Rick James Houghton

Rick prides himself on providing excellent client service, communication, and protecting the rights of injured auto crash victims. In 2018, Rick received a $520,000 jury verdict in Ottawa County, the largest car accident verdict for pain and suffering damages in West Michigan that year. As an avid rider, Rick also works with many injured motorcyclists. Recently, Rick won a $400,000 settlement for an injured motorcyclist who was hit by a negligent driver, where the insurance company was refusing to take responsibility, disputing both how the crash occurred and the extent of his client’s injuries.

Published Articles
Negligent Entrustment After Bennett, The Grand Rapids Lawyer – March/April 2018

Mitigating Property Damage: The Duty v. The Ability, Minnesota Trial – Fall 2014

Future Medical Expenses to a Reasonable Degree of Certainty? Is that the Standard?, Minnesota Trial – Spring 2013

Honors

Rick has been named to Grand Rapids Magazine’s list of Top Lawyers in 2021 – 2025. He has also been selected to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list annually since 2014. Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The honor is limited to the top 2.5 percent of lawyers in each state. In 2025, Rick was named as an Honored Listee on Marquis Who’s Who.

Legal Seminars
Speaker, “Leveraging Demand Letters to Obtain High Settlements in Auto Accident Cases,” Strafford Webinars; National; May 15, 2024

Speaker, “Winning the Minimal Impact Soft Tissue Car Crash Case”; 360 Advocacy’s Auto, Truck, Damages Extravaganza; Las Vegas, NV; June 6, 2023