Jacksonville Car Accident Attorney
What to do if you are seriously injured in an auto accident
Sustaining a serious injury can be a life-changing event. You typically face the prospect of expensive medical treatments, possible surgery, and a potentially long recovery — or even permanent disability. When that injury was caused by the negligence of someone else, you must also deal with a stressful and complex legal process to pursue compensation for the expenses related to your injury. Filing an insurance claim is not likely to cover your costs — you need experienced legal support from Jacksonville car accident attorney Charles J. Gillette, Jr.
What to do immediately after the accident
Seeking immediate medical attention is your first priority after sustaining any serious injury. Your condition may not permit you to collect much information or evidence from the accident scene. But it is important to collect as much evidence as possible relating to the truck or car accident and your injuries, so be sure to retain all medical reports and receipts as you undergo treatment and therapy. Even receipts for bandages, crutches and prescription or over-the-counter painkillers can be helpful.
Why You Should Work with a Jacksonville Auto Accident Attorney
Many people hesitate to contact a Jacksonville car accident attorney after a crash, questioning whether or not working with an attorney is really necessary. While you have no legal obligation to contact an attorney, doing so can improve your chances of recovering the maximum amount of money that you are owed, and can also provide you with a sense of confidence and comfort throughout the process. Here are some important ways that our Jacksonville car crash attorneys can assist you after a car accident:
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Investigating your accident. Fault in a crash is not always clear, and even when it is, the right evidence must be collected to prove it. Fault, or negligence, can have a big impact on the amount of money that you receive in a settlement offer, and unless you prove the negligence of the other driver (or other at-fault party), you may be unable to recover compensation at all. The investigation starts as soon as we learn around your accident, collecting all evidence. This includes physical evidence, pictures of the accident scene, police reports, video footage, witness statements, and more.
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Filing your claim. Filing can be confusing. You may not know how to file your claim after an accident, or against whom. This is especially true if the accident was caused by a party other than another driver, such as the manufacturer of a defective auto part. Our Jacksonville car accident attorneys help you file your claim against the appropriate party in a timely manner.
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Proving damages. If you are injured in a crash and suffer losses, you may assume that the insurance adjuster responsible for processing your claim will recognize this and you’ll be compensated. Unfortunately, you will need to prove the full extent of your losses in order to recover any compensation. Our Jacksonville car crash attorneys can assist you in gathering medical bills, working with experts, and proving damages.
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Negotiating for a fair settlement offer. Frequently, insurance adjusters offer claimants less than they deserve, hoping that the claimant will take the money in desperation and frustration. When your settlement offer does not address the full amount of damages you have suffered, we will aggressively negotiate for a more suitable settlement amount.
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Taking your claim to court. When a settlement cannot be reached, our Jacksonville car accident attorneys will be prepared to take your case to court.
Types of Car Accident Claims
Most car accidents happen because of negligence, which is the failure to exercise a certain level of caution while operating a vehicle. The Jacksonville car crash attorneys, along with your insurance company, will conduct a preliminary investigation to identify whether you were negligent or not.
To have the best chances of winning the case, the experienced Jacksonville car crash attorneys must prove that the defendant’s negligence caused the accident. Some examples are negligent drivers, reckless drivers, intoxicated drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and those who text and drive.
If your vehicle, or the defendant’s vehicle had a defect contributed to the accident, the injured party may have a claim against the manufacturer of the vehicle or one of its many parts. If the car had a faulty manufacturing issue, the manufacturer can be held responsible regardless of who was actually at fault for the accident.
The Jacksonville car crash attorneys must prove that you were not at fault for the accident, and that the defect happened due to the manufacturing process. Usually they bring in expert testimony and analysis as evidence to prove that the defect caused or contributed to the accident. Successful lawsuits will require the plaintiff to show:
- The defective car or part was “unreasonably dangerous”
- The vehicle was being operated safely
- The vehicle’s performance had not changed since purchase
Then there’s faulty construction, design, or maintenance of roads. This can contribute to multi-car crashes and have nothing to do with the drivers. This type of claim will prove the plaintiff and defendant not guilty due to circumstances beyond their control.
