A family and entire community remains devastated days after a 1 and 3-year-old drowned in a Cape Coral (FL.) Apartment Complex pool. It was last Sunday night when rescue crews were called to the Aurora Townhouse Condos. The local news media reports that they father of the young children went to the second floor of their two story townhouse to use the restroom. When he returned downstairs he found the two young children floating in the pool.
Adding to the tragedy are reports that the pool’s perimeter fence had been moved earlier in the year and never replaced. A woman who identified herself to the NBC Affiliate covering the story says she had asked the homeowners association to replace the pool fence quickly. But no action was taken by the board. (Watch NBC 2 Report).
The Haggard Law Firm has advocated for improving pool safety measures nationally and has successfully litigated several cases involving missing or broken pool fences including the Loren Hinton case (Click to watch video on Pool Gate Safety and Hinton Case) . Michael Haggard, the Firm’s Managing Partner said of the recent drownings, “this is another tragedy that is heart-wrenching and should have never occurred. Layers of protection such as pool fences are critical in the prevention of child drowning. ”
Earlier today, NBC South Florida visited The Haggard Law Firm to speak with the family members of Danny Fundora who was killed in early 2013. The person or people who took his life have not been caught. We hope the upcoming story by NBC will draw new attention to the murder case. The Haggard Law Firm represents the Fundora family in a negligent security lawsuit against the supermarket where Danny was killed. The business did not take the security measures needed to stop the horrible incident.
Our Todd Michaels commented on the case and search for Fundora’s killer today:
May is National Swim Safety Month. The Haggard Law Firm wants to take this opportunity to share swimming safety tips, including those we have unfortunately have become experts on because of catastrophic injury cases we have litigated over the years. One example is the 2001 case of Loren Hinton. A 2-year old that suffered a significant brain injury when she fell into a residential complex pool after pushing over a broken safety gate.
This video details that case and includes safety factors to consider to make sure a tragedy like this does not happen again.
Today’s issue of the Daily Business Review includes a Board of Contributors article authored by The Haggard law Firm‘s Jason Brenner. The article, Understanding Your Client: Survivors and the Catastrophically Injured, discusses the challenges to successfully representing and emotionally supporting during the civil litigation process the tragically injured or loved ones of someone who has died.
Police in Jupiter Florida have arrested Uber driver Gary Kitchings, 57, and charged him with kidnapping, sexual battery and burglary. He is accused of picking up an Uber fare at SunFest early Sunday and sexually assaulting her at her Jupiter home
According to a police affidavit, the woman told investigators she’d arrived in the West Palm Beach area Saturday to attend SunFest and accessed Uber through its smartphone app at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
(Gary Kitchings, arrested Monday by Jupiter Police)
She said Kitchings told her he had a gun under the seat and would kill her if she didn’t do what he wanted. He then forced the woman into a sex act, according to the affidavit.
Tomorrow the Haggard Law Firm will host a Premises Liability Seminar. As of this post, there are only 5 seats remaining.
This interactive and highly demonstrative FREE half-day legal seminar will show attorneys the latest trends and cutting edge strategies involved in litigating various premises liability cases. Case genres will include negligent security, drowning and entrapment and road construction accidents. Attendees will also hear from a leading Jury Consultant on Jury Selection.
This is a CLE Credit Seminar. Please RSVP with Susie Acosta, sacosta@haggadlawfirm.com or call 305.446.5700
The agenda has been released for the April 27th Premises Liability Seminar hosted by The Haggard Law Firm.
This interactive and highly demonstrative FREE half-day legal seminar will show attorneys the latest trends and cutting edge strategies involved in litigating various premises liability cases. Case
genres will include negligent security, drowning and entrapment and road construction accidents. Attendees will also hear from a leading Jury Consultant on Jury Selection.
