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Workers' Compensation

Top-Ranked Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in Lakeland, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.210 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked workers' compensation lawyers in Lakeland, Florida are Juliana L Curtis (LexRank 84.00), Pat T DiCesare II (84.00) and Laurie Thrower Miles (84.00).

This ranking lists 10 workers' compensation lawyers in Lakeland, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 10 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Workers' Compensation Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 18 to 45 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
10
Fully verified
10 of 10

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Juliana L Curtis

    VCFJ Law · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 28 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

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

    Pat T DiCesare II

    DDB Law · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 39 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

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

    Laurie Thrower Miles

    Miles & Parrish, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

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

    Bradley Guy Smith

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 30 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

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

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

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

    Thomas Paul Vecchio

    VCFJ Law · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 34 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

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

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)
    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

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

    Lawrence Anzalone

    Burnetti, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 45 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #5, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #5 (Thomas Paul Vecchio): Data quality −1.4.

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

  7. No change

    Carl August Feddeler III

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  8. No change

    Curt Louis Harbsmeier

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 36 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  9. No change

    Todd North Parrish

    Miles & Parrish, P.A. · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 19 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 5.80 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    5.80 points behind #8 (Curt Louis Harbsmeier): Experience −7.2.

  10. No change

    Nicolette Emerald Tsambis

    Independent practice · Lakeland, FL

    Verified
    • 18 years experience
    • Workers' Compensation
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #10?

    Ranks #10 with 74.20: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 2.60 points behind #9, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    2.60 points behind #9 (Todd North Parrish): Data quality −1.4, Experience −1.2.

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

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 · 10 profile pages107 facts for 10 lawyers

Workers' Compensation market in Lakeland

LexRanked tracks 10 lawyers and 4 law firms in workers' compensation law in Lakeland, Florida. 10 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 30, 2026.

Lawyers
10
Law firms
4
Verified professional data
10 of 10
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
31.5 years10 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 10 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Workers' Compensation 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 10 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Workers' Compensation Law 10 of 10
Years in practice 18 to 45 (median 31.5)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Stetson University College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Lakeland office address and workers' compensation as a practice area on record. It compares 10 workers' compensation lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Report a work injury to your employer within 30 days and file any petition for benefits within 2 years; lawyer fees are set by statute.

Rule What it means
Report the injury Within 30 days (Fla. Stat. § 440.185)
Petition for benefits Within 2 years of knowing the injury was work-related (§ 440.19)
Who must carry coverage Employers with 4 or more employees; construction employers with 1 or more (§ 440.02)
Lawyer fees 20% of the first $5,000 of benefits, 15% of the next $5,000, then 10% (5% after 10 years) (§ 440.34)
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 report a work injury in Florida?

30 days from the injury or from when symptoms first appear.

How much does a workers' compensation lawyer cost in Florida?

Fees are set by law: 20% of the first $5,000 of benefits secured, 15% of the next $5,000 and 10% of the rest during the first 10 years.

What does Board Certified in Workers' Compensation 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. 10 of the 10 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?

10 of the 10 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Juliana L Curtis, Pat T DiCesare II, Laurie Thrower Miles, Bradley Guy Smith and Thomas Paul Vecchio and others.

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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