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Malpractice Center

Best Surgical Error Lawyers in Orlando, FL (2026)

To build this evidence-based 2026 list of Orlando surgical error lawyers, we weighed each firm's malpractice work and published results alongside client reviews and professional standing.

Sources checked

5 lawyers and firms

Skyline of downtown Orlando, Florida
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

With its focus on medical malpractice and a published $8.4 million wrong-site surgery settlement, Percy Martinez leads this list. Before you call, find out who would handle your surgical claim and how you'd pay case costs; ask how Florida's filing rules apply to your dates.

At a glance

  1. 1Percy MartinezFree consultation5.0 out of 5
  2. 2Fernandez FirmFree consultation5.0 out of 5
  3. 3Treto Law FirmFree consultation5.0 out of 5
  4. 4Bounds Law GroupFree consultation4.3 out of 5
  5. 5Morgan & MorganFree consultation4.6 out of 5

Best Surgical Error Lawyers in Orlando

  1. Open spot. Feature your firm in OrlandoFor lawyers
  2. Percy Martinez logo1

    Percy Martinez

    5.081 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 81 reviews

    Best for: Wrong-site surgery claims

    In Percy Martinez's published $8.4 million settlement, a photograph helped document the wrong-site marking. A reconstruction expert found that evidence, the firm says. If you're trying to understand where a surgical error began, that's a result worth asking the firm about.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the recognition it has earned.

    We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made

  3. Fernandez Firm logo2

    Fernandez Firm

    5.014 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 14 reviews

    Best for: Injuries during postoperative care

    Fernandez Firm's published results include $5.3 million for a patient who suffered nerve injuries after staff left her unattended and she fell following surgery. That postoperative case gives families a concrete example to discuss at intake. The firm also reports a $36.7 million birth injury verdict tried in Orlando and upheld on appeal.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and the recognition it has earned.

    We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made

  4. Treto Law Firm logo3

    Treto Law Firm

    5.019 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 19 reviews

    Best for: Patients wanting regular case updates

    As one Treto Law Firm reviewer puts it, “We were always kept up to date on the status of our case,”. When other clients describe the firm's approach, they mention support and responsive communication. If your family is sorting through an unexpected surgical injury, those qualities can help.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the recognition it has earned.

    We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made

  5. Not sure who to call first?

    Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Orlando can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.

  6. Bounds Law Group logo4

    Bounds Law Group

    4.341 Google reviewsRated 4.3 out of 5 on Google from 41 reviews

    Best for: Neurological injuries after surgery

    Among Bounds Law Group's published results are negligent surgery that injured the spinal cord and a neurosurgical procedure that caused a permanent cervical spinal cord injury. A delayed cardiac surgery case also appears on its list. Although these cases support including the firm here, their published descriptions don't say how much was recovered.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice.

    We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made

  7. 5

    Morgan & Morgan

    4.61,946 Google reviewsRated 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 1946 reviews

    Best for: Delayed C-section injury claims

    Alongside car accidents and workplace disputes, Morgan & Morgan takes surgical error claims within its broader practice. When doctors delayed a needed C-section, a baby suffered severe brain injury; the firm's strongest published surgical example is the resulting $37.8 million jury award in 2007. According to the firm, Armando Lauritano and Keith Carter were the attorneys who fought that case.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.

    We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made

Where they are in Orlando

A few minutes that might help

Questions about your own case?
How a malpractice claim usually moves in Florida

  1. 1.Something went wrong

    Write down dates and names while they're fresh.

  2. 2.Get your records

    Ask for your full chart and test results.

  3. 3.Free case review

    A lawyer looks at what happened, free.

  4. 4.Medical opinion

    A doctor checks whether the care fell short.

  5. 5.Notice before suing

    Some places need a notice before a claim.

  6. 6.File before the deadline

    Your lawyer starts the claim before the deadline.

  7. 7.Settlement or trial

    Many claims settle. Some go to a judge or jury.

Your deadline: 2 years from when you found outRead the Florida law guide

Each step in more detail

  1. Review the dates

    When you talk to the lawyer, give your operation date and say when you first learned something might have gone wrong. Florida's usual filing deadline is 2-year, but you also have to account for a 4-year outer limit. Until a lawyer checks those dates, don't assume you still have time to file your claim.

