PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY JACKSONVILLE
Personal injury attorneys in Jacksonville provide valuable legal services for victims damaged by another person’s negligence, careless behavior or unreasonable acts.
At Harrell & Harrell, P.A., our personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys have been helping clients with the details of documenting, preparing and representing injury lawsuits for years. If you or a loved one was injured in an auto accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, work accident or received personal damages from nursing home abuse, our lawyers stand ready to provide advice about the strength of your case with a no cost, no obligation case consultation. When you need an accident attorney in Jacksonville, Florida, we can help. Give us a call today at 904-251-1111 or toll-free 1-800-251-1111 to speak privately with an experienced attorney.
What Our Clients Have to Say
RESULTS DRIVEN PRACTICE
Get the settlement that you deserve with Harrell & Harrell.
Take a look at some of the wins our clients have received.
When you choose Harrell & Harrell, P.A., you put your trust in one of Jacksonville’s largest and oldest personal injury law firms with a fine staff of experienced accident attorneys and personal injury lawyers.
We have experienced accident lawyers helping victims of all types of accidental injuries from airplane crashes to defective airbags, our lawyers have the trial experience to win your family’s personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Why Harrell & Harrell is the RIGHT choice
- Attorney and paralegal team to answer all of your questions and to deal with the insurance company on your behalf.
- Assist with your vehicle’s property damage and any rental coverage.
- Handle medical bills, lost wages, and other bills so that you can focus on getting better.
- Deploy our in-house investigator (former law enforcement officer) and team to investigate, gather evidence, and speak to witnesses.
- Hire any expert your case needs to prove your case to the insurance company.
- Be here for you 24/7 – and not a call center.
BIGGER IS NOT BETTER
What Types of Cases Do Personal Injury Attorneys Take?
Personal injury lawyers manage what are known as tort cases. These focus on a failure to act or an action that was taken that resulted in harm to a person. Although most often known for handling auto accident cases, personal injury attorneys are qualified to represent clients in a wide range of claims, such as product liability, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, wrongful death, and more.
We offer a no cost, no obligation consultation at our Jacksonville law office for any personal injury case, including the specialties listed below:
Car Accident Attorney: There are hundreds of thousands of car accidents in Florida each year and more than a quarter of a million injuries resulting from those crashes, making these accidents the most common type of personal injury claims. And, with more vehicles on the road and more distracted drivers, accidents are on the rise. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, or an accident involving another type of motor vehicle, it’s critical to have an experienced legal team on your side. At Harrell & Harrell, P.A., we’ve helped our clients with more than $10 million in settlements in motor vehicle accidents.
Truck Accident Lawyer: These types of personal injury cases can be complex since there may be a number of parties involved, such as the driver of the truck, the owner of the truck, the owner of the freight or payload, and others. Another factor that can make these cases more complex is that trucking is heavily regulated in the U.S., with a long list of laws and rules that govern truck drivers’ behavior, recordkeeping and more. Our truck accident attorneys are well versed in the legal requirements for commercial trucking and have decades of experience handling truck company negligence cases.
Pedestrian Accident Attorney: The injuries sustained when a pedestrian is involved in an accident with a vehicle can be particularly severe. Because pedestrians have no protection in an accident, a crash with a careless or reckless driver can change a victim’s life forever. Our pedestrian accident lawyers will seek all of the damages to which you may be entitled, including loss of your present and future income, medical bills, therapy costs and more.
Slip and fall accidents: These types of personal injury cases must be carefully investigated, since the circumstances surrounding them aren’t always straightforward. Sustaining an injury on someone else’s property is not enough to make a premises liability claim since it may or may not involve negligence. These cases are also complicated by the involvement of multiple parties, such as a property manager and a property owner, and by the fact that some of the victim’s injuries may not be readily apparent in the immediate aftermath of the accident. At Harrell & Harrell, P.A., our slip and fall accident lawyers can help you determine the strength of your case.
Medical Malpractice Attorney: Medical professionals are expected to adhere to a certain accepted standard of care. When they haven’t, and an injury to a patient results from negligent actions such as improper treatment or a failure to diagnose, victims may have a medical malpractice or medical negligence claim. There are a number of specific requirements that such a case must meet, so it’s essential to consult with a personal injury firm that has specialized experience in medical malpractice law.
Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer: Nursing home negligence cases are among the most devastating to families. When a nursing home that you’ve trusted with your loved one’s care fails to provide appropriate care, a nursing home abuse lawyer will fight for your loved one’s rights. At Harrell & Harrell, P.A., we have attorneys on our team who are experts in nursing home abuse and nursing home accident cases. Contact us for a free, private consultation with one of our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers.
How Much Does A Personal Injury Attorney Charge?
