Boca Raton DUI Accident Lawyer
A drunk driving crash is not just a traffic incident. When another driver’s decision to get behind the wheel impaired costs you your health, your income, or a family member’s life, you are dealing with something fundamentally different from an ordinary car accident. The driver who hit you made a choice. That choice, and the chain of decisions that preceded it, matters enormously when it comes to recovering what you are owed. As a Boca Raton DUI accident lawyer, Brett Steinberg handles cases where impaired drivers have caused serious harm to innocent people throughout Palm Beach County and the surrounding region.
What separates DUI injury cases from standard auto accident claims is not just the severity of the crash. It is the availability of legal theories that simply do not apply when a sober driver makes a careless mistake. Drunk driving is not negligence in the ordinary sense. Florida courts treat it as a form of egregious misconduct, and that distinction opens doors that remain closed in typical injury claims. Punitive damages, for example, become available when a driver was intoxicated and caused serious injury. Those damages exist specifically to punish the driver and deter others, and they can substantially increase what a jury ultimately awards.
Boca Raton sits at the intersection of some of Palm Beach County’s most heavily traveled corridors. Glades Road, Palmetto Park Road, Federal Highway, and the stretch of I-95 running through the city see substantial late-night and early-morning traffic, particularly on weekends and around the city’s hospitality districts. DUI crashes in this area often involve victims who were doing everything right and still suffered catastrophic injuries because someone else made a reckless choice. If that happened to you or someone in your family, Steinberg Law, P.A. is ready to pursue every dollar the law allows.
What Injured Victims in DUI Accident Cases Can Recover
People sometimes assume that because the criminal system is already handling the drunk driver’s prosecution, their own financial recovery is also taken care of. It is not. The criminal case and your civil injury claim are entirely separate proceedings. A driver can be convicted of DUI and still have their auto insurer fight every line item of your damages. Equally, a driver might take a plea deal or receive a reduced charge in criminal court, and that outcome has no binding effect on your right to pursue compensation.
In a DUI injury case, recoverable damages typically include current and future medical expenses, lost income while you were unable to work, diminished earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work going forward, physical pain and suffering, and the emotional and psychological toll of a serious crash. When injuries are permanent, the future damages component of a claim can be substantial. Expert medical witnesses and economists often play a central role in documenting what those long-term costs actually look like, and building that case requires preparation and investment that a well-resourced legal team can provide.
As noted above, punitive damages are also available under Florida law when a defendant was impaired while driving and caused injury. These are not capped at a fixed dollar amount in the same way as in some other contexts. They are calculated by a jury based on the reprehensibility of the conduct and the financial circumstances of the defendant. In cases involving high blood alcohol levels, prior DUI history, or particularly dangerous behavior before the crash, punitive damage awards can be significant. This is one reason why DUI injury claims, handled correctly, often produce outcomes that far exceed what a standard negligence case might generate.
Types of DUI Accident Cases Steinberg Law Handles in Palm Beach County
- Rear-end and intersection collisions: Impaired drivers frequently fail to brake in time or run red lights and stop signs, making intersection crashes and rear-end impacts among the most common DUI accident patterns on roads like Yamato Road, Clint Moore Road, and Glades Road in Boca Raton.
- Pedestrian and cyclist strikes: Boca Raton has an active outdoor community, and pedestrians and cyclists along Federal Highway, A1A, and the Palmetto Park Road corridor face real danger from impaired drivers who cannot track movement outside their lane of travel.
- Wrong-way crashes: Alcohol impairment is the leading cause of wrong-way driving incidents on Florida highways. Wrong-way crashes on I-95 and the Florida Turnpike near Boca Raton are disproportionately fatal because of the high speeds involved.
- Dram shop and third-party liability: Florida’s dram shop law allows injury victims to pursue claims against bars, restaurants, and other licensed alcohol vendors that knowingly served a visibly intoxicated person who then caused a crash. This is a distinct and often overlooked avenue of recovery in DUI cases.
- Multi-vehicle chain reaction crashes: An impaired driver who loses control on a crowded highway can trigger a multi-car pileup with multiple injured victims and multiple potentially liable parties, requiring thorough investigation to sort out liability.
- Rideshare and commercial vehicle DUI accidents: When an Uber, Lyft, or commercial driver causes a DUI crash, corporate insurance policies and additional regulatory standards come into play, complicating but also potentially increasing available coverage.
