Chelsie Marie Lamie

The Crash That Changed Her World
 
Chelsie's interest in personal injury law was sparked after both she and her husband, David, were involved in a high-speed head-on crash while she was a law student. As Chelsie recovered from knee and back injuries she also cared for her husband, David,  who was permanently disabled as a result of the crash.  David underwent emergency jaw surgery and over the next few years, shoulder surgery, knee surgery and multiple injections in his spine.  He also sustained a mild traumatic brain injury in the crash.  This accident taught Chelsie, first hand, how the carelessness of a stranger can inflict serious physical and financial damage to a family and, as she would later discover, planted the seed for her interest in personal injury law.
 
Overcoming Obstacles
 
The crash was not the first time that Chelsie was presented with an obstacle which she overcame.  Born in Batavia, New York to working class parents Chelsie was determined to be the first person in her family to graduate from college.  Due to her family's financial struggles and frequent moves searching for work, Chelsie decided to leave high school two years early and obtain her GED so that she could start college immediately.  Chelsie moved to Florida to attend the University of Tampa on a scholarship and worked part-time to put herself through school.  Chelsie graduated cum laude with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology in less than three years. Chelsie went on to earn her Juris Doctor (law degree) at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. Despite working two part-time jobs while managing a full-time course load, Chelsie was the recipient of the prestigious Victor O. Wehle Trial Advocacy Award and was a top four finalist in Stetson's Phi Alpha Delta’s Opening Statement and Closing Argument competitions.
 
Trained By The Insurance Companies, Fighting For The Injured
 
After graduating from the University of Tampa, Chelsie worked as an automobile and general liability claims adjuster for a large insurance company. Chelsie was trained by the insurance company to evaluate and settle the claims of injury victims.  After earning her law degree, Chelsie went to work as an insurance defense lawyer. She represented many well known insurance companies and attended numerous conferences and workshops in order to learn how to defend against and minimize the recovery of injury victims.  As an accident survivor and caretaker of an injury victim, Chelsie soon found that she morally could not justify working for the big insurance companies.  She knew that it was time to take what she had learned after years of working inside the insurance industry and use it to fight for the rights of injury victims.  As a former adjuster and insurance defense lawyer, Chelsie understands what motivates adjusters and insurance companies to settle claims and how to obtain the best possible results for her injured clients.
 
Making a Difference in the Community
 
Chelsie is admitted to practice in all Florida courts as well as the United States District Court. She is a member of the Florida Justice Association; the Clearwater Bar Association; the Hillsborough County Bar Association; the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers; the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar and the National Crime Victim Bar.  Chelsie has served as Chair of the Clearwater Bar's Civil Practice Division and as co-Chair of the Clearwater Bar's Summer Legal Intern Program. 
 
Chelsie is as dedicated to her community as she is to her clients. She enjoys spending her free time volunteering with underprivileged children, distributing food and supplies to the homeless, and as a motivational speaker at local high schools.  

Wife and Mom 

Chelsie resides in Clearwater, Florida with her husband of fifteen years, David, and their two sons, Michael and Henry. Both Chelsie and David have a passion for scuba diving and international travel.  Their goal is to visit every country in the world before age 65.  So far, with over 38 countries visited, they are well on their way!  One of their favorite things to do while traveling is to visit local schools and interact with children.  When visiting third world countries they always bring school supplies and personal hygiene kits to distribute to the less fortunate.