This is often one of the first questions we hear from prospective clients and it’s one of the most important. If you’ve never hired an attorney, you may be hesitant to call on one when you have a legal issue for fear that you won’t be able to afford representation. At our personal injury law firm in Jacksonville, we begin your injury or accident case without you having to pay any fees or costs. Instead, our fee comes from a percentage of your successful settlement or court-ordered judgement after a trial. That percentage, in accordance with a Supreme Court of Florida-approved standard, is 33-1/3% of any case settled or 40% of any award after a lawsuit is filed and litigation commenced. If we do not win your case, you owe no costs or fees to us. Our work on your case will not begin until you have had the opportunity to review and sign a contingency fee agreement.
What To Know About The Costs of Your Case
➡ Costs are separate from fees and are the expenses that are incurred to pursue and prepare your personal injury case from beginning to end.
➡ The costs that we will incur can vary greatly. Generally, the more severe the injury, the more costs there will be, and some injuries require more time for researching liability than others. Since personal injury attorneys advance these costs, it’s important to hire a firm such as Harrell & Harrell, P.A., that has the financial resources to cover any costs that are necessary, which may be tens of thousands of dollars.
➡ Examples of costs include fees for investigation, filing fees, locating witnesses, copies of accident reports or medical records, travel expenses, fees for consultants, and the cost of taking depositions and serving subpoenas. Costs to prepare transcripts and trial exhibits will also be included, as will administrative costs such as postage.
➡ Expert witnesses are often critical to the success of a personal injury case. His or her time to review and prepare a report on your case and testify at trial may represent a significant expense. The testimony of an expert witness can help a jury understand complex concepts, such as how the negligent actions of another person led to your injuries.
➡ Taxes are not generally paid on monies you receive from litigation. At Harrell & Harrell, P.A., we are obligated to work toward making any award or settlement as free from taxes as possible.
➡ Anytime you consult a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer, it’s important to ask whether costs will be deducted before or after the lawyer’s percentage fee is determined, since this will affect the total amount of fees and costs that you may pay. Also, be sure to ask about the firm’s contingency fee, which may be as much as 40%.
Is It Worth Hiring A Personal Injury Attorney?
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or harmed by another person’s recklessness or carelessness, a personal injury attorney can help you seek compensation for damages. Although there is no law that requires you to have an attorney handle your claim, a personal injury lawyer can guide you through every step of the complex claim process.
As with most personal injury law firms, the Jacksonville, Florida attorneys at Harrell & Harrell, P.A., work on a contingency basis, which means that you don’t pay us any fees unless we win your case. We also offer free consultations to determine the strength of your case, so there is also no cost to meet with us for a case review.
If you’ve been injured in an accident and are considering whether you should hire a personal injury lawyer, these are just some of the advantages of having an experienced attorney at your side:
➡ We handle the insurance companies: Insurance companies are powerful and have vast resources, including teams of attorneys. Without expert attorneys representing you, it’s easy to be taken advantage of and settling for less than you’re entitled to. We have decades of experience dealing with insurance companies and their lawyers and know just what to expect from them when one of our clients files a claim. They exist to protect their interests—we exist to protect yours.
➡ We put an entire team to work on your case: You won’t have only one lawyer on your case: You’ll have the support of our licensed accident investigators, vocational rehabilitation expert, our full-time staff of medical professionals, and others who help us build a comprehensive case.
➡ We know how to calculate the true costs of all of your losses: When you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, the effects can reach into every part of your and your family’s lives. Your current and future employment, unforeseen future medical costs, and the toll on your mental or emotional well-being are just some of the factors that must be considered when determining the total damages involved in your case.
When to Consider Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
You may be able to benefit from having a personal injury law firm handle your case if:
➡ You’ve sustained injuries that have caused a permanent disability or that will require long-term treatment and care.
➡ Multiple parties were involved in your accident, which can complicate insurance claims.
➡ The insurance company will not offer a settlement or a fair one.
➡ You have severe injuries but the insurance company will not recognize the degree of severity, which can reduce the amount of compensation you rightfully deserve.
So how do you know if you need a personal injury lawyer? Your first step should be contacting an experienced personal injury law firm. At Harrell & Harrell, we offer free, no-obligation consultations at our Jacksonville office that can help you determine if working with a personal injury attorney is your best course of action. Keep in mind that Florida statutes of limitation may require you to promptly file a claim, so please don’t hesitate to schedule your consultation now.
What Questions Should I Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Your choice of a personal injury attorney to handle your case can be one of the most important factors in a successful outcome. No two personal injury law firms are the same, so you should take your time interviewing attorneys you are considering hiring. To help, here are questions you should ask an attorney:
1. What areas of practice do you specialize in? Most firms focus on particular areas of law, such as corporate, tax, business litigation, or criminal defense. Some very large practices offer a wide range of services. If you’ve been injured in an accident, look for attorneys who specialize in personal injury law. They are likely to have more experience in personal injury, greater resources dedicated solely to personal injury cases (such as on-staff medical experts), and deep knowledge of your state’s personal injury statutes. When your financial future and well-being are at stake, you want specialists on your team.
