Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, the thought of dealing with the claims process may feel overwhelming. Retaining a Lake City car accident lawyer can help take some of the stress off your shoulders and ensure that all of your rights are protected. Without an attorney representing you, you might say something in a statement to the other party’s insurance company that they can use against you when determining liability. This is a common tactic insurance companies use so they can try to reduce or eliminate any payout entirely.
At Douglas & Douglas, our car accident lawyers will handle every aspect of your case and let you concentrate on getting better. You can rest easy knowing that our experienced team will protect your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys’ families have deep roots for many generations in the Lake City area and are committed to working hard for our local Lake City clients, utilizing every resource at our disposal. We routinely appear in court in all seven counties that make up the Third Judicial Circuit.
Car Accident Statistics
For 2017, there were a total of 402,395 reported crashes in Florida. Of those, 166,618 crashes involved injuries, and 2,924 were crashes with fatalities. In Columbia County, there were 659 injury crashes and 20 crashes with fatalities. Throughout Florida, the worst months for collisions were March and October. In Columbia County specifically, September had the highest number of accidents, followed by October.
Unfortunately, the number of injury and fatality collisions is on the rise. For example, in 2014, there were 2,494 fatalities and 225,608 injuries, while 2016 shows there were 3,176 deaths and 254,155 injuries.
What to Do if You’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident in Florida?
In the event you’re in an accident, it helps to be prepared ahead of time so you can more calmly react. After an accident, you should:
- Contact the Police/911. If you’ve been injured, you need to contact 911 and get emergency personnel and police routed to the scene of the accident. If you need to move your vehicle out of traffic, be extremely cautious and do not leave the scene of the accident. Ensure you exchange information at the scene or let the police get all the necessary information from all involved parties
- Get medical treatment. If emergency responders feel you need to be transported to the hospital, you need to follow their instructions. If they direct you to follow up with your own doctor, it’s important you make an appointment right away.
- Contact your insurance company. You need to make a report to your insurance company and provide them with all the information on the at-fault party. In the event you were transported immediately to the hospital, they can obtain everything from the police report if necessary. Discuss with your insurance company whether they will report the claim to the other party’s insurance carrier as well or whether you are expected to set up the claim. If your insurance company instructs you to talk to the other side’s adjuster, do not agree to give a recorded statement as it may hurt your claim if you say the wrong thing. Let your own attorney handle communication with the other side.
We Take it Personally
No matter your situation, our Lake City car accident lawyers at Douglas & Douglas will be with you every step of the way, ensuring that your interests are protected. When our clients have been injured, wronged, accused or otherwise damaged, we take it personally. While we cannot guarantee the success of any given venture, we do promise that our team will provide honest, competent and zealous legal representation.
Open, Honest and Ongoing Communication
When you call us to represent you after an accident, you can expect to receive honest counsel, a team dedicated to your success, and regular communication with updates as to how your case is progressing. You deserve to know the truth about your case as well as a realistic expectation of the outcome. Our experienced team will come up with a strategy for the success of your case. For each client we take on we have a “roundtable” discussion with our lawyers and professionals to provide specialized legal advice.
After that strategic process, we will advise you on your best options to achieve optimal results. Throughout the process, our team will communicate with you regularly on the progress of your case, as the claims process does not always have to be drawn out. Many personal injury cases are settled outside of court; however, it is important to know that some do move forward to trial – which is why, at every stage, we carefully position your claim to be ready for a successful trial.
Strength and Dedication on Your Side
Local attorney Patrick V. Douglas has spent years gaining the insight and experience you will rely on to provide the best possible outcome for your accident as it proceeds to trial. Fluent in Spanish, and involved in many successful personal injury cases, Mr. Douglas is an asset to your case. Regardless of the state of your case, whether it be in pre-suit, mediation or at trial, Mr. Douglas has the experience to represent you. Mr. Douglas teams up with attorney E. Vernon Douglas, who has extensive experience defending injury cases as well as representing injured people. Mr. Douglas is a strong advocate and leaves no stone unturned as he gathers the needed information to build a solid case for trial.
Let a Car Accident Lawyer Advocate for You
It’s important to speak with an experienced attorney early on, which will help speed the claims process along and ensure the other party’s insurance company doesn’t trick you into saying something that will hurt your injury claim. If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, contact Douglas & Douglas at 386-752-5511 to schedule a consultation.