A Miami jury has handed down a $1,139,000 verdict against a City of Miami police detective after finding he slammed into the back of a lawfully stopped car in a 2018 crash that injured two women. One woman walked away with a $999,000 award after medical experts tied her need for ongoing injections to the wreck, while the second received $140,000 for an aggravated preexisting back condition. Trial lawyer Bill McAfee led the case, which served as a reminder that government drivers do not get a free pass in state court.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, which represented the women, laid out the case on its blog, explaining that the plaintiffs had stopped to yield to a Florida Highway Patrol trooper when the detective’s government vehicle rear-ended them, according to Anidjar & Levine. Jurors pored over medical records and listened to expert testimony before settling on the seven-figure total.
National Law Review later recapped the firm’s press release, highlighting the split awards of $999,000 and $140,000 and noting that the trial wrapped with a jury decision in favor of both plaintiffs after deliberations, as reported by National Law Review. The outlet published its summary on March 11, 2026.
What Jurors Weighed
Jurors heard medical testimony that linked the more seriously injured plaintiff’s ongoing treatment, including injections, directly to the crash, and they reviewed records showing that the second plaintiff’s existing back problems had worsened after the impact, per Anidjar & Levine. The way the money was divided reflects the panel’s view of what the crash caused, how severe the injuries were and what future care will likely cost.
Legal Notes
Because the at-fault driver was a City of Miami detective, the verdict brushes up against the tricky world of governmental liability and who actually pays the bill. Florida law waives sovereign immunity for many tort cases but caps recoveries from public entities, currently at up to $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, under Florida Statute §768.28. Those limits can affect how much of a jury’s award the plaintiffs can ultimately collect without further legislative action.
“This verdict holds government drivers accountable and reflects the real impact this crash had on our clients,” McAfee said in the firm’s release, according to National Law Review. It remains to be seen whether the defense will pursue post-trial motions or an appeal, with any next moves set to appear on the court docket.
