Why Experience Makes a Difference

Hiring an Attorney with Trial Experience

Many law firms claim that they secure great results for their clients, but not that many can actually produce a record of successful jury verdicts. This fact shouldn't be surprising since about 95 percent of cases end in out-of-court settlements. So does it really matter if your lawyer regularly tries in court to a judge and jury? At Arnold & Itkin LLP, our trial lawyers know it matters! Here are the top reasons why it is important to hire an attorney who actually tries cases:

1. Hiring an experienced trial lawyer gives you options. If you hire an attorney who rarely goes to trial, chances are that the lawyer will accept a low settlement offer instead of going to trial. If you have an attorney who is prepared to go to trial, a jury trial is always an option if you don't like the settlement offer being presented to you.
2. Your attorney's trial experience can be a bargaining tool. Defendants often don't want to go to trial—it's expensive, time consuming, often embarrassing for them. A defendant will almost always be more likely to reach a fair settlement with you if the company knows that your lawyer can take the case to trial and win.
3. An attorney with trial experience has the confidence to deal with any situation. Sometimes a company won't negotiate with you even when the facts are on your side. Many times companies make a strategic decision to offer nothing regardless of the facts. In that situation, trial is your only option. If your lawyer has won big trials then he or she will be ready to march into the court room with you at his side.
4. An experienced trial attorney can help bring you closure. Whenever two parties agree to settle a case, concessions must be made by both sides. A frequent caveat of settlement agreements, particularly in cases where wrongful deaths have occurred, is confidentiality. For bereaved family members who want to prevent other individuals from suffering the same types of loss, a large cash settlement will not offer closure. Only the public admission of guilt by a defendant can do that, and only a trial can secure that type of public acknowledgement.

If you or someone you know is considering hiring an attorney, one of the first questions to ask is what that lawyer's trial record looks like in the last 5-10 years. If a lawyer can't produce a list of successful jury verdicts for you to examine, it is probably a good idea to look elsewhere for representation. Only an attorney with extensive courtroom experience, like the Houston personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Itkin LLP, can guarantee you the highest quality of representation. Contact a trial attorney from Arnold & Itkin today for your free and confidential consultation.