Broward County Golf Cart Accident Lawyers
Golf carts show up across Broward, in far more than just fairways. Golf carts show up every day in gated neighborhoods like Weston and Parkland. Resorts along Hollywood Beach move their guests around with carts and course paths in Coral Springs and Pompano are constantly crossing local streets. You also see vacation traffic near A1A bringing carts and cars into the same space and all of this cart traffic leads to frequent accidents.
After a crash, dealing with the pain and the confusion of what to do next can be overwhelming. If you’ve been injured in a golf cart accident in Broward County, call our expert golf cart accident attorneys at (954) 495-2715 for a free consultation. If you have a case, we will fight for justice and the compensation you need to move forward.
Do I Have a Case?
A case exists when the four elements of negligence are present:
- Duty — Someone owed you a duty of care. Examples: a cart driver keeping a safe speed on a path, a resort or HOA keeping crossings visible and paths in safe condition, a car driver yielding at a posted cart crossing.
- Breach — That duty was not met. Examples: sharp turn that ejects a bench rider, vegetation blocking a driver’s view at a gate, removed speed governor that makes a turn unsafe.
- Causation — That negligence caused the crash and the injuries. In other words, the unsafe act or condition connects to what happened, not a separate unrelated event.
- Damages — You suffered losses.
Medical treatment, time away from work, out-of-pocket costs, or lasting harm count here.
Duty applies on private property; property owners and associations are responsible for safe paths, workable lighting, and clear sightlines, and operators, including cart drivers and motorists at signed crossings, owe reasonable care. Under Florida’s comparative-fault rules, recovery can be reduced when responsibility is shared and barred if a person holds a majority of fault, so keep detailed records and preserve available evidence.
What To Do After a Golf-Cart Crash
Building a great case starts with documentation and evidence gathered as soon as possible after the accident.
- Get medical care right away and ask for visit summaries before you leave.
- Call 911 if there’s injury or a road crossing is involved; ask for the incident or event number.
- Report the crash to the HOA office, resort security, or club management; write down the staff names and a direct number.
- Photograph the area from driver eye level: surface, grades, signs, lighting, gate arms, and anything that blocked the view.
- Save contact details for witnesses, security staff, and any responding unit.
- Contact our office for a free consultation.
- Keep the cart in its current state for inspection; no repairs, parts swaps, or resale.
- Gather paperwork: rental agreements, waivers, service notes, and any receipts given at the desk.
- Route medical bills through the coverage you have (health, auto PIP if a car hit the cart); keep copies of every bill and EOB.
- Hold off on signing waivers, property releases, or quick offers until someone reviews liability and available coverage.
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Our Broward injury lawyers will guide you through all steps and help you avoid missteps through every part of your case.
How to Choose the Right Golf Cart Accident Attorney
Pick an attorney based on proof you can verify.
- Strong results you can see, with case summaries that resemble your situation
- Solid rating and reviews that speak to outcomes and client experience
- Real Broward experience with carts at HOAs, resorts, and course crossings
- Capacity to lock down evidence quickly and run a focused site and cart review
- Access to the right experts and the budget to use them
- A track record of filing suit when needed, not just negotiating
- Clear fee terms and plain updates you can count on
Why Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, PLLC
Our accident team handles Broward golf-cart cases regularly, has a track record of securing results for clients and meets all the checkpoints above. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Examples of Crashes Caused by Negligence
Our lawyers use issues like the ones below to send preservation requests, collect records, inspect carts and crossings, and connect the unsafe condition to fault and coverage.
- Vegetation left to block sightlines at gates or cart crossings
- Broken or missing lighting at night, including unlit crossings
- Faded or incorrect cart-route signs and markings
- Skipped fleet maintenance on brakes, tires, or steering
- Removed speed governor or unstable lift-kit modifications
- Operator carrying extra riders or allowing standing passengers while moving
- Impaired driving by a cart operator or a motorist at a signed crossing
- Failure to yield to a cart at a posted crossing on a public road
Who May Be Responsible
Liability can reach beyond a single driver. For example:
- Cart operators who turn sharply, brake abruptly, or ignore right-of-way at crossings
- Vehicle drivers who fail to yield at designated cart crossings
- HOAs and condo associations that control path design, lighting, and vegetation clearance
- Golf clubs, resorts, and hotels that manage fleets, training, and maintenance schedules
- Rental outfits and service vendors that modify carts, remove speed governors, or skip required maintenance
- Local entities responsible for signed crossings and warning devices where public roads meet cart routes
Our Florida golf cart accident lawyers will investigate each potential defendant, secure records and video, tender to the correct insurers, and pursue the case against every party that contributed to the crash.
