Maria D. Tejedor

Maria Tejedor graduated from the University of South Florida, Magna Cum Laude, in 1992. In 1993, she commenced law school at Stetson University, the number one ranked law school in trial advocacy. In 1994, she participated in a college-wide competition and was chosen by her peers at Stetson to become a member of the law school’s prestigious and select trial team. She spent the next two years representing Stetson College of Law in national and statewide trial competitions. During the years she competed, Stetson College of Law maintained its number one national ranking in trial advocacy.

In 1995, Maria Tejedor was the first-place winner of the American Criminal Defense Bar National Trial competition. Ms. Tejedor took second place in both the Florida Bar’s State Trial Competition and the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers State Competition. She was the 1996 Regional Champion in the American Bar Association National Trial Competition and was awarded the American College of Trial Lawyers Medal for Excellence in Trial Advocacy. In 1996, at graduation, Stetson University College of Law presented her with the Harris Ferrel Competition Award for Individual Excellence in Intercollegiate Trial Competition.

In 1996, she joined the law firm of Martinez, Manglardi and Diez-Arguelles. In 2004, she became one of the youngest women to be Board Certified in the state of Florida. That same year she was named a full partner at the law firm and the name was changed to Martinez, Manglardi, Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor.

In 2009, with a passion and career of helping women and children, she founded the law firm of Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor and became its managing partner. That passion and focus have led to her numerous successful statewide appellate and Supreme Court decisions which have created laws that protect the rights of the most vulnerable. Those include:

The Supreme Court of Florida affirmed a $2,000,000.00 verdict for the parents of a baby boy who died due to the negligence of a hospital.
Pub. Health Tr. of Miami-Dade Cty. v. Acanda, 71 So. 3d 782, 783 (Fla. 2011).
The appellate court held that a negligent healthcare provider could not get a vulnerable patient to sign away their right to bring a lawsuit in the event of malpractice.
Crespo v. Hernandez, 151 So. 3d 495, 496 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2014), approved, 211 So. 3d 19 (Fla. 2016).
The appellate court rules the victim of medical malpractice had a right to their day in court. The courts had to provide one upon request.
Garcia v. Lincare Inc., 906 So. 2d 1268, 1269 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2005).
The court held that a child who has suffered brain damage due the negligence of her hospital has a right to sue that hospital and that a law imposing a three-year limitation on such a right was not applicable.
Exposito v. Pub. Health Tr. of Miami-Dade Cty., et al., 141 So. 3d 663, 664 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2014).
She has also successfully tried numerous medical malpractice cases throughout the nation.

In the state of Florida, she has successfully tried cases in almost every county, including Dade, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Hillsborough, Clay, Polk, Leon, Broward, and Alachau. She was most recently awarded a $11,600,000.00 verdict in Volusia County, which is the highest medical malpractice wrongful death verdict in the history of the county.

She has received awards of over $250,000,000.00 for families and victims of malpractice.

She was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Florida Justice Association. During that time, she successfully testified before Congress and passed legislation to protect the rights of the women and children injured from malpractice. In 2011, after much success before the Florida Senate, she was appointed to the governing body of the Florida Justice Association.

Ms. Tejedor has a focus in medical malpractice cases, including injuries to children, as well as mass torts and dangerous drugs. She is a member of the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum. She has served as Treasurer of the Hispanic Bar Association. In 2009, she was appointed to the Orange County Grievance Ethics Committee and served as its chairperson in 2011. She is also a frequent speaker on medical malpractice. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Florida Justice Association, and in 2011 was appointed to their Executive Committee.

Board certification recognizes Ms. Tejedor as a specialist in personal injury trial work. Board certification is an achievement acquired by less than 3% of all lawyers in the state of Florida. She is also recognized as an AV rated lawyer, which means she has been recognized by her peers as having reached the highest levels of professional excellence, skill, and integrity a lawyer can achieve.