PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY Jacksonville

Jacksonville Personal Injury Attorneys — Over $500 Million Recovered for Injured Floridians

When you or someone you love has been injured because of another person’s negligence, the consequences ripple through every part of your life — physically, emotionally, and financially. Medical bills pile up. You cannot work. The insurance company calls with a lowball offer before you even know the full extent of your injuries. You need a lawyer who will fight for you — not settle for whatever is convenient.

At Phillips, Hunt & Walker, we have spent over two decades fighting for injured Floridians and their families. Our results speak for themselves: more than $500 million recovered for our clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases across Florida. We take a limited number of cases so that every client receives personal attention from a senior attorney — not a paralegal, not a case manager, not a call center.

Why Phillips, Hunt & Walker Is Different

There are hundreds of personal injury firms advertising in Jacksonville. Billboards, television commercials, bus benches. So how do you choose? Here is what separates us from every other firm in this market.

Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer

Our lead attorney, John M. Phillips, is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial Law — one of the youngest attorneys in Florida history to earn that designation. Board Certification is The Florida Bar’s highest level of recognition of competence and experience in a specific area of law. Of the more than 110,000 attorneys licensed in Florida, fewer than 350 hold this credential in civil trial law. When you hire Phillips, Hunt & Walker, you are not hiring a negotiator who might go to trial someday — you are hiring a lawyer whose trial skills have been independently evaluated and certified by the state’s highest legal authority.

A Track Record That Demands Respect

In 2019, John Phillips obtained a jury verdict of $495,123,680 in a wrongful death case — one of the largest jury verdicts in American history. That is not a typo. Nearly half a billion dollars. That verdict did not happen because the insurance company felt generous. It happened because a Board Certified trial attorney built an airtight case and had the skill and conviction to present it to a jury.

Mr. Phillips holds an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the highest distinction for legal ability and ethical standards. He has been consistently selected by his peers as a Florida Super Lawyer and to Florida Trend Magazine’s “Legal Elite,” a recognition limited to the top 1% of attorneys in the state. He was named one of the Top 200 Lawyers in America, followed by one of the Top 20 Lawyers in Florida by the Forbes Editorial Board. Famed attorney Robert Shapiro once called Mr. Phillips “the best lawyer in America.”

Mr. Phillips is licensed to practice in Florida, New York, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Washington, D.C., and before the United States Supreme Court — giving our firm the ability to handle complex multi-state cases that other Jacksonville firms simply cannot.

We Started on the Other Side — And Left

John Phillips began his career on the defense side, representing corporations like Coca-Cola, Hertz, and State Farm. He knows how the defense works because he was the defense. He left that world because he wanted to stand with people, not against them. That insider knowledge of how insurance companies evaluate claims, prepare defenses, and calculate settlements is something that benefits every client we represent.

Transparent Fees — No Hidden Costs

We work on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. We advance all costs and expenses during your case. And unlike many firms, we do not charge clients for copy costs or interest on expenses. These seemingly small charges add up, and at other firms they can quietly eat into your recovery. At Phillips, Hunt & Walker, more of your settlement goes into your pocket.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Jacksonville

Our firm represents clients across a broad range of personal injury matters in Jacksonville and throughout Florida. We have the experience and resources to handle complex cases that other firms refer out.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car accidents, truck and commercial vehicle crashes, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, rideshare (Uber/Lyft) accidents, and bus accidents. Jacksonville’s sprawling highway system — including I-95, I-10, I-295, the Hart Bridge, the Dames Point Bridge, and high-traffic corridors like Atlantic Boulevard, Beach Boulevard, and Blanding Boulevard — produces thousands of crashes every year. We know these roads, we know the dangerous intersections, and we know how to investigate and litigate accidents that happen on them.

Premises Liability

Slip and fall injuries, trip and fall accidents, negligent security, swimming pool accidents, amusement park injuries, and injuries caused by dangerous property conditions. Property owners in Florida have a legal duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors. When they fail to do so, they are liable for the resulting injuries.

Medical Malpractice

Surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, birth injuries, medication errors, anesthesia errors, and hospital-acquired infections. Medical malpractice cases in Florida are among the most complex personal injury claims, requiring pre-suit investigation, expert medical opinions, and compliance with strict procedural requirements under Florida Statute § 766.106. Our firm has the resources and expertise to take on hospitals, physicians, and their insurance carriers.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Bedsores (pressure ulcers), falls, malnutrition, dehydration, medication errors, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and wrongful death in nursing facilities. Florida’s nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable members of our community. When a facility fails to provide the standard of care required by law, we hold them accountable.

Product Liability

Defective vehicles, defective medical devices, dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, defective consumer products, and defective industrial equipment. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers can be held strictly liable for injuries caused by defective products under Florida law — you do not need to prove negligence, only that the product was defective and that the defect caused your injury.

