Personal Injury Lawyer Serving St. Petersburg, Florida
Contact me today for your free consultation!
Personal Injury Lawyer Serving St. Petersburg, Florida
Contact me today for your free consultation!
Injured in St. Pete? You Deserve a Lawyer Who Will Fight for You.
When an accident happens, everything changes fast. You are dealing with pain, medical appointments, missed work, and an insurance company that is already looking for ways to pay you as little as possible. That is not a fight you should have to take on alone. At the law office of Martin J. Hernandez, P.A., we have spent more than two decades standing up for injured people throughout the Tampa Bay area, and we are proud to serve the St. Petersburg community. If you or someone you love has been seriously hurt because of someone else’s carelessness, do not wait. Call us today at 813-755-9500 for a free consultation.
About St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is the fifth largest city in Florida and one of the most recognizable communities in all of Tampa Bay. Home to more than 267,000 residents in Pinellas County, St. Pete has built a well-earned reputation as a place where people genuinely want to live. From the waterfront arts district and the Salvador Dali Museum to the Pier, Tropicana Field, and miles of beaches just a short drive away, the city draws visitors and new residents in equal measure.
What often gets overlooked in the conversation about how great St. Pete has become is just how much pressure that growth puts on the roads. Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in all of Florida, and St. Petersburg sits right at its heart. The same congestion that makes rush hour on I-275 so frustrating is also what makes serious traffic accidents a daily reality for the people who live and work here. Behind every crash statistic is a real person, a real family, and a situation that no one planned for.
Why St. Petersburg Roads Are So Dangerous
Pinellas County recorded more than 14,000 traffic crashes in a single recent year, resulting in roughly 115 fatalities and close to 10,000 injuries annually. St. Petersburg accounts for a substantial portion of those numbers. Several specific corridors in the city have developed a reputation as consistent trouble spots.
US 19 has been the most dangerous road in St. Petersburg for years running. Three of the city’s six most hazardous intersections cross US 19, and a stretch of the road between 54th Avenue North and Queensboro Avenue South has recorded dozens of fatalities over recent years. Pedestrians are especially vulnerable along this corridor, with half of US 19 fatalities involving people on foot.
38th Avenue North is one of the most dangerous east-west routes in the city, connecting US 92, I-275, and US 19. It has been the site of repeated fatal and serious injury crashes, with motorists bearing the greatest share of those fatalities.
I-275 is the backbone of Pinellas County’s highway system and carries enormous volumes of traffic every day, including commercial trucks, rideshare vehicles, and tourists unfamiliar with local traffic patterns. Merge zones and the Howard Frankland and Sunshine Skyway approaches see crashes with serious regularity.
34th Street North and Central Avenue and other heavily trafficked intersections through downtown and midtown St. Pete round out the picture of a road network under pressure from a city that keeps growing.
The presence of a large pedestrian and cycling population, a high rate of tourism traffic, and one of Florida’s oldest driver demographics all compound the risk. When something goes wrong on these roads, the consequences can be life-changing.
Personal Injury Cases We Handle for St. Petersburg Residents
Every accident is its own situation, and every client we work with comes to us with a different story. What does not change is the way we approach each case: thoroughly, aggressively, and with a genuine commitment to recovering the maximum possible compensation. We handle a broad range of personal injury cases for St. Petersburg and Pinellas County residents, including:
Why Choose Martin J. Hernandez, P.A.?
Martin Hernandez has been practicing personal injury law since 2001 and is one of a very small number of attorneys in Florida who has taken more than 100 cases all the way to a jury trial. That matters in ways that go beyond any statistic. Insurance companies know who actually tries cases and who settles everything to avoid a courtroom. When they know your lawyer is the kind who walks into court ready to go, negotiations look very different.
When you hire Martin, you will meet the lawyer you hire. You are not going to get handed off to a paralegal or a case manager. You get direct access to your attorney, and your calls get returned.
Here is what that commitment looks like in practice:
No Fee Unless We Win. Our firm handles personal injury cases on contingency. You owe us nothing unless and until we recover compensation for you. There are no upfront costs and no bills along the way.
Trial Ready from Day One. We build every case as though it is going to a jury, because sometimes it does. That preparation is also what gives us the leverage to negotiate settlements that actually reflect what your case is worth.
You Will Always Know Where Things Stand. We communicate clearly and consistently. You will never be left wondering what is happening with your case.
Aggressive and Respected. Martin has spent more than two decades building a track record of fighting hard for clients while maintaining the professional standing that courts, opposing counsel, and insurers take seriously.
A Lawyer Who Actually Cares. Martin began his career in public service because he believed in fighting for people who needed a voice. That has not changed. Long after cases close, he maintains genuine relationships with the people he has represented.
What Compensation Can You Recover After an Accident in St. Petersburg?
Florida law allows injured accident victims to pursue both economic and non-economic damages. Depending on the facts of your case, your recoverable compensation may include:
Past and future medical expenses. Lost wages and reduced earning capacity. Pain and suffering. Emotional distress. Property damage. Future rehabilitation or long-term care costs.
The value of your case depends on several factors, including the severity of your injuries, how clearly liability falls on the other party, what insurance coverage is available, and the quality of the evidence gathered on your behalf. The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner we can start building the strongest possible record for your case.
Do Not Wait to Call a St. Petersburg Personal Injury Lawyer
Florida gives most accident victims a limited amount of time to bring a personal injury claim. For incidents that occurred on or after March 24, 2023, the general statute of limitations is two years. Claims involving government entities can have even shorter notice requirements. Missing that window can mean losing your right to any compensation at all, no matter how strong your case might have been.
Evidence fades. Witnesses move on. The sooner a lawyer gets involved, the better position you are in. Call Martin J. Hernandez, P.A. today at 813-755-9500, text us, or send us an email to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation. We serve St. Petersburg and all of Pinellas County from our local office, and we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Frequently Asked Questions: Personal Injury Claims in St. Petersburg, FL
If another driver’s negligence caused your accident and you suffered real injuries as a result, you likely have a claim worth pursuing. The best way to know for certain is to call for a free case review. We will look at what happened, explain your rights honestly, and tell you where things stand.
For most cases involving incidents that occurred on or after March 24, 2023, the statute of limitations is two years. Wrongful death cases and claims against government entities operate under different rules and can have much shorter deadlines. Do not assume you have time to spare. Contact a lawyer right away.
Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured motorists in the entire country. If the at-fault driver has no coverage or not enough coverage, we look to your own uninsured motorist policy and explore every other available source of compensation, including other potentially liable parties.
Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee arrangement, which means our fee is a percentage of the compensation we recover for you. If we do not win your case, you do not owe us anything. Everything is explained clearly in writing before we begin.
Call 911 and get medical care immediately, even if you do not feel seriously hurt. Photograph the scene, the vehicles, and any visible injuries. Collect the other driver’s insurance and contact information. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before you have spoken with an attorney. Then call us.
Florida follows modified comparative negligence. If you were partially at fault, your compensation can be reduced by your percentage of responsibility. However, if you were more than 50 percent at fault, you may be barred from recovering anything at all. That is exactly why having a lawyer who knows how to fight fault arguments matters so much.
Serving St. Petersburg and All of Pinellas County
Our St. Petersburg office serves clients throughout Pinellas County and the surrounding Tampa Bay region, including Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Gulfport, Seminole, Safety Harbor, and communities up and down the Pinellas peninsula. No matter where your accident happened in the area, if you were hurt because of someone else’s negligence, we want to hear from you.
We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.