Injury and wrongful death lawyer for Pinellas County
Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in Florida, home to about 950,000 residents. Pinellas packs about 950,000 residents, plus a steady stream of visitors, onto a narrow peninsula, and that density shows up on its roads and in its courts. The same tourism that fills Clearwater Beach and the Gulf beaches also fills resorts, hotels, and pools, where falls and negligent security injuries happen. I take on the crash reconstruction, the medical proof, and the insurers and their hired experts the same way I take apart the State’s evidence in a criminal case.
I am Rory Safir, and I represent injured people and grieving families across Pinellas County, in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. I began my career as an Assistant Public Defender in Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, trying cases and cross-examining witnesses constantly, and I bring that same courtroom work to injury cases, against the insurance companies and the experts they hire. I represent injured people, not insurers, I handle each case personally, and the first consultation is free. Learn more about my background.
The roads and the crashes in Pinellas County
US-19, Interstate 275, and Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard carry the heaviest traffic in Pinellas, and the Gandy, Howard Frankland, and Sunshine Skyway bridges add high-speed crossings over the water. Fourth Street North, 34th Street, and the beach approach roads see steady local crashes, and because the county is so densely built and so walkable, pedestrians and cyclists make up a large share of the most serious cases.
Care and records after a Pinellas County crash
Serious injuries in Pinellas are often treated at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, Largo Medical Center, Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, or St. Anthony’s, and the records from that care are central to any claim. I gather the full file, not the summary, and work with the treating providers to document the true extent of the harm.
Where your case is heard, and the deadline
Injury and wrongful death cases in Pinellas County are civil matters in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, heard at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater and the St. Petersburg Judicial Building. Florida is a no-fault state, so your own PIP coverage pays the first medical bills if you are seen within fourteen days, and a serious injury can open a claim against the at-fault driver beyond those limits. Under section 95.11(5) the deadline to sue for most negligence is now two years. The how a Florida injury claim works page walks through each step in depth, so this page stays local.
Pinellas County by the Numbers
Pinellas County is home to about 950,000 residents, and the volume of traffic on its roads produces tens of thousands of crashes across the county each year, a share of them causing serious injury or death. Figures are drawn from U.S. Census estimates and Florida crash data and are approximate.
How We Help
Every injury case is won on the proof: the crash reconstruction, the scene and vehicle evidence, the medical records, and the cross-examination of the insurer’s experts. Each area links to the full practice page, where the detail lives.
Cities We Serve in Pinellas County
I handle injury and wrongful death cases across Pinellas County, including these communities:
What to do after a Pinellas County crash
If you have just been hurt, a few things protect your health and your claim at the same time. Get medical care right away, and within fourteen days, so your PIP coverage applies and your injuries are documented from the start. Photograph the scene, the vehicles, and anything that caused a fall before it changes, and get the names of any witnesses. Ask for the crash or incident report. Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer, and do not accept a quick settlement before anyone knows how serious the injury is. Then call, because the earlier we are involved, the more evidence we can preserve, and the first consultation is free and available any hour of the day.
Injury Practices in Pinellas County
Each of these is a local Pinellas County injury practice, with a dedicated page for how the case works here. We handle them across the county and the wider Gulf Coast, and we take select cases statewide.
Common Questions
Do you handle injury and wrongful death cases in Pinellas County?
Yes. Alongside my DUI and criminal work, I represent injured people and families in serious injury, crash, premises, and wrongful death cases across Pinellas County and the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Is there a deadline to file an injury claim in Pinellas County?
Yes, and it is short. Under Florida Statutes section 95.11(5), most negligence claims carry a two-year deadline to file suit, and a wrongful death claim has its own two-year limit. Evidence like surveillance video can disappear in days, so it is worth calling early.
What does it cost to hire you for an injury case?
Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, which means no fee unless we win, and the first consultation is free. You do not pay out of pocket to have your case reviewed or pursued.
Where would my Pinellas County injury case be heard?
Personal injury and wrongful death cases are civil matters in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, heard at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater and the St. Petersburg Judicial Building, with smaller claims in county court.
This page is general information about Florida law and our service area, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Court structure and procedure can change, so confirm details with counsel about your own case. Every case turns on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
