Car accident lawyer in Jacksonville, FL

What to do right after a Jacksonville crash

Florida gives you a short window to get medical treatment if you want certain benefits under your own policy, so see a doctor within days, not weeks. Call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office or Florida Highway Patrol so a report is created. Photograph the vehicles, the roadway and the weather, because rain-slick pavement is a factor in many Jacksonville crashes. Exchange information and note if the other driver was in a commercial truck, a navy vehicle or a rental. Keep your receipts and a simple log of symptoms. Hold off on recorded statements to the other side until you understand your injuries and your own paperwork.

Jacksonville traffic and where crashes cluster

I-95 and I-10 meet near downtown Jacksonville, and the interchange handles through traffic from the whole Southeast as well as local commuters. I-295 forms a beltway with heavy traffic across the Buckman Bridge over the St. Johns River, where crashes can back traffic up for miles. The port and the naval installations generate truck and shift-change traffic. Beach traffic on Atlantic, Beach and J. Turner Butler Boulevards grows every summer weekend. Afternoon thunderstorms arrive fast and drop visibility and traction within minutes, leading to hydroplaning on the interstates. Because the city is so spread out, many trips involve long stretches at highway speed, which raises the stakes of any collision.

What a free case review looks at

When you call, you talk with a person, not a menu. The free consultation covers where the crash occurred, who was involved, your injuries, your treatment timeline and whether you have missed work. Because Florida's rules make the first two weeks of treatment especially important, you will be asked exactly when you first saw a doctor. Questions about commercial vehicles, rentals and tourists come up because they change who may be responsible. At the end you get a straight answer about whether a car accident attorney who handles Duval County cases would likely take your matter and what to gather next. There is no cost.

How you are matched with a Florida licensed attorney

Behind this page is Car Accident Lawyers Agency, a referral service from Legal Gridlock rather than a law firm. It introduces injured people in Jacksonville to an independent personal injury lawyer licensed in Florida who handles the same kind of crash, whether a pileup on the Buckman Bridge or a rear-end collision on Blanding Boulevard. The service explains the usual steps before you sign so you are not left guessing about what comes next. It is also honest when a case is not one to pursue, for instance when treatment came too late or the injury does not meet Florida's threshold, and it says so rather than passing you along.

What happens once an attorney represents you

Your attorney collects the crash report, medical records and bills, photographs and any available video, then notifies the other side that contact should go through their office. You keep up with treatment, which in Florida also strengthens the record of your injuries. When your doctors can describe your recovery, the attorney prepares a demand and negotiates with the other side. Many Jacksonville matters resolve at this stage. If not, a lawsuit may be filed in Duval County, followed by information exchange, mediation and possibly a trial. Your attorney should explain each option and let you decide at the important points.