  2. Investigate the care

    Before you sue, you'll need the reasonable investigation Florida requires. To review what happened during surgery, what records does the lawyer need? If you're missing operative notes or anesthesia records, ask how to get them, and bring the records you already have.

  3. Obtain medical support

    A qualified medical expert must provide a verified written opinion to support the notice of intent you'll need. With that written opinion, you have medical support for the claim you're making. Before the review starts, find out who at the firm will arrange it and what you'll pay for the work.

  4. Address notice and filing

    Before you file your lawsuit, when must you give the required notice of intent, and what does the lawyer say it involves? If the claim involves a child, a special rule takes the child's eighth birthday into account. Have a lawyer advise you before using that rule to work out a deadline.

  5. Discuss resolution

    If the case goes to trial, how would the firm prepare, and how would it decide whether to accept a settlement offer first? You'll see both jury verdicts and settlements when you read the listed firms' published results. You can't use either to predict what will happen in your case or how long you'll wait for it to finish.

Malpractice claims in Orlando: the rules that matter

The filing deadline in Florida
  1. The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
  2. Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
  3. At the very most4 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
  • Expert paperworkBefore suing, the claimant must make a reasonable investigation, and the notice of intent must be corroborated by a verified written opinion of a qualified medical expert.

Read the Florida law guideWork out your own deadline

Local hospitals

Star ratings from CMS Care Compare. Look up a hospital

Filing deadline for most malpractice claims in Florida
2 years
Source
Outer limit (statute of repose)
4 years
Source
Hospitals near Orlando with a CMS star rating
4
Source

What a malpractice lawyer costs in Orlando

  1. The first callOften free. Ask before you book.
  2. A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
  3. If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
  4. If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Contingency fees are offered by Four firms listed here. If you don't recover money, there's no lawyer's fee under that arrangement, which gives the lawyer a share of your recovery. Each offers a consultation at no charge. Records and medical opinions come with separate case costs, and you'll also need to account for court fees for the claim. As your claim moves forward, who pays those expenses, and would you still owe them if you recovered nothing? You can't tell who pays those bills from the firms' stated policies. Before signing, request a written explanation of the fee, including how much money you'd keep once the case expenses have been paid.

All six listed firms say you won't have to pay to meet for a consultation. Contingency arrangements are also available, according to Four firms.

What to bring to your first call

  • The date of your operation, along with when you first noticed the injury or found out about it
  • The operative reports you have, plus any instructions you received at discharge
  • Copies of follow-up treatment notes, along with your anesthesia records if you have them
  • The surgeon's name and the hospital where you were treated, plus names of other providers
  • Bills for your medical care, plus records of other injury-related expenses
  • Letters or messages the hospital or insurer has sent you
  • Photos of the injury, if you've taken any
  • Your concerns for the discussion, along with a short written timeline of what happened

Questions to ask a lawyer

  1. 1Have you handled surgical claims involving my procedure, or cases where someone had an injury like mine?
  2. 2Who would be the lawyer in charge of my file?
  3. 3Which records would help you decide whether you'd take my case?
  4. 4Who would arrange for the medical expert to write the opinion?
  5. 5How much filing time do my dates allow under Florida's rules?
  6. 6What would I pay for your fee, and how would I cover case expenses separately?
  7. 7Would I owe expenses even without recovering any money?
  8. 8Who should I get in touch with for updates or questions, and how do I reach them?

Choosing a surgical error lawyer in Orlando

Let your operation and injury guide you. Don't begin by looking for the largest advertised recovery. If you've had this procedure or complication, ask whether the lawyer has handled something similar. Bounds Law Group describes surgical spinal cord injuries; Percy Martinez publishes a settlement involving wrong-site surgery. When you discuss those examples, treat them as conversation starters rather than predictions of your claim's outcome.

Have the dates you know ready. Under Florida's statute of limitations, you generally must file within 2 years of the incident or when it was discovered or should have been discovered; a 4-year outer limit applies. A later diagnosis doesn't necessarily restart the filing clock. To see how those rules affect you, ask a Florida lawyer.

Find out who will handle your file

Who returns your calls isn't something the name on the firm's door tells you. Before hiring the firm, ask which lawyer would be responsible for your claim and how you'd receive updates. Clients of several listed firms describe good communication in their reviews. Because Bounds Law Group and Morgan & Morgan also have follow-up complaints, ask them exactly how they'd keep you informed about your case.

