SOME NOTABLE TRIAL RESULTS:
1) $9.6 MILLION VERDICT AWARDED TO INJURED MOTORCYCLIST
On November 11, 2018, Joe S. was riding his motorcycle at a lawful rate of speed south bound on North Citrus Avenue in Crystal River, Florida and had the right of way. A north bound sport utility vehicle turned left in front of Joe S. violating his right of way. Joe S. and his motorcycle slammed into the passenger side of the sport utility vehicle and he sustained severe facial lacerations and multiple fractures to his left arm and pelvis. First – Responders called for Joe S. to be transported by Life Flight helicopter immediately to Ocala Regional Medical Center’s Level Two Trauma Center. Doctors and staff there saved Joe S.’s life and performed multiple surgeries on his face, left arm and pelvis. After seven weeks in ORMC, Joe S. was discharged home into the care of family members. His serious and permanent injuries, have had a profoundly adverse effect on his quality of life.
Ocala personal injury and motorcycle accident lawyer, Dan Hightower, filed a negligence lawsuit on behalf of his client, Joe S. in Citrus County, Florida in 2019. During the week of February 10, 2020, Mr. Hightower and Mr. Guiley tried the case in Citrus County Circuit Court. After the conclusion of the trial, a verdict was rendered by the Court in favor of Joe S. and against the Defendant SUV driver for $9,661,232.98.
When asked for comment on the verdict, Mr. Hightower simply said two things: 1) “Justice was served” and 2) “Watch out for motorcycles.”
2) $135,915 VERDICT
During the week of February 1, 2016, Mr. Hightower assisted by his associate, Mr. Guiley, tried a case before an Alachua County, Florida jury and helped his client, a 28-year-old woman, recover a jury verdict of $135,915.48. Mr. Hightower’s client had been seriously and permanently injured in a side impact collision caused by the carelessness of the driver of a passenger car. The insurance company’s last settlement offer before trial was $76,000.00.
3) $520,000 VERDICT
During the week of March 14, 2016, Mr. Hightower assisted by his associate, Mr. Guiley, tried a case before a Marion County, Florida jury and helped his client, a 42-year-old woman, recover a jury verdict of $520,000.00. Mr. Hightower’s client had been seriously and permanently injured in a rear end collision caused by the carelessness of the driver of a commercial van. The insurance company’s last settlement offer before trial was $58,000.00.
4) $751,000 VERDICT
During the week of October 17, 2016, Mr. Hightower assisted by his associate, Mr. Guiley, tried a case before a Marion County, Florida jury and helped his client, a 59-year-old man, recover a jury verdict of $751,000.00. Mr. Hightower’s client had been seriously and permanently injured in a front end/side impact collision caused by the carelessness of the driver of a passenger car. The insurance company’s last settlement offer before trial was $50,000.00.
SOME NOTABLE SETTLEMENTS:
1) $1.26 MILLION LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH VICTIM
On April 14, 2020, Mr. G., age 54, was a seat-belted passenger in his friend’s car, proceeding along the road at a safe speed with the right of way. An oncoming, big truck and trailer made an illegal left turn in front of their car resulting in an unavoidable crash that disabled both vehicles. Mr. G. sustained multiple fractures to his pelvis, right hip and leg in the crash that required several surgeries to repair.
Mr. Hightower took Mr. G.’s case and after the active medical treatment was over, he demanded the combined insurance policy limits of $1.26 million from the insurance company for the careless truck driver and owner to settle Mr. G.’s case. The insurance company made several unreasonably low settlement offers, some little more than Mr. G.’s past medical expenses.
Mr. Hightower, however, summarily rejected those unreasonably low settlement offers time and time again. He persisted in negotiations for several months demanding all of the insurance company’s combined policy limits of $1.26 million to settle the case. Ultimately, Mr. Hightower had to give the insurance company a deadline to accept and pay the $1.26 million and told them if the deadline expired with no acceptance and payment of the $1.26 million, he would file suit and try the case to Jury Verdict and Final Judgment.
The insurance company apparently assessed their risks and Mr. Hightower’s determination . . . and finally agreed to pay the entire combined insurance policy limits of $1.26 million to settle the case.
When asked for comment on the final settlement, Mr. Hightower said, “When I believe in a client and their case, I will continue negotiating, if necessary, litigating until I get my innocent, injured client a just result.”
2) $2 MILLION LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR INJURED WORKER
On March 20, 2018, Mark A. showed up for work like any other day. But on this day, as he was trimming tree branches, his ladder broke causing him to fall and hit his head on a paved road. Mark A. was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with multiple fractures, internal organ damage and a serious head injury. He was transferred the same day to another hospital better equipped to treat his severe injuries. After spending six months in the hospital and undergoing multiple surgeries, Mark A. was discharged home into the care of family members. He is 100% disabled from employment and requires future medical treatment for his work injuries.