Rentals, Waivers, and Fine Print
Resorts and rental counters hand you a waiver because they want written proof of the rules for using the cart and so they can set where and how any dispute gets handled.
Waiver Form Goals:
- Limit the company’s responsibility if a crash happens
- Require a private decision-maker instead of a public process
- Lock the dispute to a specific city or state
- Pass costs to the guest
- Let a parent sign for a child
What Signing Actually Means:
- A signature does not automatically end a case
- Insurance options come from state rules and policy terms, not only the form
What We Do:
- Gather every page tied to the rental and any emails or texts
- Ask the property and fleet to preserve video and logs for the time window
- Confirm who owned and managed the cart that day
- Review which policies apply and whether the waiver’s terms hold up, including any clause about minors or a distant location
Evidence We Will Acquire Right Away
Evidence can go missing without quick action.
- Gatehouse, clubhouse, resort, and street cameras that cover the route
- HOA and course reports plus maintenance and work orders
- Controller data, GPS pings, and any fleet software logs
- Rental paperwork, liability waivers, and defect history
- Photos that capture sightlines, signage, lighting, and vegetation over days and weeks
We will send preservation letters to every involved entity with cameras or logs. Written requests can pause routine deletion and, if the footage later goes missing, show that the property knew to keep it.
Insurance and Coverage Sources
More than one policy can apply in a single cart crash.
- Homeowner’s or umbrella tied to a privately used cart inside a community
- Commercial coverage for resorts, clubs, HOAs, and vendors connected to the property
- Auto coverage when a car hits a cart at a public crossing or a driveway apron
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) when the driver leaves or liability limits fall short
Our lawyers identify the policies at the start so providers bill the right carrier and negotiations reflect real limits.
PIP and No-Fault in Cart–Auto Crashes
PIP can activate when a Florida auto policyholder gets hurt in a cart struck by a car. Cart-only crashes inside private property push payment toward homeowner’s, umbrella, or commercial policies instead. Correct routing keeps balances off personal credit and supports treatment continuity.
Comparative Fault, in Plain Terms
Florida’s comparative negligence rule can reduce compensation when responsibility is shared and the reduction equals the percentage of fault, as long as it isn’t more than 50%. For example, if you are found 20% at fault, your compensation drops by 20%, but recovery can be barred when a person holds more than 50% of the fault.
Comparative-Fault Traps
- Standing passengers or extra riders beyond the cart’s seating
- Night travel without working lights or reflectors
- Phone use or other distraction on shared paths
- Underage or untrained operation inside a community
- Ignoring posted cart crossings or path signs
We take action to defend against any accusations of fault on your part. For example, we may document lighting at the same time of day, measure sightlines, verify seating capacity and cart condition, gather witness details, and secure video so fault reflects what actually happened.
Deadlines and Notices in Florida
What is a Statute
A statute is a written law that sets rules or deadlines.
Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury in Florida
For most personal injury cases that happened on or after March 24, 2023, the filing deadline is two years. Missing that deadline usually ends the case.
If a City or County May Be Responsible
Florida’s sovereign-immunity rules require written notice to the agency and to the Florida Department of Financial Services before filing.
- Give notice within three years of the crash (two years if a death occurred).
- The agency gets up to 180 days to investigate before a lawsuit can be filed, unless it denies responsibility earlier.
Minors
Different timing rules can extend filing windows for minors. The exact deadline depends on age and facts, so confirm it early.
Preserve evidence while clocks run
- Send preservation letters to HOAs, resorts, clubs, rental fleets, and any relevant agency.
- Ask for camera footage and incident logs for the exact time window and location.
- Keep the cart available for inspection and hold repair or resale until the review is complete.
FAQs
Does PIP apply if a car hits a cart at a marked crossing? PIP can apply when a Florida auto policy covers the injured person and a car strikes the cart. Policy language and facts determine routing.
Can a rental waiver block an insurance claim against a resort or fleet? Waivers don’t necessarily end a case. The outcome depends on policy language, ownership, who controlled the fleet, and rules on minor signatures.
What if a removed speed governor made the cart faster? Modification evidence supports liability and can widen insurance access. Photos, service logs, and controller data help prove it.
Can parents face liability if a teen drove the cart on private roads? Entrustment and supervision theories can apply inside communities. Ownership, access, and training records determine exposure.
How fast should preservation letters go out to secure gatehouse video? Send them immediately. Camera systems overwrite quickly, and some properties export only on written request.
Let Our Firm Fight For Justice
After an injury in a golf cart accident, you need an advocate who can fight for justice and protect your interests, including maximizing compensation you need to focus on headline and move forward with your life. Our team has had nearly a century doing just that for injured clients. Call Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, PLLC now at (954) 495-2715 now for a free consultation.
