Partner
Mark J. Miller
Mark has experience in prosecution and insurance defense. His biography provides the background relevant to evaluating contested liability and coverage positions.
When responsibility is passed from one business to another
Broward County Negligent Security Lawyers
Miller & Jacobs investigates negligent-security injury claims across Broward County. If an assault happened at a property with an owner, manager, tenant, and separate security company, we can help determine who controlled the precautions and whether a failure contributed to your harm.
You can begin with the exact address and the paperwork you have. No attorney fee unless compensation is recovered for you.
$150M+ Reported Recoveries for Injured Clients
50+ Years Combined Legal Experience
230+ Combined Jury Trials Across Their Careers
Former Prosecutors Experienced Trial Attorneys
The address before the label
The business sign may name only one part of the case.
A retail center, hotel complex, or residential development may have several businesses involved in safety decisions. We start with the place where the attack occurred and the protection that allegedly failed.
Identify the precise area
An individual store, a shared parking lot, an access road, and a common entrance may be controlled by different entities. Keep a map pin and photographs showing where you were.
Keep every referral
Save letters, emails, claim numbers, and the names of businesses that contacted you. A referral to a security vendor does not establish that the owner has no responsibility.
Explain the warning
Tell us about reported threats, prior incidents, damaged locks, lighting, or staffing concerns. We distinguish documented warnings from assumptions about an area's reputation.
Separate roles, connected facts
We examine the duty each party actually held.
An injury claim requires more than a list of possible defendants. We assess what each party controlled, what it knew, what reasonable action was available, and how the conduct relates to the attack.
01
Owner and operator
Leases, management agreements, and operating practices can explain who made decisions about entrances, common areas, and security spending.
02
Tenant and event organizer
A business or organizer may control admission, crowds, or warnings received by its staff. The duty depends on the facts and the legal relationship.
03
Contract security
We review the assignment and response, including whether the provider followed its duties. A contract title alone does not show what happened on the day.
In covered cases, Florida's criminal-act premises statute requires consideration of all contributing fault. We build the explanation of each party's conduct.
A county with several police agencies
Broward County does not have one file for every attack.
Municipal police and the Broward Sheriff's Office maintain records for the events they handle. The correct request depends on the responding agency, not simply the county name.
When BSO responded
The Sheriff's Office records request portal is the route for records it maintains. Identify the date, location, and incident number if available.
When a city department responded
Use that department's records process. Our Fort Lauderdale security page and Pembroke Pines resident guide address distinct local records and property concerns.
When the record is private
Camera footage, access logs, patrol records, and maintenance tickets may remain with separate companies. We identify the holders and discuss preservation requests or formal discovery where appropriate.
Life after the injury
You were sent to another office. Your injury came with you.
Being referred from management to a contractor to an insurer can make the first steps feel endless. We can organize the parties and the questions so the claim follows the facts, rather than whichever business answered the phone.
A free consultation
We can help sort out the names on the paperwork.
Bring the incident report, the referrals, and your treatment concerns. Our first conversation can identify what needs investigation and what you need help with now.
From a location to a supported claim
A useful investigation asks three different questions.
The criminal event, the property's precautions, and your losses are connected, but each needs its own evidence.
01
What occurred?
Accounts, physical evidence, video, and the police file may help establish the sequence. We note where accounts disagree and what could resolve the difference.
02
What could reasonably have been prevented?
The type of property, earlier warnings, and available precautions help define the alleged failure. We do not treat a countywide crime figure as proof of a particular property's negligence.
03
What harm can be supported?
Medical records, income documents, and your description of daily limitations explain the claim's effects. Future losses require a grounded assessment, not a preset multiplier.
Recovery across different settings
The claim should account for the person, not just the incident.
Our Broward County personal injury hub explains the broader claims process when several types of harm overlap.
Physical and emotional treatment
Keep care recommendations, counseling records, and out-of-pocket bills. Serious symptoms should be assessed by a treating professional.
Work and household changes
Document absences, job restrictions, and paid help. For self-employment, retain business records showing the loss rather than treating gross sales as lost income.
Related injury issues
A traumatic brain injury or a fatal attack may require a different assessment of care or survivor claims.
Most negligence suits have a two-year limit under section 95.11. Confirm the deadline for your case.
Miller & Jacobs
South Florida representation from the Pompano Beach office.
Miller & Jacobs serves Broward County from its actual Pompano Beach office. Partners Mark J. Miller and Rick S. Jacobs both worked as prosecutors before private practice. We explain the civil claim without promising what a criminal case or insurer will do.
Partner
Rick S. Jacobs
Rick previously served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County. His biography describes his legal career and courtroom experience.
Our South Florida office is at 1600 S Federal Highway, Suite 1101, Pompano Beach, FL 33062. Call 954-465-8733 before visiting.
Before your next decision
Questions when several parties may be involved
Can the property manager and owner both be involved?
Yes, depending on their duties and conduct. We review agreements and actual control before deciding which parties have a supported connection to the harm.
What if the attack occurred in an unincorporated area?
The location helps identify the responding agency and relevant records. It does not by itself determine civil liability. Keep the complete address and any agency paperwork.
Is every shopping-center attack a negligent-security case?
No. We need a duty, a failure to use reasonable care, a connection to the attack, and supported harm. The property's prior knowledge and the circumstances matter.
Do apartment and commercial-property claims use identical rules?
They can share negligence principles, but a qualifying multifamily property may raise a statutory presumption based on security measures, assessments, and training. We evaluate the property's category and asserted compliance.
Should I wait until every company sends its records?
You can seek advice while records are incomplete. We can identify missing information, preservation needs, and the filing deadline. Waiting for one company is not a reason to leave those questions unchecked.
What if a family member died in the attack?
A wrongful-death claim has its own parties and recoverable losses. Our Broward wrongful death page explains the starting questions. We can discuss the security issues and survivor claim together.
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