Avon Park Personal Injury Lawyers

Jason Herman is an insurance claim lawyer who represents policyholders against their insurance companies. He handles claims and lawsuits involving property damage insurance claims. Jason also provides clients with insurance advice, represents insureds at examinations under oath, and litigates declaratory judgment actions involving whether coverage is owed under liability insurance policies.

David Pittman is a personal injury lawyer in Southwest Florida. Having personal experience with the after-affects of an injury, Mr. Pittman knows the financial and emotional toll an accident can have on an individual and their family. He has pursued excellence his whole life, graduating on the Honor Committee at The Citadel, Military College, and now, as a member of the Multi-million Dollar Advocates Forum. Attorney Pittman has successfully represented clients for car accident injuries, class action cases, B.P. Oil Spill Claims, defective products, and many other injury claims. If you or a loved one has been injured because of...

Paul A. Meissner was born in New York and moved to Florida with his family as a child. He is a graduate of Clearwater High School. He co-founded the Carlson & Meissner law firm with Edward Carlson in 1971. Paul and his wife Jayne have five children & thirteen grandchildren. They enjoy boating and traveling. In the past, Paul and Jayne have traveled extensively by motorcycle.

I have been serving clients in Personal Injury and Social Security Disability related matters for over 23 years. As a senior partner at the Law Offices of Russo & Russo, I have vast experience in dealing with various personal injury cases involving slip and fall accidents, motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, brain injuries, wrongful death accidents, accidents involving children, and all other kinds of injuries suffered by individuals as a result of the negligence of others. I understand the longterm physical and financial consequences that result from these kinds of accidents, and I am fully committed to providing my clients...

Tracee L. Ivins graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. After graduation she worked for the State of Florida as a certified investigator, before deciding to pursue a law degree. As an attorney Ms. Ivins has handled files from inception all the way to a jury verdict. Her experience has included claims involving serious bodily injury, product liability injury and wrongful death arising from auto accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, negligent security, motorcycle and tractor trailer accidents.

Lawsuits including Negligence, Breach of Contract, Negligent Entrustment, Uninsured Motorist Insurance Claims, Under-Insured Motorists Insurance disputes, Wrongful Death, Bad...

Born in Miami, James L. O'Leary ("Jim") is a native Floridian. Jim attended the University of Florida and studied Political Science. While at the University, Jim served in numerous leadership positions and was ultimately awarded the coveted membership in the Florida Blue Key. He then went on to attend Stetson University College of Law and graduated Cum Laude earning his Juris Doctorate degree. While at Stetson he was also awarded first place in Stetson's nationally ranked #1 Trial Team by winning the statewide mock trial competition sponsored by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. After working at a large personal...

Michael D. Cerasa was born and raised in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He relocated to Central Florida following his graduation from The Florida State University College of Law. Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer and member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Michael is sought out by clients nationwide for his expertise in handling a wide range of Plaintiffs injury, product liability and insurance claims. Michael’s approach to the representation of his clients is aggressive, but measured. He takes his role as both attorney, and as counselor, seriously. “My duty to my clients is to diligently fight for their best interests above all...

Sekou Clarke was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, where his discipline and athletic ability earned him a full athletic scholarship to the University of Florida (UF). While at UF he was Team Captain, ten-time All-American and helped the Gators to two national titles in Track and Field. Sekou graduated with a B.S. in Tourism and Hospitality Management and earned All SEC and Academic Honor Roll Honors.

After graduating from UF he competed professionally and represented Jamaica internationally competing in over 15 countries worldwide. During this time, he earned his MBA in Marketing from St. Leo University.

Sekou was urged and inspired at...

Providing quality legal representation for family law clients and offers fair, flat fee pricing in addition to hourly billing options. Attorney Lauren Wages is an experienced litigation attorney who focuses her work exclusively on family related legal issues including complex divorce litigation. Wages received her Juris Doctor (cum laude) in 2011. Since graduating from law school, Wages has represented businesses and individuals in a variety of civil disputes and litigated complex issues. Wages has been practicing in the Tampa Bay area for over a decade. Wages represents clients in dissolutions of marriage, custody disputes, paternity and domestic violence matters.

