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A Seminole personal injury attorney represents people hurt by someone else's negligence in Seminole and the rest of Pinellas County, handling the insurance claim, the evidence and, if it comes to it, the lawsuit. Neal & Solevilla is a Clearwater firm led by two Board Certified Civil Trial attorneys, roughly 15 minutes from Seminole up Belcher Road. There's no fee unless we recover money for you.
What Seminole clients most often ask us
Seminole is a small city wrapped around two of the busiest roads in mid-Pinellas, and that shapes the cases we see.
Park Boulevard east of Seminole Boulevard carries about 53,000 vehicles a day, and Seminole Boulevard north of Park runs at roughly 41,500, according to the Florida Department of Transportation's 2024 traffic counts for Pinellas County. Bryan Dairy Road west of 66th Street North sits at 52,500.
Those aren't just volume numbers. Forward Pinellas, the county's transportation planning agency, names Park Boulevard among the handful of corridors where the county's most serious crashes cluster. Its Safe Streets Pinellas collision assessment found that more than 60 percent of crashes that killed or seriously injured someone happened on less than 10 percent of the county's roads, and it lists Park Boulevard by name. The agency's blunter summary: on average, two people are killed or severely injured on Pinellas County roads every day. Seminole Boulevard sits on the same High Injury Network, in a segment studied between Ulmerton Road and 8th Avenue SE, just north of the Seminole city limits.
Two things about Seminole in particular are worth knowing. A third of the city's residents are 65 or older, 33.5 percent according to the US Census Bureau, which matters because the same collision produces worse injuries in an older body and insurers routinely argue the opposite. And the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, whose first five-mile section opened in 1990 running from Taylor Park in Largo into Seminole, now draws an average of 160,000 users a month across its 65 miles. Countywide, bicyclist crashes climbed 23.6 percent between 2023 and 2024, from 652 to 806, per the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles 2024 crash report. Pedestrian crashes held at 481, with 32 deaths.
Where the ambulance takes you affects your claim, because the records from that first visit become the backbone of the medical evidence.
For a severe trauma, you'll likely be taken further. The only state-designated adult trauma centre in Pinellas County is Orlando Health Bayfront in St. Petersburg, a Level II, with Johns Hopkins All Children's handling paediatric trauma. Tampa General across the bay is the region's only Level I.
One deadline catches people out. Florida's no-fault system pays up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits, but only if you get initial care within 14 days of the crash. Miss that window and your own PIP coverage pays nothing. And if a doctor determines you didn't have an emergency medical condition, the payout is capped at $2,500 rather than $10,000 (Fla. Stat. § 627.736). Most sites mention the $10,000 and stop there.
While our office is located in Clearwater, we regularly represent clients throughout Seminole, Largo, Pinellas Park, Madeira Beach, and surrounding Pinellas County communities.
If traveling to our office is difficult due to your injuries, we can schedule consultations by phone or virtual meeting for your convenience.
Insurance companies often move quickly after an accident, and not always in ways that benefit the injured person.
At Neal & Solevilla, we step in early to handle communication with insurers and protect your interests, ensuring nothing is said or signed that could negatively impact your claim.
Many personal injury cases begin by filing a claim against an insurance policy, such as:
Although insurance coverage exists, insurers often attempt to minimize settlements or shift blame. Our Seminole personal injury attorneys work to hold negligent parties accountable and pursue fair compensation for your injuries.
If a lawsuit becomes necessary, your case is filed with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court and heard in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Pinellas and Pasco. The civil filing office is at the Clearwater Courthouse, 315 Court Street. Claims worth more than $50,000 are circuit civil matters; those between $8,000 and $50,000 go to county civil (Fla. Stat. § 34.01). Most cases never get that far, but knowing where the file would land is part of knowing what your claim is actually worth.
Every personal injury case is unique, but most follow a similar process. Here is a general overview of what to expect when working with our Seminole personal injury lawyers:
Throughout the process, our legal team keeps you informed while handling the complex legal work behind the scenes.
Personal injury claims are not about financial gain; they are about ensuring victims are not forced to carry the financial burden of someone else’s negligence.
The impact of an accident can affect many areas of life:
Our attorneys pursue compensation that reflects the full impact of your injury, not just immediate medical bills.
Clients in Seminole and throughout Pinellas County may be entitled to various types of compensation.
One rule shapes the value of nearly every Florida claim. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6), a person found more than 50 percent at fault for their own harm recovers nothing at all. Below that line, your award is reduced by your share of the blame. This is exactly why insurance adjusters push so hard, so early, to get you on record saying something that shifts fault onto you. Medical negligence claims under chapter 766 are carved out of that bar.
Some cases settle in a few months, while others take longer if a lawsuit is necessary. The timeline depends on the severity of injuries, evidence, and insurance negotiations. As a rough guide: a straightforward claim with clear liability and completed treatment often resolves in three to nine months. A case that has to be filed and litigated commonly runs 18 months or more. We won't push you to settle before your doctors know what your recovery actually looks like, because that number is impossible to value until then.
In most cases, Florida law gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That two-year deadline applies to negligence claims arising on or after 24 March 2023, when HB 837 cut it from four years. If your injury happened before that date, the older four-year period may still apply, which is worth checking rather than assuming. Certain situations may have shorter deadlines, so speaking with a Seminole personal injury attorney early helps ensure your claim is filed on time.
Our personal injury lawyers in Seminole work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs. Your attorney is only paid if your case results in a settlement or verdict, making legal representation accessible after an accident.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible, and within 14 days at the latest, or your own PIP coverage pays nothing toward your treatment, report the accident, and document the scene with photos or witness information if you can. Keeping records of medical treatment and speaking with a Seminole personal injury attorney can help protect your claim. Crashes inside Seminole city limits are usually worked by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, and you can request the report through the Sheriff or the responding agency once it's filed.
While filing a claim on your own is possible, a personal injury lawyer can handle communication with insurance companies, gather evidence, and negotiate for fair compensation. Legal guidance can make the process easier while you focus on recovery. The practical test is whether anyone is disputing fault, whether you needed more than a single visit's treatment, or whether the offer on the table would leave you paying for care yourself. If any of those apply, get advice before you sign anything.
Personal injury attorneys in Seminole commonly handle cases involving car accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck accidents, bicycle accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, premises liability, and wrongful death claims.
With the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and heard in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. The civil filing office is at the Clearwater Courthouse, 315 Court Street, Clearwater. Claims over $50,000 are circuit civil; $8,000 to $50,000 is county civil.
You can still recover, provided you're not found more than 50 percent responsible. Past that point Florida law bars recovery entirely (Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6)). Below it, your compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of fault. Fault is argued, not fixed, which is why what you say to an adjuster in the first week matters so much.
Waiting too long after an accident can weaken your case. Evidence may disappear, witnesses may become difficult to locate, and insurance companies may gain leverage.
If you were injured in Seminole, the attorneys at Neal & Solevilla are ready to help protect your rights and guide you through the legal process. You don’t have to face this alone.
