Ricardo M. Luces is a partner in the Miami office of Roig Lawyers and Co-Chair of our first-party property division.

As a civil litigator with 30 years of experience, Ricardo has tried over 45 civil jury trials to verdict in circuit court. He focuses his practice primarily on Personal Injury Insurance Defense. Specifically, Ricardo specializes in the defense of BI and UM cases as well as Premises Liability cases and cases involving Special Investigation matters. In addition, Ricardo also defends all types of First-Party, Property Insurance breach of contract cases which include litigation involving denial of coverage, scope and pricing and mitigation company-assignment of benefit cases. He also assists the special investigation units for property insurance companies by securing Examination Under Oath testimony from claimants with questionable claims or claims operating under Reservation of Rights. Ricardo has extensive experience in taking expert witness depositions, arguing substantive, dispositive motions such as Motions for Summary Judgment or Motions to Dismiss for Fraud Upon the Court and serving as first chair at Jury Trials.

Prior to joining the firm, Ricardo served as Managing Attorney for the in-house counsel office of a national insurance company. He dedicated the first three years of his legal career to public service as an Assistant State Attorney with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office where he handled serious felony cases. As an Assistant State Attorney, Ricardo tried over 25 jury trials and 50 bench trials. The trial and courtroom experience he gained as an Assistant State Attorney served as the foundation for the success he has enjoyed in the civil litigation arena.

Experience

  • Obtained a Defense Verdict in a First Party Property case in Orlando, Florida wherein Defendant had afforded coverage, but the Plaintiff was seeking damages involving scope and pricing.
  • Obtained a Defense Verdict in a First Party Property case in Fort Lauderdale, Florida wherein the Plaintiff was alleged that the insurance carrier had breached the insurance policy.  At trial, the jury agreed with the Defendant that the insurance carrier had not breached the insurance policy but rather, Plaintiff was the party that breached the insurance policy by failing to comply with her duties after loss.
  • Obtained a Defense Verdict in Miami, Florida in a Personal Injury Protection case wherein Plaintiff was seeking payment for diagnostic studies that had been reduced by the insurance carrier pursuant to fee schedule.
  • Won a defense verdict in an Uninsured Motorist case in Broward County Circuit Court where the Plaintiff had undergone cervical disc surgery following his auto accident. The past medical bills exceeded the amount of the Plaintiff’s policy limits.
  • Won a defense verdict in a bodily injury case in Broward County involving a motorcycle accident. Plaintiff claimed he had suffered a permanent injury to his ankle because of the subject accident.
  • Obtained a defense verdict in Sarasota Circuit Court in a bodily injury case wherein the Plaintiff was a nurse and claimed permanent injuries to her neck, shoulder and low back.
  • Obtained a defense verdict in a bodily injury case in Miami Dade County circuit court wherein the Plaintiff had undergone a double lumbar fusion following a car accident with extensive property damage.
  • Effectively cross-examined Plaintiff’s accident reconstruction expert in a serious bodily injury jury trial in Miami Dade County involving 2 Plaintiffs and obtained a defense verdict in Circuit Court.
  • Argued and won a Daubert Motion evidentiary hearing resulting in the exclusion of Plaintiff’s expert from testifying at trial in Miami, Florida.
  • Argued and won a Motion to Dismiss for Fraud Upon the Court following an evidentiary hearing in Miami Florida wherein the court found that Plaintiff committed fraud and dismissed Plaintiff’s case with prejudice.
  • Obtained a settlement on behalf of a national insurance carrier in a Bodily Injury case wherein the Plaintiff suffered injuries to his neck that resulted in a cervical discogram and cervical discectomy. After effectively deposing the Plaintiff and investigating the Plaintiff through discovery, the Plaintiff’s demand of $100,000.00 was rejected and the case settled at mediation for $2,000 over the Defendant’s Proposal for Settlement amount of $10,000.
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Awards & Rankings

  • South Florida Legal Guide: “Top Lawyer” 2019
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Memberships

  • The Florida Bar, Member
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Member
  • Member of IASIU, the International Association of Special Investigation Units
  • Member of FDLA, Florida Defense Lawyers Association
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Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, ”Jury Trial Live,”FIFEC conference 2023
  • Speaker, “Game of Drones”, FLCC conference 2023
  • Speaker, “It wasn’t me! Who was truly at fault? Accident Reconstruction Evidence provides Juries the answer”, FIFEC conference 2022
  • Speaker, “Neck, Back, Shoulders & Knees, are these true injuries”, FIFEC 2021
  • Speaker, “Evidence: The Building Blocks to a Successful Jury Trial,” FDLA & DRI Webinar Series, April 2020
  • Speaker, “Game of Drones – An In-Depth Look at How Drones Will Fundamentally Change the Insurance Industry” – Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention Seminar, March 2020
  • Speaker, “Game of Drones – An In-Depth Look at How Drones Will Fundamentally Change the Insurance Industry” IASIU S. Florida Chapter “Fire for Hire” – Fraud Awareness Symposium Training, October 2019
  • Speaker, “The Best Interest of the Insured – When Public Adjusters Go Too Far,” Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee Conference, June 2019
  • Speaker, “Evidence: The Building Blocks to a Successful Jury Trial,” FDLA – Florida Liability Claims Conference, June 2019
  • Speaker, “Evidence: The Building Blocks to a Successful Jury Trial,” FDLA – Florida Liability Claims Conference, June 2019
  • Speaker, “Using Social Media In Fire Investigations,” Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention Seminar, March 2019
  • Speaker, “Evidence: The Building Blocks to a Successful Jury Trial,” December 2018
  • Speaker, “When Adjusting Goes Too Far,” Roig Lawyers Continuing Education Webinar Series, July 2018
  • Speaker, “Liability Law Update,” CEU Institute, June 2018
  • Speaker, “The Best Interest of the Insured – When Adjusting Goes Too Far,” 2018 Florida Liability Claims Conference, June 2018
  • Speaker, “Using Social Media to Investigate and Defend Claims,” 2018 Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee Conference, June 2018
  • Speaker, “Using Social Media to Investigate and Defend Claims,” Roig Lawyers Continuing Education Webinar Series, October 2017
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Community Involvement

  • Nova Southeastern University Law School Moot Court Competitions, Judge
  • Miami Dolphins, AARP Foundation One Million Meals Project, Volunteer
  • We The People Miami Dade County High School Mock Trial Competition, Judge 2016, 2017, 2018
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Admitted to Practice

  • Florida, 1994
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
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