Wrongful Death

When negligence or misconduct takes the life of a loved one, Florida’s Wrongful Death Act (Florida Statute § 768.16–768.26) allows surviving family members to pursue compensation for their losses. John Phillips represented the family of Jordan Davis, the 17-year-old shot and killed in Jacksonville, guiding the family through criminal prosecution, national media, and civil resolution — work featured in the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Armor of Light, directed by Abigail Disney. He represented over 130 child victims of pediatric dental abuse, securing an unprecedented simultaneous settlement of 104 cases and the revocation of the offending dentist’s license and criminal prosecution. These are not just case results. They are families who trusted us with the worst moments of their lives.

Catastrophic Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord injuries and paralysis, severe burn injuries, amputations, multiple fractures, and injuries requiring long-term or lifetime medical care. Catastrophic injury cases require life care planning, future medical cost projections, vocational rehabilitation analysis, and economic loss modeling. Our firm works with medical experts, life care planners, and economists to calculate the full cost of your injuries — not just your current bills, but the care you will need for the rest of your life.

Understanding Florida Personal Injury Law

Statute of Limitations — Two Years

Under Florida Statute § 95.11, as amended by House Bill 837 (effective March 24, 2023), you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida. This is a critical change from the previous four-year deadline that caught many people off guard. If you miss this two-year window, the court will almost certainly dismiss your case — regardless of how strong it is on the merits.

There are limited exceptions for cases involving minors (the statute may be tolled until the child turns 8, giving until age 10 in some circumstances), cases involving fraud or concealment of the cause of injury, and certain medical malpractice claims with specific pre-suit notice requirements. But exceptions are narrow and fact-specific. The safest approach is to consult an attorney as soon as possible after your injury. Evidence fades. Witnesses forget. Surveillance footage gets overwritten. The sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.

Modified Comparative Negligence — The 51% Bar

Florida’s 2023 tort reform also fundamentally changed the state’s negligence standard. Under the new modified comparative negligence system (Florida Statute § 768.81), if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for your own injury, you are completely barred from recovering any damages. This replaced Florida’s former “pure comparative negligence” system, which allowed injured persons to recover even if they were 99% at fault.

If you are 50% or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if a jury awards $200,000 but finds you 30% at fault, your recovery is reduced to $140,000. If they find you 51% at fault, you get nothing.

This change makes it absolutely critical to have experienced trial counsel who can effectively argue liability and minimize any fault attributed to you. Insurance companies now aggressively try to shift blame onto the injured party — because if they can push your fault above 50%, they pay zero. Our team is trained to anticipate and counter these tactics.

Damages You Can Recover in a Florida Personal Injury Case

Florida law allows injured persons to recover both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are the tangible, calculable financial losses caused by your injury: past and future medical expenses (including surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, medication, and assistive devices), lost wages from time missed at work, loss of future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your prior occupation or working at the same level, property damage (vehicle repair or replacement, damaged personal belongings), and out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury (medical equipment, home modifications, transportation to medical appointments, household help).

Non-economic damages compensate for losses that are real but harder to quantify: physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life (the inability to participate in activities you enjoyed before the injury), scarring and disfigurement, loss of consortium (the impact on your relationship with your spouse), and inconvenience and disruption to your daily life.

In cases involving egregious, intentional, or grossly negligent conduct, punitive damages may also be available. Punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future. Florida Statute § 768.73 generally caps punitive damages at three times the amount of compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater, with exceptions for cases involving intentional misconduct.

The Personal Injury Claims Process at Phillips, Hunt & Walker

Step 1: Free Case Evaluation. Every case begins with a thorough review of the facts, evidence, and applicable law. We will tell you honestly whether you have a viable claim and what we believe it may be worth. We do not make inflated promises. If we do not believe we can help you, we will tell you and try to point you in the right direction.

Step 2: Investigation and Evidence Preservation. Time is the enemy of evidence. Our team moves immediately to preserve surveillance footage (which is often overwritten within days or weeks), secure police and accident reports, obtain medical records, photograph the scene, interview witnesses, and retain any physical evidence. In complex cases, we work with accident reconstruction experts, biomechanical engineers, medical specialists, and industry-specific consultants to build the strongest possible case.

Step 3: Medical Treatment and Documentation. Your health comes first. We help connect clients with qualified medical providers who will treat your injuries and thoroughly document them — because the quality of your medical records directly affects the value of your case. We work with your doctors to understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, prognosis, and any future medical needs.

Step 4: Demand and Negotiation. Once you have reached maximum medical improvement (or your treatment plan is well-established), we prepare a comprehensive demand package documenting your injuries, damages, and liability. We handle all communication with the insurance company. Insurers are not on your side — they employ teams of adjusters and lawyers whose job is to minimize your payout. We do not accept lowball offers, and we do not let adjusters bully our clients.

