Car Accident Attorneys in St. Petersburg, Florida

1. Emerson Straw PL

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, premises liability, product liability

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, Uber and rideshare accidents, catastrophic injury cases, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims

Background: Matthew D. Emerson has practiced law since 1993 after graduating cum laude from Stetson University College of Law. Florida Bar No. 998461. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Before representing plaintiffs, he worked as an associate attorney defending insurance companies including State Farm, Geico, and Travelers Insurance, providing him with valuable insight into how insurers assess and value claims. Co-founder Wesley T. Straw is also a member of the Florida Bar and the St. Petersburg Bar Association.

Location: 1101 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

Contact: (727) 821-1500 | (877) 428-4177 | https://emersonstraw.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee basis (no fee unless they recover compensation)

2. St. Petersburg Personal Injury Attorneys McQuaid and Douglas (Battaglia, Ross, Dicus and McQuaid, P.A.)

Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, wrongful death, brain injuries, slip and fall injuries, Uber and rideshare accidents, dog bites

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, intersection accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, hit-and-run accidents, uninsured motorist claims, catastrophic injury cases, traumatic brain injuries

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical bill coordination, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, property damage claims

Background: Sean K. McQuaid, Florida Bar No. 311730, graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 2000 with both a Juris Doctor and MBA. He also earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1997 where he served as captain of the baseball team. Sean served as President of the St. Petersburg Bar Association from 2020 to 2021. He is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney, named a Florida Super Lawyer since 2014, and recognized in Florida Trend Legal Elite. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and admitted to the Florida Bar, the Colorado Bar Association, and the District of Columbia Bar. Jonathon W. Douglas began his career as an Assistant Public Defender for the Sixth Judicial Circuit and later worked in insurance defense, providing insight into insurance company litigation tactics.

Location: 5858 Central Ave, Suite A, St. Petersburg, FL 33707 (additional downtown office at 136 4th St N #2233-A, St. Petersburg, FL 33701)

Contact: (727) 381-2300 | https://www.727injury.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee basis

3. Salter, Healy, Rivera and Heptner

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, DUI accidents, premises liability, slip and fall accidents, dog bites, wrongful death, medical malpractice, boat accidents

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, side-impact crashes, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries

Background: Brad Salter, Florida Bar No. 90123, is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar. He was the youngest board-certified civil trial lawyer in the state at the time he was first certified. Graduated from University of Texas School of Law in 1996, admitted to Florida Bar in 1996 and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida in 1998. He previously worked defending insurance companies before transitioning to representing injured plaintiffs. Robert J. Healy is also a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer. The firm has more than 60 years of combined legal experience and includes former insurance defense attorneys who understand insurance company tactics. Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Location: 2601 1st Avenue S., St. Petersburg, Florida 33712 (additional offices in Tampa, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Tallahassee)

Contact: (727) 321-4357 | https://www.salterhealy.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee basis, available 24/7

4. Jeeves Law Group

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, dog bites, slip and fall accidents, premises liability

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, intersection accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, commercial trucking accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, catastrophic injury cases

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, evidence gathering, medical record collection, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims

Background: The firm has years of experience handling complex personal injury cases in the Tampa Bay area. Attorneys are members of the Florida Bar and specialize in personal injury litigation. The firm handles all aspects of the legal process including investigation, negotiation with insurance companies, and courtroom representation when necessary.

Location: 2100 1st Ave S, Ste 2, St. Petersburg, FL 33712 (additional Tampa office at 701 S. Howard Ave. Suite 201, Tampa, FL 33606)

Contact: (727) 894-2929 | https://www.jeeveslawgroup.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available, contingency fee basis

5. John R. Mathias, P.A.

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall accidents, premises liability, wrongful death

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, intersection accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, property damage claims, medical expense recovery, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims

Background: John R. Mathias has been practicing law since 1988 and has helped clients recover millions of dollars in compensation for injuries. He began his legal career working for insurance companies, which provides him with valuable insider perspective on how insurers assess and value claims. Licensed in Florida and admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Member of the St. Petersburg Bar Association with decades of experience representing injury victims throughout St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and South Florida.

Location: St. Petersburg, Florida (by appointment)

Contact: (727) 362-2122 | https://www.mathiaslawfirm.com/

Consultation: Free consultation available

Seat Belts, PIP Timing and Scene Duties for St. Petersburg Car Crash Claims

After a St. Petersburg car crash, the timing of the first medical visit can decide what PIP pays, and the seat belt statute decides how a missing belt may be used in court. The other driver’s duties at the scene are set by a separate statute.

The 14-Day Window

Under Florida Statutes 627.736(1)(a), PIP medical benefits pay 80 percent of reasonable expenses for medically necessary services if the injured person receives initial services and care within 14 days after the motor vehicle accident. Disability benefits under (1)(b) pay 60 percent of lost gross income, and reimbursement is limited to $2,500 if a listed provider determines there was no emergency medical condition.

Seat Belts

Florida Statutes 316.614(4) makes it unlawful to operate a motor vehicle unless the operator is restrained by a safety belt and each passenger and operator under 18 is restrained, and (5) covers front-seat passengers 18 or older. Under (10), a violation is not negligence per se and may not be considered in mitigation of damages, but may be considered as evidence of comparative negligence.

Duties at the Scene

Florida Statutes 316.062(1) requires a driver in a crash resulting in injury or death to give name, address and registration number, to exhibit a license on request, and to render reasonable assistance, including carrying or arranging to carry an injured person for treatment when it is apparent treatment is needed or the person asks.

The Fault Bar

Under Florida Statutes 768.81(6), a party greater than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may not recover. For example, imagine $100,000 in damages and 20 percent of the fault on the injured driver: the recovery would be $80,000.

St. Petersburg Car Accident Questions

How long do I have to sue?

Two years under Florida Statutes 95.11(5)(a) for an action founded on negligence, and two years under 95.11(5)(e) for wrongful death. Against a public entity, an injury claim is presented in writing within 3 years after accrual under 768.28(6)(a), and suit is due within 4 years under (14).

Can I recover if the driver who hit me had no insurance?

Yes, through your own policy if it carries uninsured motorist coverage. Florida Statutes 627.727(1) requires that coverage in a bodily injury liability policy unless the named insured rejects it in writing for all insureds.

When is pain and suffering recoverable against a driver with PIP security?

Under Florida Statutes 627.737(2), only if the injury includes significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability other than scarring or disfigurement, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death.