Day on Torts
Here is an interesting post from the Virginia Injury Laywer Blog offering an opinion on how to get good settlements in personal injury cases. Permit me to comment on a couple:
"1. Don’t just dabble in personal-injury cases; the insurance defense lawyer is too good for that, and he will only smile as he runs over you while you are dabbling."
Personal injury trial work is a legal speciality, just like surgery is a medical speciality. If you take a personal injury case "now and then" when the opportunity presents itself you will almost certainly not get a reasonable value for it. Stick to what you know.
9. Never, ever "beg," "keep after"or try to cajole an insurance company to settle. The appearance of weakness is weakness. Relax. It’s their money they’re about to lose.
Fear has a smell, and your opponents can sense it.
"13. You cannot worry — at all — about your own financial state or about turning down substantial sums of money. You and your client never had it to lose. It’s not your money. Money-hungry lawyers are scared lawyers, not great trial lawyers willing to risk."
If you can’t afford to lose, you should not take the case. Period. Either turn it down or associate someone competent who can afford to lose.
Thanks to Evan for directing me to this post.