--- title: "Tampa Personal Injury Lawyer | Hancock Injury Attorneys" description: "Hurt because someone else was careless? Hancock Injury Attorneys has helped injured people across Tampa Bay since 1996. Free consultation: (813) 915-1110." url: "https://novacock.carlosarias.com/personal-injury" --- Personal Injury # Tampa Bay Personal Injury Lawyers From car and truck crashes to wrongful death, we give injured people and families experienced, personal representation — and you pay nothing unless we recover. [Call (813) 915-1110](tel:+18139151110) [Free Case Consultation](/contact/) ## Personal Injury Cases We Handle Choose the type of case closest to yours. Not sure? Call us — we’ll tell you honestly whether you have a claim, even if we don’t take your case. ### Accident Types - #### Car Accidents What to do after a Florida car crash, how PIP and the no-fault rules work, and how a former insurance defense attorney protects your claim. Learn More - #### Truck Accidents Why commercial truck crashes are different: federal safety rules, evidence that must be preserved fast, and the many companies that may share responsibility. Learn More - #### Motorcycle Accidents How Florida motorcycle claims work: left-turn crashes, bias against riders, the helmet law, the insurance gaps riders face, and how we build a strong case. Learn More - #### Bicycle Accidents Representation for cyclists and e-bike riders hurt by careless drivers, dooring, right hooks, or dangerous paths and sidewalks across Tampa Bay. Learn More - #### Pedestrian Accidents Legal help for people struck by vehicles while walking in Tampa Bay, including hit-and-run victims and families of pedestrians killed in crashes. Learn More - #### Boat Accidents Help for people hurt on Tampa Bay waters, from sandbar collisions and jet ski crashes to rental, charter and equipment-failure accidents. Learn More - #### Golf Cart Accidents Help for people hurt in golf cart crashes, rollovers and collisions in Tampa Bay neighborhoods, resorts and communities where carts share the road. Learn More - #### Slip & Fall / Premises Liability How Florida premises liability works, what you must prove after a fall at a store or other property, and why saving video evidence quickly matters. Learn More ### Serious Injuries & Other Claims - #### Catastrophic Injuries Life-changing injuries call for a claim built around the future: lifetime medical care, lost earning capacity, and the full human cost of the harm. Learn More - #### Wrongful Death Compassionate guidance for Tampa Bay families who lost a loved one through someone else's negligence, so you can grieve while we handle the claim. Learn More - #### Insurance Disputes When your own insurance company delays, denies or underpays an injury-related claim, we push back with an inside view of how insurers work. Learn More ## Tampa Bay Personal Injury Lawyers, Here for You Since 1996 A serious injury rarely comes alone. Medical bills, missed paychecks, and calls from insurance adjusters tend to arrive all at once, usually while you are still trying to heal. Since 1996, Hancock Injury Attorneys has helped people across Tampa Bay carry that load, so you can focus on getting better while we take care of everything else. ## What Is a Personal Injury Claim? A personal injury claim is the legal process for recovering money from the person or company whose carelessness hurt you. In Florida, most of these claims are built on negligence: someone failed to act with reasonable care, and you paid the price in injuries, medical bills, and lost time. Most claims are resolved through the at-fault party's insurance company, either by a negotiated settlement or, when the insurer will not be reasonable, through a lawsuit. Either way, a claim is only as strong as the evidence behind it, which is why the first weeks after an injury matter so much. ## The Four Things Every Negligence Claim Must Show To recover compensation, you generally need to prove four elements: 1. Duty. The other party owed you reasonable care. Drivers owe it to everyone on the road, and businesses owe it to their customers. 2. Breach. They failed to meet that duty, for example by texting behind the wheel, ignoring a spill, or skipping truck maintenance. 3. Causation. That failure caused your injuries. 4. Damages. You suffered real losses, such as medical expenses, lost income, and physical pain. Insurers often attack causation. They argue that your back pain was pre-existing, or that a gap in treatment proves you were not really hurt. Before founding the firm, Mike Hancock defended companies like Allstate, State Farm, and Geico, so we know where those arguments come from and how to answer them with medical records and testimony. ## What Compensation Can Cover Florida law allows injured people to recover two broad categories of damages: - Economic damages: past and future medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, lost earning capacity, home modifications, and out-of-pocket costs such as travel to appointments. - Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, scarring and disfigurement, and in some cases a spouse's loss of companionship (loss of consortium). In rare cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may