Sarasota Car Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a Sarasota Car Accident?

Sarasota County, Florida, is a great place to live and visit. The population of more than 400,000 permanent residents can increase to as much as 500,000 during the winter due to the influx of snowbirds—seasonal travelers (usually retirees) who migrate to warmer climates during the winter months. Unfortunately, as both the City of Sarasota and the surrounding county continue to grow, so do the auto accident statistics.

In one recent year, Sarasota County recorded more than 6,600 car accidents, resulting in over 4,000 injuries. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a serious car accident, an experienced Sarasota car accident lawyer from Dolman Law Group can help you seek the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose Dolman Law Group for Your Personal Injury Claim?

With more than 120 years of combined legal experience helping more than 40,000 injured clients, the Dolman Law Group team has the skills, tenacity, and resources you deserve to help resolve your Sarasota car accident claim. We have recovered more than $400 million for our clients through aggressive settlement negotiations and exemplary trial presentations.

Some of our recent success stories include:

• $6.7 million recovered in a wrongful death settlement
• $5 million recovered for a car accident resulting in burn injuries
• A $1.875 million settlement in a disputed car accident case involving cervical and brain injuries

Our award-winning law firm is proud to have contributed to many other successful case results. Although we can't promise a specific outcome in your case, we do promise to work diligently to recover the maximum amount of compensation possible.

The Burdens Our Sarasota Car Accident Attorneys Can Help Resolve

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a typical car crash can result in multiple injuries and even fatalities. Any type of injury requires medical attention, and more serious injuries sometimes require additional surgeries, long-term medical and personal care, and expensive medicines. Most car accident victims miss time from work and may even be restricted from returning to the same job they held before a collision.

In the meantime, your everyday bills won't stop just because you stopped working after you were injured; if anything, your bills will only increase now that you have medical expenses. It's important to contact a Sarasota car crash attorney experienced with personal injury claims to help pursue compensation for your injuries. While you focus on your physical and mental recovery, let us protect your legal rights and deal with the insurance companies that want to pay as little as possible to resolve your injury claim.

Not sure whether your accident warrants an injury attorney? Read our article that explains when you should work with a dedicated personal injury lawyer.

The 5 Most Dangerous Intersections in Sarasota

A recent investigation by Sarasota's WWSB ABC Channel 7 named the five most dangerous intersections in Sarasota. Using data collected by the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), ABC 7 reported the following dangerous intersections, with number one being the most serious:

1. 14th Street West and 53rd Avenue West – Approximately 50,000 cars travel through this intersection daily. While there are 30,000 fewer cars than the number two most dangerous intersection, the road is much narrower. The MPO gives the intersection a crash severity ranking of 2.0, meaning drivers are more likely to become involved in a serious accident.
2. 14th Street West and Cortez Road West – This intersection experiences an incredibly high volume of traffic—an estimated 80,000 cars daily—putting drivers at risk of experiencing an automobile accident with serious injury.
3. State Road 70 and Lockwood Ridge Road in Bradenton – With an average of more than 60,000 cars daily, this intersection is highly congested, making it a hot spot for accidents.
4. 14th Street West and 57 Avenue West in nearby Manatee County – Popular with drivers traveling to and from Manatee and Sarasota counties, the heavy traffic volume increases the risk of accidents.
5. University Parkway and North Lockwood Ridge Road – The MPO rates this intersection with a 1.8 crash severity rate.

Driving to work or to shop in and around the Sarasota area is something that thousands of Floridians do every day. Every driver has a legal responsibility to drive in a cautious and courteous manner. With so many drivers sharing Florida roadways, no amount of defensive driving can protect you from another driver's negligent and reckless behavior.

When you experience serious harm due to someone else's fault—whether at a dangerous intersection or on a city street—it is in your best interest to partner with an experienced Sarasota personal injury lawyer at Dolman Law Group without delay.

What Are the Common Causes of Auto Accidents in Sarasota?

According to the most recent data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), Sarasota County experienced a 6.53 percent increase in vehicle accidents in just one year. Injuries from car collisions also increased 7.45 percent that year. The FLHSMV lists common factors that contribute to car accidents throughout the state, including:

• Operating a vehicle in a careless or negligent way – driver negligence led to 4,515 incapacitating injuries and 22,309 non-incapacitating injuries in one year.
• Failure to yield the right-of-way – this one act caused 3,162 incapacitating injuries and 16,550 non-incapacitating injuries in one recent year.
• Running a red light – failure to follow traffic signals led to 728 incapacitating injuries and 3,996 non-incapacitating injuries in one year.

Additional factors include DUI, distracted driving, and road rage, among others. Many witnesses interviewed for the ABC 7 report cited driver impatience as a leading cause of accidents at the dangerous intersections listed above. Whatever the reason, no one should suffer physically, emotionally, or financially due to another driver's negligent or reckless behavior.

A Closer Look at One of the Top Sarasota Accident Factors: Distracted Driving

A recent study using data from the EverDrive app found that Florida ranks second only to Louisiana when it comes to distracted drivers. In one year, there were 50,000 crashes attributed to distracted driving, accounting for five crashes every hour. These crashes resulted in 3,500 serious injuries and 233 deaths, according to data from the DHSMV.

Florida bans texting, which means police can pull over a driver specifically for texting. In addition to texting while driving being a primary offense, the law also bans using handheld wireless communication devices in designated school crossings, school zones, or roadwork zones, except for emergency hands-free uses. 

EverQuote, Inc., the online insurance company that released the EverDrive app results, reported that 92 percent of drivers nationwide with cell phones had used their phones while driving within the past 30 days. The motion-sensing app also measured aggressive turning, hard braking, and sudden acceleration, among other factors. The results were eye-opening, especially when it comes to the statistics involving Florida.

