Seek Justice and Compensation with Our Lake City Car Accident Lawyer

Lake City sees its fair share of traffic. Yet, this is no excuse for the hundreds of collisions that happen each year. Meldon Law does more than advocate for injured people; we CARE about each and every member of the community we serve. If you suffered injuries in a Columbia County crash, a Lake City car accident attorney can pursue what you deserve.

We are a force to be reckoned with both inside and outside of the courtroom. For us, supporting injured people isn’t a job––it’s a calling. Call us today to begin a free case review with our Lake City personal injury team.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lake City Car Accident Lawyer?

It costs you nothing from your savings to partner with our Lake City personal injury lawyers. That’s because Meldon Law has operated on a contingency-fee basis for decades. This arrangement lets us help injured people regardless of their financial circumstances.

First, you don’t pay anything for your initial consultation. That’s on us. What’s more, we don’t charge hourly rates, retainers, or by-the-service fees. Our attorney’s fees come from your negotiated settlement or court award. You can learn more about this arrangement when you connect with our Lake City attorneys.

Types of Car Accidents Our Lawyers Represent in Lake City, FL

We represent victims who have been injured in any type of vehicle accidents in Lake City, Florida. Some of the most common types of auto accident cases we handle include:

• Bicycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Construction zone car accidents
• Distracted driving accidents
• Head-on collisions
• Hit & run accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Rear-end collisions
• Rideshare accidents
• Rollover crashes
• Scooter accidents
• Semi-trailer underride accidents
• T-bone accidents
• Taxi accidents
• Tractor-trailer jackknife accidents
• Truck accidents
• Uninsured driver accidents

How Our Lake City Car Accident Lawyers Work for You

During your free consultation, you will discuss what happened before, during, and after the collision with a Lake County car accident lawyer. We also want to know everything about the injuries you suffered and the damages you’ve incurred.

If working with an attorney is in your best interest, we move forward by:

• Filling out a claim and filing it with the liable insurance company
• Investigating the accident to identify liability and prove negligence
• Communicating with involved parties on your behalf
• Negotiating with the liable party (or parties) for the full and fair compensation you deserve
• Preparing for trial and representing you in court (if negotiations fail to produce an agreeable outcome)

At Meldon Law, we do everything in our power to secure the best possible outcome for your car accident claim. We offer customized legal services tailor-made to meet your situation’s needs.

Hire a Top Rated Lake City Head-On Collision Lawyer

Any car accident is traumatic for the drivers and passengers involved, but head-on collisions are some of the most serious crashes in Lake City. A head-on collision is defined as any time the front of a vehicle smashes into the front of another vehicle heading in the opposite direction. Head-on collisions are often fatal for those involved and even when a person survives the crash, they will likely suffer from injuries that have long-lasting impacts. If you or someone you love has been hurt, our Lake City head-on collision attorney can help you claim the full damages that are critical to your recovery.

How Can a Lake City Head-On Collision Lawyer Help?

You are not required to work with an attorney when filing a claim after a head-on collision, but doing so will help you recover the full damages you are entitled to. All car accident claims present their own challenges, but those involving a head-on collision are particularly complex. A lawyer can help you overcome these challenges by:

• Obtaining the police report, which may establish another party’s carelessness
• Collecting video surveillance footage from red light cameras and businesses nearby
• Gathering medical records that establish the nature and severity of your injuries
• Examining the damage to the vehicles to determine how the crash happened
• Reaching out to their network of specialists, such as accident reconstruction experts, that can help determine how the crash occurred
• Filing your claim properly and on time with the appropriate insurance company or court
• Negotiating on your behalf to recover the maximum compensation for you
• Representing you at trial, if necessary

Working with a skilled attorney will prove to be very helpful after an accident and the above are just a few ways in which a lawyer can help.

Common Causes of Head-On Collisions

There are many careless or wrongful acts that can result in a head-on collision, but there are some causes of these crashes that are more common than others. These include:

• Drunk driving: Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs is extremely reckless behavior. Impaired motorists often have slow reaction times, poor judgment, and may experience perception issues. Any of these issues can result in a head-on collision.
• Fatigued driving: Drowsy driving is so dangerous, it has been compared to drunk driving. Fatigued motorists may have trouble concentrating on the road in front of them, and they may even fall asleep and travel into a lane of oncoming traffic, causing a head-on collision.
• Distracted driving: Any time a driver is not focused on the road, or takes their hands off the wheel, they are distracted. They may not see another vehicle on the road and crash into them head-on.
• Bad weather conditions: High winds and heavy rain can all cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle, resulting in a head-on collision.

