LEIGHTON PANOFF LAW OPENS ORLANDO OFFICE – Focus on Resort Torts Expands Personal Injury Practice Into Central Florida [Oct. 5, 2009]

10-05-2009

MIAMI/ORLANDO – October 5, 2009 – Leighton Panoff Law, P.A., a Miami-based personal injury law firm with a national client roster, has opened an office in Orlando, Florida. The new office is located at 121 South Orange Avenue, Suite 1150.

Leighton Panoff Law was founded by John Elliott Leighton, a Florida Bar board certified civil trial lawyer with 24 years of experience in litigating and trying complex and catastrophic cases in all state and federal courts. The firm handles personal injury and wrongful death; medical malpractice; violent crime/negligent premises security; trucking and motor vehicle crash; nursing home neglect; product liability; aviation disaster; cruise ship and maritime; commercial litigation; and other civil cases.

Mr. Leighton provides clients with extensive experience in the area of Resort Torts™, including cruise ship, maritime, and violent crime/negligent premises security. Among his cases is the high-profile parasailing death in Pompano Beach, Florida, in which the mother of 15-year-old Amber May White filed a negligence lawsuit against parasail operators Pompano Water Sports and Wyndham Vacation Resorts.  Amber May died while parasailing from head trauma, sustained when she crashed into the Beachcomber Hotel. Mr. Leighton has spearheaded legislative efforts to bring some regulation to this rogue industry. His efforts in Tallahassee have resulted in a bill which he and the family hope to make law this year.

“Our growing client base in Orlando demanded this expansion,” stated Leighton. “The safety of residents and tourists alike is threatened by a desire for profit, especially in the hospitality and resort industry.  This trend is particularly troublesome in Central Florida, which is the world’s largest tourist destination.”

Mr. Leighton has obtained some of the largest verdicts and settlements in the state, many in Central Florida.  He represented an Orlando-area girl whose medical care caused her condition.  A Seminole County jury returned a verdict of over $24 million to care for this young lady for life.  Leighton has tried cases against Walt Disney World, including one in which he obtained a $668,000 verdict for a man burned by hot coffee, as well as recovering $2.8 million for the family of a man killed in a private plane crash in Osceola County.  Likewise Leighton obtained a $1,325,000 recovery for the family of a teenager killed by a drunk boater, and just this past month $1 million for a man struck by a drunk driver who had been served a dozen drinks by a bar. He also recovered $11,250,000 for a child damaged at birth by medical malpractice in Central Florida and this year obtained $3 million for the family of a woman killed by a medical mistake in Citrus County.

Mr. Leighton is Chairman of The Academy of Trial Advocacy, chairs the Inadequate Security Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice/Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and serves on the board of trustees of the National College of Advocacy. He is past Chairman of the Association of Trial Lawyers Motor Vehicle, Highway and Premises Liability Section.

Orlando Office Opening FINAL1266942051.pdf