Attorney Dana Brooks has a diverse background in the legal and mental health fields, as she works as both a paralegal, certified family law mediator, and mental health counselor, among other professions. The day she was sworn in to the State Bar in 2008, she was named a partner at the law firm of Fasig | Brooks. She is well-known throughout Florida for her knowledge and dedication, having appeared on radio and in print as well as being honored by many of the country’s most prestigious legal honors. She is a skilled advocate and a proud member of her local...

Matt DeBoard is a Senior Partner with Barrister Law Firm. Raised in the Orlando area, Mr. DeBoard earned his high school degree from Oak Ridge High School and later went on to American University in Washington, D.C. where he completed a double-major curriculum in both Physics and Communications. Mr. DeBoard earned his law degree from Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando, where he achieved the highest grade of anyone in his class in both his Constitutional Law II and Trademark Seminar law classes.

Mr. DeBoard has decades of experience in both the real estate and mortgage businesses. Prior to...

David Haenel protects the rights of the accused. His firm,The Law Place, has offices in Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, and Clearwater but they represent people throughout the State of Florida. David is the former 2004 State of Florida DUI Prosecutor of the Year and has spent his entire legal career representing individuals charged with traffic and criminal traffic violations. David and his team of lawyers are relentless in their legal representation and are not satisfied until they have exhausted all possible defenses.

Attorney Hillary Johnson is a former prosecutor who brings experience and exceptional legal knowledge to each case she tries. She holds a degree in communication from Florida State University and Juris Doctor from the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. While she was in law school, Ms. Johnson completed an internship with the State Attorney’s Office in Panama City. After graduation, she worked as an attorney with Florida’s Department of Children and Families before accepting a position at the State Attorney’s Office in Manatee County and Sarasota. It was while she was at the...

Jeffrey S. Kaufman was born in Miami, Florida and he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 1991 from Florida State University. He also obtained a second Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications from the University of Florida in 1993. Mr. Kaufman went on to attend law school at The University of Tulsa where he completed his Juris Doctorate in 1996. He is currently licensed to practice law in Florida and seventeen other states including: Oklahoma, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Texas, Michigan, Maryland, New York, Washington, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, Connecticut, Ohio, West Virginia, Arizona, and Minnesota.

Founded in 1994, our firm has been providing effective, affordable, and often untraditional legal solutions to our clients over the last 26 years.

Attorney Martin B. Schwartz specializes in processing family immigration petitions, applications for permanent residence, U.S. Citizenship, and visas; in addition to removal defense and criminal defense. Martin has successfully represented foreign nationals and family members for the past 26 years and has filed Habeas Corpus actions before District Courts and direct federal appeals. The Law Offices of Martin Schwartz also handle personal injury, auto accident, traffic, DUI, and family cases with compassion.

Martin is a...

Jack T. Cook is a managing partner of Morgan & Morgan’s Birth Injury Trial Group. He received his undergraduate degree from University of North Carolina Wilmington, a graduate degree from University of Central Florida Orlando, and his Juris Doctorate from Florida A&M University College of Law. Mr. Cook began his career in the United States Marine Corps before turning to law. Prior to joining Morgan & Morgan, he earned acclaim and recognition as a skilled litigator and trial lawyer in both medical malpractice and birth injury litigation. Mr. Cook formerly represented the interests of physicians, physician groups, and hospitals, but...

After graduating from Harvard, I chose to attend Stetson University, the number one law school for trial advocacy in the country. I was on Stetson’s Law Review, and I also earned a Master’s of Business Administration from Stetson’s School of Business. I worked as a teaching assistant for pretrial practice while in law school, and I began clerking at a prominent law firm in the Tampa area. After law school, I jumped right into trial practice and began handling employment law and personal injury cases. I tried my first jury trial within my first year of graduating law school...

Born and raised in Tampa, Drew attended Tampa Preparatory High School and then graduated from New College of Florida, The State’s Honors College, in Sarasota. During Law School at the University of Florida, Drew interned as a student law clerk for both State and Federal Judges in Tampa and worked as a certified legal intern at the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office.

