Partner
Mark J. Miller
Mark's biography describes work in insurance defense and prosecution before his plaintiff-side practice. That background informs the firm's evaluation of liability disputes and insurance positions.
The household still needs you while you recover.
Pembroke Pines Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer
Miller & Jacobs helps people injured in Pembroke Pines impaired-driving crashes review the civil claim and available insurance. We focus on the evidence and the supported effect on your care, work, and household while any criminal proceeding follows its own course.
The consultation is free. No attorney fee is owed unless compensation is recovered for you. The written agreement explains fees and costs.
$300M+
Reported Recoveries for Injured Clients
50+ Years
Combined Legal Experience
230+
Combined Jury Trials Across Their Careers
Former Prosecutors
Experienced Trial Attorneys
When recovery changes the ordinary week
Keep the practical effects in the medical and work record.
A collision on Pines Boulevard, at a neighborhood entrance, or on the way home can disrupt work and family routines. The street name does not establish fault. Your care and the driving evidence need separate, accurate accounts.
Medical restrictions
Get necessary care and give providers an accurate history of symptoms and earlier conditions. Retain referrals, discharge instructions, and restrictions. A lawyer can review the claim records, but providers determine diagnosis, treatment, and when activity should change.
Income and work capacity
Keep wage records, missed shifts, changed duties, and the medical explanation for a work restriction. For self-employment, retain earnings and expense records. A loss of gross revenue is not automatically the same as a recoverable income loss.
Assistance at home
Record the specific help needed with household tasks, transport to treatment, or other necessary activity. Keep receipts where available and explain the injury-related reason. A broad estimate is less useful than an honest account of the help and limitations.
A criminal order and an injury settlement are different
Keep restitution information with the other payment records.
The prosecution addresses the alleged offense. The civil claim examines responsibility and legally supported injury losses. Any restitution order or payment should be reviewed with insurer benefits and settlement terms so overlapping losses are accounted for accurately.
The criminal-case paperwork
Save the case reference, notices you receive, and any order or payment record. A civil lawyer can assess the relevance to the injury claim. Do not assume a prosecution notice identifies all available insurance or resolves every category of damage.
A pending or reduced charge
The civil investigation can consider driving conduct, witnesses, recordings, and medical evidence regardless of whether a conviction has already occurred. A charge or its outcome is relevant without automatically deciding the civil result.
A payment that overlaps
Tell us about insurance benefits, restitution, or any other payment related to the crash. The same loss should not be represented as unpaid after it has been satisfied. Repayment rights and release terms may affect the evaluation of an eventual settlement.
The Pembroke Pines injury guide explains the broader relationship between incident records, benefits, and documented losses.
The driving account needs evidence beyond the allegation
Preserve the approach, witnesses, and official record sources.
Alcohol involvement can be important, but the civil claim still needs a supported account of the collision and injury. Preserve what you observed without guessing about intoxication or recreating missing photographs.
Your original observations
Describe the vehicle movement and what you saw or heard, separating it from information learned later. Keep original photographs and camera files. Do not approach a driver or attempt to test impairment yourself.
The report and camera holders
Retain the responding agency, incident number, and witness contacts. A plaza, gate, or nearby business may have relevant video, but availability and access need assessment. Prompt identification can help address retention limits without guaranteeing that footage exists.
A contested share of fault
For negligence actions governed by comparative-fault law, fault can reduce recovery and more than 50 percent fault can bar damages. The date, claim type, and conduct matter. An impaired-driving allegation does not eliminate the need to assess a separate fault argument.
Care, work, and home
The criminal hearing is one date. Your recovery has many others.
Appointments, missed shifts, and household help can continue while the prosecution develops. Tell us what the injury has changed and what is documented. The civil claim needs that practical account as well as the collision evidence.
A free consultation
A bill, a restitution notice, or an insurer offer needs review.
Call for a free assessment of the Pembroke Pines injury claim. We can begin with the documents in front of you and explain how the civil review fits alongside the criminal proceedings.