Mark A.’s workers’ compensation claim was DENIED by the insurance company shortly after his accident. Ocala Workers’ Compensation Attorney, Dan Hightower, and his Associate Attorney, Barbara Richard, filed numerous claims on Mark A.’s behalf seeking compensability of his case together with medical treatment and disability benefits. In 2019, the Hightower firm was able to overcome the workers’ compensation insurance company’s defenses and negotiated a $2,013,165.00 lump sum settlement for Mark A., and subsequently negotiated a significant reduction in his outstanding hospital bills.
When asked for comment on the settlement, Mr. Hightower said, “Everyone in America has legal rights, but sometimes it takes good, aggressive lawyers to enforce those rights.”
3) $1.5 MILLION LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR INJURED WORKER
In April 2000, Michele C. was working as an occupational therapist in a local medical center. While helping a patient, she was grabbed aggressively by the patient and her dominant right hand/wrist was seriously injured requiring surgery. Following her two surgeries, she was diagnosed with Regional Pain Syndrome of her right arm and hand, which required aggressive pain management treatment, and resulted in severe dysfunction and permanent impairment. The pain syndrome spread to other parts of her body, leaving her significantly restricted and in need of daily attendant care. The gradual worsening of her severe chronic pain condition, with frequent pain flareups resulted in the need for life long costly medical care. Michele C.’s disabling pain condition also resulted in her being determined permanently and totally disabled and entitled by Florida Law to receive periodic permanent total disability benefits. Unfortunately, this permanent injury/syndrome left her no hope that she will ever be able to return to gainful employment again.
After years of filing claims on Michele C.’s behalf, Ocala workers’ compensation attorney, Dan Hightower, and his associate attorney, Barbara Richard, were able to negotiate an overall settlement of $1.5 million for Michele C.
The Law Office of Hightower & Hightower, P.A.
LOCAL LAWYERS
Turn to the experienced, local lawyers at the Law Office of Hightower & Hightower, P.A. Our team of personal injury lawyers, based in Ocala, Florida, will relentlessly pursue your maximum compensation.
Specializing in Car Accidents, Work Accidents, Wrongful Death, Personal Injury, and Social Security Disability.
Our mission is to represent deserving clients and help them recover the maximum benefits they are entitled to by law in a timely manner.
Since 1976, Daniel L. Hightower has been standing up for the rights of people against those that caused them injury. Hightower & Hightower’s personal injury lawyers, workers’ compensation lawyers, and social security disability lawyers have years of experience in successfully representing the interests of their clients and obtaining recoveries on their behalf.
In addition to catastrophic injury cases that we’ve helped our clients make multi-million dollar recoveries on, we handle moderate and severe injury cases, a number of which settle for six figure amounts. If you or a family member is involved in a serious motor vehicle collision or a serious work accident and sustain moderate, severe or catastrophic injuries, please call our office for a free consultation with us to discuss the case and your legal remedies.
Hightower & Hightower, P.A.
Our Frequently Asked Questions section has been sorted by topic to help you get the answers you need. Contact Hightower & Hightower, P.A. for a free consultation to evaluate your case.
Our Practice Areas
Since 1976, Daniel L. Hightower has been standing up for the rights of people against those that caused them injury. Many times the at-fault party is represented by an insurance company, or the injured party is seeking benefits from their own insurance company. You do not have to, and should not, go it alone against the insurance companies, even if the insurance company is your own. The attorneys at Hightower & Hightower, P.A. have years of experience in successfully representing the interests of their clients and obtaining recoveries on their behalf.
Each lawyer in the Personal Injury Department has years of experience prosecuting personal injury and wrongful death claims of people and families in the courts of central and north Florida. Each attorney is assisted by teams of top-notch paralegals, investigators and support staff that help to investigate each claim and vigorously prosecute each case to a swift resolution.
Many of our clients have been seriously or catastrophically injured and proving such a case often demands the coordination of various resources, including accident reconstructionists, engineers and economists. We have the professional and financial resources to properly litigate these cases.
In a split second, a car, truck or motorcycle accident can change the lives of you and your loved ones forever. A traffic crash occurs somewhere in Florida every two seconds. Most crashes are caused by the negligence or carelessness of a driver. If you are injured in a collision, you may have a claim against the at-fault driver and your own insurance company, and it is important to consult with an attorney right away.
The Law Office of Hightower & Hightower, P.A. is highly experienced in car, motorcycle, and truck accident law. To receive the full compensation that you are entitled to by law, it is important to retain a car accident attorney experienced in the aggressive prosecution of these claims. At Hightower & Hightower, P.A. the professionals in the personal injury department quickly secure and retain evidence, document damages and aggressively pursue your claim. Failure to secure evidence or properly document injuries or damages can severely affect the value of your case.
Additionally, you may be asked by the involved insurance companies to give recorded statements. It is important that you obtain legal counsel before giving any recorded statements to assure that your legal rights are being protected.
Hightower & Hightower, P.A., work accident lawyers, have been helping injured workers with their work accident claims since 1976. As an injured worker under the workers’ compensation law you are entitled to receive medical treatment and prescription drugs. You may also be entitled to wage loss reimbursement for time you have been unable to work. Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance.
If you have been injured at work and have questions, please contact us for a free consultation. There are no fees and no costs if no recovery of benefits or settlement is made for you.
