Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Why is an Injury Lawyer Like Robin Hood

As a Injury lawyer it's appealing to thing of oneself as Robin Hood. Robbing from the rich, big insurance companies like Allstate, State Farm, Geico and the other usual suspects and giving to the poor my clients.

Contrary to the spin put out there by the insurance companies and the chambers of commerce there is no lawsuit lottery out there. And frivolous lawsuits are negligible. Why is this . Because the American juries are not dumb as portrayed by big insurance. In fact they believe that the injured party must prove their case. Ties go to the defendant.

Every good trial lawyer spends significant time picking the juries because the indoctrination process done by the chamber and big insurance has led many people to agree that there are frivolous lawsuits and lawsuit lottery seekers. But attorneys know that a case with any holes in it will get thrown back in you face. This is because there is a rigid application of the burden of proof and the prejudgement many jurors bring that the injury lawyer and their client are seeking something for nothing.

But it takes hard work, preparation , and money to take a injury lawsuit to a jury. It can be very rewarding in the right case. But in the wrong case it can be a big disappointment . After many hours of blood , sweat and tears a negative verdict is like loosing the Super Bowl. believe me I've been there. Those were cases that it was a she said he said toss up. I learned as a young lawyer that the sheer force of my oratory was not going to change the face that jurors honored this burden of proof. As a young lawyer honing my trial skills I saw this as a public defender , beating the prosecution in apparent lock guilty verdicts. Again because the jury followed the law and the burden of proof.

So lets start opening the eyes of the public. Juries are good and no one is getting something for nothing. So if you get an opportunity to be a juror and the Cincinnati injury lawyer proves their clients case , step up to the plate and award them full damages. After all there's probably plenty of insurance. The law just does not permit
you to be told about it.

Contact Cincinnati injury lawyer Anthony Castelli for a free consultation if you have a serious injury.

Anthony Castelli Attorney                         Cincinnati Personal injury lawyer at Posterous
8170 Corporate Park Drive Suite 220
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
513-621-2345

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Wrongful Death What is a Life Worth by Anthony Castelli Injury Lawyer|

Wrongful Death What is a Life Worth 02/25 by anthonycastelli | Blog Talk Radio

This podcast will help you understand how damages should be awarded in the State of Ohio for a wrongful death, the wrongful taking of a life by being careless. The focus is the loss to the family members, the parents, children and spouses who have tragically and prematurely had a family member killed.



As a Cincinnati personal injury lawyer I have helped families that have lost a family member through negligence of another. Many jurors do not understand why it is important that a large amount of damages be awarded for the loss family members suffer. Some feel that money will not bring them back so why award damages.

Why then should we award millions of dollars when an object of art , or an airplane is destroyed through ones fault. How much more valuable is a life. We execute people for murdering others. That's how much we value life. So why not give value to life when it's taken negligently.

 
Anthony Castelli Attorney                  
8170 Corporate Park Drive #220
Cinncinnati, Ohio 45242
513-621-2345

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Is Your Cincinnati Personal Injury Lawyer BBB Accredited

As a personal injury lawyer trying to make a connection with potential clients I try to use educational based marketing. That is explaining a problem a accident injury victim might have and posing potential solutions. 

Or informing the public about some aspect of Ohio personal injury law. What I hope to do is inspire some trust in a potential client so they get to know , like and trust me. It finally dawned on me that one of the ways to demonstrate trustworthiness is to apply for the  Better Business Bureau accreditation.


Anthony Castelli Attorney Receives Accreditation 

From

Better Business Bureau

Anthony Castelli Attorney Cincinnati personal injury lawyer located at 8170 Corporate Park Drive , announced today that it has met standards required by Better Business Bureau for accreditation with the organization.

Anthony Castelli  Attorney really wants potential customers to feel comfortable when choosing him. BBB seal will help customers understand who he is e and the core values he believes in.
BBB Accreditation means Anthony Castelli adheres to very high ethical standards. People know they can trust a company that has made the commitment to live up to the

                                                   BBB Code of Business Practices:

Build Trust,  Advertise Honestly,  Tell the Truth,  Be Transparent,  Honor Promises,  Be Responsive,  Safeguard Privacy,  Embody Integrity.

Being affiliated with BBB shows Anthony Castelli is one of a select group of businesses in our community that not only supports BBB’s services but also subscribes to the idea that ethical business is good business and that you “deliver trust” by treating the public in a fair and honest manner.

