Motorcycle accident
Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in Tallahassee, Florida
The firms in this guide
1. Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney and Hobbs P.A.
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death, workers’ compensation
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, rear-end accidents, intersection crashes, drunk driver accidents, distracted driver collisions, wrongful death from motorcycle crashes, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, catastrophic injuries
Legal Services: Free case evaluation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, insurance negotiations, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation
Background: Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney and Hobbs P.A. has served Florida for more than 35 years. The firm has handled more than 10,000 cases, and collectively the attorneys have more than 100 years of legal practice experience. The attorneys are graduates of the Florida State University College of Law and possess in-depth knowledge of Florida’s motor vehicle and insurance laws.
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Contact: https://www.toomuchatstake.com
Consultation: Free case evaluation available, contingency fee arrangement
2. Shapiro Law Firm, P.A.
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, intersection crashes, failure to yield accidents, distracted driver collisions, speeding accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, catastrophic injuries
Legal Services: Free consultation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, insurance negotiations, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation
Background: Paul A. Shapiro has been practicing personal injury law in Tallahassee for over 25 years. The firm has experience handling motorcycle accident cases and understands the unique facts and circumstances of these cases, including the severe injuries often sustained by motorcyclists.
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Contact: (850) 629-7226 | https://www.tallahasseeinjurylawyer.com
Consultation: Free consultation available
3. Akbar Thomas Law Firm, PA
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, premises liability, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, intersection crashes, drunk driver accidents, distracted driver collisions, road hazard accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, incapacitating injuries
Legal Services: Free consultation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, insurance claim analysis, negotiations, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation
Background: Akbar Thomas Law Firm is a Tallahassee-based firm committed to helping North Florida-area clients receive compensation for motorcycle accident injuries. The attorneys are well-versed in Florida’s motor vehicle and insurance laws and skilled at deconstructing motorcycle accident scenes to determine fault. The firm has a working relationship with insurance company representatives and a reputation for successfully securing compensation through courts when necessary.
Location: Tallahassee, FL (serving North Florida)
Contact: https://akbarthomas.com
Consultation: Free consultation available
4. Searcy Denney Tallahassee
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, rear-end accidents, intersection crashes, left-turn accidents, head-on collisions, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, permanent disability cases
Legal Services: Free consultation, accident investigation, evidence collection, insurance negotiations, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation, wrongful death representation
Background: Searcy Denney has experience achieving effective results through negotiation and in court and understands how to fight insurance company tactics. The firm represents motorcycle accident victims throughout the Tallahassee region. In 2024, Florida reported 9,442 motorcycle accidents with 582 deaths, and the firm has experience handling these complex cases.
Location: Towle House, 517 N. Calhoun St., Tallahassee, FL 32301
Contact: (888) 549-7011 | https://www.searcylaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation and case evaluation available, no recovery no fee
5. The Pelham Law Firm
Practice Focus: Personal injury law, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, intersection crashes, negligence accidents, reckless driving crashes, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, road rash injuries, broken bones
Legal Services: Free case evaluation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, insurance negotiations, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering compensation, property damage claims
Background: The Pelham Law Firm has been handling accident cases of all kinds for more than 20 years, including motorcycle accidents. The firm understands that motorcycle victims are more exposed to danger than other vehicles on the roads and works to protect the rights of injured riders.
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Contact: https://www.pelhamlaw.com
Consultation: Free case evaluation available, contingency fee arrangement
Wrongful Death, State Claims and Punitive Damages Rules for Tallahassee Motorcycle Crashes
In Tallahassee, a fatal motorcycle crash or one involving a state vehicle brings in Florida rules that differ from an ordinary injury claim: who recovers for a death, how a claim against the state is presented, and when punitive damages are limited.
Who Recovers for a Death
Under Florida Statutes 768.20, the personal representative brings the action for the survivors and the estate. Section 768.21 lists the survivors’ damages: lost support and services; for a surviving spouse, lost companionship and mental pain and suffering; for minor children, or all children if there is no surviving spouse, lost companionship and mental pain and suffering; for parents of a minor child, mental pain and suffering; and for parents of an adult child, mental pain and suffering if there are no other survivors.
A Claim Against the State
Under Florida Statutes 768.28(5)(a), the state and its agencies are liable as a private person would be, without punitive damages or prejudgment interest and up to $200,000 per person or $300,000 per incident. Under (6)(a), an injury claim goes in writing to the agency and to the Department of Financial Services within 3 years after accrual, and a wrongful death claim to the Department within 2 years; failure to dispose of a claim within 6 months, or 90 days for wrongful death, is deemed a denial.
Punitive Damages Limits
Florida Statutes 768.73(1) limits punitive damages to the greater of three times compensatory damages or $500,000, rises to four times or $2 million where the conduct was motivated solely by unreasonable financial gain and its unreasonably dangerous nature and high likelihood of injury were actually known by a managing agent, director, officer or other policy maker, and sets no cap where the defendant had a specific intent to harm.
Helmets
Florida Statutes 316.211(1) requires securely fastened headgear meeting Federal Motorcycle Vehicle Safety Standard 218, except that under (3)(b) a person over 21 covered by at least $10,000 in motorcycle crash medical benefits may ride without it. Under 627.732(3), the no-fault definition of a motor vehicle requires four or more wheels, which leaves motorcycles outside the PIP requirement.
Tallahassee Motorcycle Accident Questions
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes, unless your share is greater than 50 percent under Florida Statutes 768.81(6). For example, imagine $100,000 in damages and 30 percent of the fault on the rider: the recovery would be $70,000.
How long do I have to sue?
Two years under Florida Statutes 95.11(5)(a) for negligence and 95.11(5)(e) for wrongful death. A suit against the state or an agency is due within 4 years after accrual under 768.28(14), with wrongful death subject to the 95.11(5) limit.
Does my own policy include uninsured motorist coverage?
Yes, if the policy provides bodily injury liability coverage and the named insured did not reject uninsured motorist coverage in writing for all insureds, under Florida Statutes 627.727(1).