1) The severity of the impact. If you show a jury a photo of your vehicle, and they have to squint to see the damage, you will have an uphill battle getting any sympathy from anyone.

2) The severity of the injury. Soft tissue sprains and strains don’t impress adjusters anymore. Even more, juries won’t want to give you the time of day. Therefore, if all you have is a soft tissue injury, do your best to settle before you take your case to trial.

3) Your age. Simply put, the older your are, the more susceptible you are to injury. If I get a case with a plaintiff in his/her 20s, I tell them right off the bat, they’re going to have a hard time convincing an adjuster they had appreciable injury.

4) Residual injury. If you have injuries that won’t resolve and are projected to last a long time (or indefinitely), that may affect your case. Also, permanent injuries can affect the value of your accident case as will anything requiring surgical intervention.

There are other factors, but in my experience, these are among the top considerations. If you would like an evaluation of your car accident case, give our office a call at (661) 414-7100.

During a lawsuit, a “deposition” (or several) may be taken as part of the “discovery” process. You’ve certainly seen them on television – a lawyer is asking questions of a witness and there are other lawyers in the room along with a court reporter writing everything down on a cool nifty machine as fast as possible. Usually, on TV, there is high drama with most of the attorneys sparring and yelling at each other. Some add fist-pounding! Truth is most depositions are boring events with questions being asked from every conceivable angle. Sometimes clients have a hard time understanding why the questions are so detailed. Sometimes the truth is indeed in the details, but the attorneys are trying to learn more about what a witness might say in court….and not just WHAT they might say, but HOW they say it. If an attorney is taking your deposition, they are not only evaluating what you are saying but also your witness potential. They are asking themselves, “How well would this person testify before a jury? How likable are they? How believable are they? How much conviction does this person have? Do they keep changing their story? Do they appear to be honest?” Let’s face it, juries vote for people they like – just like anything else in life. In my career as an attorney, I firmly believe the deposition is the most important part of the “discovery” process. In many cases, a good deposition (or a bad one) can change the the course of a case. Make sure you prepare for your deposition by discussing what to expect with your lawyer.

Going through litigation is a very difficult experience and is never fun. Sure, there might be the rare person who enjoyes antagonism and the adversarial process. However, most people aren’t wired like that. It is intrusive, expensive, and frustrating to say the least. In most cases, the result is not what you would have wanted. Therefore, I always encourage my clients to thoroughly explore diplomatic solutions before they file a lawsuit.

Diplomatic solutions include negotiations with the insurance adjuster, lienholders, doctors, etc. Also, there are alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation and arbitration that should be thoroughly explored before filing a lawsuit. After filing a lawsuit, one should always keep their options open and entertain these alternative methods as well. Remember, you want to resolve your case on her own terms rather than leave it up to 12 jurors who don’t know you. If you settle your case, at least it’s your choice and you have some control over the outcome. Your expectations may be thwarted when it comes to a jury who doesn’t necessarily share all your opinions.

Hi, my name is Robert Mansour. Sometimes when I speak to clients for the first time after a personal injury case they say, “Rob, you know what, that insurance adjuster was so friendly to me on the phone!” And I say, “Of course they were friendly to you on the phone – they were trying to get information from you, that’s why they were so friendly.” And then they tell me the insurance adjuster asked to meet them for coffee! Hmm, very interesting. Why? Probably to dangle a check in front of them and settle the case quickly. My clients don’t know what they’re in for. Before you talk to an insurance adjuster, sign any paperwork, or meet one for coffee, make sure you contact me to discuss all of the ramifications. If you have questions about this or any other personal injury matter please feel free to contact my office. Thank you.