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.

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 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.

October 23, 2024

News: Over 40,000 Pinellas Co. homes impacted by Helene, Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – According to WFLA, 40,910 homes were either damaged or destroyed by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Pinellas County authorities said 28,350 homes were damaged. To date, 16,803 homes have been significantly damaged, while 268 were completely totaled by Helene.

The number of homes that were completely destroyed by Milton doubles to 446, with damages numbered at 12,560. Recent data from the Pinellas County Damage Assessment report shows that 1,971 of those residential properties saw some significant wreckage.

October 22, 2024

News: GEM helps Tampa residents find relief after Helene, Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) is one organization stepping up to help local Tampa residents recover after hurricanes Helene and Milton.

On Friday, more than 60 semi-trucks went around providing food, water, pet kits in Hillsborough, Sarasota, Taylor, and Levy counties, where residents are still facing power outages and displacement, according to an X post from Global Empowerment Mission and a report from WHSV.

The organization works to provide a wide range of materials that include drywall, doors, and mattresses.

October 21, 2024

News: Helene, Milton cause $884 million in damages in Sarasota, Manatee Counties

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTY, FL – Sarasota and Manatee County officials estimate that Hurricane Helene and Milton caused around $884 million in structural damages.

Sarasota County authorities told the Herald-Turbine they speculate that the aftermath of Helene led to $337.7 million in damages, with Milton racking up $306 million in damages, tallying up a total of nearly $634 million. Manatee County officials said they believe that damages from Milton resulted in over $250 million but did not specify if that included Helene as well. The only cities within Manatee County that don’t currently have damage report numbers are Bradenton, Palmetto, and the three cities on Anna Maria Island: Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, and Holmes Beach.

Both counties, however, are not off the hook yet. All counties in the state of Florida, which include Manatee and Sarasota counties, are expected to see “between $17 billion and $28 billion” in wind and flood losses from Milton, and uninsured property losses are anticipated to only increase “between $21 billion and $34 billion,” according to data from CoreLogic.

October 18, 2024

News: Hurricane debris fire reported in St. Pete Beach

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETE BEACH, FL – A mounting pile of hurricane debris caught on fire at a debris loading site in the area of Egan Park Tuesday night, WFLA reports.

It is unclear what exactly caused the fire, but a nearby resident, identified as Joan Welden, looked out the window and dialed 911 as fast as she could. Fire crews rushed to the scene and immediately extinguished the flames.

While no individuals were harmed in this incident, the growing pile of leftover debris from Hurricane and Milton does pose environmental concerns since pollutants are permitting, and thus also causing risk to residents’ homes and bodies, especially since many of the occupants are older and struggle with respiratory and cardiac disease.

October 17, 2024

News: Tampa crews work 7 days a week to clean up Milton debris

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – There are no days off for Tampa city crews who have to work seven days a week to get the city cleaned up after Hurricane Milton within a three-month span.

According to Fox 13 News, personnel have to clean up an estimated million cubic yards, or the size of “10,000 football fields full of debris,” as Tampa Mayor Jane Castor says.

The 90-day time limit was first prescribed by Governor Ron DeSantis, who then ordered the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) to create an emergency order. The emergency order states that Florida cities are to pursue hurricane cleanup efforts for the first “90 days or until debris mission is complete.”

October 17, 2024

How to Handle Debris from Hurricane Helene and Milton in the Tampa Bay Area

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

In Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, the debris from two hurricanes is piling up, leaving clean up crews racing to get everything picked up in a timely manner.

Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and all the Tampa Bay area are aiming for all storm debris to be cleared within 90 days of Oct. 11, which is the time limit set forth by FEMA for cities to get full reimbursement.

The city of Tampa has already processed 292 tons of debris so far, according to reports. The city and contracted haulers are working around the clock to get the debris removed.

October 16, 2024

News: Tri-Par Estates Mobile Home residents fight for normalcy after Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SARASOTA, FL – The Tri-Par Estates Mobile Home Park residents are among the many who are working to restore their lives to normalcy after the powerful Hurricane Milton.

Images from Fox 13 News show torn-off roofs and numerous twisted panels and windows scattered about following the storm surge, which was said to have been between 8 to 10 feet, according to additional data from The Tallahassee Democrat.

While it’s unclear how many homes in the entire county have been destroyed by Milton, the Tallahassee Democrat declares that 100 homes in Sarasota alone have been hit really hard.