Maximizing Your Client’s Damages In Wrongful Death & Personal Injury Cases

Tom Vesper

TLU New York City | September 20th - 23rd

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A. Overcoming Negative/Deflationary Evidence (Exclude-Limit-Deal With MIST)

1. Dealing With Negative/Deflationary Evidence That Dimisses Damages

• Pre-existing Disease/Condition that Possibly Shortens Life Expectancy
• Old Age and Short Life Expectancy
• Past/Present Drug Use
• Past/Present History of Alcohol Abuse
• Criminal History
• M.I.S.T. Defense: No Significant PD
• Not Getting IMMEDIATE Professional Medical Attention
• Large “GAPS IN TREATMENT”
• Not accurately describing the mechanism of injury(s)
• Not reporting all the injuries
• Not Complying With Treating Doctors Orders

2. Motions In Limine

• Exclude Negative Evidence
• Limit Negative Evidence

3. Experts to Explain/Enhance Monetary Loss & Economic Value of Services

• Forensic Economists
• Forensic Pathologist
• Pain Specialists
• Life Care Planner (LCP)
• Physics Professors

4. Trial. Arbitration, Mediation

• Voir Dire
• Opening Statement
• Cross Examination
• Direct Examination
• Experts
• Jury Instructions & Verdict Form
• Closing Argument
• Rebuttal Argument

5. Asking For Limited Instructions Re Negative Evidence

6. Bifurcation Of Trial Into Different Phases To Limit Negative Evidence

7. Using “Blue Ribbon Arbitration Panel and ENE’s (Early Neutral Evaluations)

B. Motions In Limine Re Damages

1. Negligence Per se – “The Dolson Jury Charge”
2. Exclude/Limit Negative Evidence
3. Criminal History
4. Drugs
5. Alcohol
6. Gangs
7. Tattoos
8. No Injury To Others
9. Comparative Negligence
10. Bifurcation
11. Special Instructions
12. Experts – 702 (Daubert Analysis)

C. Jury Instructions About Causation and Damages

1. Importance Of Instructions
2. MCJC or Model Civil Jury Charges
3. Special Instructions

• Consortium
• Causation – “a” cause NOT “the” cause
• Aggravation/Exaccerbation
• “Ante-Mortem” Damages
• Green v. Bitner Damages
• PAIN is not necessary to prove an injury in “permanent”

4. Introductory Instructions

5. Liability Instructions

6. Causation Instructions

7. Damage Instructions

8. Closing Instructions

D. Verdict Form

1. Liability Questions (State And Federal Claims)
2. Damages Questions (Specify & Itemize Different Elements of Damages)
3. Simple Questions Are Better For The Plaintiff(s)
4. Ordering Of Questions
5. Causation Questions
6. By A Preponderance Of The Evidence

E.Jury Selection

1. Preparing Proposed Voir Dire Questions For The Court
2. Preparing SJQ’s (Supplemental Jury Questions)
3. Asking Group Q’s To Jury Panel vs. Individual Questions To Individual Jurors
4. Exercising Peremptory Challenges
5. Exercising For Cause Challenges
6. Challenges For Improper Challenges By Opposing Counsel

• Importance Of Being Likable & Professional
• Style Of Questions
• Framing The Case
• Dealing With Negative Damage Evidence
• Dealing With Negative Causation Evidence, e.g. “Other Cause(s)”
• Who To Use Our Last Challenge On

F. Giving An Effective Opening Statement Re Damages

1. Mini-Openings
2. The 1st Minute: Get the Jury To Like You, Your Client & Your Case
3. Using WHITE BOARDS and/or PPT
4. Using Analogies & Framing The Damage Case
5. Showing the “Objective Medical Evidence”
6. Acknowledging Negative Evidence & Admitting to Some “Other Cause(s)”
7. Tell the Jury “The Monetary Number”. . . or Not?
8. Don’t Oversell The Case

G. Direct Examination/Ordering The Witnesses

1. What Sequence/Order To Call Your Witnesses In Your Case

• When To Call The Client
• When to Call Individual Officers
• When To Call The Experts
• When to Use “Shirt-Sleeve Experts”