It is crucial to determine how a head-on collision occurred, so you know who to hold liable for damages.

Lake City Rollover Crash Attorneys

Rollover crashes occur when a vehicle is involved in an accident and rolls over on its side, or rolls over completely. Some vehicles are more at risk of being involved in a rollover crash than others. Sports utility vehicles (SUVs), for example, have a very high center of gravity and so, they are more prone to tip and roll over. Occupants inside of a vehicle are at great risk of suffering serious injuries when a vehicle rolls over. However, these types of accidents put everyone else on the road at risk, too. If you have been hurt in an accident, our Lake City rollover crash attorney can provide the sound legal advice you need.

Common Causes of Rollover Crashes

A number of things can cause a vehicle to roll over on the road, but there are some causes that are more commonly seen than others. These are as follows:

• Overcorrecting: Drivers sometimes overcorrect their vehicle, particularly when they notice they are drifting into another lane of traffic. Overcorrections are very forceful and can result in a driver losing control and causing a rollover accident.
• Drowsy driving: Fatigued drivers can lose concentration, or even fall asleep at the wheel. If their vehicle then moves out of the lane, a driver may overcorrect, causing a rollover accident.
• Distracted driving: Drivers that take their eyes off the road may not notice they are about to exit their lane, or crash into a person, vehicle, or another object. When they focus on the road again, they may overcorrect to avoid a collision and instead, cause a rollover accident.
• Aggressive driving: Erratic lane changes and excessive speeds are just two forms of aggressive driving that can cause a rollover crash after the driver loses control of the vehicle.
• Road objects: Medians, guardrails, ditches, and patches of uneven roads can all cause a rollover crash if a motorist drives into them.

It is important to know what caused a rollover crash so you know who to hold liable for paying the full damages you deserve.

Determining Negligence After a Rollover Crash

Sometimes, it is quite obvious which driver caused a rollover crash. For example, if a driver involved in the accident exited their vehicle and was noticeably under the influence of alcohol, it may be easy to determine that they were at fault for the accident. Other times though, it is not so easy. For example, commercial trucks are known for rolling over and in these cases, it is much more difficult to determine liability. It may have been the driver operating the truck, or it may have been a loading company that did not distribute cargo properly, causing the truck to become imbalanced and impossible to control.

It is for this reason, and many more, that it is important to work with a Lake City rollover crashes lawyer after an accident. A lawyer will have the resources necessary to determine who was at fault for the accident, and they will handle every aspect of your claim.

We’re Proud of the Results We’ve Secured for Car Accident Claimants

Meldon Law has served car accident victims in Florida since 1971. For decades, we have successfully recovered millions in compensation for our clients. Recent results include:

• $1.5 million recovered for serious injuries resulting from a T-bone crash
• $500,000 settlement for our client who suffered injuries in a head-on collision
• $450,000 settlement for a driver who suffered catastrophic injuries in a rear-end accident
• $350,000 for the family of a toddler run over by a car backing out of the driveway
• $350,000 settlement for our clients who suffered live-altering injuries after a collision
• $300,000 settlement for a client who suffered serious injuries when another driver made an improper turn
• $250,000 settlement for a passenger who required surgery after a driver failed to yield

How much you may recover depends on multiple factors, including the severity of your injuries and the details of the crash. Yet, one thing’s for certain: with Meldon Law, you can rest assured that we’ll fight for every dollar you deserve.

We are here for you 24/7

(Consultations are Free)

Call Us Now

Listen to What Satisfied Clients Share About Meldon Law’s Team

Our car accident lawyers in Lake County consider our clients to be family. You’re not another case number to us. You’re a valuable member of our community who wants legal support. It is always our mission to serve you with compassion and integrity, as reflected in these shared comments:

• “Hands down the best law firm!!! True to their work, They won’t back down! God sent me to them for a reason, Thank you Jesus. Grateful for sure. Trustworthy, Notable and for the people. Thank you!!!” —J.M.
• “My team with Meldon Law was awesome and were really helpful during a difficult time in my life. They showed how much they cared and took their time to explain the process to me. I’m happy I chose them to help me with my case.” —O.
• “I go to Meldon Law for any legal advice that may come up. Everyone I have spoken to there has been extremely nice and helpful, and Jessica Thomason particularly has helped me with many questions over the years. I trust Meldon Law and would refer anyone I know that needs legal representation to them.” —K.P.

