridors and a freeway grid (I-95, I-595, the Sawgrass) that produces auto-accident claims around the clock. Florida's 2023 tort-reform overhaul (HB 837) flipped comparative-fault rules and shrunk the statute of limitations — making case timing critical. The right Broward County firm knows the Florida Bar Board-Certified Civil Trial specialists and which carriers have shifted from settling to litigating since the new law took effect.
We've shortlisted 10 Fort Lauderdale personal injury firms with verifiable Florida verdicts, deep Broward County trial experience, and the resources to take on the largest insurance carriers. Every firm here works on contingency — you pay nothing unless they recover money for you.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Avvo, AAML), client review patterns, and bar association recognition. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Catastrophic injury, mass tort, products liability, wrongful death
Nationally recognized award-winning personal-injury firm based in Fort Lauderdale. Multiple eight- and nine-figure verdicts; Florida Trend's Legal Elite recognition for partners.
Practice focus: Catastrophic injury, wrongful death, trucking, products liability
Founder Eric Rosen is Florida Board-Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist (held by less than 2% of Florida lawyers). $125 million+ in jury verdicts.
Practice focus: Auto accidents, trucking, premises liability, wrongful death
30+ years of Fort Lauderdale plaintiffs' practice with tens of millions recovered. Gregg Hollander is a National Trial Lawyers and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum member; 10.0 Justia rating.
Practice focus: Catastrophic injury, professional malpractice, wrongful death
John Lawlor focuses on complex personal injury, wrongful death, and professional malpractice. 30 years of Fort Lauderdale trial work and a substantial multi-million-dollar verdict record.
Practice focus: Auto accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, slip and fall
Justin Weinstein named Best Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale 2024 and 2025 by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. 400+ five-star reviews; tens of millions recovered.
Practice focus: Auto accidents, trucking, slip and fall, wrongful death
High-volume South Florida plaintiffs' practice with substantial Fort Lauderdale presence. Bilingual intake and direct-attorney communication model.
Practice focus: Catastrophic injury, products liability, mass tort, tobacco litigation
Among Florida's most decorated plaintiff-side firms. Scott Schlesinger has multiple eight- and nine-figure verdicts including landmark tobacco cases.
Practice focus: Auto accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, dog bite
Fort Lauderdale-area practice with an active Broward County trial presence and a documented record of multi-million-dollar settlements.
Practice focus: Catastrophic injury, aviation, products liability, mass tort
One of Florida's oldest plaintiff-side firms. Multiple Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers; substantial aviation and products-liability record.
Practice focus: Auto accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, premises liability
Major South Florida plaintiffs' firm with extensive Fort Lauderdale presence. Multi-state practice and a long record of substantial personal-injury recoveries.
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with vetted personal injury attorneys in Fort Lauderdale. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Fill this out and we will match you with two or three vetted Fort Lauderdale firms within 24 hours. No fee. No obligation. Privacy policy.
Most Fort Lauderdale personal injury cases settle before trial — but only after months of investigation, medical-record gathering, and back-and-forth with insurance carriers. A serious injury case typically takes 12 to 24 months. Catastrophic injury and trucking cases often take longer because of expert workups. Your lawyer files the lawsuit in Broward County Circuit Court, takes depositions, and negotiates. If the offer isn't fair, they take it to a jury.
Almost every reputable Fort Lauderdale personal injury firm works on contingency. You pay zero up front. If they recover money, the standard fee is one-third (33.3%) pre-litigation and 40% if a lawsuit is filed. Case expenses are advanced by the firm and reimbursed off the top before you receive your share. Always read the retainer agreement and ask exactly what's deducted before you sign.
Statute of limitations. Florida's statute of limitations on negligence-based personal injury is two years (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a), as amended by HB 837 in 2023). Wrongful death is two years. Claims against governmental entities require Notice of Claim within three years (six months in some cases). Move fast.
Comparative fault / property division rules. After 2023's HB 837, Florida moved to modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar (Fla. Stat. § 768.81). You recover only if your fault is 50% or less; at 51%+, you recover nothing. This is a major change from Florida's prior pure-comparative regime.
Damages or maintenance framework. Florida caps non-economic damages in medical-malpractice cases ($500K against practitioners; $750K against non-practitioners; $1 million in catastrophic cases). No cap in most other PI matters. PIP/no-fault rules apply to auto accidents. Punitive damages capped at the greater of $500K or three times compensatory.
Venue and procedure. Most Fort Lauderdale-area injury cases are filed in Broward County Circuit Court. Federal-diversity cases sit in the Southern District of Florida. Local-bar firms know the judges and the mediators.
The legal directories you find on Google list thousands of Fort Lauderdale personal injury firms. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or visa approval, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. “We've helped thousands of clients” is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. “Don't worry about cost” is a red flag. Every legitimate Fort Lauderdale lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most Fort Lauderdale firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Fort Lauderdale is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Local courthouses matter. Most Fort Lauderdale-area injury cases are filed in Broward County Circuit Court. Federal-diversity cases sit in the Southern District of Florida. Local-bar firms know the judges and the mediators. A firm that knows the local courthouse has an advantage.
Filing deadlines are strict. Notice of Claim windows for cases against the City or County, statute of limitations periods, and pre-suit certification requirements vary by case type and are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop.
Local procedure rules matter. Each court has its own forms, motion practice, and judge preferences. The right Fort Lauderdale firm will know not just the law, but the unwritten rules of the courthouse you will be in.
Local plaintiffs and defendants do well in front of local juries. Verdict patterns vary by venue, and a trial-capable firm uses venue strategically.
Florida's statute of limitations on negligence-based personal injury is two years (Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a), as amended by HB 837 in 2023). Wrongful death is two years. Claims against governmental entities require Notice of Claim within three years (six months in some cases). Move fast.
No. Every reputable Fort Lauderdale personal injury firm offers a free consultation. They only get paid if they win or settle your case — that's how contingency fees work.
After 2023's HB 837, Florida moved to modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar (Fla. Stat. § 768.81). You recover only if your fault is 50% or less; at 51%+, you recover nothing. This is a major change from Florida's prior pure-comparative regime.
Depends on medical bills, lost wages, future care, permanency, and pain and suffering. Florida caps non-economic damages in medical-malpractice cases ($500K against practitioners; $750K against non-practitioners; $1 million in catastrophic cases). No cap in most other PI matters. PIP/no-fault rules apply to auto accidents. Punitive damages capped at the greater of $500K or three times compensatory.
Probably not. The vast majority of Fort Lauderdale personal injury cases settle. But the firms that get the best settlements are the ones insurance carriers know are willing — and able — to take a case to verdict.
Most serious-injury cases take 12 to 24 months. Soft-tissue cases often settle in 6 to 12 months. Catastrophic cases with disputed liability or complex damages can take longer because of expert workups and trial scheduling.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you taken to verdict in the last three years? The answer tells you everything. — The LawFirmSquare team