Pasco County Personal Injury Lawyer

Armando Personal Injury Law represents people hurt in Pasco County car and truck crashes, falls, and other incidents caused by negligence. We also help families with nursing home neglect and wrongful death claims. If you're unsure who should pay for your injuries or whether an insurance offer is fair, we can help you understand your options.

You can contact us while you are still getting treatment or gathering paperwork. Call (813) 482-0355 or request a free consultation. We serve Pasco residents and visitors from our Tampa and St. Petersburg offices.

Photos showing where each vehicle came to rest, taken before anything is moved, can help show how an intersection crash happened.

Help with your Pasco injury claim

You may have a discharge sheet and an insurance claim number, but no clear answer about what happens next. Start with what you know. Where were you hurt? What treatment have you received? Has anyone asked you to sign something? Those details help us work out which questions need attention first.

If we take your case, our work may include:

• Identifying the people or businesses that may be responsible.
• Seeking available recordings, photographs, witness accounts, and incident records before they are lost.
• Reviewing medical records and obtaining professional opinions when needed to assess future care or lasting limitations.
• Documenting lost income and other losses, then pursuing a settlement or litigation when appropriate.

When responsibility is disputed, the details matter. A driver may say you stopped suddenly; a store may say a spill happened only moments before your fall. Witness accounts, video, and the timing of events can help test those explanations. We also look at whether the medical findings support the connection between the incident and your injuries.

About Armando Personal Injury Law

Attorney Armando Edmiston is a Hillsborough County native and Marine veteran. His legal background includes personal injury and medical malpractice litigation and service as a public defender in Tampa's 13th Judicial Circuit.

The firm's published results include a $900,000 settlement for an injured rideshare driver whose initial offer was $20,000.

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. We evaluate your claim using its own evidence, injuries, and available coverage.

Injury cases we handle

Our Florida personal injury practice includes the following types of claims in Pasco County.

Car and truck accidents

In a car accident claim, we examine fault, available insurance, and the effect of the injuries on your work and daily life. Personal injury protection (PIP) may cover some medical expenses and lost income, subject to eligibility rules and limits.

A truck accident investigation may also involve the carrier's records, maintenance history, cargo, and the driver's work. Whether a crash occurred on I-75, US 301, or a local road, evidence must connect each party's conduct to the injury.

Injuries to motorcyclists and people walking or cycling

A driver's statement that they didn't see someone does not settle who was at fault. For a person struck while walking or cycling, the crossing location, signals, and driver's opportunity to stop may be important. A pedestrian injury claim also requires checking which insurance policies apply.

Motorcycle accident claims raise different coverage questions. We examine the collision itself, including turns and lane changes, rather than treating assumptions about riders as proof.

Falls and unsafe property

After a fall at a store, apartment complex, or other property, we look at the hazard, who controlled the area, and the duty owed to the injured person. Photographs, inspection records, witness accounts, and available video can help establish what happened.

For a slip on a temporary substance, such as a spill in a business, Florida law requires proof that the business knew or should have known of the condition and should have acted. Other property hazards can involve different rules.

Nursing home abuse and neglect

If you are concerned about a resident's fall, pressure injury, or unexplained decline, keep dated notes and copies of communications with the facility. Our nursing home abuse and neglect practice examines care records, staffing evidence, and the facility's response. An injury alone does not establish neglect; the review must address the care provided and what caused the harm.

Wrongful death

After a death, families may need help understanding who can bring a case and which losses the law recognizes. Our wrongful death practice addresses those questions. Under Florida's wrongful death law, the deceased person's personal representative brings the action for eligible survivors and the estate. The available damages depend on the circumstances and each survivor's legal eligibility.

Serving communities throughout Pasco County

We serve New Port Richey, Port Richey, Holiday, Hudson, Trinity, Land O' Lakes, Odessa, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Dade City, and San Antonio. Our offices are in Tampa and St. Petersburg.

You do not have to travel to an office just to ask about getting help. When you arrange a consultation, ask about a home or workplace visit, or an evening or weekend appointment. Tell us if your injuries or work schedule make travel difficult.

Crash reports and courts in Pasco County

Start with the investigating agency shown on your exchange form or incident paperwork. The Pasco Sheriff's Office says Florida Highway Patrol handles most traffic-crash investigations in the county. A city police department or another agency may hold the report in your case.