Meldon CARES About the Communities We Serve

Meldon Law is part of the fabric of every community where we practice law. We approach all of our clients with a promise of Compassion, Accountability, Reliability, and Excellence. We are also Success-Driven in every case we take on.

When our Florida car accident lawyers are not advocating for injured people, we’re making our communities a better place to live. In recent years, we’ve:

• Initiated a COVID-19 response when we purchased and delivered hundreds of meals to our brave first-line workers including but not limited to those at the North Florida Regional Medical Center, UF Health Shands, the Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
• Made financial contributions to the Pace Center for Girls, the Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student and Community Center at UF, Catholic Charities, and the MLK Jr. Commission of Florida, Inc.
• Created the Scholar Athlete Program that provides scholarships to students showing academic and athletic excellence.
• Founded the Veterans Making a Difference Program where, with our partner CBS4 News, we recognize and give cash awards to veterans and veteran organizations making a positive impact on their communities.

We Educate You on Your Legal Rights After a Florida Car Accident

Our Lake City car accident attorneys believe that everyone living in Florida benefits from understanding how the law affects their lives. Toward that end, we have spent years developing educational materials and programs to share the law in terms we can all understand. Our efforts include:

• Books, consumer guides, and blog posts we’ve written on a variety of legal topics
• The Meldon Law & Friends podcast, where we share multiple legal views and discuss what’s happening in Florida
• Law Talk Live, a weekly radio talk show that shares community events and answers callers’ pressing legal questions

Serving injured people is a way of life. We’re committed to holding negligent parties accountable and helping you rebuild.

We Have One Goal: Recovering the Car Accident Compensation You Deserve

Our car accident attorneys in Lake City understand that no amount of money can truly account for what happened. Yet, securing financial recovery is a practical step in securing your future. It can take the pressure off of you so you can focus on healing and moving forward

Compensation for economic damages after a car accident may include:

• Medical expenses, including anticipated care costs
• Property damage expenses
• Wages lost during recovery
• Loss of future earning capacity
• The value of any property that was destroyed in the wreck

Compensation for non-economic damages in a car wreck may cover:

• Pain and suffering
• Disability
• Scarring
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of the ability to enjoy your life

Our car collision lawyers will review all forms of compensation and explain how they may be relevant to your case before putting together and filing your claim.

Statute of Limitations to File a Car Accident Claim in Florida

Florida limits how long you have to file a lawsuit after a car accident. Per Florida Statutes § 95.11, you generally have two years to initiate litigation. This deadline begins from the date of your accident––although other factors could apply.

It’s vital that you file your case with Florida’s civil court system before the deadline expires. If it does, this could leave you with few options for seeking damages. Meldon Law is ready to break ground on your case immediately. We can start protecting your rights as soon as you partner with us.

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

What you should do after a collision depends on your circumstances. For instance, if you’re still at the collision scene:

• Call 911, check the car occupants for anyone needing emergency care, and move your car away from traffic.
• Gather as much information and material as possible at the scene of the accident, including photos from the scene and the contact information of those involved.
• Get checked out by paramedics. If they want to transport you to the hospital, go. Delaying medical care does not benefit your health, well-being, or injury claim.
• File a police accident report and report the accident to your insurance carrier
• Do not talk to the other parties’ insurance companies, make any statements, or sign any agreements.
• Reach out to Lake City car accident lawyers to schedule a consultation and learn more about your rights.

Following these steps can help you protect the value of your claim. If you have any questions about what you should do after your car accident in Lake County, feel free to call us or contact us online. We are here to help.

