The Bottom Line:
- Negligent security: In Florida, a business can be held liable when it ignores a foreseeable danger and a patron is hurt in an attack.
- The result: A jury awarded our client roughly $1.17 million after an attack at a West Palm Beach bar; the court entered judgment on the verdict.
- Winning isn’t collecting: When the defendants refused to pay, we forced the issue by moving to have the sheriff seize and auction the property — they settled before the sale.
- What it means for you: Choose a firm that not only wins but collects; JMM handles premises cases from filing through final collection. Open 24 hours.
Winning a personal injury trial is a massive victory — but it is often only half the battle. What happens when a business is ordered to pay a large judgment and simply refuses?
At Jimenez Mazzitelli Mordes (JMM), our litigation team knows that a piece of paper from a judge doesn’t pay for your medical bills. You need attorneys willing to aggressively pursue collection — even if it means directing the local sheriff to seize and auction a well-known West Palm Beach property.
Here’s how our firm recently secured a last-minute settlement for our client in a negligent security case tied to Roxy’s Pub on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach.
The Attack: Negligent Security at a West Palm Beach Bar
In 2020, our client was seriously injured in an attack at Roxy’s Pub on Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Another patron grew aggressive on the premises, which was acknowledged by bar employees who did nothing, and our client suffered serious facial injuries in an assault by the patron.
Under Florida premises liability law, business owners have a legal duty to keep their patrons reasonably safe from foreseeable harm. At trial, JMM attorneys Phillip Holden and Alexa Delgado presented evidence that the bar’s staff were aware a problematic individual was causing trouble on the premises, yet took no meaningful action to intervene or protect their customers.
A jury awarded our client roughly $1.17 million in damages, finding the establishment and a related entity responsible for the harm our client suffered. The court entered judgment on the verdict.
The Collection Fight: Seizing the Property
A judgment is legally binding — but the owners initially refused to pay.
Many personal injury firms stop fighting once the trial is over, leaving clients struggling to collect what they’re owed. JMM does the opposite. When the defendants refused to pay, we turned to aggressive post-judgment collection: we petitioned the court to direct the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to levy on the property.
A sheriff’s notice of levy was posted on the doors of the establishment, the property was placed in the Sheriff’s custody, and a sheriff’s auction was scheduled for June 2026 to sell it and satisfy the unpaid debt to our client.
The Resolution: A Last-Minute Settlement
Faced with the imminent loss of a valuable, well-known property at auction, the owners finally came to the table. Just before the June 2026 auction, JMM secured a settlement.
The properties were spared from the auction block — and, most importantly, secured our client compensation for a life-altering injury.
Legal Takeaways for Florida Injury Victims
- Negligent security is a serious liability. Bars, nightclubs, and property owners cannot turn a blind eye to aggressive patrons or known security threats. If you are assaulted because a business failed to provide adequate security, it may be held financially responsible for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
- You need a firm that will enforce the judgment. Corporate defendants and their insurers will do what they can to avoid paying. You need trial-tested attorneys who understand Florida’s collection tools — writs of execution and sheriff’s levies — to force compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is winning a verdict “only half the battle”?
Because a jury’s verdict becomes a judgment that still has to be collected. Defendants often refuse to pay, and it takes Florida’s enforcement tools to make them.
How can a lawyer force a business to pay a judgment it’s ignoring?
Through post-judgment collection tools — writs of execution, sheriff’s levies, and property liens, up to scheduling a sheriff’s auction of the property to satisfy the debt.
Can a business be held liable for an attack by another patron?
Yes, if the attack was foreseeable — for example, a visibly aggressive patron or a history of incidents — and the business failed to take reasonable security measures.
How long do I have to file a negligent security claim in Florida?
Generally 2 years from the date of the incident for events after March 24, 2023. Talk to a lawyer promptly — evidence disappears fast.
Injured in a Florida Bar or Nightclub?
Property owners have a fundamental duty to keep you safe. If you or a loved one were seriously injured because of negligent security or another premises hazard, the trial lawyers at Jimenez Mazzitelli Mordes are ready to fight for you — from the first filing to the final collection.
Call (305) 548-8750 for a free, confidential consultation. We’re open 24 hours. Hablamos español.
Includes recoveries achieved by our Florida office. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.
