With over three decades of experience, Miami bodily injury defense attorney Ricardo M. Luces has built his career by delivering strategic counsel and providing results-driven advocacy to insurers and corporations facing complex liability, bodily injury, and coverage disputes.
As a Partner and Co-Chair of the Bodily Injury and Liability team at Roig Lawyers’ Miami office, Ricardo handles high-stakes civil litigation, analyzes complicated insurance policies, and crafts strategies that hold up under the scrutiny of both state and federal courts. He has successfully tried over 45 civil jury cases and manages matters ranging from bodily injury and uninsured motorist claims to premises liability and first-party property insurance disputes.
Moreover, Ricardo’s trial experience is both vast and multifaceted. He collaborates with his clients, evaluates risks, explores options, and develops case strategies that align with both legal and business objectives. Colleagues and clients alike praise him for simplifying complex evidentiary, contractual, and procedural issues into clear, persuasive arguments that consistently achieve favorable outcomes.
Beyond the courtroom, Ricardo has extensive pre-trial experience. He conducts expert witness depositions, prepares strong arguments for key motions—such as Summary Judgment and Dismissal for Fraud Upon the Court—and serves as lead counsel in complex jury trials. His ability to manage cases efficiently from start to finish makes him a trusted advisor for clients facing challenging legal disputes.
In addition to his trial work, Ricardo is committed to advancing the legal profession. He regularly speaks at prominent industry conferences such as FIFEC, FDLA, and FLCC, covering a variety of legal and investigative topics, including trial strategy and emerging technologies in insurance cases. His extensive experience also includes mentoring younger attorneys, judging moot court competitions, and volunteering with community programs like the AARP Foundation One Million Meals Project.
Raised in Miami, Ricardo balances his demanding legal practice with a commitment to mentorship, civic engagement, and lifelong learning. He is dedicated to delivering efficient, client-focused solutions that not only resolve disputes but also protect and strengthen his clients’ long-term interests.
If you are seeking a trusted Miami bodily injury defense attorney who combines trial experience, strategic precision, and collaborative guidance, contact Ricardo today for a consultation.
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Coverage denials
- Scope and pricing disputes
- Assignment of benefits for mitigation companies
- Securing critical EUO testimonies
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Ricardo earned his J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law in 1994 and his B.S., summa cum laude, in Criminal Justice from Florida International University in 1990. He began his career as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, prosecuting serious felony cases and trying over 25 jury trials and 50 bench trials. He later served as Managing Attorney for the in-house counsel office of a national insurance company, overseeing a diverse litigation portfolio and gaining firsthand insight into insurers’ operational and strategic priorities.
After joining Roig Lawyers, Ricardo became a partner and Co-Chair of the Bodily Injury and Liability division, where he has successfully litigated complex civil disputes, including multi-million-dollar bodily injury and premises liability cases. His extensive pre-trial experience spans expert witness depositions, motions for summary judgment, and motions to dismiss for fraud, positioning him as a trusted advisor from case inception through resolution.
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.
- Obtained a defense verdict in St. Petersburg, Florida on a first party property case involving an allegedly damaged roof following a windstorm.
- Obtained a defense verdict in Miami, Florida, on a first party property case involving an allegedly damaged roof following a hurricane.
- Obtained a defense verdict in Clearwater, Florida on a first party property case involving alleged damage following a plumbing leak.
- Obtained a defense verdict in Miami Florida on a Personal Injury Protection case wherein the medical provider was seeking additional payments for X-Ray services.
- Obtained a dismissal following an evidentiary hearing on Defendant’s Motion for Fraud Upon the Court.
- Speaker at the FLCC conference in 2025 on The Do’s and Don’ts of a Successful Jury Trial.
- Speaker at the Colorado NICB Conference in 2025 on “Game of Drones – An In-Depth Look at How Drones Will Fundamentally Change the Insurance Industry.”
- Speaker at the IASIU National Conference in 2024 on “Game of Drones – An In-Depth Look at How Drones Will Fundamentally Change the Insurance Industry.”
- Speaker at the FLCC conference in 2024 on CME examinations in personal injury litigation.
- Instructor at the FLCC mock trial program in 2024 for young attorneys.
MEMBERSHIP & LEADERSHIP
- 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
- 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
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
- South Florida Legal Guide: “Top Lawyer” 2019
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & 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