At the State, Drew was able to conduct voir dire (jury selection) and prosecute criminal jury trials before he graduated from law school. It was during this later experience that he came to understand the invaluable...

Scott R. McMillen has been successfully handling medical malpractice cases for many years. He started his legal career as a hospital attorney, but for over 30 years, he has been exclusively representing patients and their families. He received his Doctor of Law degree from Emory University and his B.S. in Government from Florida State University. He is licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia. He has been recognized in "Best Lawyers in America" in the area of medical malpractice, rated a "Super Lawyer" by Thomson Reuters, received a "Preeminent Rating" by Martindale-Hubbell, and rated "Superb- 10...

Tampa personal injury attorney James D. Clark focuses his practice on general negligence, medical malpractice, products liability, and mass torts, which include pharmaceutical and medical products. Mr. Clark is a leading Tampa products liability and medical malpractice attorney, and is also the author of the chapter in the Florida Medical Malpractice Handbook entitled “Jury Selection” that is published by the Florida Bar. Notably, Mr. Clark briefed and presented oral argument before the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of a client in 1983. The case resulted in a 9-0 decision in favor of his client that was...

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Justin earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville in 2019 before moving to Orlando to pursue his legal education. He attended Barry University School of Law, where he was an active member of the school’s prestigious Trial Team. Today, Justin gives back to that same program as a coach, helping train and mentor the next generation of trial advocates. Justin joined Wooten, Kimbrough, Damaso & Dennis, P.A. in 2024, bringing with him a strong commitment to client advocacy and community engagement. He is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, including its...

I’ve been practicing law in Florida for over 35 years, always staying true to my own approach. I didn’t build my firm around flashy billboards or high-volume cases. Instead, I built it on results, meaningful relationships, and being there when it truly matters. I started my journey at Tulane, where I played rugby and contributed to the campus newspaper. Later, at Whittier Law School, I worked in an immigration clinic that opened my eyes to how the law impacts people’s lives beyond just policies. That experience shaped the way I handle every case—with clarity, empathy, and a determination to overcome bureaucratic...

Christopher D. Smith received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) and his Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.). A long-time resident of Florida, Mr. Smith also graduated from Pine View School in Sarasota. He is a member of the bars of Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and is admitted to practice in the Middle, Southern and Northern Districts of Florida. Christopher is also certified in consumer bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification.


Christopher started his career with the international law firm of Dechert LLP in 2001, working as an associate in the securities law...

Thomas P. Schmitt is an Expert Personal Injury Trial Specialist Attorney who obtained, among many other tremendous jury verdicts, the second largest motorcycle verdict ever in the state of Florida.

Below, are just a few honorable mentions of Mr. Schmitt’s superior achievements:

National Law Journal’s Top 50 Verdicts of 2014.

National Law Journal’s Top 100 Verdicts of 2014.

Lifetime Membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Lifetime Membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, “The Top Trial Lawyers in America”.

Lifetime Induction into the National Order of Barristers, “for Excellence and High Honors in the Art of Courtroom

Advocacy,” evidences recognition of Mr. Schmitt’s superiority as...

John Collingsworth is a personal injury lawyer in Melbourne, Florida.

Amanda Downing is a partner at The Dellutri Law Group, PA. She joined the firm in 2002 and was made a partner just six years later in 2008. Amanda is a native of Lee County, Florida; in fact, she holds a Florida Pioneer Descendant Certificate, meaning her family settled in Florida before it even became a state. Amanda brings her love for this area and its residents to her practice of personal injury law. She is committed to helping those in need right in her own community. At the firm, she assists clients with complex personal injury cases involving wrongful...

I was born and raised in Marion, Indiana. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Indiana University in 1979 and his Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University in 1982. I was admitted to practice in Florida and before the U.S. District Court, the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. I prosecuted criminal cases including major felonies as an Assistant State Attorney for the 20th Judicial District from 1983 to 1985. Prior to starting my own firm, I was a partner and shareholder in the firm of Wilkins, Frohlich, Jones, Hevia, Russell...

