1. Farah & Farah
Focus Area: Motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation
Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation, slip and fall accidents, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, premises liability
Background: Family-founded firm with over 40 years of experience serving Florida communities. The firm has recovered over $2 billion in damages for clients and maintains multiple offices throughout Florida. Attorneys are recognized for their negotiation skills and trial preparation.
Location: Tallahassee, FL (with additional Florida offices)
Contact: https://farahandfarah.com/tallahassee/
Consultation: Free initial consultation; contingency fee basis with no cost unless the case is won
2. Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney & Hobbs, P.A.
Focus Area: Serious personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death
Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home injuries, negligent security, defective product injuries, wrongful death, premises liability
Background: Established in 1987 with over 35 years of history in Tallahassee. The firm has handled more than 10,000 cases, and attorneys possess over 100 years of combined experience. All attorneys graduated from Florida State University College of Law and are deeply connected to the local legal community.
Location: 909 East Park Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301
Contact: (850) 222-2000 | https://www.toomuchatstake.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation; contingency fee basis
3. Fonvielle Lewis Messer & McConnaughhay
Focus Area: Personal injury law exclusively, with four board-certified expert partners
Practice Areas: Auto accidents, truck accidents, airplane crashes, motorcycle crashes, bicycle crashes, pedestrian injuries, boating accidents, defective products, insurance bad faith, nursing home neglect, wrongful death
Background: The firm is the only personal injury practice in the Tallahassee area with four Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyers. Partners have a combined total of more than 100 years of legal experience. Partner David Fonvielle served on Governor’s “Legal Dream Team” in the landmark Big Tobacco lawsuit. The firm is licensed in both Florida and Georgia.
Location: 3375 Capital Circle NE, Suite A, Tallahassee, FL 32308
Contact: (850) 422-7773 | https://www.wrongfullyinjured.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation; contingency fee structure
4. Scott & Wallace LLP
Focus Area: Motor vehicle accidents, workers’ compensation, wrongful death
Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, workers’ compensation, wrongful death, premises liability
Background: The firm serves as the Official Law Firm of the Florida State Seminoles. Attorneys have served thousands of clients with a focus on personal interaction, attention to detail, and consistent communication. The firm is rooted in Tallahassee and the Florida State University community.
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Contact: https://scottandwallacelaw.com
Consultation: Free case evaluation; contingency fee basis with no fees unless the case is won
5. Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A.
Focus Area: Catastrophic accidents, complex litigation, medical malpractice
Practice Areas: Aviation disasters, medical malpractice, railroad disasters, trucking accidents, unsafe products, vehicle defects, wrongful death
Background: Over 45 years of experience representing injured clients. The firm is one of the oldest existing injury law firms in the Southeastern United States and maintains offices in West Palm Beach, Tampa, and Tallahassee. The firm has earned recognition on the 2025 “Best Law Firms” list for professional excellence.
Location: Towle House, 517 North Calhoun Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301
Contact: (800) 780-8607 | https://www.searcylaw.com/tallahassee/
Consultation: Available 24/7; free case evaluation
Personal Injury Laws in Florida
Statute of Limitations
Florida significantly changed its personal injury statute of limitations effective March 24, 2023. The current deadlines are:
General negligence claims (including car accidents, slip and falls): Two years from the date of injury for accidents occurring on or after March 24, 2023
Claims that arose before March 24, 2023: Four years from the date of injury (the previous statute)
Wrongful death: Two years from the date of death under the Florida Wrongful Death Act
Medical malpractice: Two years from discovery of the injury, with an absolute four-year statute of repose from the date of the medical error
Product liability: Four-year statute of repose applies
The discovery rule may extend filing deadlines in cases where injuries were not immediately apparent.
Negligence Rules
Florida transitioned from pure comparative negligence to modified comparative negligence in 2023 under House Bill 837. The current rules provide:
Injured parties can recover damages only if they are 50% or less at fault
If found more than 50% at fault, the injured party is barred from any recovery
Damages are reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of fault
For example, if a plaintiff has $100,000 in damages and is found 30% at fault, recovery would be reduced to $70,000. If found 51% at fault, recovery would be zero.
Damage Caps
Florida does not impose caps on compensatory damages in most personal injury cases, with specific exceptions:
Claims against government entities are subject to sovereign immunity caps
Medical malpractice: Non-economic damages are capped at $500,000 for most cases
Punitive damages: Capped at three times compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater. Medical malpractice punitive damages are capped at $500,000 against medical providers or $750,000 against non-practitioners such as hospitals.
Auto Insurance Requirements
Florida operates as a no-fault insurance state with the following minimum requirements:
$10,000 Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage
$10,000 Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage
Florida does not require bodily injury liability insurance, though it is strongly recommended. PIP coverage pays 80% of reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 regardless of fault. To seek compensation from an at-fault driver beyond PIP coverage, injuries must meet Florida’s serious injury threshold, which includes:
Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function
Permanent injury within reasonable medical probability
Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
Death
Note: Florida’s legislature has considered repealing the no-fault system and replacing it with mandatory bodily injury liability coverage. Any such changes would significantly alter insurance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Florida’s 2023 tort reform law change my rights after an accident in Tallahassee?
House Bill 837, signed in March 2023, made significant changes to Florida personal injury law. The statute of limitations was reduced from four years to two years for negligence-based claims. Florida also switched from pure comparative negligence to modified comparative negligence, meaning you cannot recover any damages if you are found more than 50% at fault. If you were injured before March 24, 2023, the previous four-year statute and pure comparative negligence rules may still apply to your case.
What is the serious injury threshold I must meet to sue an at-fault driver in Florida?
Florida’s no-fault insurance system requires you to first seek compensation through your own PIP insurance. To pursue a liability claim against the at-fault driver for additional damages including pain and suffering, your injuries must meet statutory thresholds. These include significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury within reasonable medical probability, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death. Without meeting one of these thresholds, you are limited to PIP benefits and cannot sue the at-fault driver.
Why is Florida’s PIP coverage limit still $10,000 when medical costs have increased dramatically?
The $10,000 PIP minimum has remained unchanged since the 1970s and is widely criticized as inadequate for modern medical costs. Legislative efforts to reform or repeal the no-fault system and increase coverage requirements have been debated for years. Until any changes are enacted, Florida drivers remain required to carry only $10,000 in PIP. Many insurance professionals recommend purchasing additional coverage such as bodily injury liability, medical payments coverage, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to provide adequate protection.
Are there different procedures for filing injury claims against Florida State University or other government entities in Tallahassee?
Yes. Claims against government entities in Florida follow different procedures than claims against private parties. You must first file a formal notice of claim with the appropriate agency, which then has 180 days to investigate and respond. If the claim is denied or the agency fails to respond, you may proceed with a lawsuit. Government entities also have sovereign immunity protections that cap damage recovery. Given the unique procedural requirements and shorter timeframes, consulting with an attorney experienced in government claims is important.
What damages can family members recover in a Florida wrongful death case?
Florida’s Wrongful Death Act allows surviving family members to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical and funeral expenses, lost income and benefits the deceased would have provided, and loss of support and services. Non-economic damages may include pain and suffering of survivors, loss of companionship and guidance, and mental anguish. The personal representative of the estate must bring the wrongful death action on behalf of eligible survivors within two years of the date of death.