Terra D. Wilhelm

Partner/Tampa Bay

"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing."
Vince Lombardi

Ms. Wilhelm is a partner in the firm’s Tampa Bay office and has been practicing in the Tampa Bay area for several years. Ms. Wilhelm focuses her practice on the defense of corporations and insured individuals in civil trial liability matters arising from premises liability, trucking transportation, automobile negligence, products liability, and negligent security.

Ms. Wilhelm is admitted to the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She is an active member of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Saint Petersburg Bar Association, the Hillsborough Bar Association, and the Clearwater Bar Association.

As for a personal background, Ms. Wilhelm was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Ms. Wilhelm was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key National Honor Societies and received the Dean’s Honorary Award for outstanding academic achievement.

After graduation, Ms. Wilhelm migrated south to warmer weather and attained her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, FL. She graduated with the additional honor of achieving a Certificate of Concentration in Health Law. After being admitted to the Florida Bar, she began practicing primarily in the areas of Health Care Law, Corporate Law, and Business and Commercial Litigation.

In her leisure time, Ms. Wilhelm spends time boating, going to the beach, and traveling. During football season, she dedicates Sundays to watching the Green Bay Packers and flies back home to the Frozen Tundra to attend games at Lambeau Field whenever possible.

Great Results

Carver vs. U.S. Security/Trial

In this 2 week Sarasota county trial, Mrs. Wilhelm represented U.S. Security wherein the Plaintiff suffered severe ankle fractures and the onset of RSD according to defense doctors. The injuries occurred due to U.S. Security employee “blacking out” at the wheel and crossing the median colliding head on with Plaintiff’s vehicle. The driver had black out spells years earlier and the Plaintiff argued that this spell was foreseeable. Plaintiff’s experts testified that her past medicals exceeded $200,000 and total future economic loss was 1.8 million dollars. Plaintiff asked the jury to award $20 million and demanded 9 million to settle. Jury returned a defense verdict.

Simmons vs. Budget Rent A Truck/Trial

Ms. Wilhelm represented Budget Rent A Truck in a week long liability Trial in Orange County. In this case, the Plaintiff made a left hand turn in front of the Defendant driver/renter. Plaintiff alleged that the Defendant driver/renter was speeding at the time collision. As a result of the collision, the Plaintiff suffered a brain injury. During the week long Trial, extensive accident reconstruction testimony was presented by both the Plaintiff and Defendant. The jury returned a verdict finding the Plaintiff 93% responsible in causing the accident.

John Doe vs. Restaurant Franchise/Settlement

An Elderly Plaintiff tripped and fell down stairs outside of the restaurant. Plaintiff fell down the stairs, which caused him to hit his head on the concrete sidewalk. The Plaintiff suffered traumatic brain injury, including hemorrhage and skull fracture. Plaintiff died as a result of medical complications from the fall. Plaintiff’s demand was two million dollars. Settlement-$25,000.

Jeremy Brown vs. SODEXO, INC et. Al.

The Plaintiff alleged he was bitten by a brown recluse spider while attending a sports camp. The Plaintiff alleged that Sodexo breached its duty to provide pest control services causing the Plaintiff’s bite and subsequent injuries. Sodexo subsequently retained an expert in Entomology who stated brown recluse spiders were not native to the state Florida, and they can only be exterminated by direct sprays. Further, an affidavit of the pest control employee who serviced the property for years was obtained in which he stated no brown recluse spiders had ever been observed on the property. Summary Judgment was granted and affirmed on appealed, citing to St. Joseph’s Hospital vs. Cowart, 891 So 2d 1039 (Fla. 2d DCA 2004).