A Legacy of Over 100 years of Serving the People of Florida

The Perkins Family has been representing the people of Florida in its courtrooms for over 100 years.  Daniel Webster Perkins, Esq. was admitted to practice law in 1914, and in 1915, D.W. Perkins argued the landmark case before the Florida Supreme Court that allowed African-Americans to serve on juries in Florida.  Paul C. Perkins, Sr., Esq. was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1950, and he worked at his Uncle Daniel’s side in Jacksonville, until he moved to Orlando in 1951.  Perkins served as co-counsel with Thurgood Marshall and Jack Greenberg of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, representing the Groveland Four, four African-American young men who were accused of raping Norma Jean Padgett in Lake County Florida.  The New York Times Best Seller Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King tells the story of this tragic tale.  Paul C. Perkins, Sr. served the Central Florida Community as an advocate for civil rights and justice, as well as a business leader and philanthropist.  He helped found the Washington Shores Federal Savings and Loan in 1963, the first African American owned lending institution in the state of Florida.  Paul, Sr. died in 1985.

Paul C. Perkins, Jr. began practicing in 1991, six years after his father’s death.  Since that time, Paul has tirelessly represented people who have suffered injuries and illnesses due to the negligence of others in Florida’s courtrooms.  Mr. Perkins concentrates his practice in the fields of personal injury and insurance law, including automobile accidents, slip and fall accidents, wrongful death claims and medical malpractice.  His insurance practice involves representing homeowners and business owners in claims against their insurance companies when they fail or refuse to pay the proper amount for covered claims.

Recently, Mr. Perkins procured a verdict for a homeowner whose claim was denied by his insurance company when a Florida storm caused irreparable damage to his rear screen enclosure.  Rather than pay his claim fairly, the insurance company chose to blame the homeowner for improper maintenance of the enclosure and denied the claim.  After years of litigation, counsel for the homeowner engaged Mr. Perkins to try the case against the insurance carrier.  The case required 2 trials, but ultimately, the homeowner prevailed, requiring the insurer to pay the entire loss, plus all of the homeowner’s attorneys’ fees and the cost of litigation.

In another recent case, Mr. Perkins procured a $550,000 verdict for a woman who was injured in a minor automobile accident.  She suffered very serious injuries because she had a condition in her neck that made her more susceptible to injury than perfectly healthy people.  The law in Florida and throughout the country is clear, that a person who negligently causes a crash “takes the plaintiff as he finds them”, and is responsible for their injuries including any pre-existing susceptibility.   It is called the “eggshell plaintiff doctrine”, and is taught in all law schools.  Nonetheless, the insurance company for the negligent driver refused to pay a reasonable settlement for the extensive medical care she needed, offering a mere $25,000, with a threat to charge her for their attorney’s fees if they prevailed.  They did not.

Mr. Perkins has many other verdicts and settlements for his clients, including a verdict of $5.9 million for a man whose foot was crushed in a fork lift accident.  Mr. Perkins is rated by Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.  He and his wife Andrea have raised their two children here in Central Florida, where he volunteers for various civic and professional organizations. 

Paul’s firm is Paul & Perkins, PA at 3117 Edgewater Dr., Orlando FL 32804.  Please call him at (407) 540-0122, or visit the website for more information at paulandperkins.com.

3117 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL 32804  |  P: 407-540-0122  |  PaulandPerkins.com