Types of Car Crash Injuries and Compensation You May Be Entitled To
The extent and severity of injuries suffered will be different with each individual case. In some cases, treatment for injuries will not be covered by insurance. The Jacksonville auto accident attorneys help cover costs of injuries that include:
- Paralysis
- Burns and scars
- Loss of limbs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries
- Joint, muscle, back, neck, and bone injuries
- Knee damage
- Whiplash
- Permanent disability
If you are seeking additional compensation for damages, your attorney will approach the negligent party’s insurance company in an attempt to recover compensation to cover your remaining costs. Your claim will be submitted for approval to the insurance company, which will have led an investigation of its own.
The success of your claim will likely depend on the ability of your attorney to collect, analyze, and present evidence. It can be predominantly challenging considering the opposing insurance company will clearly want to minimize their disbursement.
Providing your attorney with as much information as possible can help your odds of winning the case. If your attorney and the insurance company cannot agree on a settlement, often the case may proceed to trial.
In addition to these, our experienced Jacksonville auto accident attorneys can help you obtain compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
- Wrongful death
Jacksonville Car Accident Attorneys Assist with Wrongful Death Claims
If you have lost a loved one in a car crash, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit. In these cases, the family or survivors of the victim must prove that their loved one was killed as a result of another’s negligence. You can gain economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Contact Jacksonville car accident attorney Charlie Gillette as soon as possible after the automobile accident. After assessing your case, he can advise you of your next steps and help you understand your options for seeking compensation. For most serious injury cases, your two main options are to pursue settlement out of court through negotiations with opposing attorneys, or to present your case before a jury in court.
You need an experienced Jacksonville lawyer on your side
You need the skills of a Jacksonville injury lawyer with extensive experience in automobile accident cases to ensure you receive skilled legal support. The injury law firm of Gillette Law, P.A. in Jacksonville has helped thousands of clients — and we offer a contingency fee structure so you pay on a percentage basis only when we win your case. Personal injury law in Florida differs significantly from the law in Georgia when it comes to determining fault for an accident. But Jacksonville car accident attorney Charlie J. Gillette, Jr. has the legal knowledge and experience to support cases in both states. While every driver should understand their rights under this complex area of law, most cases are best served by the support of skilled personal injury lawyers in Georgia or Florida.
You may have a right to compensation even if you shared in responsibility for the car accident
Florida comparative negligence law reduces — but does not necessarily eliminate — the amount you can collect based on the percentage of responsibility you share for an accident. Further, the law sets forth complex joint and several liability rules to determine the monetary amount each responsible party is required to pay based on degree of negligence. As an experienced car accident lawyer in Jacksonville, Charlie J. Gillette, Jr. understands how to navigate these complicated rules to ensure you pursue all compensation due to you in a lawsuit or settlement.
Georgia comparative negligence law is more straightforward than Florida law, but it can quickly eliminate your ability to collect if you were more careless than other drivers. Charlie Gillette has the skills to build the most effective case possible to help you collect compensation after an accident, whether you are located in Florida or Georgia.
What Jacksonville car accident lawyers can help you collect
Experienced Jacksonville injury lawyers have the skills to fully assess all damages you incurred — and accurately predict future expenses related to your injury. In both Florida and Georgia, you have the right to pursue many expenses beyond your initial medical costs, including the following:
- Medical expenses in the past, current expenses, and anticipated future expenses
- Lost time from work
- Changes in future earning ability
- Property damage
- Emotional distress
- Compensation for permanent disfigurement or disability
Attorney Charlie J. Gillette, Jr. provides compassionate support for car accident victims in Jacksonville as he pursues full and fair compensation for all costs associated with your injuries.
Call now to learn how an attorney can help after an auto accident
Contact us online, or call us at 904-358-1304 or toll-free at 888-366-5904. If you are unable to visit one of our offices, we can meet with you in your home or hospital room. We offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay on a percentage basis only when we win your case.
Call our Jacksonville car accident attorney today if you’ve been injured in an auto accident
Gillette Law, P.A. is centrally located to serve clients in Florida and Georgia. The helpful professional staff is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and at other times by appointment. Contact us online or call us at 904-600-4758. If you are unable to visit one of our offices, we can meet with you in your home or hospital room. We offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay on a percentage basis only when we win your case.
