Practice Areas: Personal Injury, General Litigation, Medical Malpractice; view more
Licensed in Ohio since: 1988
Education: University of Florida Levin College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2024 Call today:
419-524-2700
Virtual Appointments Heck & Stiffler
1 Marion AvenueSuite 215
Mansfield, OH 44903 Visit website
Details
From his law firm in Mansfield, Ohio, Heck & Stiffler, attorney J. Jeffrey Heck focuses his practice primarily on personal injury and wrongful death claims. In addition, he also represents employees and employers alike with all types of employment law matters, as well as business owners facing complex commercial litigation and families in probate litigation. A highly rated and award winning attorney, Mr. Heck devotes his time and resources to helping clients throughout Ohio find the justice they seek.
A court-trained mediator and arbitrator, Mr. Heck uses his negotiation skills to help his clients resolve their disputes and achieve the positive results they expect. However, he also advocates strongly on his clients' behalf in court when that is the best option available.
Over the course of his more than 35 years of practicing law, he has successfully handled thousands of cases in both state and federal courts throughout Ohio and Florida, earning a reputation as one of the top civil litigation attorneys in the country. He holds an AV Preeminent peer review rating* from Martindale-Hubbell and a Superb Attorney rating from AVVO.
A 1982 graduate of The Ohio State University, Mr. Heck obtained his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1985. That same year he was admitted to practice law in Florida and, in 1988, was licensed as an attorney in Ohio. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, as well as the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 6th and 11th Circuits.
A consummate professional, Mr. Heck has been very active with the Richland County Bar Association, where he has served as the association's Secretary, as well as litigation chair for the organization's certified grievance committee. He has also served on numerous committees for the Ohio State Bar Association, The Florida Bar and the Ohio Association for Justice, among others.
Believing in the importance of giving back to his community, he volunteers his time and services to various local and regional nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and artistic associations, including 16 years as a local elected official as a Board Member of the Lexington Local Schools. He is presently the Board Chair of the mental health nonprofit, 33 Forever, Inc. as well as a Member and Treasurer of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation Board of Directors.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, General Litigation, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: PlaintiffFocus areas
Animal Bites, Assault, Birth Injury, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Delayed or Incorrect Diagnosis, Dental Malpractice, Dram Shop Laws, Informed Consent, Litigation, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Toxic Mold, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 60% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 20% General Litigation
- 20% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1985, Florida
Professional Webpage: https://www.hecklawoffices.com/attorney/heck-j-jeffrey/
Honors/Awards:
- 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 , AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale Hubbell
- Super Lawyers, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, Super Lawyers
- Awarded with wife, Donna Heck for commitment to mental health awareness, education and advocacy, The Roeliff Brinkerhoff Award, Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, 2023
- Awarded with wife, Donna Heck for mental health awareness and impact in the community, NAMI Community Impact Award, NAMI Richland County, 2023
- Joint recipient with wife, Donna Heck, Advocate of the Year, Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, 2023
- Most Valuable Player, Rehabilitation Service of North Central Ohio, 1994
- Graduated With Honors, University of Florida College of Law, 1985
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, 2002
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Local Coordinator and panel speaker at February 1986 ALI-ABA Satellite Program, "AIDS and the Law."
- Panel speaker at October 1986 Florida League of Financial Institution's Annual Human Resources Conference. Topic - "AIDS in the Workplace."
- Panel speaker at November 1986 national conference in Miami, Florida, "The Challenge of AIDS: Sharing Strategies and Solutions."
- Panel speaker at February 1987 Southeast Safety Congress Annual Meeting. Topic - "AIDS In The Workplace."
- Panel speaker at February 1987 Florida Hospital Association Annual Risk Management Conference. Topic - "AIDS: Employment Issues in The Health Care Industry."
- Local coordinator and panel speaker at May 1987 ABA Satellite Seminar, "Immigration Reform: New Obligations for All Employers."
- Panel speaker at June 1987 Personnel Law Seminar for public and private sector employers. Topic: "AIDS In The Workplace."
- Panel speaker at October 1987 Annual Conference of National Association of Public Sector Equal Employment Opportunity Officers ("NAPSEO"), in San Antonio, Texas. Topic: "AIDS and the Public Sector Employer."
- Lecturer and panel speaker at February 1988 course for Florida and Georgia appellate and trial court judges entitled "Medical Issues Facing Judges In The 80's and 90's," a Law and Medicine Specialty Course in Savannah, Georgia. Topic: "AIDS In The Workplace."
