Tampa Bay Injury Attorney Blog

Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota Counties Whittel & Melton, LLC

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.

November 6, 2024

News: Injuries reported in Tampa crash, emergency response

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – A Tampa police officer was responding to an emergency call in the Robles Park area and crashed into a gray SUV, leading both the officer and SUV driver to suffer injuries Tuesday.

WTSP said the events unfolded before 2:30 p.m. in the vicinity of North Tampa Street and Woodlawn Avenue. The officer was responding to an incident that involved a man carrying a stick and threatening to harm people in the process. Just as the officer was driving and on his way to try and mitigate the situation, that’s when he struck the SUV.

The impact caused the SUV to overturn, and the officer and SUV motorist were taken to the emergency room.

November 5, 2024

News: At least 1 seriously hurt in Tampa tanker, pickup truck wreck

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – At least one person sustained a serious injury in a collision between a tanker truck and a pickup truck Tuesday.

ABC Action News said this crash occurred at the North 22nd Street and Selmon Expressway connector. While the details behind this wreck are unclear, a photo from WFTS suggests that the driver of the white pickup truck hit the big truck as it was turning left or right. The impact then caused the pickup to get trapped underneath.

Tampa Police shut down the area for the investigation and scene clearance period and reopened the area before 9 a.m.

November 4, 2024

News: Red light runner wreck in Bradenton ends in arrest, death

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

BRADENTON, FL – A 25-year-old man driving a Nissan Altima while allegedly impaired ran a red light and then hit another vehicle, ending in his arrest and a woman’s death Saturday.

At around 10:40 p.m., the DUI driver, identified as Cesar Navarrete, struck the second vehicle, a Chevrolet Equinox, turning onto northbound 43rd Street West from Cortez Road, according to ABC Action News.

The Chevrolet driver, a 36-year-old man, sustained non-life-threatening wounds, while an ambulance driver took the Chevrolet passenger, a 37-year-old woman, identified as Sara Holmes, to a trauma center, where she succumbed to deadly wounds.

November 1, 2024

News: St. Pete crews clear nearly 400K of debris after Helene, Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – City of St. Petersburg crews have been hard at work in restoring the city, having cleared nearly 400,000 thousand cubic yards of debris following hurricanes Helene and Milton.

According to WMNF, there is one million cubic yards of debris that needs to be cleared. To date, officials removed a third of the debris, flood-ruined drywall and flooring, and plant and tree debris.

Debris clearance numbers change daily. Our news team will continue to provide updates as new developments come to light.

October 31, 2024

News: Boy hospitalized after Patrol car, dirt bike wreck in Sarasota

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SARASOTA, FL – An 8-year-old boy riding a dirt bike was hospitalized for serious wounds after colliding with a police officer’s car on Monday, WFLA reports.

This crash happened around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of 22nd Street and Maple Avenue. Upon arrival, first responders rushed the boy to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. There he had undergone surgery and is recovering.

The police officer was unharmed and was put on “restricted administrative duty” during the investigation period.

October 30, 2024

News: Driver’s, passengers’ lives claimed in fiery Manatee Co. crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MANATEE COUNTY, FL – Two passengers and a pickup truck driver died when they crashed their vehicle into a pole, causing the truck to catch fire Wednesday.

This solo collision occurred after 3:15 a.m. at the I-275 South off-ramp leading to I-75 South, Fox 13 News reports. Florida Highway Patrol declared the occupants deceased at the scene and is working to determine the contributing factors behind this wreck.

Traffic was at a standstill temporarily as authorities pursued their investigation and as crews cleared crash debris.

October 29, 2024

News: Pickup truck fatally strikes male pedestrian in Tampa

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – A Hispanic man in his mid-50s was sent to a hospital in critical condition, where he passed away after getting hit by a pickup truck while walking Monday.

Tampa Police told WFLA that the events unfolded when the male pedestrian was crossing West Hillsborough Avenue and North Lois Avenue outside of the marked crosswalk and was hit by a white Ford F350.

Officers said the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Crews did shut down the intersection and have reopened it. No additional information, which includes the pedestrian’s identity has been disclosed.

October 28, 2024

News: Volunteers help crews with hurricane clean-up in Tampa

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – Tampa residents are stepping up to aid city crews with the hurricane debris clean-up process, as several showed up for a clean-up event hosted by the city this past Saturday.

WFLA said that volunteers spent their time cleaning out homes, removing debris from yards, cutting drywall, and doing other tasks to aid with the recovery process.

Tampa crews have been working around the clock, specifically seven days a week, to try and restore the city back to its original state as part of an initiative from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), which states that cities in Florida must pursue clean up efforts for the first first “90 days or until debris mission is complete.” So help from volunteers, like locals Dmytro Baumann and Lauren Middleton, who have been volunteering for a couple of weekends, have truly streamlined the clean-up procedure.

October 25, 2024

News: St. Pete residents sell homes with flood damage after Millton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Dozens of residents are waiting to sell, or have already sold their homes, despite damage brought on by the flood caused by Hurricane Milton.

A report from 10 Tampa Bay indicates that people who are waiting to sell their homes are anticipating an estimate for how much repairs will cost, and are waiting on claims to process and for crews to clear the debris.

A recent account from Pinellas County’s Resident Damage Assessment for the city of St. Petersburg shows that 65 homes have been destroyed, 770 have received significant damage, 2,412 homes have sustained minor damage, and 1,658 homes have been impacted by Milton.

October 24, 2024

News: ‘Support the 941,’ helps Sarasota businesses after Helene, Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SARASOTA, FL – County officials launched a new campaign called ‘Support the 941,’ in order to help local businesses get back on their feet after hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The process is simple. According to Fox 13 News, all a person has to do is take a picture of the establishment and then use the hashtag “Support the 941,” which will help spread the word about businesses that have reopened since the devastating storms.

Other ways in which locals can help is by signing up for the “Neighborhood Navigator Pass,” which will let them know of any deals or coupons each business is offering.