Michael A. Haggard Elected to Board of Trustees by The Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation

Coral Gables, FL (July 3, 2007) – Michael A. Haggard, partner at The Haggard Law Firm, was recently elected to the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundations National Board of Trustees. Polycystic kidney disease ( PKD) runs in his family; Michael’s late mother died from PKD complications and Michael has also been diagnosed with the disease.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is one of the world’s top three most common, life-threatening genetic diseases and affects people equally regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, geography or income level. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates 600,000 Americans suffer from PKD. Though the disease is not well known in the U.S., PKD affects more American’s than the combined number of those suffering from Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia and Huntington’s disease!.

Because PKD is dominantly inherited and does not skip a generation, Michael’s efforts as a PKD Foundation board member focus on strategic initiatives in resource development, advocacy and patient education/empowerment – all of which are designed to conquer PKD and prevent it from affecting future generations of his family and 12.5 million people, worldwide, who have PKD.

The PKD Foundation was established in 1982 and is the only organization, worldwide, solely devoted to programs of biomedical research, patient education, public awareness and advocacy focused on finding a treatment and cure for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and improving the care and treatment of those it affects. In FY 2008, the PKD Foundation will fund more than $4 million in vital PKD research and lobby the federal government for in excess of $30 million more.

Haggard concentrates his trial practice in personal injury litigation specializing in pool drownings, premises liability, negligent security, wrongful death and medical malpractice. Currently, Michael Haggard serves as the Treasurer of the Florida Justice Association. Haggard’s other achievements include serving as past president of the Miami-Dade Justice Association as well as serving as a member of the American Association for Justice (Inadequate Security Section) and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Haggard earned his bachelors degree from Florida State University and his law degree from the University of Miami.

The Haggard Law Firm is a plaintiff's trial firm based in Coral Gables, Florida. The firm handles serious injury, death and tort cases in the United States, the Caribbean, the Americas, and other international jurisdictions. The firm's work has earned them recognition among its peers and the judiciary as one of the most highly regarded personal injury law firms nationwide. The partners have won both national and international recognition for their achievements in some of the most challenging cases of our time, including those dealing with major airline disasters, swimming pool drowning negligence and most recently negligent security.