Steps to Take After a Sarasota Car Collision

Residents and visitors are at risk whenever they travel in and around Sarasota. Sarasota County 911 dispatch reports show that during one day in October of a recent year, Sarasota area fire departments responded to eight traffic crashes with injuries.

If you drive throughout the region daily, it is not a matter of if but rather when you will experience a serious motor vehicle accident. While we all hope it never happens to us, we simply cannot predict the actions of other drivers. That's why drivers who cause harm to others must be held accountable for their actions.

If you are in a Sarasota crash, take the following steps immediately:

• Do seek and accept medical attention.
• Do provide a statement to the police. It can provide documentation that is helpful in pursuing your legal claim.
• Don't speak with insurance company representatives who represent the at-fault driver. Instead, refer them to your car accident attorney.
• Do concentrate on your number one priority—your health and recovery. Leave the details of your case in the hands of a skilled attorney at Dolman Law Group.

If someone has caused you harm while you were driving safely, contact our Sarasota car accident law firm. Time is of the essence. The sooner an attorney can review your case, the sooner they can investigate, interview witnesses, review reports, and pursue fair compensation for you and your family.

Common Sarasota Car Crash Injuries

An automobile collision happens in a second. Once the impact is over, the physical and emotional damage begins. Cars are replaceable, while physical injuries, such as the loss of a limb, are permanent. Seek medical attention right away when involved in a car crash. Even if you feel fine, getting a physical evaluation is wise as some symptoms may appear long after your accident.

Depending upon the severity of your injuries, life as you know it may never be the same. Common types of serious injuries we see after Sarasota car accidents include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) – The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines a TBI as a “bump, blow, or serious jolt to the head, or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.” TBIs can range from mild and moderate to severe, with changes affecting thinking, sensation, emotion, and language. Patients with a TBI sometimes require long hospital stays, extensive therapy, and lifelong personal care.
• Spinal cord injuries (SCI) – The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center cites vehicle crashes as the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Estimated lifetime costs for a patient with a spinal cord injury are in the millions. Associated costs include possible home renovations to accommodate a power chair, replacement of a power chair throughout the patient's lifetime, and repeated hospital stays.
• Internal injuries – Internal injuries are especially dangerous because they present no visible signs. Punctured lungs, broken ribs, and internal bleeding are a few types of internal injuries that show no outward symptoms. Important diagnostic tests at a medical facility are essential to diagnosing and treating these potentially life-threatening injuries.
• Broken bones – A broken bone is another serious injury that sometimes requires surgery and extensive medical care, such as physical therapy.
• Soft tissue injuries – Sprains, strains, and soft tissue tears can happen in the neck, back, shoulders, knees, or other parts of the body. Soft tissue injuries can involve surgery and extensive physical therapy. These types of injuries are painful and sometimes result in permanent physical limitations.

A car accident is a serious, sudden shock to your body. Because the human body is so complex, a motor vehicle accident with a hard impact can inflict more than one injury. Improvements to car safety such as airbags and stricter seat belt laws aid in saving lives, however, serious injuries can still occur.

A serious injury from an auto collision that was not your fault demands justice. Severe injuries such as those listed above can result in weeks, months, and even years of recovery. In some cases, victims never fully recover. Prepare for your uncertain future by enlisting the services of a highly skilled personal injury attorney with a track record of success handling car accident cases as soon as possible.

Let Our Dedicated Car Accident Lawyers in Sarasota Pursue Justice For You

Under Florida Law, a vehicle accident victim must seek recovery from their own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage before taking action against other parties. Florida requires this no-fault coverage based on the legal theory that your own insurance policy should cover your medical expenses and other losses, regardless of who the at-fault party was.

However, PIP coverage is limited, and because of this, it often fails to cover losses stemming from serious injuries. In such cases, a highly skilled personal injury attorney can review the circumstances of your accident to decide upon the best course of action.

We can determine how to seek financial recovery from negligent drivers, like drunk or distracted drivers, and our experienced personal injury attorneys can guide you through the complicated legal process. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you may receive a settlement from the at-fault driver's insurance company or a judgment from a personal injury lawsuit. With both possible outcomes, strong negotiation skills are a must for securing the best possible outcome.

Insurance companies representing the at-fault driver will use aggressive methods to get you to settle. Their interest is not with you but rather in what's best for their bottom line. Many insurance companies will offer low dollar amounts in an effort to settle the case quickly. If you experience serious injuries in a car accident while driving in and around Sarasota, do not speak with the at-fault driver's insurance company. Instead, secure the services of a personal injury attorney at Dolman Law Group and refer all insurance company calls to our team.

Dolman Law Group's Sarasota Car Accident Lawyers Provide Peace of Mind

Our compassionate and tenacious car accident injury attorneys provide peace of mind when it comes to the details of your case. Knowing that your case rests in experienced hands brings a relief that is essential to your recovery.

A car wreck is a serious and upsetting event. You now face unexpected medical bills and lost wages. Your future seems uncertain, and your prior plans might need to change. When you reach out to our Sarasota personal injury attorneys, we'll start with a no-obligation, free consultation to review your case.

Contact a Sarasota Car Crash Attorney at Dolman Law Group Today

You deserve fair compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Pursuing a settlement or litigation is best left to the professionals who deal with similar cases daily. Retaining the services of an experienced Sarasota personal injury lawyer at Dolman Law Group can give you the peace of mind to focus on yourself and your family.

Start your journey to justice by contacting a Sarasota car accident attorney at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, today.