Personal Injury Attorney in Florida | The Reyes Firm

One careless driver, one unsafe property, one moment that wasn’t your fault, and suddenly you’re hurt, behind on bills, and facing an insurance company that does this every day. A Florida personal injury attorney exists to level that playing field. Here’s what one actually does and how the process works in Florida.

TL;DR — QUICK SUMMARY

• A Florida personal injury attorney helps people who were hurt by someone else’s negligence recover compensation for their injuries, lost income, and suffering.
• Personal injury covers a wide range of cases, from car, truck, and motorcycle crashes to slip-and-falls, wrongful death, and catastrophic injuries like spinal cord and brain trauma.
• Florida is a no-fault state. Your own PIP coverage pays first up to $10,000, and you generally need to meet a serious-injury threshold to pursue the at-fault party for pain and suffering.
• Under Florida Statute § 768.81, your compensation drops with your share of fault, and you recover nothing if you’re found more than 50% at fault.
• You have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit under Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a). Most reputable firms, including The Reyes Firm, work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless they recover for you.

What does a Florida personal injury attorney do?

A Florida personal injury attorney helps people who were hurt by someone else’s negligence get compensated for their injuries. That’s the core purpose: to give an injured person an advocate whose only priority is their interests, not the insurance company’s.

In practice, that means investigating how the injury happened, gathering medical and other evidence, identifying who is responsible, dealing with insurers and their adjusters, valuing the full extent of the harm, and negotiating or litigating for a fair recovery. Most people don’t know what their claim is worth or what deadlines apply, and an attorney closes that knowledge gap.

The injuries that lead people to a personal injury attorney range widely, from traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and fractures to soft-tissue injuries and everything in between. What they share is that someone else’s carelessness caused harm that the injured person shouldn’t have to pay for.

⚠️ Deadline Warning: Under Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a), you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that deadline and you usually lose the right to recover anything. The sooner you talk to a lawyer, the easier it is to preserve evidence.

What types of cases do Florida personal injury attorneys handle?

Personal injury law covers any situation where someone is harmed by another party’s negligence, which is why the case types are so varied. The same legal principles apply whether the harm came from a vehicle, a property owner, or another source.

Common Florida personal injury cases include car accidents, truck and commercial vehicle crashes, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, slip-and-fall and other premises liability claims, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. The most serious of these often become catastrophic injury cases with lifelong consequences.

Each case type has its own evidence, its own insurance considerations, and its own challenges, but all of them turn on proving that another party’s negligence caused your harm.

Watch: Why hire a Florida personal injury attorney?

In this short video, Tampa personal injury attorney Edward Reyes explains how a personal injury attorney levels the playing field against insurance companies after you’ve been hurt.

If you’re not sure whether you have a case, The Reyes Firm offers a free case review to help you understand your rights.

How does Florida law affect your personal injury claim?

Florida law shapes nearly every personal injury claim, starting with the fact that Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state. Under Florida Statute § 627.736, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays up to $10,000 in medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused a crash.

To pursue the at-fault party for pain and suffering in an auto case, your injury generally has to meet a serious-injury threshold. Fault matters too: under Florida Statute § 768.81, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, and you cannot recover at all if you’re found more than 50% responsible.

These rules give insurers tools to reduce or deny claims, which is a large part of why having an attorney matters. A lawyer who knows how Florida applies these statutes can push back on unfair blame and protect the value of your claim.

💡 Did You Know? Because Florida is a no-fault state, your own PIP coverage pays your first $10,000 in medical bills no matter who caused the crash, under Fla. Stat. § 627.736. But PIP rarely covers a serious injury in full, and it never pays for pain and suffering, which is where most disputes begin.

What is your Florida personal injury claim worth?

There is no single number, because the value of a personal injury claim depends on your specific losses. Two people in similar crashes can have very different claims based on the severity of their injuries and how those injuries change their lives.

Claims are generally built from two categories of damages. Economic damages cover measurable losses like medical bills, future treatment, lost wages, and lost earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases of extreme misconduct, punitive damages may also apply, though those are limited.

Insurers often start low, hoping you’ll accept before the full picture of your injuries is clear. A thorough valuation, backed by complete medical documentation, is what supports a fair recovery.

