Atty. Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde

Atty. Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde

Frederick R.(Rick) Hovde is a principal with Hovde Dassow & Deets LLC.He is a trial lawyer with an emphasis on medical negligence,automobile and truck accidents, construction site accidents and injuries from dangerous consumer products all on behalf of plaintiffs. He is Past President of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association He was born in Lafayette, Indiana on October 1, 1955.

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Profile Summary

About Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde at a glance

Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde is a medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability attorney based in Indianapolis, Indiana, practicing at Hovde Dassow + Deets LLC. Admitted to practice in Indiana, Indiana State Bar Association. Educated at Indiana University Maurer School of Law (J.D., 1980) and Southern Methodist University (—, 1977). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026). Serands clients in Indianapolis, IN and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

  • Frederick R.(Rick) Hovde is a principal with Hovde Dassow & Deets LLC.He is a trial lawyer with an emphasis on medical negligence,automobile and truck accidents, construction site accidents and injuries from dangerous consumer products all on behalf of plaintiffs
  • He is Past President of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association He was born in Lafayette, Indiana on October 1, 1955
  • He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (B.B.A., 1977) and Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis (J.D., 1980) where he was a member of Phi Delta Phi
  • He was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1980
  • Rick is listed in Best Lawyers in America and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers ( membership is by invitation only and limited to 600 trial lawyers worldwide), American College of Trial Lawyers, Indiana College of Trial Lawyers, Litigation Counsel of America and the Indianapolis Bar Foundation
  • He has served on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association since 1990, the Executive Committee from 1995 to 2003, and was President during the 2002-2003 term
  • He is a member of the Indianapolis (Director, Young Lawyers, 1986-1989), Indiana State (Director, Young Lawyers, 1982-1986), and American Bar Associations, the American Association for Justice and The American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Rick has tried over 90 cases to a jury verdict and obtained maximum statutory verdicts in medical malpractice cases and several verdicts in excess of one million dollars in automobile accident ,products liability and insurance bad faith cases.He has handled many significant and complex construction,products liability and accident and insurance claim cases He has been involved in some signifcant appellate decisions and authored a number of articles including : State Security Ins
  • Co. v
  • Ottinger (1985) 487 N.E. 2d 446
  • Hinshaw v
  • Board of Comr’’s Jay Co. (1993) 611 N.E. 637
  • Hottinger v
  • Trugreen Corp. (1996) 665 N.E. 2d 593
  • and Kennedy v
  • Guess, Inc. (2002) 7765 N.E. 2d 213
  • Balfour v
  • Kimberly Home Health Care 830 NE2d 145 (2005) and Alli v
  • Eli Lilly and Co. 854 NE2d 372 (2006)
  • He is the author of: Indiana: Analysis of Indiana Tort Reform, Indiana Law Review Vol. 29 No. 2, 1995
  • Punitive Damages ICLE 1996
  • Bad Faith, Indiana Trial Lawyers Assn. 1996
  • Litigating TMJ, Back and Neck Injury Cases, Professional Education Systems, 1993
  • Health Care Evidence in Low- Impact Injury, Professional Education Systems, 1992
  • Medical Malpractice in Indiana
  • NBI ,1990
  • and Civil Trial Practice ICLEF,1988

Practice Areas Explained

Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.

Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in Indiana →

Personal Injury

Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.

Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in Indiana →

Product Liability

Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde is one of 66,193 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in Indiana →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in Indiana

Practicing law in Indiana. Legal matters in Indiana are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Indianapolis are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Indiana state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Indiana brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Indiana courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional Indiana attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Indianapolis or all attorneys in Indiana.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde

Where is Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde's law office located?
Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde's law practice is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm is Hovde Dassow + Deets LLC. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde handle?
Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde focuses on medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in Indiana.
Where did Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde go to law school?
Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde earned their education at (J.D., 1980); (—, 1977).
How can I contact Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde for a consultation?
You can contact Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde received?
Frederick R. "Rick" Hovde's notable recognition includes: Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs; Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs; Best Lawyers in America — Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs; Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:; Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation.

Education

J.D.
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
- 1980
Southern Methodist University
- 1977

Awards

Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice:
- 2026
Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation
- 2026
Lawyer of the Year — Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs (Indianapolis)
- 2025
Lawyer of the Year — Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs (Indianapolis)
- 2018
Lawyer of the Year — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (Indianapolis)
- 2014
Lawyer of the Year — Personal Injury Litigation (Indianapolis)
- 2009

Bar Admissions

Indiana, Indiana State Bar Association

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