Stephanie Koether is the founder and principal attorney at Koether Law, P.A., a Brandon family law firm helping families in the Bay Area with divorce, child custody and related matters as well as other important legal needs such as personal injury and estate planning. Ms. Koether completed her undergraduate studies at Fordham University in the Bronx, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. These studies have helped Ms. Koether understand the emotional and mental health challenges her clients are going through as they deal with a contested divorce or child custody dispute and other difficult matters. Upon completing her undergraduate degree,...

R. Scott Taylor Jr. is a civil trial attorney who represents car accident victims and individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of another. Before starting his legal career, Mr. Taylor graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in building construction and a master’s degree in management. After graduating from Florida Coastal School of Law, Mr. Taylor worked as an associate for a civil litigation firm in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2014, Mr. Taylor returned to the Treasure Coast and began working as an insurance defense lawyer for a highly respected firm in Stuart, Florida. He gained...

Areas of practice Medical negligence Products liability Premises liability Personal injury Civil litigation Nursing home abuse Education South Texas College of Law, J.D., 2001 Stetson University College of Law, 2000-2001 Loyola University, B.A. Psychology, 1997 Memberships Florida Bar Association Hillsborough County Bar Association American Bar Association Florida Justice Association (formerly Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers) American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America)—Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association

Clay D. Morgan was born and raised in Florida, graduating from Cooper City High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1979, and obtaining his Undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton with concentration in the area of finance. Clay went on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Miami, School of Law in Miami, Florida, graduating in 1987. At University of Miami Law School, Clay concentrated his studies in the area of trial practice. After graduating from the University of Miami, Clay worked for a period of 4 years with the Law Firm of High,...

Desireé Zornow is an experienced Tampa personal injury lawyer at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers, an AV-rated law firm serving clients throughout the Tampa Bay area. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State University, Desireé earned her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law and was admitted to practice law in 2012. She has been fighting for injured and disabled victims ever since. Desireé has a passion for providing exceptional client service and treating her clients like family. She decided to become an attorney after the tragic death of her brother, which motivated her to stand...

Since 1985, Roman & Roman has helped literally thousands of people like you who came to us for help with their legal needs. Although our primary practice area is personal injury law, many of our clients rely on us to resolve their other legal matters as well. With us on your side, you will have a strong, thorough and aggressive advocate to represent your interests. Our one-on-one approach to serving you provides the comfort and confidence you need at this difficult time in your life. Our meticulous planning, preparation and research are necessary to maximize the financial recovery you deserve. Paula...

Attorney Peter Catania co-founded Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers in 1992 to help injury victims get their lives back on track after an accident. He has helped recover over $500 million for individuals and families in Tampa when they needed it most. Mr. Catania graduated from the University of Florida and earned a Doctor of Juris Prudence from Loyola University in 1989. Following law school, he worked as a defense attorney for insurance providers and their clients. This experience gave him crucial insight into the methods insurance companies use to challenge injury claims, minimize claimants’ damages, and shift...

Matthew Sean Tucker is a Registered Patent Attorney holding a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida. Furthermore, Matthew received his J.D. at the University Of Baltimore School Of Law with a dual concentration in intellectual property law and business law. He is also a member of the Florida Bar, and an inventor of several patent pending inventions.

Michael C. Minardi is the Senior Partner at Minardi Law. For over 16 years, Michael has dedicated his practice to fighting for clients charged with cannabis crimes and advocating for cannabis law reform. His passion has driven him to learning and understanding medical cannabis laws in the State of Florida and throughout the country.

Michael’s practice represents clients in corporate cannabis consulting, application preparation, lobbying, forfeiture matters, and criminal matters. He has won many medical cannabis cases, including several landmark high-profile cases in Florida. He won the first and second jury trials in Florida presenting the medical necessity...

Amy Ruiz received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing and International Economics from the University of Florida in 2000. She received her Juris Doctorate from the Florida State College of Law in 2004. While at Florida State, Ms. Ruiz was a member of the Journal of Transnational Law & Policy. She also participated in the Institute on World Legal Problems where she studied Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Innsbruck, in Austria, with Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Antonin Scalia.

Upon graduating law school, Ms. Ruiz, a Tampa native, returned to Tampa and commenced...