2. Have you handled a personal injury case similar to mine? Many types of cases can fall under personal injury law, from wrongful death and class actions, to truck accidents and nursing home abuse. Not all personal injury lawyers have experience in every area of practice, so it’s important to ask if the firm has specific experience in cases similar to yours.
3. What settlements and verdicts have you gotten for cases like mine? A law firm’s record of success in helping personal injury clients is an important indicator of what it may be able to do for you. Ask for specific examples of the cases a personal injury lawyer has resolved by settlement or verdict, particularly in cases that have elements in common with yours.
4. How long will it take to resolve my case? An experienced personal injury lawyer knows that every case is different, and each will take varying lengths of time to resolve. An attorney should be able to give you a general idea of how long it will take based on his or her experience with cases such as yours, but there are many factors that can and will affect the duration of your case.
5. How much will I get if I win? As with the time frame question above, there is no single answer that can be given at an initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer. If an attorney cites specific dollar amounts before thoroughly reviewing your case, they may not have your best interests in mind. The course of a personal injury case can change at any time, so look for a personal injury lawyer who will give you a realistic answer to this question and honest assessments along the way.
6. Do you have the financial resources to take my case? Because most personal injury law firms work on a contingency basis—you don’t pay any fees unless the firm reaches a settlement or verdict on your behalf—the firm must bear the costs that are incurred as your case is being managed. Since these costs can run into the tens of thousands of dollars for just one case, a personal injury law firm must have the financial resources and stability to cover them.
Personal Injury Attorney FAQs
Personal injury can be any type of physical, psychological, or emotional injury to a human being. In the law, the term “personal injury” is typically used to describe a claim a person has against another person or entity that negligently caused their injury. Property damage does not fall within personal injury, although there are often property damage claims associated with an event that causes personal injury, such as a car accident.
A personal injury lawsuit is a civil suit filed against the person or business that caused your injuries. Not every personal injury claim requires a lawsuit. In many cases, your personal injury lawyer will be able to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company without filing a lawsuit. In other cases, the lawsuit is filed, but the case is resolved before the case gets to trial.
A personal injury lawsuit is complicated, and there are many technical requirements when filing a case and moving it forward. So, you should consult an experienced injury lawyer before pursuing your claim.
Yes. Even injuries that seem minor at first can develop into more serious issues over time. Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts, and mistakes—even small ones—can limit your recovery. Consulting a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible ensures you understand your rights and have an advocate protecting your interests from the beginning. Most personal injury law firms, including Harrell & Harrell, offer free consultations, so there’s no risk in getting reliable guidance about your claim.
Learn more about why it’s important to contact a personal injury lawyer, even if your injuries weren’t severe.
Immediately after an accident, a personal injury lawyer can help protect your claim by advising you on how to move forward and providing a buffer between you and the insurance company. That’s important because insurance companies don’t always play fair, and interacting with them directly can be risky.
As your case moves forward, your personal injury lawyer can take charge of everything from managing technical requirements and deadlines to negotiating with the insurance company, gathering evidence, hiring and working with expert witnesses, and if it’s in your best interest, presenting your case to a Jacksonville jury.
At Harrell & Harrell, you only pay attorney fees if we settle your case or win a verdict for you at trial. If we don’t win your case, you don’t pay attorney fees. Your attorney fees are based on a percentage of the award or settlement you receive. You may also be responsible for certain costs of litigation.
Before you hire our law firm, we will explain exactly how both fees and costs will work in your case, and we will give you a written contract that explains what you can expect to pay in detail.
There are many important factors to consider when hiring a personal injury lawyer in Jacksonville. Some of the most important include the attorney’s experience with personal injury cases and their experience actually taking cases to trial. You should also consider the attorney’s specific experience with cases like yours.
You should also take time to read many reviews and testimonials. Past clients can offer information about how the attorney treated them when they were in your shoes.
For most personal injury claims, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. However, there are many reasons you should not delay speaking to a local accident lawyer.
First, there are some circumstances in which the deadline is different, and it’s important to get reliable information about the timeline right away. It’s also better to talk to a personal injury lawyer right away, as it protects you from risky interactions with the insurance company and gives your lawyer the best opportunity to collect evidence that may be lost or destroyed over time.
Most personal injury lawyers, including those at Harrell & Harrell, offer free, no-obligation consultations to people who have been injured in car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and other incidents. So, there’s no downside to getting accurate information right away.
