A typical Sunday club ride rolls out of town, crosses the Pinellas Bayway and loops back to 4th Street North. It’s one of the best runs in Florida, and you can ride it in January in a t-shirt. However, every rider in the club knows someone who has gone down on a ride just like that. Most of the time, a driver turned left across the lane and said they never saw the bike.
After a wreck, a rider needs a lawyer who understands bikes and the bias some people hold against them. Florida’s no-fault PIP coverage generally does not apply to motorcycles, so riders often rely on the other driver’s insurance and their own uninsured motorist coverage. Each company below has an office in St. Pete and takes motorcycle cases.
Riders’ Quick Guide
| Firm | Practice Focus | neighborhood |
| Roman Austin | Motorcycle accident injuries and other motor vehicle claims | Downtown (Beach Drive NE) |
| Marsalisi law | Motorcycle, car, truck and scooter accident claims | West St. Petersburg (Central Avenue) |
| Beltz & Beltz, PA | Motorcycle and car injury claims | 4th Street North |
| Jeeves Law Group, PA | Motorcycle, car and truck accident claims | 1st Avenue South |
1. Roman Austin – Rider claims support from a board certified founder
type: Personal injury law firm
Focus: Motorcycle accident injuries and other motor vehicle claims
Location: Plage Drive NE, downtown St
Roman Austin’s downtown office sits on Beach Drive NE, close enough to the water that you can get there for a meeting. The company takes on the accidents that riders fear most, like left-turn wrecks and sideswipes on the Bayway and 4th Street North. For a St. Petersburg motorcycle accident attorney who already knows these roads, this firm is a strong place to start.
Mark S. Roman, who started the firm, holds board certification in civil trial law from the Florida Bar. He belongs to the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums and has a 10/10 Avvo rating.
Partners Miles H. Hickman and John C. Austin also try injury cases for the firm. Hickman was named a Super Lawyer Rising Star. Roman Austin also made the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing companies. The company says riders don’t pay anything unless it receives compensation for them, and it offers free consultations around the clock.
Roman Austin Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys, 840 Beach Dr NE, Suite 202, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 | (727) 787-2500 | romanaustin.com
2. Marsalisi Law – A Central Avenue company founded in 2014
Type: Personal injury law firm
Focus: Motorcycle, car, truck and scooter accident claims
Location: Central Avenue, West St
Frank P. Marsalisi opened this company in 2014, and it works from an office far out on Central Avenue. Motorcycle wrecks sit alongside car, truck, bicycle, pedestrian and scooter cases on his practice list. The company says it takes injury cases on an emergency basis and that customers owe nothing unless money is recovered for them.
Marsalisi Law, 7035 Central Avenue, Suite A, St. Petersburg, FL 33710 | (727) 800-5052 | marsalisilaw.com
3. Beltz & Beltz, PA – Posted motorcycle charges on 4th Street North
Type: Personal injury law firm
Focus: Motorcycle and car injury claims
Location: 4th Street North, St
Attorney Jennifer Ruth Beltz leads this firm from a 4th Street North office. What sets it apart is how open it is about costs. His motorcycle page lists a 25% fee before a lawsuit and 30% once one is filed. The company also says there are no fees or charges unless the customer wins.
Beltz & Beltz, PA, 11300 4th Street North, Suite 143, St. Petersburg, FL 33716 | (727) 201-9944 | beltzandbeltz.com
4. Jeeves Law Group, PA – A small trial team at 1st Avenue South
Type: Personal injury law firm
Focus: Motorcycle, car and truck accident claims
Location: 1. Avenue South, St
Jeeves Law Group maintains a St. Pete office on 1st Avenue South, plus offices in Tampa and Lakeland. The firm describes itself as a team of four trial lawyers, including Scott R. Jeeves and Christopher A. Cotten. Motorcycle crashes get their own page on their site, and the company says it won’t charge attorney fees unless it wins money for the client.
Jeeves Law Group, PA, 2100 1st Ave S, Suite 2, St. Petersburg, FL 33712 | (727) 894-2929 | jeeveslawgroup.com
Why riders need a lawyer who knows bikes
Motorcycle cases are not just car cases with two less wheels. Insurers often try to place part of the blame on the rider for speed, lane position or equipment. A lawyer working these claims often knows how to push back with scene photos, bike damage and crash rebuilders. A lawyer who mostly drafts wills or handles traffic tickets cannot see these angles.
The coverage is also more difficult. Without PIP to fall back on, a qualified motorcycle attorney grabs any policy that might pay, and moves quickly before road camera clips are deleted.
Before your next ride
All four companies here hold a St. Petersburg office and handle motorcycle crash claims. For riders who want testing ability and a local presence in one place, Roman Austin leads this list. Its founder, Mark S. Roman, holds board certification in civil trial law, and partners Miles H. Hickman and John C. Austin round from a deep trial bench. The company has built a site for injured bikers, an office on Beach Drive and phones that are answered day and night. If you’ve gone down the Bayway, Skyway or a side road near Crescent Lake, keep your helmet, jacket, photos and medical records. Then call a St. Petersburg motorcycle accident attorney while the details are still fresh. Ride safely out there, and keep this list in your saddlebag.