Jacob Gordon · Former Insurance Defense Attorney Clearwater Personal Injury Attorney

I used to defend insurance companies.Now I fight them.

Clearwater is a beach town and a working city at the same time. Hotels, condos, restaurants, and the beach bring premises and pedestrian injuries on top of the usual car crashes.

Florida personal injury attorney Jacob Gordon

What clients say

AV Preeminent · Martindale    Rising Star · Super Lawyers    Top 40 Under 40 · The National Trial Lawyers    Member · Florida Justice Association

Quick answers for Clearwater injury victims.

The four things people ask first.

Deadline

2 years

Most Florida negligence claims must be filed within 2 years. Fla. Stat. § 95.11

Fault

The 50% rule

You can recover if you are 50% or less at fault. Your award is reduced by your share. Fla. Stat. § 768.81

Who pays first

Your PIP

In a car crash, your own PIP pays first: up to $10,000 if a doctor finds an emergency medical condition. Fla. Stat. § 627.736

Injury cases I handle in Clearwater.

I’ve defended these cases. Here’s what that means for you.

Car accidents and rideshare

I’ve defended drivers, rideshare drivers, and their insurers. Car accident representation

Truck and commercial vehicle accidents

I’ve defended trucking companies.

Motorcycle accidents

I’ve represented drivers who hit riders.

Bicycle accidents

On the defense side, I saw how fast a cyclist gets blamed.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims

I’ve defended UM carriers.

Slip and fall injuries

I’ve defended stores.

Premises liability and trip and falls

I’ve defended property owners and businesses.

Negligent security

I’ve defended property owners in these cases.

Dog bites

I used to defend homeowners, property management companies, and their insurers.

Liquor liability

I’ve defended bars.

Medical malpractice

I’ve defended doctors, nurses, medical practices, and hospitals.

Wrongful death

I’ve defended these cases, so I know how the other side puts a number on a life and how they try to keep it low.

Why hire a former insurance defense lawyer.

I know how they value your claim. Insurers look for three things: a gap in treatment, a prior injury, and a reason to blame you. I spent years looking for those same things. I build your case to answer them before the adjuster asks.

I prepare every case for trial. Most cases settle. The ones that settle well are the ones the insurer knows are ready for a jury.

I handle your case personally. Not a case manager. Not a call center. You call or text, I answer.

Learn more about my background. Read selected case results. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

20
Jury trials
500+
Litigated cases
10 yrs
Practicing in Florida since 2016
<10%
Of lawyers earn Martindale AV Preeminent

Where your Clearwater case happens.

Who responds. Clearwater Police inside city limits. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office outside them. Florida Highway Patrol on the major highways. Crash reports stay confidential for 60 days except to the people involved and their lawyers. I’ll get yours.

Where you treat. Morton Plant Hospital is in Clearwater. Serious trauma goes to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg. Keep every discharge paper. Your medical timeline is the backbone of your case.

Clearwater Beach. Pier 60 and the public beach are City of Clearwater property, so injuries there involve government claim rules.

Hotels and condos. Pools, balconies, stairs, and security are the property’s responsibility. See negligent security.

The Pinellas Trail. The trail runs through downtown. Drivers crossing it don’t always look.

Hurt in a crash? See my Clearwater car accident page for the local roads and crash reports.

Where it’s filed. Pinellas County civil cases are heard at the courthouse on Court Street in downtown Clearwater, part of the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

My office is on North Dale Mabry in Carrollwood, right across the Courtney Campbell from Clearwater. Come in if you like, or I’ll meet you at home or at the hospital. Most clients handle everything by phone, text, and email.

Bring what you have: photos, the exchange form, insurance letters, medical bills. It doesn’t need to be organized. That’s my job.

Call or text me at (813) 547-4707.

What to do after an injury in Clearwater.

Six steps that protect your claim.

Step 1

Get medical care

Within 14 days. Florida PIP requires it, and gaps hurt your claim.

Step 2

Get a report

Call 911 so police or the sheriff document what happened.

Step 3

Take photos

The scene, vehicles, hazards, and your injuries.

Step 4

Find the cameras

Note every business or home nearby. Footage is overwritten in days.

Step 5

Don't give a statement

Not to the other insurer. Not recorded, not “just routine.”

Step 6

Call me

Before you sign anything. The consultation is free.

Clearwater personal injury FAQs.

The owner, the management company, or both. If you’re visiting from out of state, I can handle your case after you go home.

Possibly. Claims against the City of Clearwater have notice rules and damage caps under Florida Statutes § 768.28. Call me early.

Pinellas County’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, at the courthouse on Court Street in Clearwater.

Nothing unless we win. My fee and case costs come out of the recovery. If there’s no recovery, you owe nothing.

Call me anyway. Fault is often less clear than it feels. I’ll give you my honest take. No cost, no obligation.

Yes. You call or text, I answer.

Talk to me about your Clearwater injury.

Every case is handled by me. Not assistants, case managers, or call centers.

Helpful resources

Nearby communities I serve: St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Oldsmar, East Lake, Largo.

See all areas I serve. I represent injured people across Florida.

Written by Jacob Gordon, Florida Bar No. 125004 · Updated October 2026