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$2.75 Million Wrongful Death Case Involving Crash Into Tractor Trailer

Posted on February 2, 2022February 3, 2022 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Todd Michaels has obtained a $2.75 Million settlement in an auto negligence wrongful death case. Per terms of the settlement, the names of the plaintiff and defendant must remain confidential.

Case Background

Plaintiff brought this wrongful death commercial automobile accident case on behalf of her nineteen-year-old son against ABC Corporation and their driver. ABC Corporation was involved in a road construction project in northern Miami-Dade County. On the evening in question, they had sent one of their drivers, John Roe, out driving a flatbed tractor-trailer. Roe was a convicted criminal with a history of careless driving citations. As he was the cousin of the owner of ABC Corporation, he was immediately hired and put to work driving tractor-trailers without the usual training and background check that ABC Corporation performed on most of its drivers.

$1.3 Million Settlement in Ft. Myers Wrongful Death Negligent Security Case

Posted on August 18, 2021August 18, 2021 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Douglas McCarron has obtained a $1.3 Million settlement in a wrongful death negligent security case involving the murder of a young father in the Ft. Myers apartment complex where he lived.

On October 6, 2016, at approximately 6 p.m., Geraldo Olvera was walking through the common area of the Cypress Court Apartments when an unidentified person shot and killed him. Olvera was a resident there.

$1 Million Pre-Suit Settlement in Trucking Crash Injury Case

Posted on January 21, 2021January 25, 2021 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Douglas McCarron, along with co-counsel Jorge Rodriguez of the Law Office of Jorge A. Rodriguez, has obtained a $1 Million pre-suit settlement in a trucking crash case involving a critically injured pedestrian.

On March 5th, 2020, Masguel Machado, a driver for DHC Trucking, was stopped at the traffic signal located at the intersection of NW 17th Avenue and NW 18th Street in Miami, Florida. The intersection is located in a highly traversed area that has a number of businesses surrounding it. Pedestrians crossing the street to and from these businesses is common.

Shortly before the incident, Haggard Law client Manuel Anduray attempted to cross the street from the west side of NW 17th Avenue. This intersection had a crosswalk at the intersection, but no “Walk/Do not Walk” signals.

While the 63-year-old was crossing, the traffic signal changed from red to green. Moments later Machado ran him over causing Anduray catastrophic injuries to his leg, spine, arm, and head.

$2 Million Dram Shop Settlement in Case Involving Death of a Police Officer Who Was a Young Father

Posted on October 27, 2020January 30, 2024 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Adam Finkel together with Michael Davis of Boone & Davis, obtained a $2 Million total settlement in a dram shop case that involved the death of a police officer.

On February 16, 2019, Curtis Woolwine went out drinking in Broward County. He began the evening at Billy’s Tavern (Happy Hour, LLC) a bar that his wife’s family-owned. After leaving Billy’s, at around 11:40 p.m., Woolwine stumbled into Round Up Country, continued drinking, and was ultimately thrown out for acting inappropriately towards women. It is believed that Woolwine was trying to drive home when he ended up traveling in the wrong direction on Interstate 75. Tragically, he crashed his car into Steven Greco a Miccosukee police officer on his way home from work. They both died. Steven is survived by his wife, Phoebe, and their daughter, Gianna.

PRESS CONFERENCE: Miramar Parkway Police Shootout

Posted on October 7, 2020October 7, 2020 by HaggardTeam

On Thursday, October 8^th a press conference will be held to discuss new findings in the shooting deaths of Frank Ordonez, Rick Cutshaw, and the injuries suffered by Carlos Lara during the December 2019 police shootout on the Miramar Parkway following a two county high-speed chase.

The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Adam Finkel will discuss a new witness who says the police shot first. The lawyers will also announce the intention to file a lawsuit on behalf of victim Rick Cutshaw’s family

Background

On December 15, 2019 UPS driver Frank Ordonez, 27, was taken hostage by two men, who stole his truck after robbing a Coral Gables jewelry store. A high-speed, two-county chase with multiple police departments ensued.

It ended when the UPS truck encountered stopped traffic at an intersection of the Miramar Parkway just west of Flamingo Road. Law enforcement boxed-in the delivery truck and officers exited their vehicles.