- Panel speaker at May 1988 meeting of Florida Restaurant Association, Jacksonville, Florida Chapter. Topic: "AIDS and the Restaurant Employer."
- Panel speaker at June 1988 Florida Gulf Coast Conference on AIDS: A Call to Knowledge and Understanding. Topic: "Legal Aspects of HIV Infection and the Employment Process: An overview of issues, problems and options."
- Panel speaker at March 1990 and September 1991 Mid-Ohio Small Business Development Center seminars. Topic: "Pitfalls for Employers in the 90's."
- Panel speaker at April 1991 Mid-Ohio Small Business Development Center seminar. Topic: "Credit and Collections for Small Businesses."
- Speaker at October 1991 Meeting of Mansfield Business and Professional Women. Topic: "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace."
- Speaker at March 1992 Annual Meeting of Domestic Violence Shelter, Mansfield, Ohio. Topic: "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace."
- Speaker at April 1992 meeting of North Central Ohio Claims Association. Topic: "Using Public Records In Handling Claims."
- Panel speaker at September 1992 Mansfield-Richland Area Chamber of Commerce Workshop. Topic: "The Americans With Disabilities Act: An Overview for Employers."
- Speaker at February 1994 Meeting of Kiwanis Club of Mansfield, Ohio. Topic: "Living Wills and Health Care Powers of Attorney."
- Speaker at October 2003 Ontario High School Business Law Class. Topic: “The Legal System – Practical Issues and Perspectives.”
- Panel speaker at March 2004 Mansfield Richland County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Unlimited Meeting. Topic: “Tort Reform: A Defense Perspective.”
- Speaker at February 2005 Mansfield Richland County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Unlimited Meeting. Topic: “The Americans with Disabilities Act: Issues in the Workplace.”
- Speaker/presenter at area high school presenting the Ohio State Bar Foundation's "B4USend" program for teens about Cyber bullying and sexting and their potential legal, social and emotional consequences (2017-date), Speaker/Presenter, B4USend, Ohio State Bar Foundation, 2019
- Repeated Speaker at area high schools presenting the End Distracted Driving - Student Awareness Initiative program for teens. In conjunction with EndDD.org, the American Association for Justice and the Ohio Association for Justice, 2016-present, Speaker, End Distracted Driving - Student Awareness Initiative, 2019
- Published in NPELRA Journal; CERL Review; and "AIDS and the Law," an ALI-ABA Monograph., Co-Author, AIDS AND THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS: Employment Issues Raised by AIDS in the Workplace, 1986
- Co-Author of monograph on Sexual Harassment delivered at June 1987 Personnel Law Seminar.
- Prepared and delivered paper at January 1986 seminar, "AIDS: Issues In The Workplace," sponsored by the Center for Employment Relations and Law, Florida State University College of Law.
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Common Pleas Court of Richland County, Ohio, Court-trained and Appointed Mediator
Educational Background:
- The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, B.S, Natural Resources -- The Ohio State University Marching Band (Squad Leader); Student Judicial COmmission; Kappa Kappa Psi Music Fraternity, 1982
Videos:
- A short informational video on why you should hire a personal injury lawyer for your injury claim., Why Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer? - Heck & Stiffler, 2018
- A short informational video answering the question of whether someone really needs to hire a personal injury lawyer for their injury claim., Do I Really Need to Hire a Lawyer for My Injury Claim? - Heck & Stiffler, 2018
- A short informational video on what to do at the scene of a motor vehicle accident, What to Do at the Scene of An Accident - Heck & Stiffler, 2018
- A short informational video on what to do to documents your personal injury case, Documenting Your Personal Injury Case - Heck & Stiffler, 2018
- Brief informational video on what issues go in to deciding if someone has a valid legal case or claim, Do I Have A Case - Heck & Stiffler, 2018
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Represented plaintiff, a previously disabled man, seriously injured in a motor vehcile collision where plaintiff sustained serious injuries and extended inpatient medical treatment as a result. Case settled for a signigicant sum prior to being trial. Richland County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court., 2018
- Rrepresented plainitff in a medical malpractice case where client had ulnar nerve severed in dominant arm during surigcal procedure. Resulted in Jury Verdict of $2.6 million. McPherson v. Villalobos, Richland County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court., 2023
- Represented plaintiff, a mid 50's married woman, who was hit by a truck in a school parking lot and sustained serious and permanent injuries to multiple parts of her body. Case was resolve prior to trial with payment by the defendant driver and her underinsured motorists carrier for a substantial sum. Knox County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court , 2023
- Represented plainitff, a man in his 40's, who was bitten in the face by a dog at an apartment complex as he walked by the leashed dog walking with its owner. He sustained serious and permanaent facial injuries. Resolved before trial by the dog owner and apartment complex owner. Richland Count, Ohio Common Pleas Court. , 2022
