At Richard M. Rocha, P.A., clients become part of the firm by the time their case is settled. They meet their lawyer on the day they hire our firm. That same lawyer works with the client throughout their case and builds a special relationship with each client during a trying time in their lives. By dealing with difficulties one suffers after sustaining a personal injury a bond forms between lawyer and client. It is this philosophy that has made our firm successful for the past 33 years. Through these relationships , clients have referred family, friends and coworkers to our firm instead of TV advertising which often creates a factory atmosphere. When you or a loved one sustains a personal injury, select the law firm who will give you personal attention and not just another client to be counted that month.

The Rocha firm represented a truck driver / auto transporter arrested at 4:00 am and found in possession of 70 kilos of cocaine at a local tow company. The driver had no prior record. The case involved 26 co-defendants and stretched from Mexico, Miami, Ft. Myers and Tampa. Through our investigation and a vigorous defense the case was resolved in January 2010. The defendant was sentenced to 15 years probation instead of a 60-year prison term.

In January 2011, a woman was returning home after dropping her children off at school. An oncoming vehicle attempted to pass and was unable to successfully do so. This forced the client to leave the roadway to avoid a head-on collision. She sustained serious injuries to both legs, requiring surgery with insertion of hardware in both legs. The injury attorneys at Richard M. Rocha, PA, were able to secure a substantial settlement for this client.

In 2008, an employee was murdered while on the job at a large shopping center. A claim was brought against the owner of the shopping center for negligent security. The personal injury lawyers of Richard M. Rocha, PA, were able to resolve the claim favorably for an undisclosed amount. Through discovery, our attorneys were able to establish a high crime area with inadequate security provided by the owners.

In 2006, a single mother was sexually assaulted multiple times by a convicted felon living in the same apartment complex. Suit was filed on a claim of negligent security. Richard M. Rocha, PA, was able to resolve the claim favorably for an undisclosed amount. Through our efforts, we were able to establish management ignored security guards reports of stalking by the felon prior to the assault.

In a recent case, a Bolivian born trucker was starting an early morning trip on a dark,foggy county road. As he rounded a bend in the road, another trucker hit him head on. Apparently, the other trucker fell asleep at the wheel. My client was trapped in the cab of his truck for more than 30 minutes. While trapped , engine oil burned 70% of his body as it leaked into the cab. After multiple successful skin grafts, my client was able to resume a normal lifestyle. By assembling a trucking safety specialist, an accident reconstruction expert, and an economist, our firm was able to negotiate a seven figure settlement with the at fault trucking company.

The single, most important, component of a traumatic brain injury case is “Causation.”

In accident cases, a brain injury can result from a violent blow or jolt to the head that causes the brain to collide with the inside of the skull.

It becomes vitally important to establish and preserve the cause and mechanism of the injury. This could entail purchasing the vehicle or instrument involved with the injury and having it examined by forensic engineers. The findings of the engineer must then be clinically correlated with expert brain injury medical providers.

For the past 32 years, Richard M. Rocha, PA, has represented individuals wrongfully injured in all types of accidents, including traumatic brain injuries.

Many times, traumatic brain injuries are subtle and go undetected at the emergency room. It becomes important for family members to detect changes in the injured victim. Common changes include: memory loss, mood swings, inability to process at pre-injury rates, accurate judgement and loss of essential communication skills.

Lesser Known Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury include:

• Sudden hearing loss
• Loss of smell or taste
• Vision problems
• Glandular dysfunction

Diagnostic evaluation is critical for traumatic brain injury victims. Testing has evolved and many times may not establish or rule out traumatic brain injury. Some common tests to determine Traumatic Brain Injuries are:

• Clinical Neurological Exam
• Glasgow Comn Scale
• Glasgow Comn Scale: Scale Response Chart
• Neuro Imaging: MRI
• Oxford Test
• Rancho Los Amigos Scale
• Neuro-psychological Testing
• CT Scan

Many times, a typical MRI exam will not detect lesions on the brain. An MRI with a T3 scanner can often make difference.

Experience and knowledge of experts are necessary to properly evaluate, prepare, and preserve your legal case. Contact the law office of Richard M. Rocha, PA, today if you suspect a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury.

In our continuing effort to better serve our client’s legal needs we are proud to offer representation in all Immigration matters. These include:

1) Visas

2) Deportation/Removal Hearings

3) Green Cards

4) Citizenship

5) Political Asylum

6) Service to individuals as well as corporations

During the past 32 years, I have often found that clients injured through the negligence of others, become disabled. As a compliment to the personal injury clients, our firm now handles Social Security Disability claims for those clients who qualify. We already possess the medical documentation (from the injury case) necessary to support a claim for Social Security Disability. Therefore, if you have had difficulty finding or keeping a job due to a physical or mental disability, contact us today for a free evaluation.

Property owners in Florida are required to safeguard and protect Invitees and Licensees on their premises from any forseeable harm.

An Invitee is one who has been expressly or impliedly invited on the premises by the Landowner. Examples of these are tenants and hotel guests. Licensees would be vendors or postal workers who visit the property routinely, at the behest of the landowner. Extensive research is often necessary to determine if a landowner could have foreseen the danger and therefore had a duty to warn and make safe for those individuals legally on the premises.

A former client rented an apartment in a rather large complex. Exhaustive research of police databases indicated a high volume of service calls to the complex during the tenant’s residency. In addition, a security guard questioned and identified a felon living on the property which was prohibited by leasing rules. Two nights after the felon was questioned near the client’s apartment, she was sexually assaulted by the felon, for several hours.

This case was resolved for a six-figure settlement prior to trial, by the experienced Tampa negligent security lawyers at Richard M. Rocha, PA.