May 15, 2008

BIg Verdicts and Great Lawyers

Motorcycle Accidents and Being a Motorcycle Lawyer

    A friend of mine lists big verdicts on his web site, something I have never chosen to do. Russ Herman, a top lawyer in Louisiana, loves to lecture groups of lawyers about "how to get a million dollar verdict". "Start", he says, "with a multi-million dollar case". "Then lose it".

    I honestly do not remember my first million dollar case. It was decades ago. But I have never been a fan of touting the size of the settlements my clients receive. Big results only happen if you start with big injuries. There is nothing about the horrible injuries suffered by a client that make me want to brag about getting them compensation. If someone is hurt so badly that they will require millions of dollars in medical care over their lifetime, even an average lawyer should get them a multi-million dollar settlement if the liability is there, and if the defendant has a deep pocket.

    One of the reasons that I handle so many motorcycle cases is to get away from being like those lawyers that brag about everything they do. I have never appreciated that style.

    Instead, I like to work with my clients, enjoy getting them the compensation they deserve, and hope that the injuries allow them to go back to riding. When one of my clients has injuries so severe that their riding days are over, it is a sad day. Yes, they get more money, because the injuries are horrible. Yes, catastrophic injuries result in bigger settlements than a broken arm or leg, or even the worst knee injury. But it is much more enjoyable to talk to someone about how much they are enjoying the new motorcycle.

    I've been practicing for enough years that there is nothing exciting about a "million dollar case". Like everything else, with inflation, they are ever more common. If the cases are properly prepared and presented, the normal course of events will be a settlement that mirrors their injuries. Most clients want to get the full settlement they deserve, and get on with life. Few want to show up on a lawyer's web site as the latest "great success" for some lawyer. It's a matter of propriety, as far as I'm concerned.

Topic Tags: accident, catastrophic injury, lawyer, Million dollar case, motorcycle lawyer, settlement

by Michael Padway

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