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Personal Injury

Top-Ranked Personal Injury Lawyers in Lakeland, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.211 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked personal injury lawyers in Lakeland, Florida are James Charles Valenti “Jim” (LexRank 88.00), Neal Lawrence O’Toole (86.60) and Kevin Austin Ashley (84.00).

This ranking lists 11 personal injury lawyers in Lakeland, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 11 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 10 to 58 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
11
Fully verified
11 of 11

The ranking

Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank

  1. No change

    James Charles Valenti “Jim”

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 88.00: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Experience (30/30).

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
  2. No change

    Neal Lawrence O’Toole

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 86.60: strongest in Reputation (8/20) and Experience (30/30). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Reputation 8/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)

    1.40 points behind #1 (James Charles Valenti “Jim”): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  3. No change

    Kevin Austin Ashley

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 31 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.60 points behind #2, mostly reputation.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)

    2.60 points behind #2 (Neal Lawrence O’Toole): Reputation −4.

  4. No change

    David Corey Dismuke “Dave”

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
  5. No change

    Michael David Martin

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 58 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
  6. No change

    Jonathan Barnet Trohn “Jonathan”

    Campbell Trohn Tamayo & Aranda, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 35 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
  7. No change

    Peter W van den Boom

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 28 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
  8. No change

    JohnMarc Tamayo

    Campbell Trohn Tamayo & Aranda, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #7, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)

    1.40 points behind #7 (Peter W van den Boom): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  9. No change

    Karl Frederick Pansler

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 38 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 80.25: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.35 points behind #8, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)

    2.35 points behind #8 (JohnMarc Tamayo): Professional credentials −3.8.

  10. No change

    David Anderson

    Burnetti, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.45 points behind #9, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)

    3.45 points behind #9 (Karl Frederick Pansler): Experience −7.2.

  11. No change

    Dylan Houstoun Griffin

    Burnetti, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 10 years experience
    • Personal Injury
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #11?

    Ranks #11 with 66.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (12/30). 10.80 points behind #10, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.7)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4.7)
    • Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 27.7)

    10.80 points behind #10 (David Anderson): Experience −10.8.

Data sources behind the scores

Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.

  • floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 11 profile pages118 facts for 11 lawyers

Personal Injury market in Lakeland

LexRanked tracks 11 lawyers and 3 law firms in personal injury law in Lakeland, Florida. 11 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
11
Law firms
3
Verified professional data
11 of 11
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
32 years11 lawyers

Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld. All lawyers in Lakeland

What sets these Lakeland lawyers apart

All 11 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar, which only about one in twenty Florida lawyers achieves in any field. Florida Bar board certification requires at least five years of practice, substantial involvement in the field, peer review by other lawyers and judges, continuing legal education and a written exam, and it must be renewed every five years. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 11 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Civil Trial Law 11 of 11
Years in practice 10 to 58 (median 32)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Lakeland office address and personal injury as a practice area on record. It compares 11 personal injury lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Most injury claims must be filed within two years, a person more than 50% at fault recovers nothing, and car crash injuries start with your own PIP insurance.

Rule What it means
Filing deadline 2 years for negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023 (Fla. Stat. § 95.11)
Shared fault More than 50% at fault: no recovery; 50% or less: damages reduced by your share (Fla. Stat. § 768.81)
Car crashes Your own PIP pays first, up to $10,000, if you get care within 14 days (Fla. Stat. § 627.736)
Lawyer fees Contingency fees are capped, for example 33⅓% of the first $1 million if the case resolves before the defendant answers (Rule 4-1.5)
Which court Claims above $50,000 go to the circuit court; smaller claims go to the county court
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Polk County is in Florida's Tenth Judicial Circuit

How to choose among these lawyers

Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.

  1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
  2. Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
  3. Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida?

Two years from the date of the injury for most negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023. Claims that arose before that date have four years. Medical malpractice and wrongful death claims also have two-year deadlines, with their own rules on when the clock starts.

Can I recover compensation if I was partly at fault?

Yes, if you were 50% or less at fault; your damages are reduced by your share. If you are found more than 50% at fault, Florida law bars recovery, except in medical negligence cases.

How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Florida?

Most work on a contingency fee: a percentage of the recovery and nothing if there is none. Florida caps these fees, for example at 33⅓% of the first $1 million if the case resolves before the defendant answers the lawsuit, and 40% after that. You can cancel the agreement within 3 business days of signing.

Who pays my medical bills after a car accident in Florida?

Your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance pays first, whoever caused the crash: 80% of medical bills and 60% of lost income, up to $10,000 combined, if you get care within 14 days. You can claim against the at-fault driver only for serious, permanent injuries.

What does Board Certified in Civil Trial Law mean?

It is a credential from The Florida Bar for lawyers with substantial experience in the field who have passed peer review and a written exam. 11 of the 11 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Lakeland?

State court cases in Polk County are heard in Florida's Tenth Judicial Circuit.

How is this ranking ordered?

By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.

Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?

Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank

Which lawyers are verified?

11 of the 11 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: James Charles Valenti “Jim”, Neal Lawrence O’Toole, Kevin Austin Ashley, David Corey Dismuke “Dave” and Michael David Martin and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

James Charles Valenti “Jim” scores 88.00 and Neal Lawrence O’Toole 86.60, a gap of 1.40 points, mostly in data quality. Compare them side by side

About this ranking

Last updated
Methodology
LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
Editorial review
LexRanked editorial team,
Independence
Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.

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