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.

December 6, 2024

News: Medical episode leads to fatal wreck in Howard Franklin Bridge

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – A 59-year-old man had suffered a medical episode while driving on the Howard Franklin Bridge, causing him to lose control of his car, ending in a crash that claimed his life Wednesday.

Florida Highway Patrol told WTSP that as soon as the man was experiencing the episode, he crashed into another driver, a 73-year-old woman, a Palm Bay resident, who had stopped in a right center lane, facing southbound. Once the two vehicles collided, the man’s car was thrust into a barrier and came to rest.

Ambulance responders rushed the man, a Palmetto resident, to a local hospital, where he passed away.

December 5, 2024

News: Double jet ski crash in Clearwater Beach claims one life

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CLEARWATER BEACH, FL – Two jet ski operators fell off their boats following a collision near Sand Key Beach, which ended claiming one of their lives Sunday.

This crash happened around 5 p.m. and immediately prompted a response from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the U.S. Coast Guard, and Clearwater Police, BayNews9 reports.

Emergency crews then hurried one of the captains to the local hospital, where they succumbed to fatal wounds, while the surviving operator was left without physical harm.

December 4, 2024

News: Driver dies as train, trash truck catch fire in wreck in Ruskin

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

RUSKIN, FL – A collision between a trash truck and several cargo trains on Old Highway 41 led to a fire, claiming the truck driver’s life Tuesday.

The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue team told ABC Action News that they were summoned to the scene before 12:30 p.m. and managed to cast out the fire half an hour after arriving.

Fire crews confirmed the truck driver passed away at the wreckage site and noted that the truck was hauling sand and the CSX train gravel.

December 3, 2024

News: 2 killed in fiery collision in Venice

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

VENICE, FL – A driver and passenger succumbed to fatal wounds after their vehicle caught on fire after crossing SR-777 South and hitting another vehicle on River Road North Tuesday.

Once the vehicles made contact, the struck automobile then overturned, and that driver suffered serious injuries, ABC Action News reports. Immediately following the crash, the surviving motorist was rushed to a nearby hospital.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol were summoned to the scene, although FHP will be taking the lead on this investigation.

December 2, 2024

News: Rear-end wreck in Seffner claims life of 1-year-old

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SEFFNER, FL – A one-year-old child was rushed to a hospital where they later died after their driver, operating a Toyota RAV4, was rear-ended by a Jeep Cherokee on I-4 Friday.

WFLA said this collision happened before 1:30 a.m., and the impact had also led both drivers and two other children (from the RAV4)— a 3-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl to sustain injuries, all of whom were also hospitalized.

Florida Highway Patrol revealed that the surviving children, the RAV4 driver, a 30-year-old woman from Dundee, an adult RAV passenger, a 34-year-old woman, and the Jeep driver, a 21-year-old woman from Englewood, are all recovering from non-life-threatening wounds.

November 27, 2024

News Update: FHP arrests hit-and-run driver for fatal Wimauma crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WIMAUMA, FL – As of Monday, Florida Highway Patrol has identified and arrested the hit-and-run suspect responsible for fatally hitting a 19-year-old man riding a bicycle.

New details from the Tampa Bay Times indicate that the suspect, 20-year-old Jaquelin Lopez Velasquez from Mulberry, had turned herself in at the Tampa Florida Highway Patrol office on Monday, Nov. 25.

To recap, the crash took place before 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, on eastbound S.R. 674 west of 4th Street. Immediately after the bicycle and Lopez Velasquez’s red Dodge Charger made contact, the cyclist, a man from Guatemala, succumbed to fatal wounds.

November 26, 2024

News Update: Semi, Jeep wreck in Tampa sends woman to hospital

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – Officials confirm that Monday’s semi-truck collision on the I-75 and I-4 interchange ended in a woman getting sent to the hospital.

New details from WTSP show that the semi-truck driver, a 31-year-old man, a Tampa local, was speeding on the I-75 northbound ramp connecting to I-4, making it difficult for him to maintain his lane. As a result, he crashed into a concrete barrier, which led the trailer attached to the semi to unhook, overturn, go off the overpass, and then fall right on top of a moving Jeep traveling on Highway 92 West.

Right after the semi-trailer fell on the Jeep, the Jeep itself sustained significant front-end damage, and the driver, a 61-year-old woman, a Lutz resident, was rushed to the emergency room for serious wounds.

November 25, 2024

News: Crews respond to I-75, I-4 tractor-trailer wreck in Tampa

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – Crews are working to clear the scene of a tractor-trailer collision underneath the I-75 overpass connecting to I-4, WTSP reports.

At 1:30 p.m., crews officially blocked one left lane, and traffic cameras showed crews using a hook-like stabilizing tool to retrieve the truck part.

Authorities who were summoned to the crash site have yet to comment on the specifics behind this wreck, including the number of people involved and any reported injuries or hospitalizations. These details will be provided in an updated news blog post as additional information gets confirmed.

November 22, 2024

News: 55-year-old man killed in motorcycle vs. bus crash in Riverview

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL – A 26-year-old man lost his life Wednesday in Riverview when he collided with a school bus while operating a motorcycle, according to Tampa Bay Times.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the fatal accident took place on a stretch of U.S. 301 at Duncan Road, prompting an emergency response shortly after 4:00 p.m.

An early investigation found that a 43-year-old Brandon resident was driving a Hillsborough school bus when she turned left onto Duncan Road from the highway. The bus was traveling under a flashing yellow turn signal when it was hit by the victim, of Sun City Center, who was operating a Suzuki motorcycle northbound. After striking the bus, the motorcyclist went on to hit a southbound Dodge pickup truck driven by a 55-year-old man from Riverview.

November 21, 2024

News: Gas station clerk run over during Tampa hit-and-run, suspects charged

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TAMPA, FL – A north Tampa gas station clerk suffered major injuries Monday afternoon, November 18, when they were run over by a vehicle while trying to stop a robbery, according to Patch.

The events unfolded at a Shell gas station located at 11302 North Dale Mabry Highway. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the scene shortly after 2:00 p.m.

Preliminary details show that the two suspects, both 24, had parked a vehicle outside the store when one of them went into the business. When that suspect left the store with two soda bottles without paying, the store clerk followed them outside. As the clerk attempted to approach the car, the fleeing suspect held onto her arm before pushing her away. At one point, she lost her balance and was run over by the vehicle as the other suspect drove away from the scene.