Legally Reviewed by Frank P. Marsalisi on July 9, 2026
Every day in Pinellas County, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians are hurt because of someone else’s negligence. A collision on US-19, an impact on Ulmerton Road, or a crash near a busy Clearwater intersection can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and no income while you recover. In that moment, the insurance company on the other side is already working to limit its exposure. The decisions you make in the days and weeks after a vehicle accident can determine whether you recover the full monetary compensation you are owed or settle for far less.
Marsalisi Law serves injured people throughout Pinellas County and the surrounding Tampa Bay area. Frank P. Marsalisi personally handles every case from the first consultation through resolution. He does not pass your file to paralegals or case managers. He is a member of the Florida Bar Association, he works on a contingency fee basis, and he has spent his career fighting for people hurt in car accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck collisions, and other vehicle-related incidents throughout this region.
Time-Sensitive — Florida Law Limits Your Window to File
Under HB 837, most Florida personal injury victims now have just two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, reduced from the previous four-year deadline.
Marsalisi Law takes every case on a contingency fee basis. No upfront cost. No fee unless you recover. Frank P. Marsalisi personally manages your case from start to finish.
Frank P. Marsalisi focuses on vehicle-related personal injury law throughout Pinellas County. Whether the accident involved a distracted driver, an overloaded commercial truck, or a rideshare vehicle, the following case types fall within his practice:
If you are uncertain whether your situation fits within this scope, contact Marsalisi Law for a free evaluation. Frank P. Marsalisi will tell you directly whether he can take your case and what your options are.
To recover monetary compensation after a vehicle accident in Pinellas County, a personal injury claim must establish four legal elements under Florida negligence law.
Every driver on Pinellas County roads has a legal duty to operate their vehicle safely, follow traffic laws, and avoid putting others at risk of harm.
The at-fault party failed to uphold that duty by speeding, running a red light, driving while impaired, texting, or failing to yield to another vehicle or pedestrian.
Their breach directly caused the injuries you suffered. Medical records, accident reports, and documentation all help establish this connection.
You suffered measurable harm, including physical injuries, medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, or other losses Florida law allows you to recover.
Establishing each of these elements requires gathering evidence quickly. Physical evidence degrades. Witnesses become difficult to locate. Security footage gets overwritten. Frank P. Marsalisi begins building your case from the first day so that nothing critical is lost before it can be preserved.
Florida’s 2023 tort reform legislation changed the rules for personal injury victims across the state, and those changes apply directly to claims arising from accidents in Pinellas County.
Under Florida Statute section 95.11, as amended by House Bill 837 (effective March 24, 2023), most personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the date of injury. For wrongful death claims, the two-year clock begins on the date of the victim’s death, not the date of the accident. This replaced the prior four-year rule for all negligence-based claims arising on or after March 24, 2023. A court will dismiss any lawsuit filed after this window closes, regardless of how serious the injuries are or how clear the other party’s fault may be. Two years passes quickly, especially when you are focused on medical treatment and physical recovery.
| Claim Type | Deadline |
| Personal injury — accident on or after March 24, 2023 | 2 years from date of injury |
| Wrongful death | 2 years from date of death |
| Personal injury — accident before March 24, 2023 | 4 years from date of injury |
HB 837 also eliminated Florida’s pure comparative negligence system and replaced it with modified comparative negligence. Under the old rule, a person who was 90 percent at fault could still recover 10 percent of their damages. Under the new rule, which applies to claims arising on or after March 24, 2023, if you are found to be more than 50 percent responsible for your own accident, you are completely barred from recovering any monetary compensation at all. If your share of fault is 50 percent or less, your recovery is reduced by that percentage.
Insurance companies are fully aware of this rule and routinely attempt to shift blame onto injured parties to trigger the 50 percent bar. Frank P. Marsalisi knows how insurers operate and builds every case with this dynamic in mind from the first review of the evidence.
Florida personal injury law allows accident victims to seek monetary compensation for both economic and non-economic losses. The categories below represent the full scope of what Marsalisi Law works to recover on behalf of Pinellas County clients.
| Economic Damages | Non-Economic Damages |
| Emergency medical care and hospitalization | Pain and suffering |
| Ongoing and future medical treatment costs | Emotional distress and mental anguish |
| Physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses | Loss of enjoyment of life |
| Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity | Permanent physical disfigurement or impairment |
| Vehicle and property damage | Loss of consortium (impact on family relationships) |
| Funeral and burial costs (wrongful death claims) | Wrongful death damages for surviving family members |
The actual value of any claim depends on the severity of your injuries, the degree of fault, the available insurance coverage, and the strength of the evidence. Marsalisi Law works every case on a contingency fee basis. No upfront costs, and no attorney fee unless Frank P. Marsalisi recovers monetary compensation for you.