As officers approached the truck with their weapons drawn, using bystanders’ vehicles as cover, they opened fire on the robbers and Mr. Ordonez. Through the course of the shootout the kidnappers, Ordonez, and 70-year-old bystander Rick Cutshaw were killed. Bystander Carlos Lara suffered significant injuries.

A lawsuit on behalf of Ordonez and Lara was filed against six law enforcement agencies on September 16, 2020.

‘Miramar Parkway Police Shootout’ Press Conference

When: Thursday October 8, 2020 – 1 PM EST

Where: Hyatt Regency Coral Gables (Alcazabra Room)

50 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables, FL, 33134 USA

Speakers:

Jasmine Martinez – mother of Frank Ordonez’s two daughters
Luz Apolimario – Frank Ordonez’s mother)
Michael Haggard, attorney, The Haggard Law Firm
Adam Finkel, attorney, The Haggard Law Firm

Livestream: The press conference will be live streamed on The Haggard Law Firm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HaggardLawFirm

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: J.P. HERVIS 305.321.4293

*Only credentialed members of the media are invited to attend

*All CDC-guided COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place.

RESULT: $1 Million Settlement in Shooting Death of Innocent Bystander

Posted on August 27, 2020August 27, 2020 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Todd Michaels and Michael Haggard have earned a $1 Million policy limit settlement in wrongful death negligent security case of 30-year-old Omarie Stephens was shot and killed at the Lauderhill Mall on Easter Day of 2018.

After spending Easter morning with his family, he went to a car show in a park with his brother and friends. After the show, he went to a restaurant located in Lauderhill Mall to eat. When Omarie and his group arrived at the mall there was a large party going on in the parking lot. The car show had relocated to the mall, which was closed (except for a few tenants including the restaurant).

Video surveillance showed thousands of cars and people in the mall parking lot. Evidence also showed that people were drinking alcohol and doing drugs. The mall’s parking lot had basically turned into an open-air unsupervised night club.

Screen Shot from security video of the Lauderhill Mall Parking lot the night Mr. Stephens was shot and killed

The Mall had retained State Security to provide security. After the mall closed (other than the few late-night tenants) security was supposed to perform constant patrols in the lot and remove trespassers immediately. The evidence clearly showed that over a period of hours, revelers descended on the property, and security was nowhere to be found. They made no attempt to remove people from the property or to contact the police as they were ordered.

In a deposition, the security guard claimed that he encountered a police officer on the property and asked him for help as justification for why he decided not to call police. Police records and the surveillance video disapprove this. After being confronted with the evidence, the security guard admitted he had not come to the front of the mall during the three hour period that people were gathering at the property.

During the gathering, two men got into a fight leading to gunshots. Mr. Stevens, and innocent bystander, was shot and killed. Stephens survived by two minor daughters.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OTHER NOTABLE HAGGARD LAW FIRM NEGLIGENT SECURITY CASES

$2 Million Settlement Obtained for Victim Injured During Armed Robbery Attempt

Posted on April 21, 2020April 22, 2020 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Pedro Echarte has obtained a $2 Million settlement for a musician who was severely injured in an attempted armed robbery. Many of the details of the case are confidential per the terms of the settlement.

The Haggard Law client was shot twice while attempting to visit his sister at an apartment complex in Miami Gardens. He was approached by three young teenagers as he exited his car. After they brandished firearms and demanded his backpack, the Plaintiff dropped his backpack and began to run away when the teenagers began to shoot him. The Plaintiff was shot three times.

He was taken to Aventura Hospital where he remained for over two weeks. The young man underwent several surgical procedures during his initial hospital stay to repair his fractured pelvis, a laceration to his liver, and perforation of his colon. After he was discharged from his initial hospital stay, the Plaintiff returned to the hospital after he developed an infection in his abdomen. He was again released from the hospital, but he continued to treat with his doctors as a result of nerve damage in his elbow, which affected his ability in his hand – namely, his pinky and ring fingers. Despite the treatment, the damage became permanent. His pinky and ring fingers formed a claw due to the severity of nerve damage.

