Palatka Car Accident Lawyer

Were you recently injured in a car accident in Palatka, Florida? You may be entitled to compensation from those parties responsible for the crash. The Palatka car accident lawyers at Allen Law Firm, P.A., can help you determine if you’re eligible and can fight for your right to damages.

Call today to speak with our accomplished legal team at no charge. We’re always here to help you when you need us most – 23/7/365.

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How Allen Law Firm, P.A., Can Help After a Crash in Palatka, FL

Allen Law Firm, P.A., is a personal injury firm with offices conveniently located in Ocala, FL and Gainesville, FL. We’re an established, well-respected firm with a reputation for being aggressive and tireless in our pursuits on behalf of our injured clients.

Our Palatka personal injury lawyers have 70+ years of collective legal experience
We have staff members with 150 years of combined experience as former adjusters in the insurance industry.
Our founding attorney, Bill Allen, has handled over 7,000 personal injury cases that have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for clients.

Here are just a few of the many steps we take once you hire us to represent you in your Palatka car accident case:

Review the case with you to understand what happened from your perspective.
Conduct an investigation to be sure we have all the details we need.
Collect and review critical evidence such as police reports, medical bills, surveillance footage, statements from eyewitnesses, and anything else that will help us build a case.
Consult with specialists, including accident reconstructionists, medical professionals, and finance experts
Ensure you are kept apprised of the progress of your case and are part of all key decisions.
Offer legal advice and recommendations at every stage.
Negotiate with the insurance company for a strong settlement, making sure they don’t try to take advantage of your situation and put forward a low offer.
Fight for you in court if the insurance company does not make a fair offer. We have strong trial lawyers on staff who know how to win in the courtroom.

This accident is likely interfering with your physical, emotional, and financial health. Let our Palatka personal injury attorneys help you through this difficult time. You can rest assured that we know how to handle the situation and fight to bring you the best possible resolution.

Give us a call today to arrange a consultation with our accomplished and understanding legal team. We’re confident you’ll see why we are the best at what we do.

How Common Are Car Accidents in Palatka and Putnam County, Florida?

During the pandemic-related shutdowns in 2020, Florida nonetheless had 330,753 car accidents across the state. Infamous for its high rate of traffic accidents, Florida ranks among the top for car accidents in the country.

According to crash reports from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, data for Putnam County, which includes Palatka, shows the following numbers:

Total Putnam County crashes: 822
Fatalities from crashes: 33
Injuries from crashes: 575

The number of crashes in Putnam County in previous years:

2019 – 843
2018 – 1,035
2017 – 1,210
2016 – 1,157
2015 – 1070
2014 – 1,005
2013 – 930
2012 – 867
2011 – 740
2010 – 765

If you find yourself among the many car accident statistics in Florida, our Palatka personal injury lawyers can help you get the resources you need so you can move on with your life.

Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen in Palatka, FL?

There are a number of variables and combinations of variables that make certain areas more dangerous for driving than other areas. Traffic volume, road planning and design, construction and maintenance, visibility and line of sight, and speeding.

Even the demographics of the drivers can make a difference.

For example, a business expressway may have more mature drivers, while the areas around a high school or in a college town may have less experienced drivers. Understanding where car accidents tend to happen can be helpful in avoiding similar situations if you’re driving along those same stretches of road.

Car accidents have happened along these Palatka roads and crossroads in recent years:

US-17, 4th Street
St Johns Ave
SR-20
CR-216
SR-19, SR-100
St Johns Ave
US-17, 9th St
SR-19, Green Rd
US-17
SR-19, SR-20
Washington Street, 18th Street
St Johns Ave, Wells Ave
St Johns Ave, N 13th St
SR-100, SR-19

Armed with this knowledge, you’ll know to be extra careful and aware of your surroundings and the actions of other motor vehicles when driving along these roads.

What Is My Palatka, Florida Car Accident Case Worth?

While we can’t guarantee that your case will bring in a specific monetary amount, we can consider the many factors that come into play when calculating the value of a claim.

These factors include:

The severity of injuries and the corresponding future medical costs you’re likely to incur
Whether other drivers were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which may trigger punitive damages
Vehicle malfunctions, including seat belts, airbags, and brakes
Whether you obeyed Florida seatbelt laws
Lost income from time off work due to injuries

The Palatka car accident lawyers at Allen Law Firm, P.A., will do everything possible to maximize the value of your claim and the amount of your award.

What Kind of Damages Are Available To Florida Car Accident Victims?

Auto accident victims can seek two main types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are damages that tend to be accompanied by bills and receipts.

They include:

Lost wages
Household services
In-home nursing care
Medical expenses
Rehabilitation and therapy
Medical equipment such as wheelchairs
Out of pocket expenses

Non-economic damages are of a more personal and intimate nature and aren’t easily assigned a price tag. These often include:

Emotional distress
Cognitive impairment
Pain and suffering
Loss of enjoyment of life
Mental anguish
Loss of consortium
Humiliation
Scarring
Loss of companionship
Disability
Loss of limbs

At Allen Law Firm, P.A., it’s important to us that you get everything you need to cover the many losses you face after undergoing a trauma like a car accident. We work hard to get you results.

Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Car Accident in Florida?

As a modified comparative fault state with a 51% bar to recovery, Florida requires that you only receive compensation that has been adjusted to reflect your level of blame for the accident.

This means that if you were mostly to blame for your accident, you cannot recover compensation. Otherwise, your compensation could be reduced based on your level of fault. For instance, if you were 25% at fault, your compensation could be reduced by 25%.