also be available. No honest lawyer can tell you what your case is worth at the first meeting. What we can do is document every loss thoroughly so nothing is left on the table. ## Florida Deadlines and Fault Rules Two-year filing deadline. For most negligence claims arising on or after March 24, 2023, Florida generally allows two years to file a lawsuit (section 95.11, Florida Statutes). Wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of death. Exceptions exist and some deadlines are shorter; claims against a city, county, or state agency, for example, carry pre-suit notice requirements. Call promptly so a deadline never decides your case for you. Modified comparative negligence. Under section 768.81, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, and if you are found more than 50% at fault, you generally cannot recover at all. Insurers know this, which is why they work so hard to shift blame onto injured people. No-fault rules for car crashes. After a motor vehicle crash, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays first, and you must get initial medical treatment within 14 days to use it. Our car accident page explains how that works. ## Injury Cases We Handle We represent people hurt by someone else's negligence throughout Tampa Bay. Learn more about each type of claim: - Car accidents, including rear-end, left-turn, and rideshare crashes - Truck accidents involving tractor-trailers, delivery vans, and commercial fleets - Motorcycle accidents, where riders often face unfair bias - Slip and fall and premises liability claims against stores, restaurants, and property owners - Catastrophic injuries such as brain injuries, paralysis, amputations, and severe burns - Wrongful death claims for families who have lost a loved one - Boat accidents on Tampa Bay, the Gulf, and inland waters - Pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents - Golf cart accidents in neighborhoods and on local roads - Insurance disputes, when your own insurer denies, delays, or underpays a claim ## How We Handle Your Case Hancock Injury Attorneys is deliberately not a high-volume advertising firm, and that choice shapes how we work: - You meet with an attorney, not a paralegal. You will sit down with Mike Hancock, and our attorneys stay involved through the end of your case. - We handle the busywork. We deal with adjusters, medical providers, billing offices, and property damage so you can focus on recovery. - We prepare every case as if it will be tried. Most cases settle, but insurers take a claim more seriously when they know the firm behind it is ready for a jury. - We bring in the right help. Depending on the case, that may include accident reconstructionists, engineers, economists, and medical and vocational professionals. ## What It Costs Nothing up front. We handle 100% of our cases on a contingency fee, which means no fee unless we recover money for you. We advance case costs and do not hold you responsible for them if there is no recovery. There is no "file set-up fee" and no vague administrative charge. And unless there are extenuating circumstances, we will never take home more than our client does. Read more about what a lawyer costs. ## Talk to a Tampa Bay Personal Injury Lawyer With offices in Tampa, Wesley Chapel, and Spring Hill, we are close to home for clients across Hillsborough, Pasco, and Hernando counties. Consultations are free and can happen however works for you: by phone, at your home, by email, or over FaceTime or Zoom, on weekdays or weekends. Our phones are answered 24/7. Call (813) 915-1110 or contact us online to talk with an attorney about what happened and what comes next. ## Frequently Asked Questions How much does a personal injury lawyer cost? We handle every case on a 100% contingency fee, so you pay no attorney's fee unless we recover money for you, and we advance the case costs. Florida Bar rules cap contingency fees, typically at 33⅓% of a recovery up to $1 million if the case resolves before the defendant answers or arbitration is demanded, and 40% after that through trial. You sign a written fee agreement and receive a Statement of Client's Rights before we begin. How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Florida? For most negligence claims arising on or after March 24, 2023, Florida generally allows two years to file a lawsuit. Wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of death. Exceptions exist and some deadlines are shorter, such as claims against government entities that require pre-suit notice, so it is wise to call as soon as you can. Can I still recover if I was partly at fault? Often, yes. Under Florida's modified comparative negligence rule, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, so a person found 20% at fault would recover 80% of their damages. If you are found more than 50% at fault, however, you generally cannot recover. What is maximum medical improvement (MMI)? MMI is the point at which your doctor believes your condition has stabilized and further treatment is unlikely to change it significantly. It matters because that is usually when your future medical needs, and the full value of your claim, can be measured. Settling before