The insurance review should include your own policies
An uninsured driver does not answer every possible coverage question.
We assess identified liability policies, vehicle ownership, and applicable household or vehicle benefits. Keep the actual policy and denial letter. No particular amount is guaranteed by a DUI charge or a serious injury.
01
Early medical benefits
Where PIP coverage applies, qualifying initial medical care generally must occur within 14 days. Eligibility and policy priority need review. Health coverage can have different requirements and reimbursement rights, so keep the full benefit decisions.
02
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
An applicable UM policy may provide another avenue if its terms and the facts support coverage. Limits, selection, notice requirements, and exclusions matter. We do not assume a household has this protection or that the full limit measures the injury loss.
03
A liability or release offer
Retain the offer, attachments, and complete proposed release. We compare the payment with supported losses and assess other claims or benefits it might affect. A quick payment should not be treated as a complete evaluation merely because an arrest occurred.
Before relying on an additional damages claim
Review the legal requirements and filing time independently.
Some impaired-driving cases raise additional remedies or responsible-party questions. We investigate only the claims the facts and law can support. The criminal process is not a substitute for a civil deadline review.
01
Punitive relief has its own threshold
Section 768.72 requires an evidentiary basis and permission to plead punitive damages. The applicable clear-and-convincing proof of intentional misconduct or gross negligence is an additional requirement for an award. Punitive relief and insurer payment are not automatic.
02
Alcohol service is narrowly addressed
Section 768.125 generally does not impose liability merely for lawfully serving alcohol to an adult. Specified willful and unlawful underage service or knowing service to a habitually addicted person can present exceptions. The actual evidence must support the applicable rule.
03
Timing needs a current review
Many current negligence actions have a two-year filing limit under section 95.11, subject to dates, claim types, and exceptions. Criminal proceedings, restitution discussions, and an open insurance claim do not automatically extend it. Ask about timing before waiting for those processes to finish.
Decisions and practical questions
Questions about recovery after an impaired-driving injury in Pembroke Pines
Is the criminal prosecutor my injury lawyer?
The prosecutor handles the criminal case on behalf of the state. A civil injury claim is a separate process for legally supported losses. You can ask a civil lawyer about insurance, responsibility, deadlines, and settlement terms while the prosecution continues.
Should I keep a restitution order even if no payment arrived?
Yes. Save the order, notices, and any later payment records. The civil review should account accurately for related obligations and payments. An order is not the same as a collected payment or a complete insurance settlement.
Can I discuss a claim when the driver has little insurance?
Yes. We can review identified liability coverage, applicable UM protection, and other factually supported claims. Limited insurance can affect practical recovery options. A serious injury or criminal charge does not guarantee an additional policy.
Can I document a family member helping me at home?
Yes. Record the tasks, time, reason assistance was necessary, and any actual expense. Medical restrictions and supporting records matter. Not every item of help is recoverable, but a specific account allows a fair assessment.
Does intoxication rule out any fault argument against me?
No. The evidence and applicable comparative-fault rules still require review. An insurer allegation is not a final decision, and a DUI allegation does not eliminate every civil issue. Explain the full sequence accurately.
Where is the office serving Pembroke Pines?
Miller & Jacobs serves Pembroke Pines from 1600 S. Federal Highway, Suite 1101, Pompano Beach, Florida 33062. The first consultation can begin by phone. Later participation depends on the needs of the claim.
Miller & Jacobs
The partners serving your community.
Miller & Jacobs serves Pembroke Pines from its Pompano Beach office. Partners Mark J. Miller and Rick S. Jacobs bring their legal and trial backgrounds to the decisions about evidence, insurance, and an injury claim.
Partner
Rick S. Jacobs
Rick's biography describes his service as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County and his trial work. Read the published background for details of his professional experience.
Our South Florida office is at 1600 S Federal Highway, Suite 1101, Pompano Beach, FL 33062. Call 954-465-8733 before visiting.
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