Introduction

Before representing injury victims, Dereck Capaz worked on the other side as an insurance defense attorney. That background gives Capaz Law Firm, P.A. an unusual vantage point: the firm lead attorney knows from direct experience how insurance companies evaluate, contest, and settle injury claims. Since shifting to plaintiff representation, Attorney Capaz has been recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer from 2009 through 2015 and earned membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

The firm operates from two Florida offices: 601 S Boulevard Suite 102, Tampa, FL 33606 at (813) 440-2700, and 1102 Florida Avenue South Suite 118, Lakeland, FL 33803 at (863) 400-6151, with 24/7 availability for clients.

Practice Areas

Capaz Law Firm handles personal injury cases across a wide range of accident types, with significant depth in vehicle collision cases and premises liability.

Car accident cases cover rear-end collisions, side-impact crashes, head-on impacts, T-bone accidents, and DUI crash cases throughout the Tampa and Lakeland areas. The firm emphasizes thorough evidence collection after crashes, photos, video footage, and witness statements, as a foundation for building strong claims.

Truck and semi-truck accident cases require understanding liability that often extends beyond the driver to include trucking companies, cargo loaders, and maintenance providers. Attorney Capaz brings extensive litigation experience to these complex cases, where commercial vehicles weighing up to 80,000 pounds can cause catastrophic harm.

Delivery truck accidents involving UPS, FedEx, and other commercial carriers present unique liability questions because driver fatigue, mechanical problems, and delivery pressure all factor into causation. The firm handles these cases throughout the Tampa area.

Motorcycle accident representation addresses the Florida-specific challenges that motorcyclists face, including insurer assumptions about rider fault. The firm handles crashes involving left-turn accidents, rear-end collisions, and intersection crashes.

Pedestrian accident cases in Tampa are particularly significant given that the city ranks among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians. The firm represents victims of driver negligence in both Tampa and Lakeland.

Bicycle accident, premises liability, slip and fall, and wrongful death cases complete the injury practice. Florida wrongful death claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, which the firm helps families understand and act within.

Attorney Profiles

Dereck Capaz leads the firm and brings a distinctive career arc to personal injury litigation. His earlier work as an insurance defense attorney gave him direct insight into how insurers build their cases against claimants, knowledge he now applies on behalf of injury victims.

Attorney Capaz holds membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to trial lawyers who have achieved verdicts or settlements of one million dollars or more. He was named a Florida Super Lawyer each year from 2009 through 2015, a peer-recognition designation based on independent research and attorney nominations.

Location and Service Area

Capaz Law Firm, P.A. operates from two Florida offices:

• Tampa: 601 S Boulevard Suite 102, Tampa, FL 33606, (813) 440-2700
• Lakeland: 1102 Florida Avenue South Suite 118, Lakeland, FL 33803, (863) 400-6151

The firm is available 24/7 for client contact and takes cases throughout Florida. Website: capazlaw.com

Client Focus

The firm represents individuals injured in accidents caused by another party negligence. Attorney Capaz insurance defense background is directly relevant to clients whose cases will be contested by insurance carriers, he knows the arguments insurers use and how to counter them. Cases involving commercial vehicles, pedestrians, and wrongful death carry particularly high stakes, and the firm track record of million-dollar results reflects experience with serious injury litigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Million Dollar Advocates Forum?
An organization for trial attorneys who have achieved verdicts or settlements of one million dollars or more. Dereck Capaz holds membership based on results obtained for clients.

Why does it matter that Attorney Capaz previously worked in insurance defense?
Insurance defense attorneys understand how carriers evaluate claims, what arguments they use to minimize payouts, and where those arguments are vulnerable. That background informs how the firm builds and presents injury cases on behalf of plaintiffs.

Does the firm handle truck accident cases?
Yes. Semi-truck and delivery truck accident cases, including those involving UPS, FedEx, and other commercial carriers, are a specific area of practice from the Tampa office.

Is the firm available outside normal business hours?
Yes. Capaz Law Firm maintains 24/7 availability for client contact at both the Tampa and Lakeland offices.

What is the wrongful death filing deadline in Florida?
Families typically have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida.

Closing

Dereck Capaz insurance defense background, Florida Super Lawyer recognition from 2009 to 2015, and Million Dollar Advocates Forum membership reflect a plaintiff injury practice built on verifiable results. Capaz Law Firm, P.A. serves Tampa and Lakeland from two offices with round-the-clock availability.

Tampa: 601 S Boulevard Suite 102, Tampa, FL 33606, (813) 440-2700. Lakeland: 1102 Florida Avenue South Suite 118, Lakeland, FL 33803, (863) 400-6151. Website: capazlaw.com.