- Represented the plainitff, a 52 year old man who developed prostate cancer but the diagnosis of such was delayed due to errors in his medical care, allowing his cancer to progress substantially before it was discovered. Reached a substantial settlement with defendants prior to trial., 2022
- Represented a 37 year old woman and her husband and minor children after she fell off of a rooftop balcony of a residential rental property and fractured her neck. She was rendered a quadreplegic as a result and untlimately passed away from her injuries. The landlord and rental agent were names and a substantial settlement was reached with her Estate and the defendants., 2022
- Represented the plainitff, an 8 year old boy, injured by a rock thrown by a riding mower with its guard removed struck him in the eye. Plaintiff sustained a permanent loss of sight and substantial medical bills. Case was setled for a substanitial sum. Richland County, Ohio, 2018
- Represented, plaintiff, a tow truck driver, who was struck by a motorist while out of his truck providing towing service. Plaintiff sustained disabling, life-changing injuries, including his ability to work. Case was resolved for a substantial sum, including personal contribution for the defendant individually. Wood County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas, 2017
- Represented the plaintiff injured in a vehicle collision with another driver who was killed in the crash. The plaintiff sustained serious, permanent and catastrophic injuries requiring multiple surgical procedures and hospitalizations and incurred substantial medical bills and past and future lost income. Case was settled for a substantial sum. Wayne County, Ohio, 2017
- Represented a plaintiff in a claim for her injuries resulting from a multi-vehicle crash on an interstate highway. The plaintiff was awarded damages by the jury at trial for her injuries, lost wages, medical bills and the diminished value of her vehicle due to the collision. Hutchinson v. Estate of Budniak, Wayne Courty Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2017
- Represented the plaintiff who was injured in a serious motor vehicle crash on Interstate 71 in which she sustained a head injury and serious internal injuries requiring surgery and resulting in significant medical bills and lost wages. The case involved underlying liability insurance and underinsured motorists' coverage. The case was settled at mediation for a substantial amount. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2015
- Represented the plaintiffs in a medical malpractice case arising from serious burns during a surgical procedure. Case resulted in a settlement. Franklin County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2015
- Represented a plaintiff homeowner seriously injured when the brick facade on the front of his home fell on him as a result of a failure by a contractor working at the home to keep him away from and protected from the construction activity. Plaintiff had injuries that resulted in surgeries, substantial medical bills and lost wages and permanent disfigurement. Case was settled for a substantial amount at mediation. Franklin County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2015
- Represented the plaintiffs in a medical malpractice case arising from serious burns during a surgical procedure. Jury trial resulted in a verdict for plaintiffs of $181,000.00. Grogg v. Knox Community Hospital, Knox County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2015
- Represented the plaintiff in a personal injury action arising out of a motor vehicle collision. Plaintiff sustained injury to her knee and an aggravation of a preexisting condition requiring surgery, medical bills and lost wages. Defendant contested proximate cause of the injury and aggravation. Resulted in a jury verdict for plaintiff. Davis v. Kemplin, Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2014
- Represented the plaintiff in complicated probate litigation involving a will contest action and multiple claims for declaratory judgment. After a settlement was purportedly reached, defendant would not proceed with the settlement and litigation was required to enforce the settlement involving multiple days of contested hearings. The Court enforced the settlement in plaintiff's favor. Rogers v. Thoman, Morrow County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2014
- Represented the plaintiff, an 85 year old man, who was assaulted by a 73 year old man following a road rage incident. Plaintiff sustained injuries requiring medical treatment, medical bills and other expenses. Defendant denied liability and claimed self-defense. Resulted in a verdict for plaintiff including punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Dillon v. Talley, Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio) , 2014
- Represented the plaintiffs in a bicycle accident where plaintiff was knocked off of his bicycle on a roadway by the defendant's dogs who were running loose. Plaintiff sustained injuries requiring hospitalization, medical bills and lost income. Resulted in a Jury verdict for plaintiffs. Bernotas v. Myers, Richland Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2013
- Represented the plaintiff (business owner) against a former employee to recover for the employee's theft of substantial funds from the business' Ohio lottery sales. Defendant had admitted small amount of theft and had been criminally prosecuted but denied that she had stolen the amount claimed by the plaintiff. Resulted in a verdict in favor of plaintiff for the amount claimed. Hurlbut v. Hulse, Knox County Common Pleas Court (Ohio) , 2013
