Work Zone Crashes on I-95 and I-295: Documenting a Possible Concussion in Jacksonville Crash Files
Northeast Florida drivers spend a lot of time in work zones, from the I-95/I-295 North interchange to the coming Southside widening. Work-zone crashes bring sudden stops, lane shifts and more parties, and a possible concussion is easy to lose in the file. What a careful record looks like.
Who this is for: Written for personal injury attorneys, paralegals and case managers handling construction-zone and lane-closure crash files from Jacksonville, Orange Park, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach and the rest of Northeast Florida.
A client is rear-ended at night where cones squeeze I-295 down to one lane near the I-95 North interchange. Another brakes hard for a sudden lane shift on I-95 and is pushed into a barrier wall. A third is clipped on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park while merging around a utility crew. Each client feels rattled but "okay," declines transport and goes home. These are hypothetical examples.
Weeks later, the same clients describe headaches, slowed thinking at work and trouble with the glare of oncoming headlights on the Dames Point Bridge. By then, the early record says very little about the head. This article is educational and is not legal or medical advice.
Key takeaways
- 16,900 people were affected in Florida work-zone crashes in 2024; about three in four were coded as no injury (FLHSMV).
- FDOT’s I-95/I-295 North Interchange project has run since 2016, with completion expected in early 2027.
- Some concussion symptoms may not appear for hours or days, so scene injury codes often miss them (CDC).
- Duval, Clay and Nassau are in the Fourth Judicial Circuit; St. Johns is in the Seventh (s. 26.021).
Why work zones matter in Northeast Florida
Construction is part of the daily commute here. The Florida Department of Transportation's I-95/I-295 North Interchange project in Duval County began in November 2016, is expected to finish in early 2027, and has brought collector-distributor lanes, a Cole Road bridge replacement and recurring nighttime lane and ramp closures. First Coast News reported on Oct. 29, 2026 that FDOT plans to widen I-95 from six to 10 lanes between I-295 and Butler Boulevard, including a diverging diamond at Baymeadows Road.
Florida's 2024 Traffic Crash Facts report counts 16,900 people affected in work-zone crashes statewide: 62 killed, 237 with incapacitating injuries, 1,288 with non-incapacitating injuries and 2,883 with possible injuries. Another 12,430, roughly three in four, were coded as having no injury. That code reflects what was visible at the scene, not what a client reports a week later.
Across all crash types in 2024, Duval County recorded 23,013 crashes and 15,480 injuries, St. Johns County 3,652 crashes and 1,909 injuries, Clay County 2,637 crashes and 1,689 injuries, and Nassau County 1,134 crashes and 691 injuries.
The crash report records what was visible at the scene. A concussion often shows itself later.
Why the head injury gets lost in these files
- Work-zone crashes often involve chain reactions, barrier walls and several vehicles, so attention goes to sorting out who hit whom.
- Many happen during overnight closures, when clients are tired and want to get home.
- Neck and back pain get documented first, while headaches, sleep, memory, focus and light sensitivity go unasked.
- The CDC notes that some concussion symptoms may not appear for hours or days, and that a person may not recognize or admit problems.
Follow-up gaps are common even outside these files. In the TRACK-TBI study of adults seen in Level I trauma center emergency departments for mild TBI, only 44% reported seeing a physician or other practitioner within 3 months, and only 42% reported receiving TBI educational material at discharge.
Statute points, for orientation only
Work-zone files can bring in more parties than a typical two-car crash. Section 337.195 limits a road contractor's liability when it complied with the contract documents material to the condition that caused the crash, with exceptions that include a latent condition the contractor created or a failure to follow the traffic control plans. The same section creates a presumption about impaired drivers in construction-zone crashes.
When a state agency or local government may be involved, section 768.28 sets limits on recovery and requires written notice of the claim within 3 years. Section 627.736 ties personal injury protection medical benefits to initial care within 14 days after a crash. Duval, Clay and Nassau counties are in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and St. Johns County is in the Seventh, under section 26.021. Counsel should confirm how these provisions apply to a specific case.
Record details worth noticing
- Whether the client remembers the moment of impact or has a gap around it.
- EMS or police notes that say "refused transport" without describing whether the client seemed dazed, slowed or repetitive.
- A walk-in visit days later that addresses pain but not cognitive symptoms.
- No standardized, dated measure of brain function after the crash.
A concussion does not require a loss of consciousness. See why a concussion can happen without losing consciousness and how follow-up gaps show up in crash files.
Where testing fits
Testing decisions belong to the client's treating provider. When that provider decides testing makes sense, Braintree's mobile team performs concussion and TBI testing at the provider's office in Jacksonville, Orange Park, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach and nearby communities, with scheduling coordinated through the provider. Results come back as physician-reviewed diagnostic reports. The report goes to a neurologist ahead of the neuro evaluation, and the referring provider then receives a copy to guide advanced imaging and treatment recommendations.
Learn more about concussion and TBI testing, see mobile testing in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, or check recent local crashes on the Northeast Florida Crash Map. Clients can read what to expect as a patient.
Frequently asked questions
How many people are affected in Florida work-zone crashes?
FLHSMV's 2024 Traffic Crash Facts report counts 16,900 people affected in work-zone crashes statewide, including 62 deaths and 4,408 people with injuries ranging from possible to incapacitating.
Why might a work-zone crash report say no injury when the client later has symptoms?
Injury codes reflect what was seen at the scene. The CDC notes that some concussion symptoms may not appear for hours or days, and people may not recognize or admit problems right away.
Which judicial circuits cover Jacksonville and Northeast Florida?
Under Florida Statutes section 26.021, Duval, Clay and Nassau counties are in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and St. Johns County is in the Seventh. Counsel should confirm venue for a specific case.
Does Florida law treat road contractors differently in work-zone crashes?
Section 337.195 limits a contractor's liability when it complied with the material contract documents, with listed exceptions. Counsel should review the statute and the facts of each case.
Can Braintree test clients in Northeast Florida?
When a client's treating provider decides testing makes sense, Braintree's mobile team tests at that provider's office and returns physician-reviewed diagnostic reports. Scheduling is coordinated with the provider.
Sources
- FLHSMV: Florida Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report 2024
- Florida Department of Transportation, NEFL Roads: I-95/I-295 North Interchange Operational Improvements Project
- First Coast News: I-95 to expand to 10 lanes on Jacksonville's Southside (Oct. 29, 2026)
- Seabury SA et al. Assessment of follow-up care after emergency department presentation for mild traumatic brain injury and concussion: results from the TRACK-TBI study. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(1):e180210
- CDC: Symptoms of mild TBI and concussion (including danger signs)
- Florida Statutes s. 337.195 (2026): Limits on liability (road construction and maintenance)
- Florida Statutes s. 768.28 (2026): Waiver of sovereign immunity in tort actions
- Florida Statutes s. 627.736 (2026): Required personal injury protection benefits
- Florida Statutes s. 26.021 (2026): Judicial circuits
- Florida Department of Health: Florida trauma centers
Photo credits: Fuller Warren Bridge, Jacksonville, by Jonathan Zander (Digon3), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Duval County Courthouse, by PicoOrdinalo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
This article is educational and is not medical or legal advice. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.
