Nicholas C. Deets

Nick Deets has been a partner with Hovde Dassow + Deets in Indianapolis since 2001. His primary areas of practice are personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability and wrongful death. He has tried more than 80 jury trials to verdict.

Nick was named the Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association in 2010, Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year, Plaintiff’s Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions, in 2018, and Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year, Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice, in 2020. He has been recognized as an Indiana Super Lawyer by Indianapolis Magazine every year since 2006 and has been listed in Best Lawyers, Personal Injury Plaintiffs, every year since 2010. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Litigation Counsel of America, and is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell.

Published Works

• Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Law, Practice Tips and Application, National Business Institute (2007)

• Effective Closing Arguments on behalf of the Plaintiff, Indianapolis Bar Association (2011)

• Partial Settlements in Cases Involving Vicarious Liability, Verdict Volume 32, No. 3 (2011)

• Effective Closing Arguments on behalf of the Plaintiff, The Allen County Bar Association (2011)

• State Court Venue under Indiana Trial Rule 75, Verdict Volume 37, No. 3 (2016)

• Trial of the Wrongful Death Case – Plaintiff’s Perspective on Maximizing Damages, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (2018)

• The Care and Feeding of Experts, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (2019)

• Indiana Trial Lawyers’ Association, Annual Institute, Chair (2019)

Representative Cases

• Inman v. State Farm Mutual Ins. Co., 981 N.E.2d 1202 (Ind. 2012)

• Shelton v. Kroger Ltd. Partnership I, 58 N.E.3d 229 (Ind.Ct.App. 2016), trans. denied.

• Brown-Day v. Allstate Insurance Co., 915 N.E.2d 548 (Ind.Ct.App. 2009), trans. denied.

• Potts, M.D. v. Williams, 746 N.E.2d 1000 (Ind.Ct.App. 2001)

• Burnett v. Columbus McKinnon Corp., 405 N.Y.S.2d 405 (4th Dept. 2009)

• Kosarko v. Padula, 979 N.E.2d 144 (Ind. 2012)

• Allstate Ins. Co. v. Keltner, 842 N.E.2d 879 (Ind.Ct.App. 2006)

• State Farm Ins. Co. v. C.W., 2010 WL 597930 (N.D. Ind. 2006)

• Knox v. American General Life Ins. Co., 2003 WL 22056301 (S.D. Ind. 2003)

• Allstate Ins. Co. v. Tozer, 298 F.Supp2d 765 (S.D.Ind. 2005)

• Turner v. Buske Lines Inc., 2006 WL 566108 (S.D. Ind. 2006)

• Kincaid v. State, 757 N.E.2d 713 (Ind.App. 2001)

• Sales v. State, 714 N.E.2d 1121 (Ind.App. 1999)

• Christian v. State of Indiana. 710 N.E.2d 582 (Ind.Ct.App. 1999)

Honors and Awards

• Best Lawyers in America, Mass Torts, Lawyer of the Year, 2017

• Best Lawyers in America, Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice, Lawyer of the Year, 2019

• Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, 2010

• Recognized as an Indiana Super Lawyer by Indianapolis Monthly, 2006-Present

• Best Lawyers in America, Plaintiff’s Personal Injury, 2010 - Present

• Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating

• Purdue Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Award, 1989

• IHSAA Keesling Mental Attitude Award, 1985

Past Employment Positions

• ICE MILLER in Indianapolis, IN, Associate, 1993 to 1995

• Coffield, Ungaretti & Harris, Chicago, IL, Clerk 1992, 1993

• Honorable Michael S. Kanne of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Clerk, 1992

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, State Committee Member

• American Board of Trial Advocates, Indiana Chapter, Past President

• Indiana College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow

• Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, Amicus Curiae Committee

• Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow

• Indiana State Bar Association, Life Fellow

• Indiana Bar Foundation, Life Fellow