- Represented the plaintiffs in a medical malpractice case resulting from a surgical and pharmaceutical error during surgery resulting in significant injuries to the plaintiff. Plaintiff had lasting problems that were disputed by the medical providers as to whether they were related. Case was settled for a significant sum during Mediation. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2013
- Represented the plaintiff in an action for construction and flooring defects at two of plaintiffs' commercial properties where the same flooring and general contractor were used. Plaintiff sued the general contractor who joined multiple subcontractors and the flooring manufacturer. Plaintiff sought substantial damages to replace the flooring and related work. The various defendants disputed responsibility related to the cause of the flooring failure. Case was settled for substantial sum after extensive and extended litigation. Summit County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2012
- Represented the plaintiff, a 20 year old motorcycle rider, related to a collision with a car that involved serious injuries to both drivers. Plaintiff also had significant medical bills and lost wages. Liability was contested along with a claim for substantial comparative negligence. Case was settled for significant sum following extensive litigation. Marion County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2010
- Represented an insurance company in a case for uninsured motorists benefits arising out of a motor vehicle collision where the plaintiff was injured. Liability and coverage were not disputed but the amount of damages was contested. Case resulted in a jury verdict in favor of the plaintiffs for an amount consistent with defendant's pretrial offer. Murphy v. Grange Mutual Casualty Co., Crawford County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2001
- Represented the Mansfield City Schools in a series of eminent domain cases for property/homes that the School District was seeking to obtain to build a new high school. Ultimately, 6 cases that could not be resolved were consolidated and tried to a jury for a determination of valuation of the properties. Resulted in Jury verdict for the exact figures suggested by the School District's experts and less than the District had offered the property owners prior to filing the lawsuits. Board of Education v. Chaney, et al., Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2000
- Represented the plaintiff and its owner (a third party defendant) in an action for damages due to breach of contract and other matters against a contractor and the contractor company's owner related to construction problems. Defendants filed a counterclaim and third party complaint against the plaintiff and its owner. Resulted in a Jury verdict in favor of the plaintiff for amount sought and in favor of plaintiff and its owner on the counterclaim/third party complaint. Stearns & Lehman v. Davis Excavating, Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 1999
- Represented the defendant golf and swim club in a suit arising out of an injury sustained by the plaintiff while swimming in the club's pool when a juvenile using the pool's sliding board landed on the plaintiff. The plaintiff claimed neck and back injuries that required surgery. The defendant denied liability. Resulted in Jury verdict for the defendant. Kemp v. Possum Run Golf Club. Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 1991
- Represented the plaintiff in an employment case arising out of plaintiff's former employment and termination from defendant employer. Plaintiff claimed she had been discharged in retaliation for making reports of violations by the employer to the state agency overseeing the defendant's business. Defendant denied liability. Case was resolved favorably at Mediation. Huron County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2012
- Represented plainitff (a highly paid female executive) injured in a motor vehcile collision with a distracted driver that reaulted in serious injuries, lost income and surgery. Case was settled after significant litigation. Licking County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas., 2017
- Represented plaintiffs in a motor vehicle accident case in which plaintiff sustained an injury to her shoulder resulting in surgery and medical bills. Defendant contested the proximate cause of the injury to the collision. Resulted in a jury verdict for the plaintiffs. Pohlabel v. Humphrey, Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2012
- Represented defendant employer in a suit by a former employee for promissory estoppel and unpaid commissions, among other things. Defendant denied liability. Case was tried to a Jury and resulted in a verdict for plaintiff for some of her claims. Sjostedt v. United Telephone Co., Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2001
- Represented the plaintiff, a 42 year old woman, in an incident involving a serious dog bite and related permanent injury and scarring, medical bills and lost wages. Case was settled for homeowners' insurance policy limits. Richland County, Ohio, 2011
- Represented the defendant in a case in which defendant who was intoxicated lost control of her vehicle and ran in to the wall of a restaurant resulting in injury to the plaintiffs who were patrons inside the restaurant. Liability was admitted but extent of injury and amount of damages were disputed. Resulted in jury verdict in favor of plaintiffs consistent with pre-trial offer. Meister v. Dudte, Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 1994
- Represented the 79 year old plaintiff in a serious automobile/semi truck accident case where driver was killed and plaintiff (the passenger in the car) was seriously injured. Plaintiff had a substantial recovery period and incurred substantial medical bills. Resulted in a Jury verdict of $150,000.00. Lawrentz v. Estate of Quong, Ashland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio) , 2007
- Represented the plaintiffs (an elderly couple) injured in a head-on collision with impaired driver. Both plaintiffs sustained serious injuries requiring surgical procedures and hospitalization and incurred substantial medical bills. Claim involved both liability and underinsured motorists' insurance carriers. Case was settled for a substantial sum. Richland County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2017
- Represented surviving spouse and Estate of woman killed in multiple vehicle crash, including a semi-truck, on snow covered road. Case was settled for insurance policy limits after substantial litigation. Wayne County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court, 2017
- Represented the plaintiffs in a premises liability case where the plaintiff (an elderly man) fell into an open stairwell in a garage during a garage sale. Plaintiff sustained serious injuries requiring extended hospitalization and rehabilitation and incurred substantial medical bills. Defendants denied liability for the incident. Case was settled for a substantial sum. Richland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2015
- Represented a bicyclist injured when he was struck by a vehicle. The plaintiff, an avid long distance cyclist, sustained serious and permanent injuries requiring multiple surgical procedures and hospitalizations and incurred substantial medical bills and ost income. Case was settled for a substantial sum. Lee County, Florida., 2018
- Represented the plaintiffs in a premises liability case where the plaintiff was injured when a hotel room bed collapsed after she sat on it. Plaintiff had substantial preexisting problems but suffered substantial aggravation to her conditions. Case resulted in a substantial settlement for plaintiffs during Mediation. Ashland County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2014
- Represented the plaintiffs in a motorcycle/auto accident where the plaintiff motorcyclist was seriously injured in the collision and sustained significant medical bills. Recovery was initially limited by the personal insurance policy limits of the driver but counsel was able to join and make a substantial recovery from the coverage of defendant driver's employer. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court (Ohio), 2012
- Represented plaintiff, a local small business owner, seriously injured when his motorcycle was forced off a country road by an oncoming semi-tractor trailer that went left of center. Liability was disputed. Plaintiff sustatined serious injuries, medical bills and lost income. Case was settled for a significant sum following extensive litigation. Richland County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court, 2018
Bar/Professional Activity:
- U.S District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 2020
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
- Fellow, Ohio State Bar Foundation, 2017-present.
- Ohio Association for Justice, Member and District representative
- Richland County Bar Association, Member and Litigation Chairman, Certified Grievance Committee
- Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Past Member and Board Member
- Richland County Bar Association, Member, Secretary and Executive Committee Member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Council of Delegates, Task Force and Committee member
- Ohio
- Florida Bar, Member
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Florida
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Board Member and Treasurer, Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (2021 - date), 2021
- OhioOne Region 19 Opioid Board Member, appointed by Richland County (Ohio) Commissioners to represent county in multi county regional board making recommendations to state Board regarding distribution of settlement funds from national opioid litigation. , 2023
- Board Member and Chair, 33 Forever, Inc. (2019- date), 2019
- Member and Vice President, Lexington Local Schools Board of Education
- Trustee and Secretary, Richland County Foundation
- Board Member and President, Rehabilitation Service of North Central Ohio
- Board Member and Chair, Renaissance Performing Arts Association
- Board Member and President, University Club Educational Foundation
- Board Member and Officer, Mansfield Symphony Society
- Member, Board of Directors, Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio, Inc. (1989 - 92)
- Section Chair, Attorneys Section/Professional Division, United Way of Richland County, 1990 Campaign
- Board Member and President, University Club of Mansfield
- Board Member, Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio
- Task Force on Supplemental Fund Raising, United Way of Richland County (1992)
- Member and Executive Committee Member, Kiwanis Club of Mansfield
- Life Member, The Ohio State University Alumni Association
- University of Florida Alumni Association
- Volunteer, Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program
Selections
8 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2024
