About Frederick R. Hovde

Frederick R. (Rick) Hovde is a founder of Hovde Dassow and Deets LLC and focuses his practice on medical negligence, car and truck accidents, construction site accidents, and injuries from dangerous consumer products, all on behalf of plaintiffs. He has tried over 110 cases to a jury verdict and obtained several maximum statutory verdicts in medical malpractice cases and several verdicts in excess of $1,000,000 in automobile accident, products liability, and insurance bad faith cases. He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2003 and recognized as an Indiana Super Lawyer since 2004. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers, Indiana College of Trial Lawyers, and Litigation Counsel of America.

He has served on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association since 1990 and served as its President during the 2002-2003 term. In 2019, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association. He was named 'Lawyer of the Year' by Best Lawyers for Product Liability Litigation (Plaintiffs) in Indianapolis in both 2018 and 2025, and for Personal Injury Litigation (Plaintiffs) in 2009 and 2014.

Proven verdicts and settlements

In early 2014, Biomet agreed to pay at least $56 million to settle about 1,000 federal lawsuits over its M2a 38 and M2a Magnum metal-on-metal hip implants, consolidated in the Northern District of Indiana. Qualifying patients who had the device revised received a base award of $200,000, adjusted by individual factors. Thomas Anapol was court-appointed Co-Lead Counsel with W. Mark Lanier and signed the agreement for the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee. The figure covers many unrelated plaintiffs, is a reported minimum rather than a final total, and is not itemized by person.

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (MDL 2391, Judge Robert L. Miller Jr.) · 2014Product LiabilityRead the full story →
Verdict

Frederick R. Hovde secured a 2004 Indiana Supreme Court ruling holding that companies licensing their trademarks for use on consumer products may be held liable in negligence when those products cause injury.

Supreme Court of Indiana · 2004Product LiabilityRead the full story →

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts.

Practice areas

Education

Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis
J.D., 1980
Southern Methodist University
Undergraduate, 1977

Bar admissions & credentials

State Bar of Indiana, admitted 1980

Other attorneys at Hovde Dassow + Deets

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Proven verdicts and settlements from other Indianapolis firms

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$42.5 Million Verdict for Motorcyclist Left with Severe Brain Injury After Tesla Employee Made Illegal Turn
Craig, Kelley and Faultless LLC
Craig, Kelley and Faultless LLC
Indiana Supreme Court Reverses for Crash Victims After Landowner's Bush Hid Stop Sign

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts.