Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, & Family Law Firm in Florida

Whittel & Melton, LLC

11020 Northcliffe Boulevard
Spring Hill, Florida 34608
USA

(352) 666-2121 or(866) 608-5529

(352) 556-4839

www.thefllawfirm.com

Send an email

Law Firm Overview

Whittel & Melton, LLC is a full service law firm with a focus on cases involving Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Criminal & DUI Defense. The firm was formed when Gainesville & Ocala Attorney Robert G. Whittel and Spring Hill & New Port Richey Lawyer Jason M. Melton joined their respective practices to better accommodate their clients.

Primarily working from the Hernando and Alachua County offices, full time injury law, family law and criminal defense paralegals, legal assistants and administrative staff, as well as private investigators and experts who work on a case-by-case basis, assist the five Florida lawyers at Whittel & Melton. Our attorneys include former State of Florida Prosecutors, retired military and a retired New York City Police Officer. The two founding members of the firm are in fact also former nominees for State and Federal office. Our lawyers and staff are committed to meeting and exceeding our clients’ needs.

Whittel & Melton’s success and reputation has always been based on high quality legal work, performed by well-prepared lawyers who are devoted to their clients. The firm’s growth is due in large part to the wide range of services and varied interests of our clients. Our attorneys are proud to deliver a personalized and focused counsel to our many clients in Florida. Whittel & Melton remains dedicated to developing and maintaining long-term relationships in the different communities where we practice.

Our firm routinely represents clients in the courthouses of Brooksville, Tampa, Bushnell, Gainesville, New Port Richey, Ocala, Orlando, Dade City, Inverness, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Bronson, Tavares, Bartow, and throughout the State of Florida.

Year this Office was Established: 2009

Languages: Spanish; English.

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: Custody / Time-Sharing; Enforcement; Property Division; Gifts; Misdemeanor; DUI Manslaughter; DUI Serious Bodily Injury; Violent Crimes; Lewd & Lascivious; Indecent Exposure; Grand Theft; Home Invasion; Carjacking; Probation Violations; False Imprisonment; Trespassing; ATV Accidents; Swimming Pool Accidents; Negligent Security; Electrocution And Electrical Contact; Tractor-Trailer Accidents; Construction Defect Injury; Amusement Park Injury; Loss of Limb and Disfigurement.

Areas of Law Description

Whittel & Melton, LLC provides legal representation and services in the following areas of law:

- Personal Injury

Personal injury law in Florida encompasses any harmful act, intentional or accidental, for which the law can provide a solution. The Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC can assist if you have been in an accident branching off of negligence or illegal behavior. Carelessness can lead to unfortunate injury that our lawyers witness every day in Florida. The most common forms of negligence that cause a Personal Injury are: Car Accidents; Premises Liability; Motorcycle & ATV Accidents; Cruise Ship Injuries; Swimming Pool Accidents; Medical Malpractice; Slip and Fall; Negligent Security; Worker's Compensation; Electrocution And Electrical Contact; Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse; Trucking and Tractor-Trailer Accidents.

* Car Accidents

Car accidents can be caused by a variety of reasons, including speed, alcohol, defective brakes, icy roads, poor lighting and numerous other causes. While the list of reasons for accidents can go on and on, distracted drivers on Florida’s roadways are by far the most dangerous, causing 16 percent of all fatal collisions in the U.S. in 2009. The lawyers at Whittel & Melton can effectively evaluate the circumstances of your case and use certain discovery and litigation techniques to prove fault in an inattentive driver when distractions occurred. If a distracted driver injured you or a family member while using their cell phone, we can obtain the phone records and prove the driver was not paying attention to the roadways at the moment of impact.

* Premises Liability

Slip, trip and fall injuries can occur anywhere, whether it be at your friends home, a movie theatre, restaurant or shopping mall. These accidents fall under the area of law called premises liability, which allows victims of negligent property conditions to claim reimbursement from property owners for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering and other costs associated with injuries from the accident. If you were injured in a slip, trip and fall accident the Florida Premises Liability Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can put our experience to your disposal. Whether you or a loved one has fallen victim to a negligent property condition, we can help recover losses.

* Motorcycle Accidents

Riding a motorcycle in Hernando County and throughout the country has proved to be very dangerous. From 2001 to 2008 it was reported by the federal government that more than 34,000 people died and more than 1,222,000 were injured and treated in an emergency room in the United States. The highest rate of non-fatal emergency room visits occurred in 2008 at 175,000 victims. These statistics are serious and injuries to you and your loved ones deserve to be compensated. Motorcycle accidents can cause road rash/abrasion, foot and leg injury, broken bones, neck and back injuries, brain injury, loss of appendage, extremity or limb and even death.

* Swimming Pool Accidents

Swimming pool accidents can arise from a variety of factors and injuries can range in their severity. Our attorneys at Whittel & Melton know just how devastating these injuries or deaths to your loved ones can be. Near-drowning accidents can leave your son, daughter, niece or nephew with permanent brain damage because of a lack of oxygen to the brain. Spinal injuries can erupt from diving boards being built in pools that are too shallow for diving. Faulty pool drains and electrical cords placed in close proximity of the pool can also cause serious and even lethal accidents. If someone's careless action or blatant disregard resulted in the death or injury of your loved ones, the reckless party could be held liable for the costs and suffering you have been burdened with.

* Negligent Security

While there is no such thing as a risk-free environment, property owners, retail stores and residential housing managers are fully expected to anticipate any possible dangers associated with their property. When a property is located in a high-crime area or if any possible security hazards are present, land or property owners could be held legally liable for any injuries that occur. Property owners have a responsibility to avoid foreseeable dangers in security that could threaten or harm others. This duty is breached when property owners fail to provide reasonable measures of security to prevent crimes from happening to guests on the property, including battery, murder, sexual assault, robbery and any other type of violent crime.

* Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

Millions of families every day make the choice to assign the care of their family members and loved ones into the hands of nursing home staff and medical professionals. Families trust that these facilities will supply quality care and a safe environment to the senior community. Unfortunately, sometimes these facilities fail in their duties to create nurturing environments and instead cause serious harm, neglect and even death to vulnerable adults. Nursing home abuse can be sexual, emotional, physical or financial and is carried out either intentionally or recklessly. The Law Offices of Whittel & Melton serve individuals and their families who have suffered injuries or even wrongful death because of nursing home neglect and abuse.

* Head/Brain Injury

TBI injuries can be life-altering injuries for victims and their families. The Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers and Head Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton help victims of mild, moderate and severe TBI get the compensation they deserve. Unfortunately, TBIs are usually caused by some type of human intervention and/or reckless behavior. A skilled brain and head injury attorney is completely indispensable when it comes to recovering costs for brain and head injuries. These devastating circumstances create many complicated situations that require the attention and knowledge of an experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney. If another person’s wrongful conduct caused your TBI, the Florida Brain and Head Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are prepared to investigate and prosecute your claim accordingly.

- Wrongful Death

Wrongful Death can occur when the actions of a person, persons or company are determined to be negligent and they cause or are determined to be the legal cause of an injury which leads to a death that otherwise was avoidable. It is important to note that Wrongful Death is not the same as Murder. Murder are generally defined as intentional acts and can also give rise to civil claim, however it would not be governed under Wrongful Death law in Florida. The Law Offices of Whittel & Melton are poised and ready to defend your family during the most trying of times. Specifically, our staff and lawyers are stand ready to help you recover the most financially when a loved one has been taken needlessly due to the negligence of some person, persons or company.

- Criminal Defense

The lawyers at Whittel & Melton handle all felony and misdemeanor charges. Our firm handles crimes such as DUI, DUI Manslaughter, DUI Serious Bodily Injury, all drug crimes, including, Trafficking, Sale, Purchase, Cultivation, we also handle violent crimes such as Murder, Battery, Assault, Weapons Charges, all sex crimes such as Rape, Lewd & Lascivious, Indecent Exposure, all theft crimes such as Burglary, Grand Theft, Home Invasion, Carjacking, Fraud, all juvenile offenses, white collar crimes, traffic offenses and probation violations. Our firm provides experienced and focused representation to statewide clientele charged with all criminal offenses. We can offer service to the entire State of Florida, however have spent years working in certain jurisdictions and offer our best service in those counties.

- DUI Defense

DUI cases, unlike other criminal charges, are extremely unique under Florida law. You need experienced and trained Florida DUI lawyers who formerly prosecuted the very same charges in the busiest jurisdiction in the State of Florida. The Law Offices of Whittel & Melton handle all Florida DUI charges in both Circuit and County Court. We regularly handle DUI, DUI with Property Damage, DUI with Personal Injury, 2nd DUI within 5 years, 3rd DUI within 10 years, 4th and subsequent DUI, DUI with Serious Bodily Injury and DUI Manslaughter. If you have hired an attorney who is either incapable or unwilling to try your DUI case, we will defend you and enforce your right to trial by a jury of your peers. There is always another option.

- Traffic Offenses

Our trained Florida Traffic Ticket defense lawyers will work to see that you resolve the matter with no points. When applicable, we work towards a dismissal of all charges. If you have been suspended for Driving on a Suspended License tickets, we may be able to help you get off of Habitual Traffic Offender (HTO) Status and get back on the road. Florida Traffic Ticket Attorneys Taking Cases in the following Florida Counties: Hernando (Spring Hill, Brooksville), Pasco (New Port Richey, Dade City), Citrus (Inverness), Sumter (Bushnell, The Villages), Marion (Ocala), Levy (Bronson), Alachua (Gainesville), Bradford, Taylor, Hamilton, Lake (Tavares), Gilchrist, Dixie, Union, Columbia, Suwannee, Polk (Bartow), Baker.

- Criminal Appeals

Because the lawyers at Whittel & Melton, LLC have extensive experience representing those charged with crimes at the trial level, we have a unique perspective with respect to our criminal appeal work in Florida. The focus of our appeals is commonly on errors during jury selection, trial, sentencing, plea negotiations or pre-trial dispositive motion hearings. The errors of the judge, jury, prosecutor, defense lawyer at trial or even witnesses can provide our clients with the necessary foundation for a successful appeal. It's our job to go through all of the evidence, transcripts, witness testimony and facts of the case. We will do our best to breathe life into the record for the Appellate Court to read. Our appeals team will make every effort to give you and your loved one the appeal that they deserve.

- Divorce

Whittel & Melton, LLC is a central Florida law firm dedicated to offering family & marital legal services to clients throughout Florida during a divorce. Our firm understands that legal action can appear to be overwhelming, and we are committed to providing clients with personalized Florida Divorce legal services. The Florida Divorce attorneys at Whittel & Melton, LLC will lead you through the Florida dissolution of marriage process, hopefully empowering you to relinquish control of your situation and allowing our law firm to lead you through the murky waters of the law. By educating you on your rights and your options, our attorneys will make it easy for you to have the confidence to move beyond the divorce litigation.

- Family Law

* Custody / Time-Sharing

In the event parties are unable to agree on a Parenting Plan, the Judge will order that a court-created Parenting Plan be followed. The goal is to keep both parents involved in a child's life including being directly involved in decisions on education and medical issues, child care facilities, religious observances and travel. If you have questions about your time-sharing case, the Hernando County child custody attorneys at Whittel & Melton, LLC have answers. We help residents of Spring Hill, Brooksville and Hernando County navigate the process and ensure that children's best interests are protected.

* Paternity

Sometimes, when a child is born outside of a marriage there can be uncertainty or a disagreement regarding the identity of the child's father. It is in these situations when paternity suits arise. Mothers can use a paternity action to establish parentage and to establish child support obligations or to establish custody or visitation rights. Fathers can file a paternity action to establish a parent-child relationship and obtain orders for custody, visitation and support. Our experienced Hernando County Family Law and Paternity attorneys can assist both mothers and potential fathers in all types of paternity actions, including: establishing paternity to obtain child support or to fight paying child support for children that are not biologically related, or to establish custody and visitation rights.

* Mediation

Generally speaking, mediation is an informal, voluntary process where a mediator--who is trained in negotiation techniques -- assists the parties to reach a consensus. Mediation is different from litigation in that the mediator does not impose a solution, but rather guides the parties to find common ground. The benefit of mediated agreements in divorce cases is that since divorces often involve unique solutions involving families and children, mediation can address these specific issues and yield unique solutions. In addition, mediation is generally more cost effective than litigation. Our divorce attorneys have handled divorce cases in litigation and in mediation throughout Hernando County.

* Child Support

Generally speaking, Florida child support laws are based on the “Income Share Mode” which is a means used to calculate the amount of child support due by one parent to another. This system takes the number of children in the household and the net income of each parent into account before determining the amount of monthly support. There are a number of factors Courts consider when setting child support including: Salary or wages of each spouse; Bonuses, and commissions; Business income from self-employment, partnership; workers’ compensation, social security, disability benefits; investment interest and dividends. If you have questions about your child support case, the Hernando County child support attorneys at Whittel & Melton, LLC have answers.

* Enforcement

Unfortunately, enforcing a divorce decree can be an ongoing battle for some families. From having to take an ex-spouse back to court for contempt proceedings, to enlisting the help of child support services--sometimes it may seem like the conflict will never end. Our Divorce Enforcement Attorneys can help you. If you are having difficulty enforcing your divorce decree, you do not have to suffer. We represent clients in Spring Hill, Brooksville and throughout Hernando County in divorces and divorce decree enforcement.

* Domestic Violence Injunctions

Domestic violence is when of one family member physically or emotionally abuses their or partner or another family member. Domestic violence can take many forms including sexual battery, sexual assault stalking, assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment and in some unfortunate situations, murder. Florida law enforcement takes domestic violence very seriously. Usually if a call is made to 911 about a domestic disturbance, law enforcement has a policy of making an arrest, regardless of what transpired at the home. The Domestic Violence Attorneys at Whittel & Melton represent those charged with domestic violence crimes and also represent victims of domestic violence in divorce and other family law matters in Spring Hill, Brooksville and throughout Hernando County.

- Employment Law

* Unpaid Overtime

Overtime violations are unfortunately rampant throughout businesses in the United States. Florida and federal law is quite clear that hourly workers who put in more than 40 hours a week are permitted overtime pay. Depending on the circumstances, salaried workers can sometimes receive overtime as well. Some common tricks employers use to avoid paying employees for well-earned overtime pay include having you work off the clock or misclassifying your position as exempt from overtime laws. The Law Offices of Whittel & Melton can help you and your fellow employees fight for the unpaid overtime you deserve.