330 Alhambra Circle

Coral Gables, FL 33134

633 S. Andrews Avenue Suite 400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

(305) 446-5700

(954) 323-4400

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$1 Million Settlement in Personal Injury Car Crash Case

The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Kimberly Wald obtained a $1 Million settlement in a car crash case. 

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$11 Million Pre-Suit Catastrophic Injury Settlement

The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Adam Finkel secured an $11 Million pre-suit, policy limit settlement in a premises liability case involving the catastrophic injury of a 9-year-old boy.

On the morning of January 8, 2022, Mathew Jousett was playing inside the bedroom of his father’s apartment in the Greenwich Condominiums (1470 NE 123 Street, North Miami, Florida). At some point, one of his father’s girlfriend’s kids saw a window screen fall and immediately told his mother’s boyfriend, Thomas. It was then that Thomas, Mathew’s father, looked outside and saw the unthinkable: his son’s lifeless body on the concrete sidewalk. 

The child fell 7 stories. He was rushed to the hospital.

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$2 Million Settlement in Negligent Security Case Involving Injured Pizza Deliveryman

The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Kimberly Wald, along with co-counsel Joe Slama and Justin Bailey of Krupnick Campbell Malone, and attorney John Mooney, have obtained a $2 Million settlement in a personal injury negligent security case involving an injured pizza delivery driver.

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The Haggard Law Firm’s Kimberly Wald
and Michael Haggard

On May 15th, 2019 David Orcutt, a delivery driver for Pizza Hut, was delivering an order to the Tallman Pines apartment complex (700 NE 41st St, Lighthouse Point, FL) in Broward County, Florida. While simply doing his job to help support his young daughter, he was shot in the leg by a group of juveniles loitering inside the complex. The bullet partially severed a nerve in Mr. Orcutt’s left leg.

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$1 Million Pre-Suit Settlement in Gas Station Murder Case

The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Adam Finkel have obtained a $1 Million pre-suit settlement in a negligent security wrongful death case against a gas station operator.

On July 15, 2020, just before midnight 20-year-old Zion Lamar was shot and killed at a Solo gas station in Pompano Beach. Zion lived nearby with his girlfriend and was sent to purchase snacks but never returned home.

Precisely what transpired is unknown as the owner of the gas station did not install functioning surveillance cameras, nor did the clerk respond to audible commotion occurring on the property. Although there is a cell phone video of Zion writhing on the ground, he died shortly thereafter and there is no known eyewitness testimony. It is believed that an altercation occurred outside involving several people, during which Zion was shot.

This settlement was reached after The Haggard Law Firm presented its position regarding the clear liability in this case and the damages associated with the death of a young man. While the defense could not contest the staggering history of daily drug dealing, public intoxication, and violence at the gas station, the defense contested the Plaintiff’s description of the damages in the case.

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

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. 

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PRESS CONFERENCE: Miramar Parkway Police Shootout

On Thursday, October 8th 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: $1.45 Million in Settlements For 3 Victims Shot at the Same Apt. Complex

The Haggard Law Firm’s Adam Finkel and Michael Haggard have obtained settlements totaling $1,450,000.00 in three negligent security cases involving three victims who were seriously injured in two separate shootings.  Both incidents occurred at the same Duval County (FL) apartment complex.

Attorney Michael Haggard Photo
Managing Partner Michael Haggard

On April 15, 2018, a nineteen-year-old man left his apartment in the early morning to pick up his basketball sneakers from his cousin. When walking back to his apartment, an unknown male shot him from behind. The shooting victim (Plaintiff) was rushed to the hospital and underwent immediate surgery.

Attorney Adam Finkel Photo

Trial lawyer Adam Finkel

December 15, 2018, at the same complex, John Doe (Plaintiff) was returning to the apartment complex to drop off his minor son and nephew at his mother’s home when a vehicle entered the complex, undeterred, and unchecked. Someone exited the vehicle and shot John Doe in the chest as he approached his mother’s front door. His niece (Plaintiff), a minor, was standing at the door and was also struck by a bullet.

Per the terms of the settlements, the names of the victims and the defendant are confidential.

$2 Million Negligent Security Settlement Involving Victim who was Stabbed 12 Times

$2 Million Settlement in Negligent Security Case Involving Apartment Complex that Didn’t Remove Problem Resident Before He Stabbed Plaintiff 12 Times

Pompano Beach, FL – Patricia Norris never knew the danger she entered when she moved to the Palm Aire Gardens Apartments in late 2016.  For nearly ten months the manager of the complex had received complaints from multiple young female residents that a resident named Charles Gipson was threatening, harassing, and stalking them. One resident even took out a restraining order against him. Despite the warnings, neither the Palm Aire Gardens Condominium Association nor property managers (First Service Residential Florida) took any steps to keep residents safe from Gipson.

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CASE RESULT: $1 Million Settlement in Apartment Complex Negligent Security Case

Haggard Law Firm trial lawyer Pedro Echarte has finalized the terms of a $1 million settlement in a negligent security/wrongful death case where the victim was the father of five.

Haggard Law represented the plaintiff’s decedent who was murdered in an attempted armed robbery while speaking on the phone outside of his apartment complex in Pompano Beach, Florida on January 31 of 2017.  Liability centered around the apartment complex’s lack of security measures at the apartment (including, but not limited to, inadequate lighting, lack of surveillance cameras, and lack of access control) despite a history of crime in the surrounding neighborhood.  Plaintiff’s decedent left one surviving son here in the United States and a surviving widow in Honduras along with five surviving daughters. The defendant settled for policy limits.

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Swim Safety Tips

May is National Swim Safety Month. Our team at Haggard Law is passionate about observing this time as we have unfortunately had to represent families who have suffered the loss or a significant injury to a loved one in a drowning or near drowning. With these tragic experiences, we have learned that water safety involves active participation of family, friends, the swimmers and the people who are responsible for pools, pool equipment, and properties that have other bodies of water such as ponds and lakes.

 

According to the Florida Department of Health, Florida leads the country in drowning deaths of children ages 1-4 years. Annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown before their fifth birthday.

 

According to the U.S Swimming Foundation, in 2017 Florida lost more children to drowning than any other state. There were 51 fatal child drownings in Florida pools or spas in 2017, a 20 percent spike compared to 2016.  The drownings last year involved children 15 and younger, with 80 percent involving children under the age of 5. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1-4 nationwide.

Th American Red Cross has these swim safety tips:

  • Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
  • Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
  • Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
  • Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
  • Maintain constant supervision.
  • Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and learn-to-swim courses.
  • If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.
  • Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.
  • If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
  • Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
  • Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
  • Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.
  • Protect your skin. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.
  • Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.

Also parents remember your pool gate safety and pool pump safety.