Considerations in the Days Following a Car Accident in Lake City

In the days and weeks after your Lake City car accident, you should follow these important steps to protect your claim:

• Notify your insurer of the accident. Even if you didn’t cause the crash, your insurance company still needs to know about it. Prompt notification creates a paper trail of what happened and paves a path of recovering damages.
• Follow your prescribed treatment plan. You may want to forgo some aspects of your doctor’s treatment plan because of concerns about costs. However, this is not in your best interest. You want to do everything in your power to reach maximum medical improvement. Plus, you could recover your injury-related treatment costs through insurance negotiations.
• Get a free case review. Meldon Law is ready to take your call and learn your story.

There’s no obligation to partner with us, and our car accident lawyers in Lake City don’t charge a penny for our time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Cases in Lake City

While weighing your legal options after you are injured in a car accident in Lake City, Florida, you may ask:

What Injuries Allow Me to Seek Damages?

You can file a claim with your no-fault insurance after an accident and recover some compensation. Yet, if you suffered serious injuries as defined by Florida law, you can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. These injuries include:

• The loss of one or more limbs
• Significant scarring or disfigurement
• Spinal cord trauma
• Traumatic brain injuries
• The loss of a fetus
• The loss of a sense or sensory organ
• Internal bleeding

What Caused My Car Accident in Lake City?

Even if you think you know the cause of your accident, we must still investigate what occurred. This involves gathering traffic camera footage, eyewitness testimony, and photos of your car’s damage. We may also consult with our accident reconstruction specialists to glean further insight into your accident and injuries.

Our car accident attorneys in Lake City may find that one or more of the following factors contributed to the crash:

• Distracted driving
• Driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs
• Unsafe driving such as speeding, tailgating, or ignoring traffic signals
• Driving while tired
• Driving in poor weather
• Poorly maintained roads
• A lack of street lighting
• Tire blowout
• Mechanical failure

Human error contributes to most auto accidents. Other factors, such as government oversight or vehicular malfunction, can also cause collisions.

Will I Have to File a Lawsuit to Recover Damages?

We’re proud to share that our law firm resolves most car accident cases through insurance settlements. The claims process requires us to understand the liable policy, know the cost of your damages, and negotiate with the claims adjuster. However, we may file a lawsuit if the insurer refuses to settle or another obstacle prevents you from getting compensated.

Filing a lawsuit is nothing we can’t handle. We’re a familiar face in Lake City’s courtrooms, and we’ve worked with the same clerks, judges, and paralegals for years. When we come into the courtroom, we find that other parties back down. You don’t have to worry about anything during this process––other than getting better, of course.

How Much Can I Recover After a Car Accident in Lake City, FL?

We can’t estimate the value of your losses without reviewing your case first. Our calculations will account for:

• The accident’s severity
• The medical care you required
• Your out-of-pocket costs
• Whether you’ll reach maximum medical improvement
• Your quality of life
• Who caused the accident
• The applicable insurance policy

Our Lake City, FL, car accident lawyers understand what you are facing in the aftermath of a wreck. Meldon Law fights for every dime you need and deserve.

How Florida’s Fault Laws Can Affect Your Florida Car Accident Claim

Since Governor Ron DeSantis enacted HB 837 in March 2023 in March 2023, Florida now follows a “modified comparative fault” system for auto accident liability. Here are some of the implications that will have for injury claims:

• Even if you are partially at fault, you can still recover compensation reduced by your percentage of fault.
• Your damages will be reduced in proportion to your share of fault. For example, if you are 20% at fault, your award is reduced by 20%.
• If you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover any compensation.
• The defense may argue that you shared a greater percentage of fault or that another party also shared fault to reduce liability.
• The jury determines percentages of fault after hearing arguments from both sides.
• You still recover fully from defendants who are more at fault than you.

The new liability laws in Florida make it easier for insurance companies to reduce compensation on injury claims, making it more important than ever to have a Lake City car accident attorney on your side. Understanding Florida’s comparative fault system allows your attorney to protect your right to recovery, even with partial shared liability in your car accident case.

Contact Our Lake City Auto Accident Attorneys to Learn More

Every car accident claimant in Lake City has legal options. You shouldn’t (and don’t have to) navigate this challenging process alone. At Meldon Law, we have spent decades working with Florida’s accident victims and their families.

Our Lake City car accident attorneys know how critical it is to get the compensation you need, and we won’t back down until justice is served.

Today, you can meet with our accident team and learn what comes next for your situation. Contact Meldon Law to begin your free case evaluation. We treat you like family. If the other party wants a fight, we’ll give it to them.

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