St. Augustine / St. Johns County, Florida

St. Johns County is home to approximately 190,000 residents. Its geographical location lies along the "First Coast," a region in northeast Florida which extends from Amelia Island in the north through Jacksonville to south of St. Augustine. It is adjacent to Duval County to the north, Flagler County to the south, Clay County to the west, and Putnam County to the southwest.

St. Johns County is essentially dissected by Interstate 95. Other major roadways include U.S.1, and State Road 13. Due to the high populations north and south of St. Augustine, traffic along I-95 is heavy. Due to this, auto and trucking accidents are unfortunately common.

For persons that live outside of St. Johns County, being involved in a car accident within the county can present difficult obstacles. For example, typically speaking, suit must be filed in the county where the accident took place. In such a circumstance, hiring an attrorney that practices in St. Johns County is a huge benefit.

In addition, St. Augustine is one of the largest tourism draws in Florida. Because of this there are many people who live outside of the area or state who may need representation for tourism related accidents including slips, falls, defective stairways, tour bus and trolley accidents, accidents in hotels, and claims against restaurants for foreign objects in food.

There are many cities and towns within St. Johns County. Incorporated cities of St. Johns County include St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Marineland, Hastings, and unincorporated townships including Ponte Vedra Beach, Crescent Beach, Switzerland, Fruit Cove, Julington Creek Plantation, Vilano Beach, and Nocatee. St. Johns County is part of the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan area and is one of the highest income counties in the country due largely to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach.

The county seat is St. Augustine, known as the "Nation's Oldest City," and was founded in September 1565 by Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a Spanish explorer and admiral. Not surprisingly, St. Augustine's economic base is tourism and attracts visitors to its heritage, historical sites, restaurants, shopping, and recreation.

One of the biggest attractions in St. Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the nation. The fort was built in 1672, when Florida was part of the Spanish empire. In 1763, when Florida was under British control, the fort was renamed Fort St. Mark. The Treaty of Paris transferred Florida back to Spain and it was not until 1821 when Florida was ceded to the United States that the fort was named Fort Marion. Its original name, Castillo de San Marcos, was restored in 1942. Every year, two million visitors tour the fort to learn of its rich historical significance.

Other popular tourist attractions include St. George Street, known for its quaint shops, Spanish colonial era buildings and historic homes. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and the famous Fountain of Youth are also popular attractions.

Elsewhere in the county, the economy is based on agriculture, industry and housing for nearby Jacksonville, Florida. The county is considered one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The population in St. Johns County's grew 54.3% in the last 10 years, while Florida's growth rate was 17.6%.

St. Johns County is in the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. The circuit also serves Putnam, Flagler and Volusia counties. The Seventh Judicial Circuit is one of 20 in Florida. There are 27 circuit court judges in the Seventh Judicial Court. The courthouse for St. Johns County is located in St. Augustine at 4010 Lewis Speedway.

Our firm handles claims throughout St. Johns County including auto accidents, insurance claims, business disputes, slip and falls, premises liability, defective product claims and nursing home negligence.

The Lawrence Law Group's offices are convenient to residents in St. Johns County. Our St. Augustine Office is in 2225 Florida A1A #C-16 and our main office is in downtown Jacksonville at 1301 Riverplace Blvd #1630. We are always happy to meet at your home or a nearby location for your convenience.

The following jury verdicts were rendered in St. Johns County. These verdicts are not representative of typical cases, rather, they are considered "notable" because of the large damage awards. These cases were not handled by The Lawrence Law Group, P.A. For cases handled by The Lawrence Law Group, P.A., please see our "Firm News" section and our Google reviews.

$5,231,963.00 Awarded for Car Versus Pedestrian Accident at St. Augustine Hotel - July 28, 2011

While exiting a hotel in St. Augustine, a pedestrian was struck by a car. The defendant, a valet driver, failed to place a customer's car in "park" when he got out of the vehicle. When the car started to reverse, the valet driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake and struck the pedestrian, who suffered severe pelvic injuries requiring penile surgery, lost wages and loss of the ability to earn future wages.

$2,554,484.00 Verdict for Woman Injured in Car Accident - September 12, 2008

A woman suffered injuries to her neck requiring surgery after a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. She sued her automobile insurer for uninsured motorist coverage benefits.

$175,000 Verdict for Fall at St. Augustine Restaurant - February 4, 2009

A patron at a St. Augustine restaurant fell from an outside deck in an area missing a handrail. The patron suffered personal injury, including a fractured hip.