A crash report and a 911 recording are separate records. The sheriff's office directs requests for 911 calls and radio transmissions to Pasco County Emergency Communications. Knowing which office holds what can save you a misdirected request.

Florida's crash-report law generally restricts access to reports containing personal information for 60 days after the report is filed. People involved and their legal representatives are among those eligible for access during that period, subject to statutory requirements. Reports must be completed and processed before release, and some reports and statements are subject to limits on their use in court.

Pasco belongs to the Sixth Judicial Circuit. The court directory lists the West Pasco Judicial Center at 7530 Little Road in New Port Richey and the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center at 38053 Live Oak Avenue in Dade City. The proper filing location depends on the claim and parties.

Deadlines and compensation under Florida law

How long you have to file a lawsuit

Most ordinary Florida negligence claims have a two-year filing period under section 95.11. The 2023 transition law applies the shortened period to claims accruing after its March 24, 2023 effective date. Earlier claims require separate review.

Wrongful death, nursing home, medical negligence, and government claims can have different rules about when time starts, exceptions, or notice before suit. Reporting an insurance claim does not satisfy a lawsuit deadline. Have the incident date and type of claim reviewed promptly.

What happens if you share fault?

For negligence actions governed by section 768.81, being more than 50% responsible for your own harm bars recovery. At exactly 50%, damages are reduced rather than barred. The statutory bar does not apply to medical-negligence actions under Chapter 766. An insurer's allegation of fault is not a final decision.

What compensation may include

Depending on the claim and evidence, compensation may include medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning ability, and pain and suffering where the law allows it. The amount printed on a medical bill does not necessarily establish what you can recover.

Section 768.0427 governs evidence and recovery of medical expenses. It distinguishes paid bills, unpaid charges, and future care. We review those records alongside the injury's effect on your life when evaluating a claim or settlement offer.

Common questions about Pasco injury claims

What will we discuss during the free consultation?

We will talk about how you were hurt, your treatment so far, and any contact you've had with an insurer or the business involved. You can ask whether the facts may support a claim and what the next steps would involve. If you have an offer or a document to sign, mention it.

Do I need all my records before calling?

No. The incident date and location are a useful starting point. Bring photos, insurance letters, and the names of your medical providers if you have them. For a nursing home concern, dated notes about changes in your loved one's condition and conversations with staff can help explain what happened. You do not need a complete file to have an initial conversation.

How are attorney fees handled?

The consultation is free. We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so the attorney's fee depends on a recovery. Before hiring the firm, you receive a written agreement explaining the fee and how case expenses are handled. Ask about anything you do not understand before signing.

What does PIP pay after a car crash?

Florida personal injury protection (PIP) generally pays 80% of eligible medical expenses and 60% of eligible lost income, subject to policy terms and statutory limits. Initial qualifying care must occur within 14 days after the crash for medical benefits.

The medical-benefit limit depends on an emergency-medical-condition determination:

• A qualifying provider's determination that you have an emergency medical condition allows medical reimbursement up to $10,000.
• A determination that you do not have an emergency medical condition limits medical benefits to $2,500.

The general combined limit for medical and disability benefits is $10,000. Section 627.736 explains the requirements. Our Florida car accident guide covers additional questions about PIP benefits and uninsured drivers.

When can a car crash claim include pain and suffering?

Where Florida's motor-vehicle injury threshold applies, the injury must fit at least one of these categories:

• Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function.
• Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or disfigurement.
• Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement.
• Death.

Medical bills exceeding PIP limits alone do not meet this threshold. The medical evidence must support the qualifying injury.

Should I give an insurer a recorded statement?

You are generally not required to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. Seek advice before discussing disputed details or signing a settlement release. Your own policy may require cooperation, so notify your insurer promptly and review those duties before responding to its requests.

Talk with our team about your injury

If you were injured or lost a loved one in Pasco County, call (813) 482-0355 or request a free consultation. You don't need to know what your case is worth before you call. Tell us what happened, what the insurer has said, and what is worrying you now. We can start there.

About the Author

Attorney Armando Edmiston is the founder of  Armando Personal Injury Law in Tampa and St. Pete, Florida. A U.S. Marine veteran, Hillsborough County native, and ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist, he represents Floridians in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases.