Accidents caused by other people's negligence are by their very nature, unplanned. It's for this reason that when an accident happens, victims may find themselves bridled with injury, pain and financial losses, not knowing which way to turn.
Being involved in an accident can be one of the most unsettling and devastating times in a person's life. During this time, having a seasoned attorney on your side, looking out for your best interest, can be the difference between becoming whole or struggling with pain and financial loss for years to come. If you are a victim of an accident, who you select as your attorney is the most important decision you need to make.
We are here to help.The Tampa Bay Personal Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton guarantee that our clients receive the personalized attention they deserve. Our first priority is doing everything in our power to fight for full and fair compensation for your injury and loss.
Our Pinellas and Hillsborough County personal injury practice involves every type of injury case-- from serious car or motorcycle accidents to slip and falls to premises liability. The first step we take with our prospective clients is to schedule a free consultation to discuss the facts of the case. Our St. Petersburg Personal Injury Lawyers then will offer advice about options to seek financial recovery following a serious accident, catastrophic injury or the wrongful death of a loved one. We represent clients on injury claims arising from of a wide range of incidents and accidents. Click any area to the left to learn more about the scope of our practice.
If you have been in an accident, we don't think that you should have to suffer unnecessarily just because you were involved in an accident and are awaiting resolution to your case. While we cannot take the pain away, many times, we are able to refer you to Doctors who will treat and manage your pain, even if you don't have health insurance.
We Stand with You.Most importantly, at Whittel & Melton, you can be confident that we will stand behind you and your case. Once we commit to representing you, we will never put you or your claim on the back burner, and we are available by phone 24 hours a day.
We promise to aggressively pursue the parties and insurance companies involved in your case to obtain justice for you and your loved ones. Through financial settlement or trial, we will prepare your case to achieve maximum compensation. You will never be responsible for any attorney's fees unless and until there is a successful financial recovery for your damages. Simply put, we will not be satisfied until you are.
We are proud to help accident victims throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota Counties – including Tampa, Brandon, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida.
Please call us at anytime. We are available 24 hours a day. (813) 221-3200, (727) 823-0000, (866) 608-5529.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Florida Highway Patrol was summoned to a crash with injuries on southbound I-275 at approximately 5:21 p.m. Friday.
Troopers arrived at the scene at 5:41 p.m. Initially at least one lane was blocked. However, all travel lanes have reopened since.
Officials have not specified the exact cause of this collision, said how many vehicles and people were involved, or if anyone was hurt.
TAMPA, FL – Two sustained minor injuries after an Amtrak train collided with their SUV at the East Broadway Avenue and East Tampa Boulevard intersection in the Orient district around 1 p.m. Friday.
WTSP said the SUV occupants, women in their 40s, wore seatbelts when they were struck by the train going 70 mph. Wearing their seatbelts, may in fact, could have been the reason why they only sustained minor injuries. This detail, though, has not been confirmed.
The 169 passengers aboard the train were unharmed.
SARASOTA, FL – A collision near the Palm Aire Country Club in Sarasota injured at least one person Thursday evening, per the Florida Highway Patrol.
This crash happened before 9 p.m. on the 7000 block of Fairway Bend Circle. Troopers have not said how many vehicles were involved, what injuries the victims suffered, or what exactly led up to the crash..
We will endeavor to provide updates as they become available.
TAMPA, FL – A 3-year-old toddler died after being hit by a vehicle in the Town ‘n’ Country district early on Thursday.
This collision occurred near Brennan Circle, according to a press release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to reports of an accident on northbound Sheldon Road near Brennan Circle shortly before 3:30 a.m. Responders rushed the toddler to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he or she was pronounced dead.
PLANT CITY, FL – The driver of a van caused a five-car chain reaction crash on I-4 early Thursday morning which ended in the death of a 52-year-old man..
According to WTSP, this collision took place before 8 a.m. near Thonotosassa Road. A preliminary report from Florida Highway Patrol said that the 22-year-old man driving the van collided with an SUV, which caromed into a dairy van and two other vehicles ahead of it.
The force of this collision caused milk from the dairy van to spill onto the interstate. Firefighters had to pull the driver from the vehicle. Responders also transported a woman to the hospital for unspecified injuries.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is currently working on improving 10 intersections along 4th Street in St. Petersburg in an effort to make the area more walkable for pedestrians and cyclists.
In order to stop drivers from speeding through 4th Street, crews are installing curb bulb-outs, features that narrow the roadways giving pedestrians more space to walk. An FDOT spokesperson said these curb bulb-outs will also help to stop speeding drivers as they will yield more to pedestrians, thus reducing the high number of collisions.
FDOT data shows that from 2015-2019 there were 364 traffic accidents that occurred along 4th Street, 17 of these involved pedestrians.
Also, a part of the project are new signs to make drivers more aware of bicyclists and pedestrians.
A similar project was recently completed on 3rd Street, which prompted city officials to seek the same work on 4th Street. FDOT officials aim to make downtown more walkable than it currently is.
The construction on 4th Street is anticipated to be completely by early next year.
So far in 2023 Pinellas County has seen 522 traffic crashes, resulting in 4 fatalities and 313 injuries, according to reports from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). We are just 26 days into 2023 and the county has seen 17 bicycle crashes, 13 motorcycle collisions, and 17 pedestrian accidents resulting in 3 deaths.
In 2022, Pinellas County had 15,660 traffic crashes resulting in 121 deaths and 9,212 injuries. Bicycle crashes reached 578 resulting in 13 fatalities. Motorcycle crashes reached 435 resulting in 31 deaths. Pedestrian crashes totaled 474 with 36 fatalities.
In 2021, Pinellas County had 16,464 traffic accidents resulting in 158 fatalities and 9,428 injuries. Bicycle crashes reached 546 with 16 deaths and pedestrian accidents totaled 499 with 61 deaths. Continue reading
Since October 2021, Tampa’s Mobility Department has installed more than 100 4-way stop intersections throughout the city to curb the dangers present to drivers and pedestrians.
The latest 4-way intersections are focused around Plant High School. There are stop signs now at Himes Avenue at San Jose Street and W. Barcelona Street as well as one at San Miguel Street and Sterling Avenue at the school’s entrance.
Four-way stops are something that experts say make drivers slow down. This will not only help the schools, but also improve the neighborhoods – as drivers are forced to slow down.
The goal is to put an end to the high number of accidents and traffic deaths in the city of Tampa.
According to the latest crash data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), thus far into 2023 (24 days) Hillsborough County has seen 554 traffic accidents resulting in 3 deaths and 386 injuries. There have been 7 bicycle crashes, 16 motorcycle crashes, and 14 pedestrian accidents. There have been 2 pedestrian fatalities and 1 motorcycle crash fatality. There have been 137 hit and run crashes resulting in 34 injuries.
The FLHSMV report from 2022 shows that Hillsborough County saw 28,290 total traffic accidents resulting in 223 deaths and another 19,250 injuries. There were 476 bicycle accidents resulting in 18 fatalities. 2022 also saw 597 motorcycle crashes resulting in 44 deaths. There were 656 pedestrian accidents resulting in 58 deaths. Hit and run crashes totaled 7,484 resulting in 13 deaths and another 1,870 injuries. Continue reading
The population in Hillsborough County has continued to rise each year, and with that growth, comes more drivers on the roads and unfortunately, more collisions.
In 2022, Hillsborough County saw 28,290 total crashes (including bicycle, motorcycle, pedestrian, and hit and run collisions), according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Total fatalities for 2022 reached 223 and 19,250 injuries from crashes.
So far in 2023, preliminary data shows 554 crashes, with 3 fatalities and another 386 injuries.
Using data from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, All for Transportation compiled a list of the most dangerous intersections in the Tampa Bay area. Three of these intersections on the list have seen more than 900 collisions within the past two years.
Here is the full list:
If Tropical Storm Nicole knocks out your power, you want to make sure that you and your emergency generator are ready.
A portable generator can be your best mechanical friend if you have lost power during a hurricane or storm, but it can also cause serious harm if you do not know what you are doing.
It is critical that you know how to use a generator properly. Here are some tips to help you use a generator safely:
DO:
DON’T:
If you have any power outages or downed power lines in your area, then you can report them to Tampa Electric (TECO) at 1-877-588-1010. You can also report storm debris, fallen trees, and street flooding to the City of Tampa at 1-833-TPA-INFO (872-4636).
There is a plethora of benefits associated with walking, including the physical/health aspect, but also personal, environmental, and social benefits. Walking can lead to more community engagement which can improve local economies and lead to more vibrant and livable areas, and even create cleaner, quieter, and safer streets.
Unfortunately, there were 6,516 pedestrians killed in the United States in 2020. This breaks down to 125 pedestrian deaths a week or 18 pedestrians a day. In 2020, a pedestrian was killed every 81 minutes and injured every 10 minutes.
In 2019, Florida had the second highest number of pedestrian fatalities – 713. California took the top spot with 972 pedestrian deaths and Texas came in third with 649 pedestrian deaths.
The numbers do not lie – pedestrian accident deaths are a huge problem in the U.S. Here are some more key statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
Every person is a pedestrian at some point in time, so it is vital for everyone to understand the rules of the road for pedestrians and drivers. With Daylight Savings Time coming to an end, we will see it getting darker earlier, which only increases the risks for pedestrians. The majority of hit and run pedestrian accidents happen at night or during low-light hours.
Important Safety Reminders for Pedestrians:
Important Safety Reminders for Drivers:
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