Best and Worst Counties to Try a Nursing Home Case in Florida

Top Counties to Try an Injury or Wrongful Death Case in Florida

Below are some of the most conservative and the most liberal counties in Florida to try a civil injury case.

Traditionally, liberal counties are more favorable to plaintiffs (the injured party). Most of the large, multi-million Florida plaintiff jury verdicts we read about are rendered in liberal counties.

Conservative venues are more sympathetic to the defendant, its company or insurance carrier. Additionally, conservative counties typically award lower jury verdicts (less damages) when compared to more liberal counties.

Unfortunately, after the victory of Governor Ron DeSantis and his appointment of swing Supreme Court justices in Florida, all of Florida’s appellate courts have swung to the right. This means it will be that much harder to keep a large plaintiff jury verdict in 2021 and moving forward.

Best Places to Try a Medical Malpractice or Nursing Home Abuse Trial in Florida

It appears, based on the US Law map, that Florida’s most plaintiff-oriented counties are:

• Miami-Dade
• Broward (Fort Lauderdale)
• Palm Beach (West Palm and Boca Raton)
• Manatee (Bradenton)
• Hillsborough (Tampa)
• Orange (Orlando)
• Volusia (Daytona Beach)
• Duval (Jacksonville)
• Leon (Tallahassee)
• Escambia (Pensacola)

Unsurprisingly, larger cities are kinder to plaintiffs in nursing home negligence trials vs. small towns. Most of Florida’s top venues for plaintiff civil jury trials are centered around its largest metropolitan areas (Southeast Florida, Tampa and Jacksonville).

Worst Florida Counties for a Nursing Home Neglect Trial

Florida’s worst counties to try a malpractice case include:

• Collier (Naples)
• Sarasota
• Polk (Lakeland)
• Lake (the Villages)
• Most of North Florida except Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Pensacola

Why Are Smaller Counties Harder to Win for the Plaintiff in a Florida Malpractice Lawsuit?

This is not a knock on the residents of a smaller venue. In fact, more small town jurors genuinely try to issue a verdict that is fair and in line with the evidence. Unfortunately, some of Florida’s small towns are reticent to award large damages because of the ‘sticker shock’ of a 7 figure plaintiff’s judgement. Additionally, smaller courthouses might have judges that are unfamiliar with the nuances of a Florida nursing home abuse lawsuit. For this reason, although well-intentioned, the court may unfairly prevent the introduction of certain pieces of evidence, like the defendant’s corporate misdeeds.

Free Case Consultation

If you or a loved one suffered a wrongful death due to malpractice, neglect or negligence, call our Florida law firm today for a free case consultation. We have experience litigating in most of Florida’s counties. If you are an attorney looking to co-counsel, read more about referring your Florida case to Senior Justice Law Firm.

Call us now at 561-717-0817