2. Asking The Best “Direct Exam Questions” To Make It Easy For Your Witness

3. Re-Direct: How To Rehabilitate Your Witness When Necessary

4. Using Before-After” Witnesses

5. Using “Character” Witnesses in Wrongful Death and PI Cases

6. “Anchoring” Damages

H. Direct Examination of The Forensic Pathologist

1. What Ante-Mortem Facts Are Important for Survivorship Claim

• Pre-impact Facts
• Post-Impact Facts

2. How and When is the “Time of Death” Established

3. How and When are Pre-Impact “Fear of Impending Death” Established

4. When is Crash Reconstruction Expert Needed for Survivorship Claim

5. What Sequence/Order To Call Your Witnesses In Your Case

• When To Call The Client
• When to Call Eye-Witnesses/On-Site Witnesses
• When To Call The Experts

7. Asking The Best “Direct Exam Questions” To Make It Easy For Your Witness

8. What Exhibits to Use, Create, Keep “Hidden” (Autopsy Photos) with Pathologist

9. Re-Direct: How To Rehabilitate Your Witness When Necessary

10. “Anchoring” Damages

Direct Examination of Foerensic Accountant

• “Bottom Line” Testimony vs. Explaining and Giving the Jury the Formula
• What Exhibits or Blow-Ups Should be Used with Accountants
• Should Expert Create a FRE 1006 “Summary, Chart, or Calculation”
• “Anchoring” the Economic Damages

J. Effective Cross-Examination At Trial

1. Preparing For Cross-Examination
2. Google-ing & Websites
3. Getting & Using Prior Testimony/Writing(s)
4. Forming and Ordering Your Questions
5. Using PPT/Video In Cross
6. Using Reports/Statements In Cross
7. Using All “Objective” Test Results
8. Using Other Experts’ Records/Findings
9. Handling Difficult Witnesses
10. Creating & Using Exhibits With The Witnesses
11. Hypothetical Questions
12. “Anchoring” Damages
13. Using Rebuttal and/or “Shirt-Sleeve Experts”

K.Handling Your Experts At Trial

1. Preparing Plaintiff’s Experts
2. How To Handle Direct Examination Of Plaintiff’s Experts
3. Re-Direct: Rehabilitating Plaintiff’s Expert
4. When & How to Use Exhibits
5. Using Your Experts in Rebuttal
6. “Anchoring” Damages

L.Handling The Defense Experts At Trial

1. Cross Examination Of Defendant’s Liability & Biomechanical Expert

• Developing Bias
• Using Their Background And Experience To Your Benefit
• Confirming The Objective Test Results
• Reviewing Favorable Facts
• Using Effective Hypothetical Questions
• Using Rebuttal and/or Shirt-Sleeve Expert(s)

2. Cross Examination Of The DME (Defense Medical Experts)

• Establishing Bias
• Keeping It Short/Simple/Getting Concessions
• Using The Defendant’s Expert To Help Your Case
• Points Of Agreement/Disagreement With Your Medical Experts
• Creating Exhibit(s) for Rebuttal and Summation
• Using Rebuttal and/or Shirt-Sleeve Expert(s)

M. Giving A Persuasive Closing Argument

1. Pulling It All Together

• Discussing Jury Selection & The Opening Statements
• Discussing Jury Instructions & The Verdict Form
• Using Demonstrative Evidence & Selecting The Best Exhibits

1. Using WHITE Board and/or PPT
2. HOW To Start - Introductory Comments – Respond to defense … or Not?
3. “Pulling Up your Anchors”
4. Framing The Case
5. Reviewing The Objective and Uncontroverted Test Results
6. Reviewing All (of the Significant) Evidence
7. Dealing With The Negative Evidence
8. Implementing Jury Instructions & The Verdict Form
9. Pre-Empting Defense Arguments
10. Using the “Time-Unit Rule” … and Telescope Jury to Future
11. Giving “The Bottom Line Number” . . . Or Not?