$1.25 MILLION VERDICT WON IN WRONGFUL DEATH CASE FILED AGAINST APARTMENT COMPLEX IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA

(L-R):Co-counsel Jason Brenner, Lead-counsel Christopher Marlowe, Co-counsel Jim Blecke and local Co-counsel Sam Bearman at the Escambia County Court House after receiving the news of a successful verdict of $1.25 million.CORAL GABLES, Fla. - November 4, 2014 - The Haggard Law Firm announced today that Lead-counsel Christopher Marlowe, Co-counsels Jason Brenner and Jim Blecke and local Co-counsel Sam Bearman successfully won a $1.25 million verdict for the wrongful death case against Sutton Place & Emmer Management for its role in the shooting death of 19-year-old Deovon Pugh at Sunrise Apartments in Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida.

Terrance Edwards, 19, shot Deovon Pugh to death while Deovon visited his friend who lived at the apartment complex. Edwards wrongly identified Deovon of having stolen the family car and then proceeded to shoot him in the face with a shotgun while he was sitting on the front porch of his friend's apartment. Edwards was later arrested and charged with murder. He is currently serving life in prison.

The Defendant's property manager and owner argued that the shooting was unforeseeable and unpreventable because Mr. Edwards was drunk and highly motivated to seek revenge for the theft of the family vehicle. 

Case: Pugh v. Sutton Place & Emmer Mgmt.

Jurisdiction: Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida

Verdict: $1.25 Million

About The Haggard Law Firm, P.A.

Founded in 1972, The Haggard Law Firm is a plaintiff's trial firm based in Coral Gables, Florida. It represents the rights of people permanently injured through the fault of others. The firm handles serious injury, death and tort cases in all categories of personal injury claims, including those related to automobile accidents, wrongful death, negligent security, airline disasters, slip-and-fall accidents, boating and diving accidents, admiralty matters, medical and dental malpractice, sports injuries, products liability, insurance coverage issues, premises liability, liquor/bar liability and pool drowning/drain entrapment incidences. As a result of its success, peers and the judiciary consider The Haggard Law Firm as one of the most highly regarded personal injury law firms in the United States. The firm and its partners have gained worldwide recognition for their achievements in challenging complex cases of national and international significance. Most recently and for the fourth consecutive year, The Haggard Law Firm is recognized in the first-tier rankings of 2014's "Best Law Firms," featured in U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. Firms included in the 2014 "Best Law Firms" list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. For additional information, please visit www.haggardlawfirm.com.  

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IN THE NEWS

The Pensacola News Journal newspaper published an article regarding this verdict win of $1.25 million for the wrongful death case against Sutton Place & Emmer Management for its role in the shooting death of 19-year-old Deovon Pugh at Sunrise Apartments in Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida.

Click here to read this article, “Pensacola apartment complex held liable for murder.”

Congratulations to Lead-counsel Christopher Marlowe, Jason Brenner, Jim Blecke, Sam Bearman and Nory Lopez!

CASE INVOLVING THE MURDER OF US MARINE VETERAN IS SETTLED FOR $1.5 MILLION

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - November 11, 2014 - The Haggard Law Firm recently announced that Attorney Christopher Marlowe has successfully settled for $1.5 million in the wrongful death case against Greystar Management Company for its role in the shooting death of 31 year old United States Marine Veteran David Lawrence Nelson II at the Harbor Town Apartments in Plantation, Florida. The suit, which was filed in Broward County Circuit Court in 2013 by David Nelson’s wife, Marla Nelson, accused one of the largest property management companies in the country of being negligent for Nelson's murder. 

"Marla Nelson's husband was an honor to his country and her. David completed overseas tours in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan," said Christopher Marlowe, a partner with The Haggard Law Firm who represented Marla Nelson.

On July 17, 2012, Nelson was shot to death in the parking lot of the Harbor Town Apartments by Jaime Vogel, who attempted suicide immediately after killing David Nelson and who has since died by suicide in jail. Nelson and his wife, Marla, rented an apartment at the complex and Vogel was living there with his wife and son. David Nelson was simply picking up the mail after work and walking across the parking lot when Mr. Vogel ran after him, shooting him multiple times before his gun finally jammed. Greystar Management and Harbor Town Apartments failed to learn that Jaime Vogel had a long history of threatening behavior at other apartment communities, including other properties managed by Greystar. The Defendants did not utilize background screening tools available to them, which would have alerted them to the risks presented by this assailant.

"David's preventable death resulted from a collision of massive corporate incompetence disguised as streamlined efficiency and profit maximization. His death truly was a senseless byproduct of a company that became too large to do their important job properly. I am pleased we were able to overcome the many significant challenges to the foreseeability, preventability and causation issues that these facts presented," said Marlowe.

Safety concerns related to tenant screening should be the number one priority for anyone in the business of residential rental housing. Greystar's massive size and automated approach to residential housing directly facilitated David Nelson's murder. Through his untimely and tragic death, rental communities should elevate their screening processes to recognize such threats.

About The Haggard Law Firm, P.A.

Founded in 1972, The Haggard Law Firm is a plaintiff's trial firm based in Coral Gables, Florida. It represents the rights of people permanently injured through the fault of others. The firm handles serious injury, death and tort cases in all categories of personal injury claims, including those related to automobile accidents, wrongful death, negligent security, airline disasters, slip-and-fall accidents, boating and diving accidents, admiralty matters, medical and dental malpractice, sports injuries, products liability, insurance coverage issues, premises liability, liquor/bar liability and pool drowning/drain entrapment incidences. As a result of its success, peers and the judiciary consider The Haggard Law Firm as one of the most highly regarded personal injury law firms in the United States. The firm and its partners have gained worldwide recognition for their achievements in challenging complex cases of national and international significance. Most recently and for the fourth consecutive year, The Haggard Law Firm is recognized in the first-tier rankings of 2014's "Best Law Firms," featured in U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. Firms included in the 2014 "Best Law Firms" list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. For additional information, please visit www.haggardlawfirm.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT

Maria "Mari" Salazar

Director of Communications

The Haggard Law Firm

305.446.5700 ext. 137  

msalazar@haggardlawfirm.com    

MIKE HAGGARD PRESENTS AT THE 2014 NCVC AND NCVBA CONFERENCES

In September 2014, Mike Haggard presented at the NCVC Conference with former client, Amanda Slone. The topic, "Protecting Sexual Assault Victim Rights in Criminal and Civil Cases," guided attendees through the criminal and civil legal process when sexual assault is involved.

Mike Haggard also spoke at the NCVBA Conference about "Defeating the Preventability Defense - The Bad Guy Could Not Be Stopped."

Congrats Mike on two great presentations!

TODD MICHAELS TO BE HONORED WITH "40 UNDER 40 OUTSTANDING LAWYERS OF SOUTH FLORIDA" AWARD

Partner Todd Michaels has been nominated to receive the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s “40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida” award. This nomination is based on demonstrated excellence in the legal field and contributions to the community. Todd will be honored at a gala event on the evening of Saturday, November 8th at the JW Marriott in Miami. The Haggard Law Firm would like to congratulate Todd Michaels for this prestigious honor!

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Currently, there is no cure. For more information about cystic fibrosis please visit http://www.cff.org/.

THE HAGGARD LAW FIRM NAMES TWO NEW PARTNERS

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – July 07, 2014 - The Haggard Law Firm today announced that Attorneys Christopher Marlowe and Todd Michaels have been named partners at the firm, where they will continue to manage a variety of the firm’s cases involving wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury.

“Achieving partner signifies considerable accomplishment, value and commitment to continued success. Christopher and Todd are both impressive attorneys that deserve this recognition. We are lucky to have them as part of our team,” said Michael Haggard, managing partner of The Haggard Law Firm.

Christopher Marlowe joined The Haggard Law Firm in 2008. Mr. Marlowe handles a wide array of cases, including those involving negligent security, pool drowning, auto accident and wrongful death. His work as lead counsel on sexual assault, robbery, homicide and shooting cases, has led to security and safety improvements at commercial and residential properties throughout Florida. Mr. Marlowe’s dedication to his clients extends past the verdict or settlement. He has assisted several clients to go on to lead and participate directly in victims’ advocacy organizations that offer aid and support to other victims of violent crime in their communities.

Christopher Marlowe

Mr. Marlowe has been honored as “Best Lawyer in America,” Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite” and as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star.” He is a member of the Coral Gables Bar Association, Miami Dade Justice Association and Southern Trial Lawyers Association.

Christopher Marlowe graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 2002, after having received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997 from Rhodes College. 

Todd Michaels joined The Haggard Law Firm in 2009. Mr. Michaels’ cases focus on negligent security, premises liability, aviation, pool drowning, auto accident and other injury cases. In 2012, he was lead counsel in the case of Snell vs. Family Food Saver. The trial resulted in a verdict of $5.7 million for the Snell family. It was the largest premises liability verdict in the State of Florida that year.

Todd Michaels

Mr. Michaels is a member The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 and also serves as a board member of the Florida Justice Association and Miami-Dade Justice Association. He has been recognized as “National Association of Plaintiff’s Injury Attorneys: Top Ten Under 40,” one of Florida’s “Super Lawyers” and "Top 100 Super Lawyers in South Florida," as well as “Best Lawyer in America” and Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite.” Nevertheless, Todd Michaels often states that his greatest accomplishment was becoming a father to his son, Ashton Michaels.

Mr. Michaels received his Juris Doctorate in 2002 from the University of Miami School of Law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1999 from the University of Michigan.

About The Haggard Law Firm, P.A.

Founded in 1972, The Haggard Law Firm is a plaintiff's trial firm based in Coral Gables, Florida. It represents the rights of people permanently injured through the fault of others. The firm handles serious injury, death and tort cases in all categories of personal injury claims, including those related to automobile accidents, wrongful death, negligent security, airline disasters, slip-and-fall accidents, boating and diving accidents, admiralty matters, medical and dental malpractice, sports injuries, products liability, insurance coverage issues, premises liability, liquor/bar liability and pool drowning/drain entrapment incidences. As a result of its success, peers and the judiciary consider The Haggard Law Firm as one of the most highly regarded personal injury law firms in the United States. The firm and its partners have gained worldwide recognition for their achievements in challenging complex cases of national and international significance. Most recently and for the fourth consecutive year, The Haggard Law Firm is recognized in the first-tier rankings of 2014's "Best Law Firms," featured in U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. Firms included in the 2014 "Best Law Firms" list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. For additional information, please visit www.haggardlawfirm.com.