This is a CLE Credit Seminar. Space is limited. Please RSVP with Susie Acosta, sacosta@haggadlawfirm.com or call 305.446.5700
A lot has changed in a year!!! As most of you know, I have Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and have been diagnosed since my early 30’s. It always came as a surprise to someone when I told them I had a genetic, life-threatening and incurable disease because I was fortunate and did not suffer debilitating effects. My only symptom was inevitable and total renal failure!!! So a couple of years ago, I went on the over 100,000 person national kidney waiting list…..I had no chance of getting a kidney before going on dialysis!
Due to God’s grace, my prayers were answered and my brother-in-law, Major Allen Buckhalt (US Army Blackhawk Pilot and Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran) was a match!! Exactly six months ago today, Allen saved my life with the gift of life. I am 100% back to normal and my kidney function is better than most people…..It is a miracle and really should not be because living donation should be much more common!! In fact, Allen is not only back to 100%, but unfortunately, he is so healthy, the army is deploying him again to Kuwait in August. He is my hero and should be yours on so many levels!!!
That brings us to this year’s 7TH ANNUAL PKD KIDNEY CASINO FOR A CURE!!!! This is going to be the best event ever!!! This year our event will be held on May 5, 2016, from 7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. This year will be a Cinco de Mayo celebration in celebration of not only my successful transplant but several other special guests who have been given the GIFT OF LIFE!!!! We are back at the Coral Gables Museum, once again taking over the beautiful Loggia and Terrace spaces. It is going to be a great celebration and fundraiser for a Cure for PKD!! Bekki and I have funded several PKD research grants over the years, but with your help over the past decade, we have raised an additional $400,000 which has funded multiple PKD research projects!!! We will find a cure for PKD in my lifetime!!! I have been given a Second Chance at Life and I will not waste it……I know you will help us with our goal. Many of you have donated in the past and we desperately need your help again!!! Please do what you did last year or if you possibly can—-DO EVEN MORE!!! We want all of you to come to the event, but if you cannot please look at the sponsorship levels and consider being there in spirit with us!!!
As most of you also know the curse of this disease is also the blessing!! It is genetic…….Both Maddie and Carson each have a 50% chance of inheriting this disease……and as you can imagine that “haunts” me each night! But even if you told me tomorrow Maddie and Carson were in the clear, we would never stop fighting this fight. All you have to do is see the devastating effects of PKD on families. I have lost my maternal grandmother, uncle, and mother to this disease and I intend on beating it out of existence! Because it is genetic we have made advances that have never been accomplished in other disease research—-because we can isolate the Gene!!!!
This year’s event will also center around Living Donation!!! While we will find a cure at some point soon, each person with PKD that has gone too far down the road deserves a healthy life via kidney transplant. Bekki and I have funded a Living Donor Coordinator position at Tampa General Hospital where I had my kidney transplant operation. We intend on spreading the word and increasing living donations throughout this Country!!! Please help us with your attendance at the event and thru financial donations to make this a reality!!!
I cannot thank each of you enough for your past support and hope that you will continue to support our efforts this year. If you cannot join us on Friday, May, 5, you can still donate to our cause. NO donation is too small. Checks should be made payable to the PKD Foundation and can be mailed directly to The Haggard Law Firm, 330 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables, FL 33134. ATTN: Susie Acosta. The attached document also allows you to RSVP, sponsor a table, purchase tickets or donate directly to the PKD Foundation. The Kidney Casino Night is live on the PKD Foundation’s website so you can RSVP and register online using a credit card!!
We are very proud to share that The Haggard Law Firm was awarded the “Justice For All” Award during today’s National Crime Victims’ Awareness Luncheon in Coral Gables. The event was hosted by the City of Coral Gables, the Coral Gables Police Department, and the National Crime Victims’ Rights Event Committee.
The Haggard Law Firm has the honor to represent the family of conservationist and award-winning filmmaker Rob Stewart in an effort to seek justice in his death. We hope the wrongful death lawsuit against several parties responsible will help send a message to bad operating dive instructors, boat captains, and dive equipment sales and manufacturing outlets out there to follow the rules and standards or close your business.
(Gary Kitchings, arrested Monday by Jupiter Police)
