7 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite 300, Ocala, FL 34470 | 3259 W. Bryant Ave., Bell, FL 32619

Case Results

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. Not withstanding the case results below, each case is different and the recovery that an individual makes depends in large part on the facts of the case, the seriousness of the injuries, the law applicable to the case and the insurance coverages available.

1) $9.6 MILLION VERDICT AWARDED TO INJURED MOTORCYCLIST

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. 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) $1.26 MILLION LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH VICTIM

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.”

3) $2 MILLION LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR INJURED WORKER

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.  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.”

4) $1.5 MILLION LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR INJURED WORKER

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.

5) $825,218.77 LUMP SUM SETTLEMENT FOR INJURED WORKER

Mr. Hightower helped one of his clients, a 40-year-old man, who was seriously and permanently injured in a work accident recover a lump sum settlement of $825,218.77 from the Workers’ Compensation insurance company.

6) $750,000 SETTLEMENT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH VICTIM

Mr. Hightower negotiated a $750,000.00 settlement for his client, an 86-year-old woman, who was very seriously and permanently injured in a rear-end collision caused by the carelessness of the driver of a commercial truck.

7) $520,000 vERDICT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH VICTIM

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.

8) $751,000 VERDICT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH VICTIM

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.

Experienced Lawyers in Ocala | Hightower & Hightower