This is where having an experienced law firm can really make a difference. Our car accident attorneys in Palatka, FL, have been dealing with insurance companies for decades.

We know their goal is to blame you for the accident so they won’t have to pay out as much money. With us on your side, they won’t get away with such tactics.

Car accidents can result in any number of injuries, but some are more common than others.

The injuries we typically see as part of our personal injury practice are:

Scrapes and Cuts from glass, metal, and other shrapnel and projectiles.
Bruises and contusions.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).
Broken ribs because the bones are so fragile.
Internal bleeding, which can be fatal if left untreated.
Herniated Disc caused by the dislocation or rupturing of the vertebrae in your spinal cord dislocate or rupture.
Organ damage, which isn’t visible so it’s important to get checked no matter how minor the accident.
Knee Trauma from the impact of your knees hitting the dashboard or seat in front of you.
Closed head injuries such as concussions.

There is also the unfortunate possibility that an accident results in a fatality. If your loved one lost his or her life in a car accident, Allen Law Firm, P.A., can help. We have experience handling wrongful death cases and can help you find closure and peace of mind by doing what we can to ensure your loved one’s family receives damages.

Call us to discuss your case today. We can review your case and talk to you about the injuries and pain you’re experiencing.

What Causes Most Car Accidents in Palatka, Florida?

Car accidents in Palatka, Florida happen for many of the same reasons accidents happen across the country.

Typically, we see the following causes:

Texting and driving
Tailgating behind or driving too close to vehicles on either side
Weather conditions
Construction and detours
Reaching for something dropped
Driving under the influence
Speeding
Lack of proper vehicle maintenance
Passing recklessly
Fiddling with the radio
New or inexperienced drivers
Road layout or design
Mechanical problems

Our Florida personal injury lawyers know how to determine the cause of the accident by reviewing the details of your case. Knowing the cause can help apportion blame, which ultimately has an effect on your total award.

Representing Victims in All Types of Car Accident Cases

We represent clients in a variety of car accident scenarios. Sometimes the accident involves two cars, sometimes a car and another type of vehicle, and sometimes a bicyclist or pedestrian may be involved.

Some of the car accident cases we’ve handled include:

Intersection accidents
Motorcycle accidents
T-Bone crashes
Sideswipes
Head-on collisions
Multi-vehicle pileups
Rear-end collisions
Hit and run accidents
Truck accidents
Single vehicle accidents
Collisions with uninsured or underinsured motorists

In some situations, one or more of the drivers are uninsured or underinsured. Our legal team at Allen Law Firm, P.A., has experience handling those situations as well.

What Does Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Mean for Me After a Car Wreck in Palatka, FL?

Florida’s no-fault insurance system mandates that all drivers carry personal injury protection (PIP) as part of their insurance. This requirement is so there are no issues related to who was to blame—all drivers must turn to their own insurance carriers first.

PIP has certain limitations, however. One such limitation is that PIP only covers economic damages such as bills and lost wages. It doesn’t cover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or loss of enjoyment of life.

If your claim is worth more than the PIP coverage of $10,000, however, you can seek recourse from the other driver. Similarly, if your injuries are particularly severe and meet certain criteria of what constitutes a serious injury, you can mount a claim against the other driver.

Criteria for what makes an injury serious for purposes of this law are:

Disfigurement that is significant
Loss or limitation of a body organ or member
A significant limitation of a bodily system or function
Full disability for 90 days or more

Furthermore, if you wish to be compensated for damage to your vehicle, you are permitted to go directly to the other driver for damages. PIP does not cover property damage to your car.

How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Car Wreck in Florida?

The law places a “statute of limitations” on cases. This refers to the amount of time you have in which to file a lawsuit. The State of Florida recently changed its statute of limitations for most personal injury cases. The deadline is four years if your accident happened on or before 3/23/2023, and it is two years if your crash took place after that date. Building a robust case that can intimidate the insurance companies and keep them from risking a trial can take time to put together. The sooner you reach out to us at Allen Law Firm, P.A., the sooner we can begin the process so you have more options available to you.

Waiting too long will cause trouble and leave you scrambling at the end. Don’t let the insurance companies win because you didn’t move quickly enough to secure your claim.

Also, if you were driving as part of your job and got into a car accident, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation through your employer. Our Palatka auto accident accident lawyers handle can help you through the process.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Palatka, FL?

After you’ve been in a car accident in Palatka, FL, there are a number of steps we recommend you take for your safety and to preserve your legal options.

Stay close so you’re available to speak with police and witnesses if needed, but be sure to stay in a safe place
Assist with the needs of others involved in the accident
Call the police
Exchange contact information with other drivers
Ask witnesses for contact information
Call your insurance company
Make a note of any details of the accident while it’s still fresh in your mind
Get medical help as soon as you can

It’s important that you not speak to anyone about whether you were at fault for the accident. Anything you say can have an impact on the value of your claim. Always consult with a personal injury attorney first.

Contact Our Palatka Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Being in a car accident can be a traumatic experience. Our Palatka car accident lawyers understand that you’re dealing with a lot of issues right now. That’s why we urge you to engage our law firm for help right away.

You shouldn’t have to deal with all of this alone. Our accomplished and highly-skilled team of legal professionals is here to advocate on your behalf. That way you can stay focused on your needs. We want you to recover as soon as possible and give yourself and your family some peace of mind.

When you meet with us, you can trust us to treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve. We know relaying a traumatic experience can be painful as you relive the details. We’ve done this before, and you can count on us to be compassionate and patient as you share your story with us.

Call Allen Law Firm, P.A., to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. There is absolutely no charge to you and you pay nothing unless we’re able to secure a financial award for you.