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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Haggard Law Receives Award During Crime Victims’ Event

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.

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ABC Miami Coverage of Rob Stewart Wrongful Death Lawsuit

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.

 

 

 

 

St. Patrick’s Day Events, Safety and Security

On holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, bars and restaurants expecting large crowds should prepare for it with more than just an increase in service staff, food and alcohol. Those good times expected by the patrons can turn tragic if  increased safety and security measures by these businesses are not taken. From who they allow to enter their business, to who is allowed to stay, and an awareness when someone has been over served, a security and safety plan should be in place.

The Haggard Law Firm’s Managing Partner Michael Haggard says there is nothing more enjoyable than a big event or block party where a community can celebrate a holiday like St Patrick’s Day or New Years Eve.  However, the bars, shopping centers or establishments hosting these “events” have to plan for security just as they plan the event.  More people, more alcohol and more utilized space bring additional risks that can prove catastrophic in today’s sometime violent world.  Security needs must be planned, scheduled and executed in order to meet these additional risks associated with these bigger events.”

 

The Haggard Law Firm has litigated several Liquor/Bar Liability or ‘Dram Shop’ cases where the business owners/management neglected to take the necessary steps to keep their patrons safe.

Two Haggard Law Firm case examples:

MARSHALL V. GENE’S LOUNGE & RED BARON LOUNGE
$1.3 million – Settlement (Pensacola, Florida) – Liquor/Bar Liability
Mr. Marshall and Ms. Robinson were out for a birthday celebration. After drinking for several hours at both the Red Baron Lounge and Gene’s Lounge, both persons were asked to leave after a verbal altercation and proceeded to drive off in Ms. Robinson’s car. No effort was made by Gene’s Lounge to call a cab or make any alternate transportation arrangement. Ms. Robinson proceeded to drive off the roadway and strike a tree, partially ejecting Mr. Marshall, and leaving him a quadriplegic with both legs amputated. He was also rendered completely blind after encountering corrective surgery complications. Both Gene’s Lounge and Red Baron Lounge knew of Ms. Robinson’s alcoholism, but purposefully continued to serve her alcohol with disregard to the possible consequences of their actions. The case was settled for total policy limits.
TROSPER V. GABY’S LOUNGE
$500,000 – Settlement (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) – Liquor/Bar Liability
Sherry Ann Trosper was habitually addicted to alcohol based on the parameters of Florida’s “dram shop” statutes. At 3:00 AM Sherry Ann Trosper, totally intoxicated, left Gaby’s Lounge and in attempting to walk across a multi-lane street, was struck by a vehicle suffering permanent injuries. Gaby’s Lounge knew or should have known that the quantity of alcohol served to Sherry Ann Trosper would render her intoxicated and incapacitated, and purposefully served her this quantity of alcohol. Gaby’s Lounge either intended to get her intoxicated, or did so with reckless disregard and conscious indifference to the consequences, so as to be the equivalent of intentional misconduct.

VIDEO: Negligent Security & Mass Shootings

 

Has the increased number of mass shootings and victims of these tragedies changed what should be considered adequate security for businesses and properties where large groups of people commonly gather?

Our Michael Haggard discusses the topic in our latest HLF TV installment.

 

Haggard Law Article on Speedy Trials Published in DBR

Today, Daily Business Review published the Haggard Law Firm attorney Christopher Marlowe‘s article highlighting the importance of pushing for a speedy trial.

 

 

Here is the body of the article by Marlowe:

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VIDEO: The Role of Foreseeability in Negligent Security

The cornerstone of solidifying a negligent security case for a personal injury attorney is proving foreseeability of crime. Michael Haggard of the Haggard Law Firm discusses in this video.

 

Haggard Attorneys to Present During 2017 Workhourse Seminar

The Haggard Law Firm’s Managing Partner Michael Haggard and Partner Todd Michaels will be among the presenters at this year’s Workhorse CLE Seminar presented by the Florida Justice Association. The event will be held in Orlando between February 28th and March 3rd.

Haggard’s will deliver his presentation, Proof and Argument of Liability in “Negligent Security” Cases, during the premises liability portion of the event on  March 1st.

Michaels’ presentation, Daubert and the Non-Scientific Witness, will be given during the evening session on Tuesday, February 28th

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Evidence Preservation in Fire Cases

Article By Pedro Echarte, The Haggard Law Firm

When handling personal injury/wrongful death cases resulting from fires, the importance of quickly notifying the property owner of the potential claim and gaining immediate access to the property to the perform a site inspection is imperative.  While in other types of cases (e.g., drowning, automobile, aviation, medical malpractice, negligent security) the evidence required to prove your case is generally preserved, that is generally not the case when it comes to litigation stemming from fires because landowners (whether residential or commercial) generally want to promptly repair their premises after a fire in order to avoid a significant loss of income.  Once the property is altered or repaired, it will be difficult to determine not only the cause of fire, but also what fire safety measures that property had at the time of the fire and whether they operated as intended.

In fire cases that we have handled, we have accomplished early notification to the potential defendant and coordination of a site inspection in one of two ways. Generally, we first attempt to reach the property owner directly, informing them of the potential claim and requesting access to the property.  If we are unable to contact the property owner or if the property owner refuses to give us access to the property, we file the lawsuit along with an emergency motion seeking to enjoin the property owner from repairing the property and requesting access to the property for a site inspection.

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String of Gas Station, Retailer Parking Lot Robberies

In the last week, there have been a string of robberies at gas stations and parking lots of popular retailers in South Florida. A large percentage of the negligent security cases The Haggard Law Firm has litigated in the last decade have included violent incidents involving these types of businesses. Cases like Snell VS Family Food Saver II, CORP which occurred on the property of a gas station and Pilotos v. Ryta Food Corp which was a deadly shooting in the parking lot of a grocery store.

Following the most recent news, Haggard Law Attorney Todd Michaels said:

“Every business owner who holds themselves open to the public has a duty to assess the risk of crime occurring on their property, and to implement adequate security based on that risk.  All too often, we have seen business owners fail to do so, and the result is both tragic and predictable.  Unless business owners are doing their part, there is little that the police or individuals themselves can do to remain safe.”

 

 

FULL ARTICLE ABOUT Palm Beach County crime spree:

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VIDEO: 2016 Notable Case Results

This video is a review of three cases resolved by The Haggard Law Firm in 2016: