Dunedin, Florida

Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Dunedin, Pinellas County

Representation for Florida accident and injury victims. No recovery, no fee. Costs and expenses may apply. Dunedin personal injury claims often begin on US-19, Alternate 19, and Curlew Road. Florida's 14-day PIP window starts ticking the moment the crash report is written, and we counsel Dunedin clients on the timeline the day they call.

Schedule a consultation Call 813-962-3176

How we approach personal injury matters in Dunedin

Dunedin is a forty minute drive from our Lutz office, and it is one of the Pinellas communities where long established family and property matters drive the work. Dunedin clients' civil and family matters are heard at the Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater, and Gwen Walkowiak's and David Walkowiak's combined experience in family law, real estate, and estate planning cover the matters Dunedin residents most frequently bring to us. Small firm overhead and direct attorney access are the consistent reasons Dunedin clients choose us over larger Pinellas firms.

Pinellas County courts and local practice notes

Pinellas civil cases on personal injury move through Clearwater, and the court there keeps a firm scheduling hand on motion practice.

Directions from Dunedin: From Dunedin, the direct route to our Lutz office is US-19 north to SR-54 east. Plan on 40 to 50 minutes in normal conditions. From downtown Dunedin or the Honeymoon Island area, the drive is 45 to 55 minutes. Virtual and phone consultations are always available.

About our personal injury practice

Personal injury cases are about paying the bills an accident made inevitable. Medical bills, lost wages, long-term care, and the real cost of lost function add up fast, and the person who caused the accident should not be allowed to leave you to absorb the loss. Florida’s laws make that process more complicated than most clients expect, which is the reason to hire counsel early.

Florida’s two-year statute of limitations (post-HB 837)

For accidents on or after March 24, 2023, you have two years from the date of injury to file most negligence-based personal injury claims in Florida. That is the deadline under HB 837, which amended Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(a) and cut the old four-year window in half for auto accidents, slip-and-falls, and other general negligence cases.

For accidents before March 24, 2023, the older four-year rule still controls. Older injuries that were not yet filed when the law changed kept their original four-year deadline under Florida’s savings-clause principles, so the right answer depends on exactly when your accident happened.

Other deadlines that have not changed: medical malpractice is two years from discovery (with a four-year outer limit), wrongful death is two years from the date of death, and claims against the state or a subdivision require earlier notice under sovereign-immunity rules.

Once the statute runs, your claim is gone. Waiting is never the right strategy, especially now that most new claims have half the time they used to.

Florida’s no-fault PIP system

Florida requires every driver to carry $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. After an accident, your own PIP pays first for 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages up to the policy limit, regardless of who caused the crash. That sounds simple until you actually use it.

PIP disputes are a routine part of what we do. Insurance carriers deny, delay, and under-pay PIP benefits, and the rules about medical reviews, examinations under oath, and independent medical exams are a maze for people who haven’t practiced in them.

When you can sue the at-fault driver

Because Florida is no-fault, you can only pursue the at-fault driver directly when your injuries cross a “serious injury threshold”:

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

These determinations are medical, not legal, and they depend entirely on your records and the testimony of treating physicians.

Cases we handle

Automobile accidents
Motorcycle collisions
Truck accidents
Boating wrecks
Premises liability (slip and fall, dog bites, inadequate security)
Wrongful death

What to do right now, if you can

Get medical attention. Your health is the first priority, and contemporaneous medical records are the backbone of any injury claim.
Document the scene. Photographs, witness contact information, vehicle positions.
File a police report. Even for minor accidents.
Notify your own insurance carrier. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance without speaking to a lawyer first.
Call us for a free case evaluation. We will tell you honestly whether you have a claim.

Results depend on the specific facts and circumstances of each case and cannot be guaranteed.

Common questions

Frequently asked about personal injury in Dunedin

Do I have to come to Lutz for a Dunedin personal-injury case?

No. Dunedin clients almost never have to drive to our office. Initial consultations are by phone or video, medical records are collected by our team, and settlement negotiations happen remotely. Most Dunedin PI cases resolve without the client ever stepping into our office.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Florida?

For accidents on or after March 24, 2023, Florida's statute of limitations for most negligence-based personal injury claims is two years from the date of injury (HB 837, Fla. Stat. section 95.11(3)(a)). For accidents before that date, the older four-year rule still applies. Medical malpractice and wrongful death generally run two years. Miss the deadline and your claim is permanently barred, so confirm which rule applies to your specific accident as early as possible.

Florida is a no-fault state. What does that mean for me?

Florida requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) with a minimum of $10,000 in coverage. Your own PIP pays first for medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault. Only when injuries cross a "serious injury threshold" can you pursue the at-fault driver directly.

What counts as a "serious injury" in Florida?

Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death. Your medical records are the core evidence for this.

How much does a personal injury attorney cost?

We handle personal injury matters on a contingency basis. No recovery, no fee. Costs and expenses may apply, and we'll explain exactly what that means during the initial consultation.

What should I do right after an accident?

Call the police, get medical attention, photograph the scene and injuries, get witness contact information, notify your insurance carrier, and do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance without speaking to a lawyer first.

Talk to a personal injury attorney who knows Dunedin.

Schedule a free 30-minute initial consultation. We'll explain your personal injury options plainly and tell you whether we're the right firm.