The Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2016 was “post-truth.” Today, people are becoming more reliant on feelings, emotion, and belief systems than facts.
After a serious injury, you’ll want your jury to get the best possible information and carefully weigh the facts of your claim. But unless you have an experienced personal injury lawyer at your side, you might find that many jurors resist hearing and considering your side of the story.
Below, Crosley Law explains how our changing perspectives are impacting jury trials and how forward-thinking lawyers are fighting against jurors’ post-truth skepticism.
Why Are Modern Jurors Skeptical of Facts?
Our world is becoming increasingly segmented when it comes to sharing and consuming information. Many of us rely on social media feeds, news sources, and commentators that closely reflect our worldview. We also have remarkable access to differing opinions, perspectives, and resources online — some of which aren’t 100% truthful.
It’s exhausting to sort through all of the information we encounter, weigh its truthfulness, and formulate our own fact-based opinions. Some of us just don’t feel like we have the energy to do this, so we rely on our existing belief systems and worldview rather than facts. This information fatigue and skepticism has leached into our juries, too.
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A 2016 report from the legal consulting company R&D Strategic Solutions indicates that 54% of jurors agree that their beliefs guide their decisions more than facts. Similarly, 58% of jurors don’t think that facts will change their mind when they feel strongly about an issue.
This reliance on emotion and preconceived beliefs means that accident victims and their lawyers may face an uphill battle in a jury trial, especially if the claim involves highly complex issues that require careful analysis and expert testimony. Unless your lawyer understands how to present your claim’s evidence and technical information in a way that resonates with jurors, it may fall on deaf ears.
How Can San Antonio Accident Victims Fight Juror Skepticism?
If you or a loved one has a personal injury claim in Texas, it’s in your best interest to consult an experienced injury attorney from Crosley Law. Our team of lawyers uses cutting-edge and trial-tested strategies and techniques to present our clients’ facts and legal arguments to juries.
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Increasingly, our lawyers work with mock jury panels and focus groups as we prepare for trial. We use experts and analysts who help us understand how a San Antonio jury will respond to our clients’ claims. Based on this data-driven analysis, we tailor our trial presentations, questioning of witnesses, and strategies to maximize the impact.
Our reputation as one of San Antonio’s premier personal injury firms is rooted in our use of cutting-edge experts and innovative technologies as well as our track record of success. We frequently consult with nationally recognized medical and technical experts when we investigate and litigate personal injury claims.
“We frequently consult with nationally recognized medical and technical experts when we investigate and litigate personal injury claims.”
4 Essential Questions You Should Ask Your Injury Lawyer
Before you hire an attorney to handle your injury claim, you should assess the attorney’s sophistication level and the viability of their strategies. While this might sound like an intimidating task, it’s not as tricky as it sounds.
We’d suggest you ask a lawyer the following questions:
1. How Often Does Your Team Handle Jury Trials?
While many victims decide to settle their claims rather than take their chances at trial, your lawyer needs to be fully prepared to bring a case to trial. At Crosley Law, we always carefully weigh our clients’ options and use our extensive trial experience to prepare for litigation.
2. Have You Handled Similar Injury Claims Before?
An injury lawyer who has tried a lot of minor fender-bender claims isn’t necessarily prepared to negotiate and litigate a complex injury claim that involves numerous parties and causes of action. At Crosley Law, our experienced legal team focuses on the most serious injury claims in the San Antonio region. We understand the complexities of traumatic brain injury, catastrophic truck wreck, and multi-vehicle car crash claims, among many other types of cases.
3. Do You Use Mock Juries and Focus Groups When You Prepare a Claim for Trial?
Don’t be afraid to ask about a lawyer’s experience working with mock juries and pre-trial focus groups. While most attorneys won’t necessarily commit to using these resources during a free consultation, they should be comfortable talking about how they prepare their claims for a jury trial and the tools that they regularly use.
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4. What’s Your Attitude Towards Audio/Visual Tools During a Trial?
When you’re explaining complicated concepts to a jury, an audio/visual presentation can be a powerful tool. At Crosley Law, we’ve successfully used crash reconstruction videos and other A/V tools to help San Antonio juries understand our clients’ claims.
Crosley Law Uses Cutting-Edge Strategies to Fight for Clients
At Crosley Law, we were early adopters of trial technology, and we understand its power from experience. If you’re ready to get help with your case and learn more about our cutting-edge approach to San Antonio personal injury law, schedule your free initial consultation by filling out our online contact form or calling us at 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000. We’d love to learn more about your claims and explain how we may be able to help you and your loved ones.
References
Broda-Bahm, K. (2017, August 7). Prepare for your post-fact jury. Persuasive Litigator. Retrieved from https://www.persuasivelitigator.com/2017/08/prepare-for-your-post-fact-jury-top-posts.html
Word of the Year 2016 is… (2016, November 8). Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/word-of-the-year/word-of-the-year-2016