The length of time it takes to settle a personal injury claim varies depending on factors such as:
– When you consult a personal injury attorney
– The extent of the damages at stake and the insurance coverage available
– Whether you have completed treatment or your injuries are ongoing
– The insurance company and attorneys involved
– Whether there is a dispute as to who was at fault in the accident
A relatively small case or one where insurance policy limits are low and there are no assets to warrant pursuing the responsible party directly may settle quickly, sometimes in just a couple of months. More often, though, the negotiation process will take several months to a year. In some cases, it may take much longer.
The best thing you can do to move your case forward as quickly as possible is to hire a Jacksonville injury lawyer right away.
The value of your personal injury claim depends on the damages you have suffered, and in many (but not all) cases, the amount of compensation you receive is capped by available insurance coverage.
Factors that will play a role in determining the value of your claim include:
– Your medical bills and other out-of-pocket costs
– Whether ongoing medical costs are anticipated
– Your lost income as a result of the accident
– The impact of the injury on your quality of life
– How clear liability is
– Whether you were partially responsible for the accident
The amount of your settlement may also be affected by factors that aren’t directly related to your injuries, such as where your claim is filed and the attorneys involved.
An experienced Jacksonville personal injury lawyer can give you more information about the types of damages you may be entitled to and how similar cases to yours have been resolved in the past, but no lawyer can promise you a specific amount.
A pre-existing condition doesn’t necessarily prevent you from recovering damages for your injuries. You may be able to recover compensation for other injuries, and you may be entitled to compensation for aggravation of your pre-existing condition.
This type of case is typically more difficult, since you will likely need expert witnesses to establish that the condition was aggravated and to what extent. Insurance companies know that damages are more difficult to prove in this situation and that the issues may be complex for a jury to understand–that often means they are more inclined to dig in their heels and avoid offering a fair settlement.
If you have a pre-existing condition that was aggravated by your accident, it is especially important to talk to a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer right away.
The personal injury attorneys at Harrell & Harrell handle a wide range of injury-related cases. Some of the most common include car, truck, motorcycle, and other motor vehicle accident cases, wrongful death cases, nursing home abuse and neglect cases, and slip and fall and other premises liability cases.
We also handle several similar types of cases that don’t fall strictly under the personal injury umbrella, such as workers’ compensation cases and Social Security disability claims.
Your initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer is your opportunity to learn more about the merits of your case, what is involved in the process of pursuing compensation, and the attorney’s knowledge and experience.
You’ll want to come prepared with as much information as possible about your accident and injuries, and with a list of questions. There’s often a lot of ground to cover, and it’s easy to get distracted and forget to ask about something important to you.
The injury lawyer will typically give you some additional information about what to expect during a personal injury case and give you a high-level preliminary assessment of your case. Then, if the attorney thinks your case is a good fit for the firm, they will tell you what you need to do to retain the firm. You should receive a written contract at this time, and you should be comfortable taking the time to read it and make sure you understand it before you sign.
First, gather any information you have relating to your claim. Some examples of paperwork you may have that you should take to your initial consultation include:
– The police report relating to your accident
– Any medical bills or discharge reports you have from accident-related medical care
– Information about the responsible party, such as insurance information provided at the scene of a car accident or contact information provided by the management of a store where you slipped and fell
– Any photographs or video you have of the accident scene or your injuries
– Any contact information you collected from witnesses to the accident
If you’re unsure whether or not to include something, take it along. The personal injury attorney will tell you what they are interested in looking at.
You will also want to make a written list of questions you want to ask the attorney and information you want to make sure to share with them. You can refer to the list during your consultation and again before you wrap up to make sure you’ve covered everything that was on your mind.
Most personal injury cases settle, but that doesn’t necessarily mean yours will. Whether or not a case settles depends on a wide range of factors, including the amount of money at stake, your priorities, how clear liability is in the case, among others.
During your initial consultation, your personal injury attorney can give you an idea of the likelihood that your case will settle. However, it’s important that you hire an attorney who is ready and willing to take your case to trial if that turns out to be in your best interest.
To ensure that you get the most out of your personal injury claim, you’ll have to do a lot of things right. Two of the most important are:
– Promptly seek medical care and then follow your doctors’ instructions faithfully, and
– Hire an experienced Jacksonville injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident
Hiring an attorney early can help your case in many ways, including allowing your attorney to collect evidence while it’s fresh, keeping you from having to interact with the insurance company, and ensuring that you get important advice about protecting your claim early in the process, before you make any costly mistakes.
Harrell & Harrell has a long tradition of fighting for injury victims in and around Jacksonville. We’re the right size law firm—small enough that every client is treated like family and not just a case, yet large enough to have the experience and powerful resources needed to secure the compensation you deserve.
Founded in 1991, our team of over a dozen dedicated attorneys has deep, comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of personal injury law. We’re prepared to fight for you at every stage of the process, from negotiating with insurance companies to advocating for you in court.
To learn more, call us today at (904) 251-1111 or fill out our contact form.
Honors and Recognitions