  • When asking about surgical claims with medical facts like yours, include cases the firm turned down after reviewing the records.
  • When the firm first reviews your case, will it read the operative report, anesthesia chart and follow-up notes?
  • Check where you'd meet. Bounds Law Group's office is in Maitland; Paul Trial Group's is in Winter Park.
  • Ask the firm to explain clearly why it declines your case, if it does. Don't wait to ask how much filing time remains.

According to every listed firm, the consultation is free. Before signing anything, ask how the review works and how you'd pay. If your claim fails, you don't owe a lawyer's fee under the contingency arrangements Four firms describe, because that fee comes from money you recover. Since case expenses aren't covered by the lawyer's fee, ask what those separate charges would be.

Questions people ask

Which Orlando firm leads this surgical error lawyer list?
Because Percy Martinez focuses on medical malpractice and publishes a wrong-site surgery result, it leads this list, with clients' comments about good communication also weighing in. According to the firm's site, a photograph of the wrong-site marking helped support the settlement for $8.4 million. The case involved an error during surgery. Another patient can't use it to put a value on their claim or predict how it'll end.
How long do I have to file a surgical malpractice claim in Florida?
Under Florida's general rule, you must file within 2 years of the incident or when it was discovered or should have been discovered, with no filing more than 4 years after the incident. When you discovered it matters. To learn how the statute applies to you, give a Florida lawyer your operation date along with the dates of later findings.
What should I do before calling a lawyer?
Gather the records you have after writing down what happened to you. Bring your operative report and follow-up notes, which can give the lawyer a clearer picture of what happened. Include the date you first learned there might have been an error. You can meet with any listed firm for a free consultation. Before collecting every missing record, you can call and ask what else the firm needs from you to review the case.
Does Florida require a medical opinion before a lawsuit?
Florida does. Before you can sue in Florida, you need a reasonable investigation and a qualified medical expert's verified written opinion supporting your notice of intent. Ask who pays for the review and how the lawyer will arrange it before it starts. To find out what the opinion must say about your surgical claim, speak with a Florida lawyer.
Can I speak to a listed firm without paying for the first consultation?
All six listed firms say their consultations come at no charge to you. Under the contingency arrangements Four firms describe, the lawyer can't collect a fee unless you recover money from the claim. You'll need to ask about later expenses separately. Because a free consultation doesn't settle who pays later costs, ask for written payment terms that say whether you'd owe case expenses if your claim fails.
Are the filing rules different for a child?
Florida's 4-year and 7-year limits don't bar a claim brought on a child's behalf if it's filed on or before the child's eighth birthday, under that rule. The exception is that specific. You shouldn't calculate a deadline from it yourself. To find out how all the applicable filing rules work together, give a Florida lawyer the child's birth date and the dates of treatment.
What if my loved one died after surgery?
You can ask Fernandez Firm or Paul Trial Group about wrongful death matters, which both listed firms handle. If medical negligence caused the death, who can recover non-economic damages is restricted by Florida's wrongful death act. Those damages cover losses that aren't financial expenses. To find out whether your relationship to the person who died allows you to recover them, ask a Florida lawyer.
Does Florida limit malpractice damages?
Malpractice damage caps aren't enforced in Florida. Florida's wrongful death act has separate rules restricting who can recover non-economic damages if someone dies because of medical negligence. You can't work out what your claim is worth just because there's no cap. To understand what those rules mean for your case, discuss your injury and the losses you've suffered with a Florida lawyer.
How long will a surgical error claim take?
You can't work out your waiting time from this list. Before you sue, Florida requires an investigation and supporting medical opinion; the listed firms' published results come from settlements as well as cases that went to trial. What does the firm still need to do on your claim, and what might delay that work or change the next step? You can't judge your own wait by a recovery published for another patient.

Sources

  1. Florida Statutes § 95.11 (2026), Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
  2. Florida Statutes § 768.21 (2026), Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
  3. Florida Statutes § 768.81 (2026), Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
  4. Florida Statutes § 766.106 (2026), Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
  5. State Enactments of Selected Medical Liability Reforms (as of 8/27/2026), Medical Professional Liability Association
  6. Contributory Negligence/Comparative Fault Laws in All 50 States (updated 6/10/2026), Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.
  7. Hospital General Information, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  8. Malpractice Center methodology, Malpractice Center

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