- Fatal DUI crashes and wrongful death claims: When someone does not survive a drunk driving crash, Florida’s wrongful death statute allows surviving family members to pursue compensation for their own losses, including loss of companionship, financial support, and funeral expenses.
Why Brett Steinberg Is the Right Boca Raton DUI Accident Attorney for Your Case
Brett Steinberg founded Steinberg Law, P.A. on a straightforward principle: injured people deserve a lawyer who knows their case, returns their calls, and is willing to take the fight all the way to a courtroom if that is what it takes to get a fair result. That principle matters in any personal injury case, but it matters especially in DUI accident claims, where insurance companies know they are exposed and sometimes respond by digging in harder rather than paying fairly.
Brett has recovered over $25 million in verdicts and settlements for injured clients across South Florida since 2014. His case results include a $1,850,000 settlement in a car-versus-pedestrian matter, a $1,525,000 auto negligence resolution, and a $2,600,000 jury verdict in a case the defense tried to settle for $20,000. That last result illustrates what matters most in serious injury litigation: the willingness to try a case. Insurance adjusters make coverage decisions based, in part, on their assessment of whether an attorney will actually go to trial. A defense team facing Brett Steinberg knows he will.
Before opening his own firm, Brett served as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade County, where he tried over 25 cases to verdict and argued a motion to suppress that was ultimately upheld by the United States Supreme Court. That criminal litigation background gives him an unusual vantage point in DUI injury cases. He understands how drunk driving prosecutions are built, what evidence the State collects, how blood alcohol results are challenged, and how criminal proceedings and civil claims interact strategically. That knowledge is not something most injury attorneys bring to the table.
Brett holds an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest designation for ethical standards and professional ability. He has been recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer every year since 2015, carries a 10.0 Superb rating on AVVO and a 10.0 rating on Justia, and graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts and in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, and he is an active member of the Florida Bar, the Palm Beach County Justice Association, and the Florida Justice Association. Steinberg Law operates entirely on a contingency fee basis. There is no upfront cost, and no fee is owed unless Brett wins your case.
What to Do After a DUI Crash in Boca Raton
The decisions made in the hours and days following a DUI crash can materially affect the outcome of a civil claim. The most important step is medical evaluation, even if injuries feel minor at the scene. Adrenaline masks pain, and conditions like soft tissue injuries, concussions, and internal bleeding can worsen significantly before symptoms become obvious. Seeking care at Boca Raton Regional Hospital or Delray Medical Center creates a contemporaneous medical record that documents the connection between the crash and your injuries. Gaps in medical treatment are one of the most common arguments insurance companies use to reduce the value of a claim.
If the crash occurred in Boca Raton, the responding agency will typically be the Boca Raton Police Department or the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, depending on the location. Obtain the crash report number and request the full report once it becomes available. If the driver was arrested for DUI, that arrest record and any related evidence become important components of your civil case. The Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts office maintains records of criminal proceedings that can be accessed and used in civil litigation.
Preserve everything from the scene that you are able to gather. Photographs of vehicle damage, road conditions, skid marks, and traffic controls are valuable. If there are witnesses, their names and contact information matter. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company, including your own, before speaking with a DUI accident attorney in Boca Raton. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that invite damaging admissions, and those statements can be used against you even if you were the innocent party.
Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is a firm deadline, and missing it eliminates your right to recovery entirely. Do not wait until the criminal case concludes. The civil and criminal processes move on separate tracks, and delay in the civil claim can result in lost evidence, unavailable witnesses, and ultimately a weaker case. Contact Steinberg Law as soon as you are physically able to do so. The consultation is free, lasts a full hour, and comes with no obligation.
Questions Boca Raton DUI Accident Victims Often Ask
Does the drunk driver have to be convicted for me to win my civil case?
No. Civil liability and criminal guilt are proven under entirely different standards. A criminal conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil claim requires proof by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning it is more likely than not that the defendant’s impairment caused your injuries. A driver can receive a reduced plea, have charges dismissed on a technicality, or be acquitted at trial and still be found liable in a civil proceeding.
What if the drunk driver did not have enough insurance to cover my injuries?
This is a real concern in Florida, where minimum insurance requirements are modest and many drivers carry only the legal minimum. If the at-fault driver’s policy is insufficient, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply, depending on your policy. In addition, if the driver was served alcohol at a bar or restaurant before the crash, dram shop liability could provide access to that establishment’s commercial liability policy, which is often far larger than an individual driver’s auto policy.
Can I pursue punitive damages in a DUI accident case in Florida?
