The Haggard Law Firm’s Managing Partner Michael Haggard assumed his role as the new President of the National Crime Victim Bar Association in 2018. The organization was founded in April 1999, creating the nation’s first professional association of attorneys and expert witnesses dedicated to helping victims seek justice through the civil system. The NCVBA is an affiliate and program of the National Center for Victims of Crime.
In this video, Haggard discusses how his primary focus this year is to make sure human trafficking victims understand they not only have rights in the criminal justice system but also in the civil justice system.
We are very proud to share that our Todd Michaels has secured a $1.5 Million dollar settlement in the slip and fall wrongful death case of Qurris Walker (pictured).
In August 2011, Walker, who suffered from Down’s Syndrome, slipped and fell on a wet floor at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando. At the time of the incident, the floor was being cleaned by Rosen’s Cleaning service, Majic Cleaning Systems. As a result of the fall, Mr. Walker needed surgery to repair his leg and suffered respiratory arrest during recovery from the surgery. Nearly two years after the fall, Walker, who suffered from numerous pre-existing health issues, passed away. Both liability and causation were highly contested.
The defense argued that Majic had put down five cones in the lobby, adequately warning visitors that the floor was wet and that Mr. Walker’s death was a result of his other health issues, and was unrelated to the fall. Our thanks to the inspirational and brave Walker family for their passion to seek justice.
The Haggard Law Firm recognizes National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month throughout January. The Department of Defense defines Human Trafficking as” a crime in which force, fraud or coercion is used to compel a person to perform labor, services or commercial sex. It affects all populations: adults, children, men, women, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens, and all economic classes.”
Studies show that a large percentage of locations where sex trafficking takes place are commercial businesses like hotels, truck stops and massage parlors.. One survey found hotels and motels are the single-most common venue for sex trafficking in Florida during the first half of 2017. Experts say it is because the traffickers want to remain transient to avoid suspicion and arrest.”
The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard has been invited to once again speak at the Florida Justice Association’s Workhorse Seminar. Set to be held at the Orlando World Center Marriott, this Seminar is one of FJA’s most popular learning events among attorneys throughout the state.
Haggard is scheduled to speak on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 between 8:30 am – 9:00 am. His topic for his Seminar is “Escaping Defense-created Liability Traps in the Handling of Negligent Security Injury and Death Cases.”
Haggard is a longtime member of the FJA and has served in multiple leadership positions over the years. Several months ago, he was recognized with the FJA’s most prestigious honor, the Perry Nichols Award.
About the Workhorse Seminar
The Workhorse Seminar ensures attorneys receive the strategies and techniques needed to enhance the work done every day in civil litigation cases. The FJA guarantees attendees will take away valuable information and innovative ideas that can immediately aid personal injury attorneys’ efforts to assist clients in their cases.
About the Florida Justice Association
The Florida Justice Association (FJA), formerly the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (AFTL), is dedicated to strengthening and upholding Florida’s civil justice system and protecting the rights of Florida’s citizens and consumers.
We passionately believe that all Floridians benefit when deserving individuals have a fair chance to seek justice in our state’s courts and that Florida’s consumers are made safer when large corporations and industries are held to a high ethical standard and accept fair responsibility for their actions.
FJA works in the legislative, political and public arenas to ensure that Floridians know and understand the importance of their rights to justice and to make certain that these rights, which are at the very core of what it means to be American, are safeguarded and protected.
Today the Daily Business Review published a feature (in the online edition) on the recent $1.57 Million verdict in a personal injury car crash case. Haggard Law trial attorneys Douglas McCarron and Pedro Echarte litigated the case involving the injuries suffered by clients John Paul Souza and Anh Pham Souza that stemmed from a car crash on Miami Beach in 2014.
The article dives into the primary obstacle McCarron and Echarte managed during the trial to come to the very successful result.
The DBR article reads, in part:
Attorneys from The Haggard Law Firm secured a nearly $1.57 million verdict for a tourist involved in a car crash, despite medical scans that failed to corroborate an injury and a slew of social media photos showing the plaintiff’s extensive travel after the crash.
(the article continued)
The Souzas are avid travelers who posted photographs on social media of luxury trips to the Hamptons, Bahamas, Necker Island and other destinations. That pastime would complicate the litigation, as defense attorneys pointed to the posts as proof John Souza was unscathed after the Miami accident.
“There were a lot of pictures. [The defendants] were trying to make a big deal out of it,” McCarron said. “A lot of times in these kinds of cases, there’s a lot on social media. It’s not something to be afraid of, as long as your clients are being honest.”
The Haggard Law Firm has been named to The Us News & World Report’s 2018 Best Lawyers® 2018 “Best Law Firms” List.
Firms included in the 2018 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.
Miami, FL (October 30, 2017) – Late Friday night, following a 5-day civil court trial, a Miami-Dade jury awarded John Souza nearly $1.57 million. The trial stemmed from a lawsuit Souza, an Atlanta resident, filed after suffering injuries to his spine following a car accident on October 20, 2014. Souza and his wife, Anh, were traveling north on Biscayne Boulevard when another driver violated the right-of-way and collided into their car just off NW 35th Street.
The defendants, CH Global Construction who owned the vehicle, admitted the crash was their fault but also said the Souza was traveling too fast for the conditions. Souza, who was in town for a fitness competition, did not seek medical attention until he went back home to Atlanta the next day.
It was just announced that The Haggard Law Firm’s Managing Partner, Michael Haggard, will be the Keynote Speaker at the Miami Dade Trial Lawyers Association’s Judge Manny Crespo Award Luncheon tomorrow (Thursday, October 12). Judge Marcia Cooke is the recipient of this year’s Judge Manny Crespo Award which is honors a champion of the legal profession and selfless mentor.
The MDTLA released a statement saying about Haggard’s role as keynote speaker that read in part, “Among the many accolades that Mike has received from the community, clients and peers, he was recently honored by the Florida Justice Association with the Perry Nichols Award for his perseverance, commitment, and unmatched dedication to the civil justice system. Michael truly sets the standard for the rest of his colleagues and many others to aspire AND achieve. The buzz is that he is a great and inspiring orator; that he is! We are grateful that he will be our Keynote speaker at tomorrow’s event.”
The Florida Justice Association kicked off its annual Masters of Justice CLE Event today. This year’s theme is ‘Roads to Mastery’. The convention offers four specialized seminars on Auto Negligence, Technology, Medical Malpractice, Insurance & Bad Faith.
Congratulations to our Michael Haggard. He was among 10 local lawyers included in Attorney at Law Magazine‘s ‘Super Stars of 2017’ edition.
The Magazine writes “These attorneys have been nominated by their peers to be recognized for their accomplishments both inside and outside the courtroom.”
To read the full article, click on the following link and scroll to page 12-13.
This most recent recognition follows news that Haggard will receive the Florida Justice Association’s 2017 Perry Nichols Award, that organization’s highest honor. Click here to learn more
accident on October 20, 2014. Souza and his wife, Anh, were traveling north on Biscayne Boulevard when another driver violated the right-of-way and collided into their car just off NW 35th Street.
