Before pursuing a legal career, Oscar was a licensed physical therapist for over 10 years. He treated patients in a variety of settings including acute care centers, out-patient orthopedic centers, and neurorehabilitation centers. His treatment of injured patients motivated him to obtain a law degree so that he could get the injured the compensation they deserve for the physical injuries they suffered.
Background & Education: From Healthcare to Legal Advocacy
Oscar’s journey as an advocate began in healthcare. Trained and educated as a licensed physical therapist, he spent years working hands-on with patients recovering from severe orthopedic and neurologic injuries and disabilities. In his clinical practice, Oscar focused on improving physical function, reducing chronic pain, and restoring his patients’ independence and quality of life.
Recognizing that injured individuals also require protection against insurance carriers and negligent parties, Oscar transitioned from physical therapy to personal injury law. Today, he translates complex medical evidence into compelling legal arguments, ensuring that client recovery encompasses both long-term medical care and full financial justice.
Proactive Litigation & Specialized Technical Experts
Over his 14 years with Jim and Ted, Oscar has helped refine the firm’s proactive litigation strategy: outworking defense counsel, anticipating procedural obstacles, and filing lawsuits early when necessary to achieve optimal client outcomes.
A cornerstone of Oscar’s practice is establishing liability through tailored, high-caliber subject-matter experts. Depending on the unique requirements of a case, Oscar collaborates with:
- Surface & Flooring Experts: Analyzing friction coefficients and maintenance standards in slip-and-fall claims.
- Theme Park & Amusement Safety Specialists: Inspecting mechanical failures and operational safety protocols.
- Arborists & Tree Care Professionals: Evaluating hazardous property conditions and tree maintenance liability.
- Highway Construction & Lighting Engineers: Assessing roadway design, signage clarity, and construction zone
hazards.
To capture the complete financial impact of severe injuries, Oscar regularly retains Life Care Planners. These medical-legal experts review comprehensive health histories to project necessary lifelong care, therapy, and adaptive equipment, securing long-term financial stability for catastrophically injured clients.
Oscar takes special pride in standing up for everyday people down on their luck, including homeless individuals injured by reckless drivers or negligent businesses. Even when other law firms have turned down a case, Oscar conducts an exhaustive review, frequently discovering liability pathways that lead to life-changing recoveries.
Direct Attorney Access & Core Values
At Holliday Karatinos Law Firm, client communication is a priority. Oscar ensures that clients deal directly with their attorney rather than being handed off to non-attorney staff. He provides clients with his personal cell phone number so they can reach him directly with questions, and addresses realistic timelines during the very first consultation.
Oscar’s practice is guided by three core principles: Honesty, Integrity, and Compassion. Born and raised in Tampa, he maintains deep ties to the community and currently resides in Brooksville. Outside the courtroom, Oscar is an avid motorcycle enthusiast who appreciates the camaraderie and open road culture of the riding community.
A Passion for Motorcycling With a Commitment to Protecting Riders
Motorcycling is more than a hobby to me it is a lifestyle. In Florida motorcycle riding season is year-round. It is a passion that brings together things that I enjoy freedom, adventure, and a community of people who share a love of the open road. As an avid motorcyclist myself, I understand the commitment it takes to ride responsibly, the importance of safety, and the unique challenges riders face when sharing the road with other motor vehicles.
As a Florida personal injury attorney, I also understand the serious consequences a motorcycle crash can have on a rider and their family. Motorcyclists deserve to be treated fairly, and they deserve an attorney who understands that a motorcycle accident is not simply another personal injury case. Riders can face serious injuries, difficult insurance disputes, and unfair assumptions about being at fault.
I’m a rider, I understand the riding community, and I’m an attorney who helps protect riders when a crash changes their lives. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, I welcome the opportunity to help you understand your legal options and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Question and Answer section
Oscar, when did you start riding motorcycles?
I started riding motorcycles when I was 18 years old.
When did you get your first motorcycle, what kind of motorcycle was it?
I bought my first motorcycle in 1982; it was a Honda Nighthawk 750.
When you were a physical therapist do you recall clients that you treated after motorcycle accidents?
As a Physical Therapist I debrided gravel out of a motorcyclist’s road rash and used weeks of hydrotherapy to help heal the road rash. I also treated a 13-year-old girl who was a passenger on a bike and lost her right leg below the knee. I literally put her in a whirlpool for her wound 24 hours after she lost her leg. She returned to our PT department months later with her prosthesis and wearing a dress.
What do you like about your current motorcycles?
My Kawasaki Ninja 1100 SX gives me a sporty riding experience and is very comfortable on long trips and twisty roads. The Harley Davidson Breakout is a more relaxed experience and great for riding in charity groups and poker runs where I have more of an opportunity to interact with others in the motorcycling community.
Where do you like to ride?
I like to explore parts of Florida where I have never been before, usually on scenic rural and country roads rather than interstate roadways or high traffic city riding. Recently I enjoyed riding up from Brooksville to Crystal River and then on to Cedar Key.
What is something that someone can do to better protect themselves in case of an accident?
Adding any kind of camera to a motorcycle can be very advantageous if litigation is required after an accident. There are many styles and types of video recording to choose from such as mounted to the motorcycle or helmet mounted. If there is a dispute about liability (who was at fault) a video recording may be the best evidence to prove your case.
Motorcycles are very personal to each rider, is there anything that you do to make it your own?
The nice thing about any bike is personalizing it to make it your own. It is an extension of the rider’s identity. Adding to or changing things about a bike is one of the first thing bikers do to make their bike their own. We add new windshields, new exhaust pipes, panniers/saddlebags, and custom paint jobs. The options are endless and that’s one of the things bikers can be most proud of, looking at their bike and saying “that’s my baby”.
Results Our Firm Has Obtained
- $2.5M admiralty settlement
- $950,000 premises liability settlement
- $694,500 motor vehicle settlement
- $405,353 motorcycle accident judgment
