Florida Personal Injury Lawyers
Our Fee Promise: No Recovery, You Owe Us Nothing
Our Fee Promise: No Recovery, You Owe Us Nothing
Each year, there are thousands of car accidents in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas of Leon County. According to data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, more than a third of these accidents result in bodily injury. If you have been seriously injured in an accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation, and you should speak with a Tallahassee car accident lawyer about filing an insurance claim as soon as possible.
At Searcy Denney, we provide experienced legal representation for auto accident victims in Tallahassee. We offer free initial consultations, and we do not charge any legal fees or costs unless we obtain you compensation. Our attorneys will provide you with a thorough assessment of your legal rights (including how much compensation you are entitled to recover); and, if you choose to move forward, your Tallahassee accident attorney will seek maximum compensation for your injuries on your behalf.
Our attorneys have been fighting for car accident victims in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas for more than 40 years. We have recovered million of dollars for our clients’ losses by using aggressive settlement tactics and providing vigorous representation at trial. While most motor vehicle accident claims settle, you need a lawyer who is prepared to take your case to court. When you choose Searcy Denney, you can feel confident knowing that we will do whatever it takes to make sure you receive the financial compensation you deserve.
We represent clients who have suffered severe traumatic injuries and lost loved ones in accidents involving all causes. This includes accidents resulting from:
It should come as no surprise that drunk driving is against the law in Florida and elsewhere throughout the country. Despite this fact, too many people choose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. Drunk driving can lead to serious accidents that can result in severe injuries and even death. And the bottom line is that drunk driving is negligent driving. If you’ve been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, you may be entitled to compensation.
In the event of an accident, the driver who was driving while intoxicated is usually charged with DWI and is prosecuted. It’s important to understand that this does not mean that you cannot pursue a personal injury claim. In fact, you can still pursue a claim even if the criminal charges against the driver are dismissed, they are found not guilty, or they plead to a lesser charge. A personal injury claim is judged according to a lower standard of evidence, which means that it might be easier for you to prove your claim than for a prosecutor to prove that they are guilty.
Additionally, the criminal prosecution will not result in compensation for your injuries. While the driver may be ordered to pay restitution, there are no guarantees. The best way to protect your rights is to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your injuries and other losses. A Tallahassee car accident lawyer can help you understand your options.
Driving while under the influence of drugs is similarly illegal and also negligent. Driving while under the influence of drugs includes the following:
Driving while under the influence of drugs is negligent behavior that can cause an accident. If you’ve been injured and believe that the other driver was under the influence, you should speak with a Tallahassee car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Distracted driving is another common source of negligence in car accident cases. Smartphones are the most well-known example, but anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or your hands of the wheel can be considered distracted driving:
Driving while distracted means that the driver has less time to react to a situation. Such drivers are also more likely to run red lights and stop signs, rear-end a stopped vehicle, or drift into another lane or oncoming traffic.
Many accident victims assume that Florida’s “no-fault” insurance law means they are limited to filing a claim under their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy. If you have been severely injured, this is not correct. While Florida law limits accident victims to seeking PIP coverage if they have only suffered minor injuries, victims with severe permanent injuries can seek full compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Additionally, it is important not to assume that driver negligence was the only factor involved in your accident. Faulty road construction, vehicle defects and various other issues can cause and contribute to dangerous accidents as well. With our nationwide experience in product liability litigation , our Tallahassee car accident lawyer can identify all of the factors involved in your accident and seek just compensation from all of the parties that are responsible for your losses.
If you have a claim for driver negligence, how do you prove it? Proving driver negligence requires a comprehensive on-scene and off-scene investigation. At Searcy Denney, our Tallahassee car crash attorneys work with experienced local investigators who can use their expertise to determine the cause of your (or your loved one’s) crash. Our attorneys can also request phone records, credit card records, surveillance camera footage and various other forms of evidence to prove that the other driver is responsible for your accident-related losses.
If you were involved in a minor fender bender and no one got hurt, then you may be able to successfully handle your insurance claim on your own. However, if you were injured, you may need help from an attorney. Even filing a successful “no-fault” personal injury protection (PIP) claim can be difficult, and filing a successful fault-based auto accident claim will almost certainly require experienced legal representation.
If you are attempting to handle your claim on your own and you are facing resistance from the insurance companies, this is a sign that you may need an attorney as well. This could mean that you don’t have a claim to pursue, but it could also mean that the insurance companies are trying to avoid paying you the compensation you deserve. In either scenario, an experienced car accident attorney can help you understand your situation and explain the options you have available.
If the other driver fled the scene of the accident, your case will present some additional challenges. In order to ensure that you have every opportunity to secure the financial compensation you deserve, you should speak with a Tallahassee car accident attorney about your case as soon as possible.
Dealing with uninsured drivers also presents unique challenges. Our attorneys can confirm whether or not the driver was insured (some drivers are mistaken, and some falsely claim to be uninsured in hopes of avoiding claims against their policies), and we can seek just compensation from all available sources.
If a factor other than driver negligence (i.e. a road or vehicle defect) caused your crash, then your case will involve a claim outside of the usual auto insurance claims process. You will need an auto accident attorney to establish liability and secure just compensation on your behalf.
We believe in helping people make informed decisions; and, as our client, we want you to feel confident that you are on the road to recovery. Understanding your legal rights is complicated. So, to make it easier, our Tallahassee accident attorneys have prepared these FAQs:
Under Florida law, there are two main grounds for seeking financial compensation after a car accident: (i) negligence, and (ii) strict liability. Most accident claims involve negligence, including mistakes like driving too fast for road conditions, following too closely and texting while driving. However, if your accident resulted from a product defect, then you may have a strict liability claim as well.
Typically, you have two years from the date of your accident to file a claim for financial compensation. If you attempt to file your claim after this “statute of limitations” expires, it may be barred.
In addition to the risk of losing your right to file a claim after two years, there are a number of other risks associated with waiting to file a claim as well. For example, even a delay of a few days or a week could make it far more difficult to collect the evidence required to prove your claim for damages.
The answer to this question depends on the specific facts and circumstances involved. If the evidence clearly points to liability and the at-fault party’s insurance company handles your case in good faith, the whole process could be over fairly quickly. On the other hand, if the facts are in dispute, or if the insurance company simply does not want to settle, then it could take a year or longer to obtain justice at trial.
In order to decide whether to accept an insurance settlement, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of your current and future losses. When you hire one of our accident attorneys to handle your case in Tallahassee, your attorney will make sure you know the full amount you are entitled to recover.
Yes. If you are entitled to financial compensation, you will need to hire an auto accident lawyer to negotiate on your behalf and take your case to trial if necessary. Additionally, with our fee promise, you pay nothing out of pocket, and we only get paid if we help you collect the compensation you deserve.
If you have questions and would like to speak with a lawyer about your car accident, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a free initial consultation. To schedule an appointment as soon as possible, call our office at 888-549-7011 or submit your case online now.
The Towle House, 517 N. Calhoun St.
Tallahassee, FL 32301-1231
Toll-free: (888) 549-7011
Phone: (850) 224-7600
En Espanol: (800) 220-7006
