I read with interest recently about hiring an attorney who goes to court or to trial. If you are a plaintiff, that is good advice, you need a plaintiffs’ attorney who will go to trial with you. Not all attorneys are plaintiffs’ attorneys. You need to be certain that the attorney is a plaintiffs’ attorney, and not a defense attorney.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys frequently settle cases prior to trial. If you can receive $1,000,000 to $9,000,000 without the risk of a trial with 12 jurors, you need to consider this. You can get better settlement offers if you have an experienced plaintiffs’ trial attorney because the insurance companies know he/she is prepared and will put on a good case at trial.

If you are a plaintiff, you do not want to hire a defense attorney who represents insurance companies, hospitals, doctors, or nursing homes. A true plaintiffs’ attorney would never have these clients. Attorneys are either for the people of the community or they are for big business. There is no in between. You want an attorney who is both an experienced trial attorney and an attorney who has taken cases for people, not insurance companies, hospitals, and nursing homes.

 

DAVID O. SMITH
A PLAINTIFFS’ TRIAL ATTORNEY