The Haggard Law Firm Honored at Proclamation of National Crime Victims' Rights Week

The Haggard Law Firm received the "Justice for Victims. Justice for All" award on Monday, April 14. The award was given to recognize the firm's efforts in supporting victims of crime in Miami-Dade County. All attorneys from the firm were present at the luncheon held at the Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne presented by the Office of the Attorney General, the Coral Gables Police Department and the Crime Victims Resource Network.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Carlos Gimenez was on hand to commemorate the proclamation and past victims of crime were on hand to recount their stories and share how local authorities and victim resource networks were able to come to their aide.

Attorney Michael Haggard testifies before Congress on World Kidney Day

Testifying before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies today, Attorney with The Haggard Law Firm, Michael Haggard highlighted unprecedented scientific momentum achieved in the field of Polycystic Kidney Disease and the amazing return on investments made by the federal government. Haggard’s testimony also marks World Kidney Day and the importance of finding treatments or cures for this devastating disease.

“Polycystic Kidney Disease research can serve as a model when setting standards to find treatments or cures for other serious, life threatening diseases,” said PKD Foundation Board Member and PKD patient, Michael Haggard, Esq.

The PKD Foundation has worked to create unique public and industry partnerships to stimulate PKD research. In addition, PKD families across the nation have become more engaged in grass roots advocacy. Their efforts, along with the unprecedented scientific momentum currently underway in PKD research, have prompted Congress to adopt increasingly supportive Congressional Appropriations report language for PKD for 18 consecutive years.

“This effort is vitally important for hundreds of thousands of individuals with PKD, including my own family,” said Haggard. “I want the legacy I leave my two children and future generations of my family to not include the suffering caused by PKD.”

Attorney Douglas McCarron Named to Million Dollar Advocates Forum

The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is pleased to announce that attorney Douglas J. McCarron of The Haggard Law Firm in Coral Gables, Fl has been certified as a member.

The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as the most prestigious group of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements. The organization was founded in 1993 and there are approximately 3,000 members located throughout the country. Fewer than 1% of US lawyers are members. Forum membership acknowledges excellence in advocacy, and provides members with a national network of experienced colleagues for professional referral and information exchange in major cases. Members must have acted as principal counsel in at lease one case in which their client has received a verdict, award or settlement in the amount of one million dollars or more.

Mr. McCarron is a graduate of Florida State University School of law and specializes in personal injury law.

President Bush signs into law The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007

While The Haggard Law Firm has had much success representing the families who have been effected by pool drownings and entrapments, our attorneys also strive for tightened safety rules and regulations for pools in homes, apartments and hotels. For many years now, The Haggard Law Firm has been working with Representatives in the U.S. Congress and Senate to spur changes in state codes and laws governing pool and pool pump safety. We are thrilled with the recent announcement that The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007 has been signed into law. Debbie Wasserman Schultz sponsored the bill and is a champion of pool safety laws. We are honored to have worked with her in the State Senate and U.S. Congress to finally have this bill signed into law.

The bill was named for Virginia Graeme Baker, the 7-year-old granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker III who drowned in 2002 when pulled underwater by a hot-tub drain. The Haggard Law Firm represented the Baker family and achieved a confidential settlement in Virginia.

The legislation provides incentives for states to adopt comprehensive pool safety laws that will protect children from life-threatening injuries and horrible deaths from dangerous pool & spa drains and pumps. Specifically, the law will:

-- Prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of drain covers that do not meet anti-entrapment safety standards established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The legislation includes a directive for the CPSC to establish a safety standard for anti-entrapment drain covers. This would ensure that all drain covers and pool pumps available in the marketplace would conform to certain safety criteria.

-- Create an incentive grant program for states to adopt comprehensive pool and spa safety laws requiring certain safety devices in swimming pools and spas to protect children. The legislation would provide grants to states that pass a comprehensive swimming pool and spa safety law. The bill would require states to use funds, if awarded, to hire and train personnel for the proper enforcement of state law; and educate pool owners and operators, pool construction and installation companies, pool service companies and the public about the state law and about drowning prevention practices.

-- Establish a national drowning prevention education program within the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The bill would require the CPSC to create and administer an educational program to inform the public about ways to prevent drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas, and execute a national media campaign to promote awareness of pool and spa safety.

-- Require public pools to incorporate anti-entrapment drain covers and other layers of protection. The legislation would require that each public pool and spa be equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers and other layers of protection, such as safety vacuum release systems for pool pumps.

Barrak v. Report Investment Corporation, $102 Million – Verdict, November 28, 2007, Negligent Security

On July 31, 2002, Sami Barrak was a patron at Tootsie's Cabaret, which was a tenant at the Sierra Shopping Center owned by Report Investment Corporation. Mr. Barrak and a friend were leaving the establishment when the friend returned to retrieve an item left inside. As Mr. Barrak sat waiting in his car for his friend to return he was approached by an unknown person who attempted to rob him at gunpoint. After a brief exchange of unknown words, the assailant shot Mr. Barrak in the neck and left, rendering Mr. Barrak a ventilator-dependant quadriplegic.

The jury found that Report Investment Corporation, Inc., owned and managed the property and therefore had the duty to maintain it in a reasonable safe condition commensurate with the activities conducted on the property in order to prevent harm to its business invitees. At the time of the shooting, there was only one guard on duty to observe and report any crimes that might occur in and around Tootsie's Cabaret. Report Investment Corporation provided no security and admitted they had never spent one dollar on security or safety. There had been a reported 26 violent crimes on the same property during the seven years prior to Mr. Barrak’s incident.

The $102 million verdict is the largest jury verdict awarded judgment in history for a negligent security case. This is the third $100 million verdict for the Haggard Law Firm.

Michael A. Haggard, 37, was lead attorney on this case and also recorded his third $100 million verdict, all within the last five years. His previous $100 million verdicts were record-setting cases involving pool drowning and pool negligence. Haggard concentrates his trial practice in personal injury litigation specializing in pool drowning accident negligence, premises liability, negligent security, wrongful death and medical malpractice. His other achievements include serving as past president of the Miami-Dade Justice Association as well as serving as a member of the Florida Justice Association (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.