The steps you take in the hours immediately following a vehicle accident can meaningfully affect the outcome of your claim. The following actions are what Frank P. Marsalisi recommends to every accident victim.
Report the accident and request emergency services. A police report creates an official record of the incident that is important for any subsequent insurance claim or legal action.
Visit an emergency room or urgent care facility promptly, even if you feel fine. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and soft tissue injuries do not always produce immediate symptoms. Medical records establish the connection between the accident and your injuries.
Photograph vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Collect contact and insurance information from all drivers involved and from any witnesses present.
Insurance adjusters may contact you within hours and request a recorded statement. You are not required to provide one. Statements made before you have received medical evaluation or legal counsel can be used to minimize your claim. Politely decline and speak with Marsalisi Law first.
The sooner an attorney begins reviewing your case, the better the chance of preserving evidence and building a strong claim. With Florida’s two-year filing deadline under HB 837, time is not a resource you can afford to spend unnecessarily.
Acting promptly after a Pinellas County vehicle accident protects both your physical recovery and your legal rights. Marsalisi Law offers a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation and your options.
Frank P. Marsalisi built Marsalisi Law on a single principle: every client deserves direct, personal representation from the attorney they hired. He personally reviews the evidence, communicates with insurance companies, and prepares every case as if it will go to trial. He does not measure success by the volume of cases settled. He measures it by whether each individual client received the full monetary compensation they were entitled to receive.
Marsalisi Law has recovered multiple six-figure results for car accident and motorcycle accident victims throughout the Tampa Bay region, including clients from communities across Pinellas County such as Clearwater, Largo, and Palm Harbor. Every case is taken on a contingency fee basis. No costs upfront and no attorney fee unless Frank P. Marsalisi recovers for you.
The following questions address the concerns that Pinellas County accident victims raise most often when they first contact Marsalisi Law.
Under Florida Statute section 95.11, as amended by HB 837, most personal injury victims have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, the two-year deadline begins on the date of death, not the date of the accident. If your accident occurred before March 24, 2023, the prior four-year deadline may still apply. Missing this window permanently eliminates your right to seek monetary compensation through the courts, regardless of how strong your claim may be. Contact Marsalisi Law as soon as possible to confirm which deadline applies to your situation.
Potentially, yes, but Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule imposes a strict 50 percent bar. If you are found to be more than 50 percent at fault for the accident, you are barred from recovering any monetary compensation at all. If your share of fault is 50 percent or less, your recovery is reduced proportionally by that percentage. Insurance companies routinely argue that injured victims share greater fault than they actually do. Having Frank P. Marsalisi managing your case from the beginning helps establish the facts clearly and protect your right to recover.
Marsalisi Law takes personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront fees, no retainer, and no out-of-pocket costs. You owe no attorney fee unless Frank P. Marsalisi recovers monetary compensation on your behalf. This arrangement means that any Pinellas County resident, regardless of their financial situation, can access the same quality of representation that well-funded clients receive. The initial consultation is free and carries no obligation.
Florida requires drivers to carry a minimum level of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, but many drivers operate without adequate coverage. If the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, your own policy’s uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may be the primary source of available monetary compensation. Marsalisi Law handles UM and UIM claims throughout Pinellas County and can evaluate your policy and options at no cost during an initial consultation.
No, not before speaking with a personal injury lawyer. The other party’s insurance company is not on your side. Their adjusters are trained to gather statements and information that can be used to minimize or deny your claim. Even a well-intentioned statement made while you are still recovering from injuries can hurt your case later. Contact Marsalisi Law first. Frank P. Marsalisi will handle all communications with the insurance company on your behalf so that your rights are protected from the very first contact.
Frank P. Marsalisi is a member of the Florida Bar Association who has spent his career fighting for vehicle accident victims throughout Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area. He brings direct, personal involvement to every case, not case volume or settlement targets, but the outcome each individual client actually deserves. Marsalisi Law has helped car accident and motorcycle accident victims recover significant monetary compensation across St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, and communities throughout the county.
If you were injured in a vehicle accident in Pinellas County, do not wait. The two-year filing deadline begins on the day of the accident. Complete our contact form to request a free, no-obligation consultation with Frank P. Marsalisi. Marsalisi Law is Where Law Gets Personal!
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