🛡️ Your Rights Under Florida Law: Under Florida Statute § 768.81, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, and you may be barred from recovery if you are found more than 50% responsible for your own harm. An experienced Tampa personal injury lawyer works to challenge unfair blame and keep your percentage of fault as low as the evidence allows.

What are the steps to take after an injury in Florida?

These five steps protect both your health and your claim. The order matters.

1. Get medical care right away. See a doctor the same day if you can, even if you feel okay. Adrenaline masks injury, and a prompt record ties your injuries to the incident. Gaps in treatment are the first thing an insurer attacks.
2. Document everything you can. Photograph the scene, your injuries, and anything that contributed to the harm. Get names and contact information for any witnesses, and keep every bill and report.
3. Report the incident, but be careful what you say. Notify the right parties, such as police or a property owner, but stick to facts. Don’t speculate about fault or downplay your injuries.
4. Don’t give a recorded statement or accept a quick offer. Adjusters move fast to settle low. You’re not required to give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney, and once you sign a release you can’t ask for more.
5. Call The Reyes Firm for a free case review. A Tampa personal injury attorney can evaluate your claim, handle the insurers, and protect your deadlines. Call 833-4 BAD DAY to get started.

How The Reyes Firm handles your Florida personal injury case

When you’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence, life splits into before and after. The party who caused your harm already has professionals protecting them. We make sure you have someone protecting you.

When we take on a Florida personal injury case, we typically:

• Investigate how the injury happened, gathering the police report, medical records, photos, witness accounts, and expert opinions needed to prove negligence
• Identify every responsible party, including drivers, property owners, employers, and any insurer that may owe coverage
• Take over all communication with the insurance companies, so you stop fielding pressure calls and recorded-statement requests designed to reduce your claim
• Calculate your full damages, covering past and future medical care, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and the real impact the injury has had on your life
• Prepare every case as if it will go to trial, because insurers settle far more fairly when they know we’re ready to file suit and see it through

No lawyer can promise an outcome. What we can promise is that we treat your case as what it is: a serious matter for you and your family, not a file to be processed and closed. We work on a contingency fee basis, explain every step in plain language, and keep you in the loop.

Frequently asked questions about Florida personal injury attorneys

What is considered a personal injury case in Florida?

A personal injury case arises when someone is harmed because of another party’s negligence. That includes car, truck, and motorcycle crashes, slip-and-falls and other premises liability claims, wrongful death, and catastrophic injuries like spinal cord and brain trauma.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Florida?

Under Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a), you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Some claims have different deadlines, so it’s best to talk to a lawyer early.

Do I really need a lawyer for a personal injury claim?

You’re not required to have one, but insurers are experienced at minimizing payouts, and most people don’t know what their claim is worth or what deadlines apply. An attorney levels the playing field and typically improves the outcome, especially in serious cases.

How much does it cost to hire The Reyes Firm?

The Reyes Firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing up front and nothing at all unless we recover compensation for you. The case review is free, so there’s no risk in finding out where you stand.

What if I was partly at fault for what happened?

Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, you can still recover if you were partly at fault, but your compensation is reduced by your share, and you recover nothing if you’re more than 50% responsible. Insurers often exaggerate your role, which is why having an advocate matters.

What kinds of compensation can I recover?

Compensation generally includes economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases of extreme misconduct, limited punitive damages may also apply.

What should I do right after an injury in Florida?

Get medical care promptly, document the scene and your injuries, report the incident factually, and avoid giving a recorded statement or accepting a quick settlement before speaking with an attorney. These steps protect both your health and your claim.

Does The Reyes Firm only handle cases in Tampa?

The Reyes Firm is based in Tampa and serves clients throughout Hillsborough County and surrounding Florida communities, including Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, and Marion counties.

About the Attorney

Edward Reyes, Esq.

Edward Reyes, Esq. is a Florida Bar-admitted personal injury attorney and the founder of The Reyes Firm in Tampa, Florida. His practice focuses on serious injury and wrongful death cases arising from commercial vehicle crashes, including delivery truck accidents involving FedEx, UPS, Amazon, and other carriers. Edward Reyes, Esq. represents injured Floridians in Tampa and throughout Hillsborough County on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay nothing unless the firm recovers compensation for them.
Read more about Edward Reyes.