The 15% does make it hard. At 25% , and with good case selection, and with good marketing/case generation, it's not crazy to think you can do $200k+ a year in comp fees. I have 50 of them right now and hope that I get a good return on those 50 cases. I've learned that non-displaced fracture cases even of legs and arms-they sound bad and enticing-but these folks are typically released with a 0% PPI, no restrictions, and thus the case has little value. I've seen shoulder cases with 25% PPI ratings that translated to 75% industrial loss of use and a $75,000 settlement. Bad foot injuries can be $30,000+ cases. I had a hand injury case last year with restrictions of no lifting greater than 2 pounds that ended up being a $30,000+ settlement. If you just dismiss a hand or foot case because the schedule is weak for those injuries then you miss out on those cases. If you take all of those cases then you bog yourself down with low return cases. So you've got to be good at reviewing these cases initially. Back and neck injuries that result in permanent sedentary restrictions if coupled with decent average weekly wage are $100,000+ cases with $25,000+ fees. Plenty of folks with back injuries have soft tissue injuries and are released without restrictions and thus their case has little value. Therefore you end up spending time on a case that has little value. You also get the added benefit of 3rd party cases when you review volume comp. I've yet to have a huge 3rd party crane case or anything like that. But I've had some MVAs from it.
I've also wasted time on denied claims where clients had bad injuries. I tried a case last week that took nearly all day where a guy refused a drug test. You may win some of these denied claim cases but the odds are heavily against you. So I need to be better on case selection.
Finished up trial on Friday. Though the jury made us sweat it out a little bit while deliberating for 4+ hours, they ultimately got it right. Defense verdict. I have calendar call on Friday on another case that could go as early as the first week of June, but if that doesn't happen then the next case is set for a time certain in the second week of june. Going to be a busy ass summer and early fall.
Medical malpractice. It was a urology case where they claimed our guy did the wrong procedure on a guy and caused permanent urologic dysfunction.
Current personal injury trial schedule for rest of year looks like this: 2 week med mal jury trial in August 3-4 day commercial vehicle crash jury trial in October med mal bench trial in november-guessing it will take 4-5 days 2 day MVA jury trial in December
Also got a defense verdict on Friday. Plaintiff’s lawyer tried to reptile a quasi-premises fall in a store case (claimed that our policy affirmatively created the hazard). Major meds, but we won on liability. Plaintiff turned down a pretty solid compromise settlement at mediation.
Got to love a mediation where the Plaintiff's lawyers, Defense lawyers for both the alleged tortfeasor and UIM carrier, and the mediator are all on exactly the same page on what needs to be done to get the case settled, but the adjuster for the tortfeasor knows better than anyone.
Very good. I anticipate this one will settle. Defense lawyer knows it has to hit 6 figures and so does mediator. They'll be working on the adjuster.
Being a mediator is the real fucking racket in this business. 425 an hour to guess at some numbers and beat people down
Same. I only rock a jacket to depos like 50% of the time, generally if my client is being deposed. Although shorts and flip flops would be a little too casual. Is your client there? I've had solo PI guys show up to depos in legit pajama pants
Yep client is here I wear jeans or shorts and a polo every single day to the office Pajama pants would be a little too presumptuous I used to wear slacks and a button down to everything and eventually went to jeans and a button down then a polo and jeans And I found that is hasn’t affected anything ever
I wear a suit to just about everything but I own saul goodman style suits including bright blue and dark green so I'm probably not helping either.
Most of the time I’m dealing with in house State Farm etc lawyers and most of them work at home in their pajamas and snow up to stiff jeans and button downs The guys today are self important defense attorneys like wes tegg
Me: Spoiler Seriously though, normally suit and tie. Sometimes just a jacket. Shorts are reserved for weekends or days when absolutely nothing is happening in the office.
At a client depo right now. Button down and slacks is the outfit today. Only wear a suit for court and only wear jeans either on Fridays or out of town depos when comfort during travel takes precedence.
The difference between a good mediator and a bad mediator is bigger than any other type of lawyer, IMO. A good one is worth his weight in gold.
no question. too many people charing $750-$1000 for a half day where their only skill is shuffling between rooms with counter offers.
I really only wear a suit for jury trials now. I wear slacks and a jacket M-Th, and a tie for most depositions or all mediations.
If I know I’m not gonna see any clients, I’ll wear my gym clothes (probably dry fit shirt, shorts, running shoes). If I have a drop in I just say I was at the gym and just got back without getting a chance to change yet. Otherwise I’m usually khakis/khaki shorts and a polo. Including for depos. Suit for mediations. No tie. Add tie for hearing or in court.
I feel like it makes my clients feel like their “big gun” just showed up when I stroll in with the custom suit looking fly af.
Yea, I won’t do that. Waste of money. I have my pick up and I think it helps me look down to earth and folksy to most of my clients. But I do workers comp, so most of my clients are construction, landscaping, manufacturing, etc.
Think my buddy thought that too until one time a client said something like "huh, you drive a Ram? Figured you'd drive something nicer" or something along those lines. So now he has both.
“Nah, man. I’m a smart businessman. Not gonna waste my money on something like that when I’ve got a fully paid truck. I’d rather put that cash back into the firm.”
Downside to working in-house. Had a call this morning explaining a situation with a customer. Cool. I'll do what I can to help but I'm currently out sick and am taking the call to be helpful. Get an email about 2 hrs later asking if I could have him something by tmw. I state I'd do my best but likely won't be until next week. Another email, well we don't know when this might shut down our customer's line so "please understand" how impt this is and how we need this asap.
Had to under settle a 18 wheeler case because my client decided to start his rap career a few months after we filed the case. Defense just played his music videos and clips of him putting on "concerts" for its mediation open. Case was set in West Texas. Not great.
Now that I typed it and thought about the case, I'm surprised they paid anything. On to the next one!
If if makes you feel better, that shit could happen with any one of your clients at any time if you weren't in-house.