Jacksonville, FL – The lack of required smoke detectors in a mobile home was the primary reason 5 year old Caydon Anderson will never see his beloved father Jemarr again. On May 18, 2015, 26-year-old Jemarr Anderson was asleep in a mobile home at 7582 Sonia Drive in Jacksonville when a fire broke out. The young father died of smoke inhalation in the fire that scorched the home.
The Haggard Law Firm is thrilled to support Generation Nexxt with a second season of our Haggard Helping Hands segment. These segments will appear throughout the youth football season on NBC 6 in South Florida during the Generation Nexxt program which airs at noon.
Today’s issue of the Daily Business Review takes an in-depth look at the recent $10.1 million settlement result in a negligent security case litigated by our Pedro Echarte.
Here is the full text of the article authored by Celia Ampel:
Bryan Perez was just 22 when he was shot and paralyzed while trying to protect his sister, mother and pregnant girlfriend from home invaders.
The 2014 shooting left him in a wheelchair, making it difficult for him to work and to go out alone with his baby.
$10.1 Million Settlement in Negligent Security Case Brought by 22 year old Father Paralyzed in Shooting
Miami, FL – The homeowners association, property manager, and other related entities at a Miami townhome community have agreed to pay more than $10 million dollars to 22-year-old Bryan Perez and his infant son to settle a negligent security lawsuit.
On August 18th 2014, in an attempted armed home invasion robbery, Perez was shot 6 times in his family’s rental unit at the Carmel Lakes townhome community, which is located at 20761 NE 4th Place Miami, Florida 33179. As a result of the crime, Perez was rendered an incomplete paraplegic. Perez had recently moved to the complex with his family and was unaware of its history of crime, which consisted of numerous burglaries and armed robberies. The Haggard Law Firm’s Pedro Echarte who litigated the case says “the community’s security measures were entirely inadequate to protect its residents and tenants.”
On the night of the incident, Perez was on his porch with a friend when three gunmen approached and asked for a safe that was in the home. Perez and his family were the victims of a burglary at the same unit a few months before the subject shooting, had purchased a safe to store their valuables as a result, and the box for that safe was on the porch at the time of the shooting. While demanding Perez and his guest enter the home, Perez attempted to close a sliding glass door in an effort to protect his family, including his then-pregnant girlfriend, mother, and little sister who were all inside the home at the time of the incident. The gunmen proceeded to start shooting through the glass door, hitting Perez multiple times.
Echarte says the evidence against those responsible for needed security at Carmel Lakes was overwhelming, including:
On Thursday, October 20th The Haggard Law Firm’s Todd Michaels will present a webinar on litigating negligent security cases. Haggard Law specializes in prosecuting wrongful death and catastrophic injury negligent security cases. During the webinar titled Trying A Negligent Security Case: A Plaintiff Lawyers Guide To Destroying The Premises And Staying Out Of The Weeds, Michaels will provide a guide for other Plaintiff’s attorneys in how to successfully prosecute these important cases. Continue reading “Register for Negligent Security Litigation Webinar”
In the article, Marlowe discusses how Wal-Mart is well aware of the frequent crime that takes place on properties across the country. The Haggard Law attorney litigated a case against the world’s number 1 retailer where a woman was kidnapped from a Wal-Mart parking lot and brutally raped in her kidnapper’s vehicle over several hours and miles of driving.
The text of the article as it appears in the Daily Business Review:
The Daily Business Review has just published an article featuring the recent $1.8 million negligent security case settlement delivered by the Haggard Law Firm.
In the article, Haggard Law attorney Douglas McCarron describes how the inaction by the property owners of a Tampa apartment complex who refused to invest in proper security measures despite pleas from property management, directly contributed to the shooting death of a 23-year-old father of three.
To read the full article click the images below or this link
Later today, The Haggard Law Firm’s Douglas McCarron will lead a presentation during The 2016 National Crime Victim Bar Association’s National Conference in Philadelphia. The Conference is currently underway in conjunction with the National Center for Victims of Crime’s 2016 National Training Institute.
McCarron’s presentation, Negligent SecurityCase Gameplan: “Blocking & Tackling Fundamentals Mixed with Razzle Dazzle”, his highly demonstrative , interactive and will highlight what every Victim’s lawyers must know presenting their Negligent Security case.
Del Rio Apartment Complex Owners Ignored Multiple Requests from Staff to Increase Security
Tampa – The companies that once owned the Avesta Del Rio Apartment Complex have agreed to pay the family of 23-year-old murder victim Damian Bowie $1.8 million to settle a negligent security lawsuit. The lawsuit filed by Douglas McCarron of The Haggard Law Firm (www.haggardlawfirm.com) alleged that the deadly 2014 shooting that claimed Bowie’s life could have been prevented if complex ownership took action after multiple requests by staff members to better secure the property.
On March 2, 2014, Bowie visited the Del Rio apartments (5013 E. Sligh Avenue, Tampa) to spend time with friends before going to pick up his son Damian Jr. But, shortly before 4 p.m. that day, the father of three was assaulted, shot and killed on the property.
“Through the course of our investigation, which included testimony by the defendant’s property manager, it was clear that the employees at the property were pleading for more security and consistently telling upper management how people’s lives were are risk. Instead of acting responsibly, the defendant simply turned a blind eye” said McCarron.
The lawsuit against 5013 Sligh LLC and Avesta Homes on behalf of the victim’s mother and his three children Damian Jr. (5), Damion (3) and Sincere (2 – born two months after his father was killed), alleged the property’s owners knew the area and property were considered high crime areas. McCarron adds, “unfortunately their inaction allowed this tragedy to occur and now three young boys will never see their father again.”
The lawsuit highlights:
Testimony from a property manager and documented crime statistics that confirm the complex and area that surrounds is a high crime area.
An email sent by Kerrie Richardson, property manager of the complex at the time of the shooting, to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department requesting an off duty police officer (sent six months before the murder) because of the amount of crime
An email from Richardson to corporate for directions on what to do with a tenant that asked for termination of their lease after they were robbed at gunpoint and had their car broken into in just three months.
A request by Richardson to property owners asking for expanded security for daytime hours. Bowie was murdered at 4 p.m.
The victim’s family members hope new attention on this case will help police. No one has been charged in the crime.
It should be noted that the defendants in this case currently do NOT own the Avesta Del Rio Complex.
Authorities say a 10-year-old girl who was taken to the hospital following a near-drowning at a Jacksonville hotel has died.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports the Pensacola girl was swimming at the Hilton Garden Inn pool late Saturday night with three young family members. At some point she went underwater. Two of the children tried to pull her out of the pool, while the third child ran to an employee of the property for help.
When deputies arrived at the hotel, CPR was being performed on the girl. Patrol deputies took over CPR efforts until St. Johns County Fire Rescue paramedics arrived and took the girl to Beaches Baptist. She was then air lifted to Wolfson Children’s Hospital, where she later died.
Authorities said they believe there were no adults present with the children at the time, and the pool was apparently closed to swimming before the incident.