Do you think your work injury may have been caused by a faulty product, unsafe work environment or someone else? You may be able to make a claim against a third party. Contact us for a free consultation and let Hightower & Hightower review your options.
There are time limits for filing a work injury claim and time limits for keeping the claim from being closed by the insurance company. Once you are injured at work or become aware of a work injury, you have 30 days to report your injury to your employer. Generally, you have two years from the date of your injury to file a claim. Failure to report your injury within 30 days may be used as a defense against your claim regardless of the two-year Statute of Limitations for filing a claim. The Statute of Limitations in workers’ compensation cases is two (2) years from the date of accident, or (1) year from the last time the employer/carrier provided medical treatment or paid compensation benefits to you, whichever is later. Other statutes may also apply to the determination of when the Statute of Limitations began to run or when it expires. If the Statute of Limitations expires, you will probably not be able to pursue your claim.
Wrongful death is any death that results from the misconduct or negligence of another person or entity. Wrongful death can be the result of an auto accident, a work accident, a dangerous product or the negligent acts of others.
Many times families are so stricken by pain and grief that they may not realize that the death of their loved one was due to the negligence of another. Their loved one is no longer there to tell them what happened to them. It is through the work of attorneys with access to forensic experts that preservation of previously undetected evidence can be preserved to prove the case. For instance, a person may be involved in an automobile accident and may be ejected because, the police report says, the person was not wearing their seatbelt. However, upon closer inspection by an engineering expert with special knowledge concerning seatbelt latching mechanisms, it can be determined if there was a failure of the seatbelt latch during the collision, resulting in the ejection of the passenger.
While no amount of money can make up for the loss of a loved one, if a death was caused by the negligence of another person or entity, the law provides for compensation to the survivors: the spouse, child or parents of the loved one. Such recovery may help with funeral and medical bills, as well as lost income. The survivors may also be entitled to compensation for the loss of love, support and services of the deceased.
It is important to note that the statute of limitations, the time within which you must bring a wrongful death lawsuit, is only two years.
If you suspect that wrongful conduct may be to blame for the death of a family member, you must move quickly to protect your legal rights and preserve the evidence. Please contact us to schedule your free initial consultation today.
If your application is denied, don’t be discouraged. The Social Security Administration wrongly denies benefits in many cases. You have a right to a hearing with a United States Administrative Law Judge. The Administrative Law Judge does not work for Social Security and he is not bound by any prior decisions reached by the Social Security Administration. Further, whereas the initial decisions tend to be based almost exclusively on the medical records, an Administrative Law Judge will have the benefit of your testimony regarding how your injuries impact your ability to work. More than half of the people nationally who pursue their claim to a hearing are found to be disabled.
If you are denied at the application stage, please contact our office. We would be happy to meet with you for a free initial consultation. If you choose to have us represent you, we will assist with all of the paperwork in connection with the appeals and we will help gather the medical evidence necessary to prove that you are disabled. Further, we will help you prepare for the hearing so that your testimony will maximize your chances of being found disabled. Finally, we will attend the hearing with you to ensure that you have an opportunity to fully explain your particular circumstances to the judge.
Hightower & HIGHTOWER, P.A. provides severely injured Accident Victims with 24/7 access to us through our after-hours phone messaging system.
Call Now: 352-629-7777.
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Frequently
Asked Questions
We take cases on a contingency fee basis. That means that you pay no fees or costs unless and until we make a recovery for you.
Once we receive initial information from you about your case, you may be asked to schedule an appointment with an attorney in our firm to meet and further discuss your case. During that free initial consultation we will ask you to bring all documentation concerning your accident, such as a police report, policies of insurance, photographs and medical records and bills (if you have them). We will review the documentation and gather further information from you regarding the facts surrounding your accident. We will also answer your questions at that time. We review each case on an individual basis. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to take every case. However, if after meeting with you and reviewing your case, we feel we can be of service to you, we will take your case. If we can not take your case, we may be able to refer you to other lawyers we know who can help.
Florida law requires that you remain at the scene of an accident until the police arrives to help in the preparation of an accident report. Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as you get home from the scene, or as soon as possible. In order to prove your case, you have the burden of presenting evidence to establish your claim, therefore, preservation of evidence is crucial. Such evidence may consist of documentation of the physical evidence at the accident site, of the vehicles involved in the accident and of your medical injuries. You may not know the legal requirements necessary to prove your case and therefore, we recommend that you contact an attorney immediately to be advised of your legal rights.
You should report your work accident or injury to your employer right away. Failure to report your injury within 30 days may be used as a defense against your claim.
The value of each case is different and must be evaluated separately. We have over 30 years of experience handling accident and injury cases and take a great deal of time to properly evaluate your case. A person who has been injured through the negligence of another may recover for past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, and, in many cases the value of your past and future pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and other non-economic damages. Additionally, if you have a spouse and/or children, they may have a claim in their own right for their loss of your consortium (companionship, services, comfort) due to the injuries you suffered. However, you must know that there is never any guarantee of any recovery.