What We Do

At the law firm of Bozeman, Jenkins & Matthews P.A., we are a team of attorneys, support staff, specialists, subject-matter experts, and technical consultants whose combined knowledge and experience achieve the best results possible. Our practice is as diverse as the experience of our attorneys. We handle litigation involving almost every type of civil matter, including general liability matters for insurance companies, businesses, and governmental entities.   We represent clients in cases litigated throughout the Florida Panhandle and Southeastern Alabama.  With our broad general liability experience, we provide a practical, aggressive approach to our clients' litigation needs.

At Bozeman, Jenkins & Matthews, we believe in upholding the highest standards of ethics and setting the benchmark for quality in our profession. This includes loyalty to our clients, efficient handling of work, prompt reporting of all developments, and the production of a first-rate legal product - all hallmarks of our practice. Our standards ensure that we represent our clients' interests with the highest level of integrity, while aggressively advocating on their behalf.

Our Litigation Focus

Our firm has built a reputation as effective civil trial attorneys with a successful history in insurance defense practice and countless other civil matters. We are the largest defense firm in Pensacola, and we know what it takes to win.

We know the court personnel in our region, and we know how to select a jury; how to prepare for trial; and how to present the kind of compelling evidence that assists today's sophisticated jurors clarify the issues and decide a case.

Our firm's relationship with our community gives us a thorough understanding of the cultural factors that influence jurors' points of view. This invaluable insight helps our clients throughout the region achieve successful outcomes.

Our effective use of technology and our access to medical, scientific and other experts throughout the country are also integral to our success in court. We leverage the benefits of our long-standing relationships with experts in addition to state-of-the-art models, computer simulations and trial exhibits to maximize our efficiency and effectiveness in all aspects of a case.

Our Practice Areas

Admiralty & Maritime Law
We represent clients in legal issues relating to the sea including shipping, marine cargo, and workers injured at sea, on navigable waters, or while working in harbor. We also represent clients in contract negotiations for shipping cargo and in resolving issues that result from performance of those contracts and have extensive expertise in the requirements of the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.

Civil Rights Litigation
Our firm has a premier practice in the area of civil rights. We litigate cases in the areas of police misconduct, sexual harassment, and discrimination under federal or state law.

Commercial Litigation
Our litigation experience and comfort with general liability issues enable us to fully understand the liability issues facing small and large businesses. We defend a wide variety of employment law matters, including discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, covenants not to compete, retaliation, and nonsubscriber litigation. We also litigate commercial contract and warranty claims, shipping disputes, and dissolution issues. Our defense-driven litigation style allows us to defend all commercial liability issues with results.

Employment Litigation
Our firm defends our corporate and business clients against employment-related claims. We work with our clients' management and supervisors to help avoid liability before any actions are taken which may give rise to a potential claim and litigate from pre-suit through appeal any employment claims that are made against our clients.

Areas of representation and experience include:

• Administrative representation before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and similar state agencies
• American with Disabilities Act (ADA) claims and compliance
• Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, or national origin under state and federal law
• Employment contracts and covenants not to compete
• Employment handbooks
• Nonsubscriber litigation
• OSHA and state occupational health and safety laws
• Retaliation claims
• State and Federal Wage and Hour Laws
• Wrongful termination

Environmental Litigation
Our environmental attorneys help clients obtain required permits and comply with state and federal regulations and auditing principles to protect them from violations and penalties. We also avise clients on hazardous waste, clean-up, and Superfund issues, and we represent individuals and organizations in bringing actions where they believe a violation has occurred.

General Liability Litigation
Our largest practice area is general liability litigation. Representing insurance companies, private businesses, and governmental entities, our years of experience gained through a defense-directed practice allow us to quickly and correctly analyze issues, risks, and exposures for litigation. Our clients rely on our abilities to anticipate and vigorously defend claims for damages, including class actions and multi-party, multi-jurisdictional matters. Whether in discovery, deposition, or trial, we aggressively protect our clients' interests by putting in the necessary preparation, asking hard questions, and revealing the weaknesses in our opponent's position.

We take great pride in our long history of successful client representations in state and federal court. Our attorneys strive for excellence in a broad spectrum of cases for both carriers and self-insured businesses, including:

• Automobile accidents
• Dram shop liability
• Employment-related liability
• Premises liability
• Security issues involving third parties
• Serious personal injury
• Serious truck accidents
• Transportation liability
• Wrongful death

Health & Healthcare Law
Our firm has been a forerunner in the area of Medicare compliance and in the area of preparation and submission Medicare set-aside proposals.  Our attorneys work closely with our registered nurse paralegal to evaluate and prepare Medicare set-aside proposals for submission to the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  We provide legal advise regarding the necessity of obtaining CMS approval of set-asides; and legally supportable defenses are included in our proposals to ensure approval of the lowest possible set-aside amounts.  We have enjoyed significant success in obtaining approval of our initial proposals to CMS and in eliminating, or substantially reducing, any Medicare liens asserted for conditional payments made.

Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
Our attorneys represent insurers and individuals involved in controversies and serious injuries related to negligence by operators of motor vehicles, property owners and manufacturers. Our detailed understanding of Florida's automobile, insurance and liability laws means we understand the different sources of recovery available to car accident victims and their families as well as the various theories of liability that enable those victims to collect from the parties who caused them harm.

Premises Liability Litigation
Our attorneys have extensive experience handling premises liability matters from pre-suit through trial. We have litigated premises liability matters involving claims for injuries sustained on properties due to alleged defects on the premises or acts of negligent third parties, including claims of injury as the result of falls, inadequate security, or negligent maintenance of the premises.

Medical Malpractice & Nursing Litigation
Our attorneys have experience defending liability claims brought against professionals in health care facilities and in the medical field generally. In addition to our medical malpractice clients, we represent nursing homes and assisted living facilities under comprehensive general liability or errors and omissions policies.

Military Law
Our firm has substantial experience with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including procedural rules, and in representing military personnel charged with military offenses.

Products Liability Litigation
We have prepared and tried a large number of product liability cases ranging from claims for catastrophic injuries involving serious and permanent disabilities such as brain damage and paralysis to claims for wrongful death. Our experience includes defending against claims involving multiple parties to class actions arising from a number of different products, including allegations of defective design, defective manufacture, and failure to warn.

State, Local & Municipal Law
Our attorneys have expertise and knowledge in the areas of powers and liabilities of state and local government and municipal corporations, including matters such as land use and zoning issues, and municipal employment disputes. We have represented numerous municipalities, as well as the State of Florida, and our attorneys have also represented clients in matters regarding state and federal agencies and programs, such as:

• Law Enforcement Agencies
• Food and Drug Administration
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Medicare and Medicaid
• Social Security

Workers' Compensation
Our attorneys represent private industry as well as federal, state and local government employers and their workers' compensation insurers against claims by individuals for work-related lost wages, medical treatment, retraining and rehabilitation expenses. We handle issues dealing with defenses, fraud, subrogation, and appeals.

Real Estate Closings
Bozeman, Jenkins & Matthews handles both residential and commercial real estate closings with licenses in Florida and Alabama. While we maintain offices in Pensacola, Panama City and Fort Walton Beach, we routinely travel to other locations that are convienient to our clients.

Estate Planning
Bozeman, Jenkins & Matthews handles both simple and complex estate planning for individuals. We can prepare powers of attorney, healthcare directives, trusts and wills.

Corporate Formation
Bozeman, Jenkins & Matthews can form partnerships, corporations, or limited liability companies. We can arrange annual meetings, modify operating agreements and prepare resolutions for any personal or business arrangement.