Step 5: Litigation and Trial. If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we file a lawsuit and prepare for trial. This is where Board Certification in Civil Trial Law matters. Unlike firms that settle every case to avoid the courtroom, Phillips, Hunt & Walker has a proven track record of trying cases to verdict — including a nearly half-billion-dollar result. Insurance companies know this. When they see our name on a lawsuit, they know we are not bluffing. That reputation alone often produces better settlement offers even before trial.

Personal Injury Damages in Florida — What Compensation Can You Recover?

Florida personal injury law allows injured victims to recover both economic and non-economic damages when someone else’s negligence caused their injuries. Understanding the full scope of available compensation is critical because insurance companies routinely undervalue claims by ignoring future costs or minimizing non-economic losses.

Economic Damages

Economic damages cover the measurable financial impact of your injury. This includes past and future medical expenses — emergency care, surgeries, hospitalizations, physical therapy, prescription medications, medical devices, and long-term rehabilitation. Lost wages compensate for income missed during recovery, while lost earning capacity addresses your diminished ability to earn income in the future if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation or working at the same level. Property damage, out-of-pocket expenses for household help or transportation to medical appointments, and other documented costs are also recoverable. In catastrophic injury cases involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or amputations, lifetime care costs can reach into the millions. Our team works with medical economists, life-care planners, and vocational rehabilitation experts to document every dollar of your economic loss.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages compensate for losses that do not have a specific dollar value but profoundly affect your quality of life. Physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, and loss of consortium are all compensable under Florida law. Scarring and disfigurement carry their own separate value, particularly when they affect visible areas of the body or limit physical function. Florida does not impose statutory caps on non-economic damages in most personal injury cases, which means the jury has full discretion to award compensation that reflects the true severity of your suffering.

How Insurance Companies Fight Your Personal Injury Claim

Insurance companies are not on your side. Their adjusters are trained to minimize payouts and protect the insurer’s bottom line. Understanding their tactics helps you protect the value of your claim.

Common Insurance Company Tactics

The most frequent tactic is the quick, lowball settlement offer — often made within days of the accident, before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Adjusters may contact you while you are still in the hospital, hoping to lock in a low number before you hire an attorney. They request recorded statements designed to create inconsistencies they can use against you later. They may dispute the necessity of medical treatment, argue that your injuries were pre-existing, or claim you failed to mitigate your damages by delaying care. Surveillance is common — investigators may photograph you performing physical activities to argue your injuries are less severe than claimed.

Why You Need an Attorney Before Speaking with the Insurance Company

Anything you say to an insurance adjuster can be used to reduce or deny your claim. You are not legally required to provide a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurance company, and doing so almost never helps your case. Attorney John Phillips and the trial team at Phillips, Hunt & Walker handle all insurance communications from the first call forward, ensuring that nothing you say is taken out of context and that every demand is backed by thorough documentation of your injuries, treatment, and financial losses. Our willingness to take cases to trial — and our track record of doing so successfully — gives us leverage that settlement-only firms simply cannot match.

Florida’s 2023 Tort Reform and Your Personal Injury Claim

In March 2023, Florida enacted sweeping tort reform legislation (HB 837) that significantly changed the landscape for personal injury claims. The most impactful change replaced Florida’s longstanding pure comparative negligence system with a modified comparative fault standard — if you are found more than 50 percent at fault for your injuries, you are now completely barred from recovering damages. The legislation also reduced the general statute of limitations for negligence actions from four years to two years, imposed new requirements for medical damages evidence, and modified the bad faith framework for insurance claims. These changes make it more important than ever to act quickly after an injury and to work with attorneys who understand how to navigate the new legal landscape. Phillips, Hunt & Walker has adapted its case evaluation and litigation strategies to account for every provision of the 2023 reform, ensuring that our clients’ claims are positioned for maximum recovery under the current law.

When to File — Florida’s Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims

One of the most critical aspects of any personal injury case is timing. Florida’s 2023 tort reform legislation (HB 837) reduced the statute of limitations for most negligence-based personal injury claims from four years to two years from the date of the injury. This shorter deadline means you have significantly less time to investigate your claim, gather evidence, consult medical experts, and file a lawsuit before your right to compensation expires permanently.

When the Clock Starts — and When It May Be Extended

The two-year limitation period generally begins on the date the injury occurs. In some circumstances, Florida’s discovery rule may delay the start of the clock until the date you knew or should have known about the injury and its connection to another party’s negligence. This exception is most relevant in latent injury cases such as toxic exposure or undiagnosed medical conditions caused by a third party’s negligence. Tolling provisions under Section 95.051, Florida Statutes, may also extend the deadline in limited circumstances, including when the at-fault party leaves the state or conceals their identity.