you reach that point can leave you paying for future care yourself. Will my case have to go to trial? Most personal injury cases settle without a trial. We still prepare every case as though it will be tried, because that preparation is what gives us leverage in negotiations. If the insurer refuses to make a fair offer, we are ready to file suit and present your case to a jury. ## Accident Types - Car Accidents - Truck Accidents - Motorcycle Accidents - Bicycle Accidents - Pedestrian Accidents - Boat Accidents - Golf Cart Accidents - Slip & Fall / Premises Liability ## Serious Injuries & Other Claims - Catastrophic Injuries - Wrongful Death - Insurance Disputes Speak with our team ### Let’s talk about your next step. - (813) 915-1110 · answered 24/7 - 1317 W Fletcher AvenueTampa, FL 33612 - 2224 Ashley Oaks Circle, Suite 102-EWesley Chapel, FL 33544 - 10485 Heley StreetSpring Hill, FL 34608 - No recovery, no fee [Free Case Consultation](/contact/) [**Mike Hancock**Founding Attorney · Since 1996*Former insurance defense attorney*](/about/attorneys/mike-hancock/) Here when you need us ## Let’s talk about what happened. One conversation. Clear answers. A team that takes your case personally. [Call Hancock Today**(813) 915-1110**](tel:+18139151110) Free consultation No recovery, no fee Client Reviews ## Clients We’ve Helped Real words from people we’ve helped through some of the hardest months of their lives. [**Read our Google reviews** (Tampa office, opens Google)](https://www.google.com/search?q=Hancock+Injury+Attorneys+Tampa#lrd=0x88c2c124d75e4549:0xa191c89f320f0dad,1,,,) [See all client reviews](/reviews/) - > “TL;DR: Hire Mike Hancock! When I got hurt in a major accident and needed to hire an attorney. I refused to call any lawyer hawking themselves on tv for the sole purpose you don’t get what Mike and his team provide.”Brandon H.Client review - > “Very satisfied with the level of service and attention received from Matias and his team. He consistently communicated with us during the process ensuring that we always were in the loop and in the end, he ensured that we got fairly compensated. I highly recommend him and this firm to anyone looking for legal services.”Renato P.Client review - > “My experience with the attorney Matias Cordoba was excellent. From the very beginning, he gave me confidence, support, and great peace of mind. He was always attentive to my case, explained every step clearly, and demonstrated a high level of commitment and professionalism.”Elena G.Client review - > “My elderly mother was in a serious car accident that required surgery, hospitalization, rehab, and extensive recovery time. It was bad enough that I had to move in with her for months. It was such a blessing to have Hancock take care of all the legal and medical issues.”Tammy L.Client review - > “Thank you to Hancock Injury Attorneys for representing me in my trip-and-fall case. Initially, I was working with a larger, out-of-town firm, but with the advice of others to switch to a smaller firm, I called the number on the business card my orthopedic surgeon gave me.”Joy R.Client review - > “I cannot recommend Mike Hancock and his team enough. I have known Mike and Claire for years, so when my brother got into a serious accident I knew exactly who to call. He had a great experience with Hancock Injury Attorneys.”Gabrielle M.Client review - > “Matias Cordoba did an outstanding job handling my case. From the beginning, he was very proactive and clearly knew how to deal with the insurance company. He also showed genuine sympathy and understanding for what I was going through after the injury, which meant a lot during a stressful time.”Jonathan V.Client review - > “I cannot say enough great things about my experience working with Hancock Injury Attorneys and attorney Matias Cordoba. From the very first consultation, Matias was professional, compassionate, and incredibly knowledgeable. He took the time to listen and guided me through every step of my case with patience and care.”Marisel M.Client review - > “I went to seek legal advice and spoke with Mike Hancock. He gave me honest and direct guidance on what the next steps would be. I would highly recommend him for any injury related to auto accidents.”Nick W.Client review - > “Mike and his team are awesome,emails are always responded back same day and the chiropractor recommendation was great. I was in a small fender bender but was always treated as if my case was worth a million dollars. I recommend his firm 1,000% you won't be disappointed.”Chris R.Client review - > “Had one of those totally unexpected hit me from behind auto accidents. Little damage to my car or the car that caused the crash however my body was injured and I knew that it would take legal counsel to be made whole. The Hancock law firm was at the ready giving wise counsel and solid advice.”GG S.Client review - > “I have received nothing but the best service I can ask for from Mike Hancock’s office. He and his office are true professionals in every sense of the word. They guided me along the process and had outstanding communication. I am more than pleased with the services they provided, and I would definitely recommend them to anybody.”Kayla H.Client review