Echarte said about the negligent security case: “No amount can fix the physical injuries and emotional impact that a vicious criminal attack had on this young man. What occurred here could have been prevented with proper security measures, but yet the property did nothing to protect its residents and their guests despite a documented history of crime at the property. Our team joins our client and his family in the hope that this final result will motivate this property, and others like it, to improve security measures. “

Apartment Complex Agrees to $1 Million Policy Limit Settlement in Handyman Murder Case

Posted on April 14, 2020April 14, 2020 by HaggardTeam

Opa-Locka, FL – Palmer Properties has agreed to a $1 Million pre-suit policy limits settlement with the Estate of Wayne Mitchell who was killed by a neighbor at a Palmer Property-owned apartment complex.

Mitchell was shot and killed two days after his 50^th birthday on the grounds of an apartment complex located at 2170 Washington Avenue in Opa-Locka, Florida. On January 7, 2019, Carlos Flores ambushed Mitchell in a hallway of the apartment complex both men lived in. Flores shot Mitchell as he exited his own unit. An investigation revealed that Flores, who had a violent and lengthy criminal history, was jealous that the building had hired Mitchell instead of him as a handyman.

$1.7 Million Settlement – Trip and Fall Injury Case

Posted on March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 by HaggardTeam

The Haggard Law Firm’s Douglas McCarron has obtained a $1.7 million settlement for a woman injured in a trip and fall at a department store.

Some details of the case have been withheld due to terms of confidentiality.

Jane Doe was shopping in…

$12 Million Negligent Security Verdict Affirmed by Court

Posted on February 28, 2020March 10, 2020 by HaggardTeam

The $12 Million verdict in a wrongful death negligent security case against a Hialeah hotel was upheld by the 3^rd District Court of Appeals.

The court’s opinion is attached below.

The-Wafes-of-Hialeah-v.-Machado Download

Haggard Law Firm lawyer Christopher Marlowe, who tried the case, said about the affirmed verdict “this opinion is significant to all personal injury cases where there are allegations of the victim’s use of drugs or other intoxicants. By adopting the well-established evidentiary requirement from a criminal law opinion, the Court made clear that a positive drug test, by itself, is not enough to slander the victim as having been ‘under the influence.’ ”

Synopsis of Case

The victim, Yaimi Machado, was locked out of room 106 of the Chesapeake Motel in Hialeah on April 10, 2016. The victim entered the lobby of the motel in her bra and jeans and asked for room 106 to be opened by the front desk clerk. The clerk instructed the victim to go wait outside the door to room 106. Twenty minutes prior to the victim entering the lobby a man walked in drunk and claimed to be the manager’s son and asked for beer. The front desk clerk sold the man beer despite the motel’s policy only to sell alcohol to guests. The man then asks for a prostitute and the clerk tells the man he needed to find servicewomen outside. The man leaves the lobby and stops at room 104 where a housekeeper is cleaning a room by herself. The man asks the housekeeper for a kiss and then enters room 104 and asks the housekeeper for a second kiss. The housekeeper threatens to call the front desk and the man stands at the door to 104 until he sees the victim walking down the hallway toward him. The door to room 106 was never opened and the last time the victim is seen was walking toward the front entrance in the area where she was brutally murdered by the man.

The Daily Business Review wrote an article about the original verdict on December 5^th or 2017: https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/sites/dailybusinessreview/2017/12/05/hialeah-motel-slammed-with-12m-verdict-after-womans-murder/

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Category: trial attorney

$2.75 Million Wrongful Death Case Involving Crash Into Tractor Trailer

$1.3 Million Settlement in Ft. Myers Wrongful Death Negligent Security Case

$1 Million Pre-Suit Settlement in Trucking Crash Injury Case

$2 Million Dram Shop Settlement in Case Involving Death of a Police Officer Who Was a Young Father

PRESS CONFERENCE: Miramar Parkway Police Shootout

RESULT: $1 Million Settlement in Shooting Death of Innocent Bystander

$2 Million Settlement Obtained for Victim Injured During Armed Robbery Attempt

Apartment Complex Agrees to $1 Million Policy Limit Settlement in Handyman Murder Case

$1.7 Million Settlement – Trip and Fall Injury Case

$12 Million Negligent Security Verdict Affirmed by Court

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