Claims Against Government Entities

When your injury was caused by a state or local government entity or employee, the sovereign immunity waiver under Section 768.28 imposes additional notice requirements and caps on damages. Written notice must be provided to the appropriate government entity, and the claim must comply with the specific procedural requirements of the statute. Damages are capped at $200,000 per claimant or $300,000 per incident unless the Florida Legislature approves a claims bill for a larger amount. These cases require careful strategic planning from the outset, and our firm has experience navigating the unique procedural hurdles of government liability claims.

Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Claims in Florida

How much is my personal injury case worth? Every case is different. The value depends on the severity of your injuries, the impact on your daily life and ability to work, the strength of the liability evidence, available insurance coverage, and the jurisdiction where the case would be tried. We provide honest case evaluations based on our experience with similar cases — not inflated promises designed to get you to sign a retainer.

Do I really need a lawyer for a personal injury claim? You are not legally required to hire an attorney. But research consistently shows that represented claimants recover significantly more than those who handle claims on their own — even after attorney fees are deducted. Insurance companies have teams of lawyers and trained adjusters working to minimize your payout. You deserve someone fighting equally hard on your side. And remember — at our firm, you pay nothing unless we win.

How long will my personal injury case take? Simple cases with clear liability and moderate injuries may resolve in a few months through negotiation. Complex cases involving catastrophic injuries, disputed liability, multiple parties, or government entities can take one to three years or longer, especially if the case goes to trial. We keep our clients informed at every stage and never rush a case toward a premature settlement just to close a file.

What if I was partially at fault for my injury? Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence law (effective March 2023), you can still recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are more than 50% at fault, you are barred from recovery entirely. This is why having an experienced attorney argue liability on your behalf is so important.

What does it cost to hire Phillips, Hunt & Walker? Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis — we only get paid if we recover money for you. We advance all costs and expenses during the case. And unlike many firms, we do not charge for copies or add interest to case expenses. When we win, more of your money stays in your pocket.

What should I do right after an injury? Seek medical attention immediately (even if you feel okay — many injuries have delayed symptoms). Report the incident (call 911 for accidents, report to management for premises injuries, notify your employer for work injuries). Document everything — photos, witness names, and your own written account of what happened. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with an attorney. And contact a lawyer as soon as possible — critical evidence can disappear within days.

Cases That Define Who We Are

Our track record is not just about dollar amounts. It is about the families and individuals behind those cases.

John Phillips represented the family of Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old shot and killed in Jacksonville over loud music. He guided the family through criminal prosecution, national media attention, and civil resolution. The case was featured in the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Armor of Light, directed by Abigail Disney.

He represented over 130 child victims of pediatric dental abuse — children who were subjected to unnecessary and painful dental procedures by a provider motivated by profit. Phillips secured an unprecedented simultaneous settlement of 104 of those cases and the revocation of the offending dentist’s license, followed by criminal prosecution.

In 2022, Mr. Phillips was awarded $1.3 million in prevailing party attorney’s fees against the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign — the largest known attorney fee award against a political campaign or sitting president in American history. He successfully defended his client, Omarosa Manigault Newman, against the campaign’s attempt to enforce a nondisclosure agreement. The case was covered by the New York Times, the Washington Post, NBC News, CNBC, Politico, Fox News, and the ABA Journal.

But what defines this firm is not the size of the verdicts or the volume of the accolades. It is the reason we do this work. John Phillips has given a TEDx talk on race and equality — one of the most-watched TEDx talks in Florida history. He has spoken at Howard University, the NAACP Annual Meeting, and PeaceJam in Ghana. He coaches children, volunteers in his community, and works alongside city and state leaders to improve quality of life for the people around him. He brings that same compassion and conviction to every case — including yours.

Areas We Serve

Phillips, Hunt & Walker represents personal injury clients throughout Northeast Florida and beyond, including Jacksonville (Duval County), Orange Park and Fleming Island (Clay County), St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra (St. Johns County), Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island (Nassau County), Macclenny (Baker County), Gainesville (Alachua County), and throughout the state of Florida. Our attorneys are licensed in multiple states and handle cases nationwide when the circumstances require it.

Beyond Personal Injury — Full-Service Representation

Personal injury is the foundation of our practice, but Phillips, Hunt & Walker represents clients across the full spectrum of life’s legal challenges. If you or a family member is facing criminal charges, our Jacksonville criminal defense attorneys bring the same Board Certified trial skills and aggressive advocacy to DUI, felony, and federal cases. And when a marriage reaches its breaking point, our Jacksonville divorce lawyers guide families through custody, property division, and alimony with both strategic focus and genuine compassion. Whatever legal challenge you face, we are here to fight for you.

Call us today at (904) 444-4444 or contact us online to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. If you cannot come to us, we will come to you.