Yes. Florida law specifically provides for punitive damages when a defendant was impaired by alcohol while operating a vehicle and caused injury. These damages are separate from the compensatory damages that cover your medical bills and lost income. They are intended to punish the wrongdoer. To pursue them, specific procedural requirements must be followed, including court approval before they can be added to the lawsuit. Having an attorney who understands this process is essential to preserving this avenue of recovery.
What if I was a passenger in the drunk driver’s car?
Passengers injured in a vehicle operated by a DUI driver have the same right to pursue compensation as any other victim. The fact that you accepted a ride in the car does not mean you assumed the risk of being driven by someone who was intoxicated, particularly if you did not know or could not reasonably have known the driver was impaired. Your claim would be made against the driver’s liability insurance and potentially other available sources of coverage.
How long does a DUI accident civil case typically take in Palm Beach County?
It varies based on the severity of injuries, the complexity of liability questions, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Cases involving clear liability and documented damages can sometimes resolve in several months through negotiation. Cases involving disputes over causation, the extent of injuries, or dram shop liability may take considerably longer, sometimes extending to two years or more if litigation is necessary. Brett will give you an honest timeline assessment based on the specifics of your situation.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault for the crash?
Florida follows a modified comparative fault framework. Under this system, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, and you are barred from recovering if you are found more than 50 percent responsible for the crash. In a situation where the other driver was demonstrably impaired, establishing that their conduct was the primary cause of the crash is generally straightforward, but the defense may still attempt to assign some fault to you as a litigation strategy. This is something to address early in the case with your attorney.
Will the drunk driver’s criminal case affect my civil claim?
It can work in your favor. A guilty plea or conviction creates a record that can be introduced in civil proceedings to establish that the driver was impaired. Evidence collected during the criminal investigation, including field sobriety test results, blood alcohol content readings, and officer observations, may also be obtainable through the civil discovery process. However, waiting for the criminal case to conclude is rarely advisable, since civil statutes of limitations run independently of criminal timelines.
What if the drunk driver was driving a company vehicle?
When an employee causes a DUI crash while operating a company vehicle in the course of employment, the employer may be vicariously liable for the resulting injuries. Even if the driver was acting outside the scope of employment, an employer that knew or should have known about the driver’s history with alcohol could face a negligent entrustment claim. Commercial insurance policies carried by businesses are typically far larger than individual auto policies, which can meaningfully increase available compensation.
What if the accident happened on private property, like a parking lot?
DUI accident claims are not limited to public roads. Crashes in parking lots, shopping centers, and other private property in the Boca Raton area can still give rise to civil liability claims. The same legal principles apply. Additionally, if the property itself had inadequate lighting or other conditions that contributed to the crash, the property owner may bear some responsibility as well.
What does Steinberg Law charge to handle a DUI accident case?
Nothing upfront. Steinberg Law handles all personal injury cases, including DUI accident claims, on a contingency fee basis. You pay no retainer, no hourly fees, and no case expenses out of pocket. If Brett does not recover compensation for you, you owe nothing. This structure ensures that cost is never a barrier to getting experienced legal representation after a serious crash.
DUI Accident Representation Across Boca Raton and Palm Beach County
Steinberg Law, P.A. serves clients throughout Boca Raton and the broader Palm Beach County region, including residents and visitors in the Mizner Park area, Boca Town Center, East Boca Raton, West Boca, the Broken Sound and St. Andrews neighborhoods, Boca Del Mar, Sandalfoot Cove, and the Glades Road corridor. The firm also represents clients from neighboring Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Greenacres, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Palm Springs, and the communities along the southern stretch of the county including Highland Beach and Manalapan. Northward, the firm handles cases from Lake Clarke Shores, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, and Jupiter. Clients from Broward County and Miami-Dade County also turn to Steinberg Law when they need a proven injury attorney who will fight their case rather than settle it quickly for less than it is worth.
Talk to a Boca Raton DUI Accident Attorney at No Cost
When an impaired driver has turned your life upside down, you need a Boca Raton DUI accident attorney who will dig into the full scope of what happened and pursue every available source of recovery. At Steinberg Law, P.A., Brett Steinberg handles each case personally. He knows the local courts, the insurance company tactics, and what it takes to maximize a DUI injury claim. If your case needs to go to trial, he will take it there.
Steinberg Law offers a free one-hour consultation with no obligation. There is no fee unless Brett wins your case. Call today to speak directly with Brett about your situation and learn what your claim may be worth.
