Merrick Domnitz | Milwaukee Car Accident Lawyer

The first thing that comes to mind in this regard is the fact that ijn the past few years I have handled a number of wrongful death automobile accident cases for families who were understandably distraught, confused, and focused on anything but protecting their legal rights. I am proud to say that I have been able to remove from their focus the myriad of details necessary to protect their rights and allow them to concentrate on their family in their time of mourning. A teenage girl killed in a rollover on the freeway in Milwaukee, an elderly woman run down by a drunk driver in Ozaukee County, and a young man whose death was caused by a careless driver running a stop sign; all of these tragic cases left families overwhelmed by grief and unable to deal with the claims arising from these events. I was able to successfully take care of all the logistical and legal issues as the families slowly began the process of moving on with their lives, and in each case provide them with that measure of justice which can be provided by the civil justice system.

I built a successful practice in the courtroom. In my early years I handled scores of auto accident cases, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, of all sizes and many I took all the way to trial in order to obtain a full measure of justice for my client. I pride myself on being innovative in my approach to trial and I have built a track record of which I am very proud, having obtained outstanding results for my clients in numerous counties throughout Wisconsin. I am proud to say that every year we receive new cases from lawyers throughout Wisconsin and from people who have been referred by former clients satisfied with my representation.

The attorney client relationship ultimately comes down to trust; accident victims are usually dealing with an attorney for the very first time and with all the choices they are often fearful of making a mistake. It is therefore very important to establish a rapport with potential clients in order to set their mind at ease and let them know that they are dealing with someone in whom they can place their trust and confidence, leaving the day to day handling of their claim to us while they put the pieces of the disrupted life back together.

Local knowledge plays a significant role in maximizing the client's result. Knowing the physical idiosyncrasies of an accident site, having working relationships with local experts, being well known to the defense bar, and having experience with local judges and their staff can all have important impact on the efficient and successful handling of an accident claim.

Because I have practiced personal injury law in Wisconsin for 37 years I have an in depth understanding of Wisconsin law regarding both liability and damages. Therefore, when I speak with a potential client on a free phone or in office consultation, I can normally provide information regarding how to best protect the rights of the injured person. I can help prevent unwarranted intrusions by insurers by preventing early recorded statements which often come back to haunt the injured party; I can explain the need for accident reconstruction experts in serious collision cases as well as the need to obtain early statements from witnesses. In addition, I can provide information regarding health care providers trained in providing proper care and treatment of accident-related injuries. I can also provide vitally important information about procedural deadlines which, in some case, need to be complied with to prevent a loss of a client's rights.

When I speak to a potential client who has been injured in an automobile, truck, or motorcycle accident I need to know where and when the accident occurred, whether the person calling was injured, whether there is liability insurance on either or both of the vehicles involved, the name of other persons involved, whether a police report has been obtained, where the vehicle involved is currently located, and any other relevant information which can be provided.

I am proud of the reputation I have built with insurance adjusters, opposing attorneys, and judges over the past 37 years. I am known to be a zealous representative and an aggressive protector of my client's rights while maintaining a civil relationship with insurers and defense counsel. I believe it is important to every client that their attorney maintain a working relationship with the opposition in order to minimize the anxiety inherent in personal injury litigation. My track record over the last 37 stands as a testament to this philosophy and the results I have obtained for my clients speaks to the effectiveness of this approach.

Without question the most rewarding aspect of my job is helping accident victims put the pieces of their life back together under the extremely stressful circumstances involved in their cases. Accident victims, whether suffering personal injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one, need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney in order to make sense of a system totally foreign to them; they have usually never dealt with insurance adjusters and can therefore be manipulated; they have never had to seek out medical care for traumatic injuries and can therefore be confused by the choices; they have never dealt with having to make ends meet after the disruption of their income flow. All of these components and more are things with which I can help people in order to relieve their stress make their post-accident life more manageable and less stressful.

I am a dedicated family man (I have been married for 40 years, have two sons (one of whom practices law with me), and two grandchildren; in addition, I am an ardent sports fan with season tickets to both Packers' and Brewers' games, and I am a dedicated golf enthusiast. I also place great importance on the many friendships I have been fortunate enough to develop, bth inside and outside the legal community. But, for me, my family is the most important part of my life.

• International Society of Barristers 1998-present
  
  President, International Society of Barristers Foundation 2013-2014
  
  American College of Trial Lawyers 1999-Present
  
  Milwaukee Bar Association, Member
  
  American Bar Association, Member
  
  State Bar of Wisconsin, Member
  
  American Association for Justice, Member, Board of Governors (1993-1999)
  
  Wisconsin Association for Justice, President, 1992
  
  Board Member, Wisconsin Association for Justice 1983-Present
  
  Wisconsin Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, President,
  1995
  
  Wisconsin Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Member,
  1991-Present
  
  Wisconsin Association for Justice, Member, Board of Directors,
  1983 - Present
  
  Academy's College of Trial Advocacy, Co-ordinator, 1985 - 1986
  
  Academy's College of Trial Advocacy, Program Chairman, 1986 - 1987
  
  Wisconsin Association for Justice, All Officer Chairs, 1988 - 1991
  
  State Bar of Wisconsin, Litigation Section, Board of Directors, 1992 - 2001
  
  State Bar of Wisconsin, Litigation Section, Chairman of Board of Directors, 1998

• Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year 2002;
  
  Voted Wisconsin Super Lawyer 2005-2013 (Top 10 Wisconsin Lawyer several years);

• Case Conclusion Date: October 17, 2005 Practice Area: Medical Malpractice Outcome: $7.5 Million jury verdict Description: Newborn plaintiff was not timely treated for hypovolemia and hypoxemia and suffered severe brain damage Case Conclusion Date: December 31, 2003 Practice Area: Insurance Outcome: (Not available) Description: Insurance bad faith case resulting in $3,500,000 punitive damage verdict for Church whose insurer denied coverage for serious personal injury accident caused by teacher within scope of her employment. Insurer had bound coverage for HIred and Non-owned vehicles but denied coverage because clerical error resulted in policy documents not reflecting the coverage. Court granted Summary Judgement for Plaintiffs on bad faith and case went to jury on punitive damages only. Verdict upheld on appeal by Wisconsin Supreme Court. Case Conclusion Date: May 23, 2003 Practice Area: Litigation Outcome: Successful outcome as explained below! Description: Successfully protected Trinity-Freistadt Lutheran Church as attorney in Waukesha County Circuit Court proceedings involving insurance company's attempt to avoid covering church in accident with significant liability exposure. In same case, after insurance company refused client's settlement offer, Atty. Holtz consulted and worked with another law firm (Domnitz and Mawicke, S.C.) in successful bad faith action against same insurance company resulting in multi-million dollar punitive damage jury verdict for church client and decision by Wisconsin Supreme Court to uphold same. This prominent case has received national attention in redefining insurance companies' obligations to their insureds and the consequences of a disregard of these insureds' rights.

• Wisconsin Discovery Law and Practice, State Bar publication (1990)
  
  Civil Procedure During Trial, State Bar publication (1990)
  
  A TRIAL STORY: In Honor of Christy, December (2004)

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