You can click here to go to my better business bureau profile with accreditation and A+ rating for Anthony Castelli Attorney.
Anthony Castelli Attorney BBB review

Call today to get help the help you need to get the compensation you deserve. To speak with Tony directly and at no charge call 513-621-2345

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Can I Get Punitive Damages For My Cincinnati Car Accident Injury

Can I get punitive damages for my car accident injury is a question I sometimes get. Ordinarily you can not get punitive damages. It's said that in order to get punitive damages for a personal injury car accident case the conduct must be malicious.

Malicious conduct has several different definitions.  It's conduct that is worse than simple neglignece. Malice can be defined as " a conscious disregard for the rights and safety of other persons that has a great probability of causing substantial harm .

Driving drunk is conduct where punitive damages can be awarded. These damages are to punish the defendant. This is distinguished from compensatory damages which compensate the injured person for their loss.

If there is evidence of texting this could be a fertile ground to allege punitive damages. Recently an appellate court case in Ohio held that when a driver was driving a semi with known bad brakes on the trailer and did not feel qualified to operate the tractor  trailer

In Ohio you can not insure for punitive damages. And normally they are not dischargeable in bakruptcy. So if they are awarded against someone with no money it may be hard to collect, but you can chase them around forever. But it's always worth it to put them in play if you can.

One reason is that the insurance company for the at fault driver has a duty to their client to resolve the compensatory claim and get the whole case resolved so their insured does not have to pay punitive damages. This can have the effect of driving the money the insurance company will pay on the compensatory damages higher.


If you have a question about what you are entitled for a car accident injury as a Cincinnati personal injury lawyer I welcome your call for a free consultation  or click on the high lighted link to go to my personal injury attorney web site. www.castellilaw.com I have won and collected a jury trial judgement for punitive damages . But I'll leave that story for another article.

My two convenient locations for serving nearby Cincinnati accident injury claims are:

Law Office of Anthony D. Castelli 
602 Main Street Suite 707
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
513-721-3666
Google Local Business Page

8170 Corporate Park Drive Suite 220
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
513-621-2345



Cincinnati Injury Lawyer Uses Video To Educate

Press Release: Cincinnati, Ohio 

Cincinnati Lawyer Announces the Use of Video To Educate Personal Injury Accident Victims

As a Cincinnati personal injury lawyer I try to keep up with the fast moving tools to help personal injury victims learn about their rights. And also to help them learn the steps in choosing the best lawyer for their case.

I've used blogs, my web site, books and video among other things. Some people like to read articles and books other like to watch and listen to videos. I have a you tube channel where all of my videos are uploaded.
http://www.youtube.com/castellilaw Law Office of Anthony D. Castelli is the name of my channel.

Cincinnati Car Accident Injury Lawyer Anthony Castelli Gives His Unique View On How to Treat Injury Victims
    

      

I also offer an introductory video on my web page and ask potential clients to click on it if they want to see what my clients mean to me. On you tube it's titled Cincinnati car accident injury lawyer message to accident injury victims. That link will take you to a page that has a video that discusses the most important question to ask a personal injury lawyer before you hire them.

Recently I was interviewed in a magazine about the use of video. Gerry Oginski injury lawyer who also has an attorney video business were interviewed. It was nice to be included in the same article with someone as knowledgeable as Mr Oginski. In fact, I remember when Gerry was starting out and I gave one of the very first  testimonials about his work.   Although I agree with Gerry that video is very important, in my opinion it's not going to magically cause a personal injury lawyer or any lawyer to have hundreds of new clients.

Also my good friend Kraig Haplea owner of  Visual Justice was also interviewed. Kraig not only does marketing videos but is helpful in doing day in the life videos as well as accident scene videos. A day in the life video  is where a personal injury victim's life is depicted.

So video is extememely useful in trying to educate personal injury victims and also give potential clients information about yourself. This info about the lawyer comes more in what he conveys and how he conveys it. Personally I'm looking for someone with warmth, passion, and compassion and the ability to express themselves. This all goes back to the qualities your personal injury lawyer should have.


Saturday, January 7, 2012

How Fast Can You Settle My Cincinnati Personal Injury Claim

  How Fast Can You Settle My Cincinnati Personal Injury Claim

As a personal injury lawyer for over 30 years I cringe when I see advertisements by lawyers that say," I can settle your claim fast." This to me smacks of a settlement mill and is synonymous with just running your injury claim thru the system as quickly as possible. 

The lawyer might make a fast buck, but it's doubtful whether you will have gotten full value for your claim. Remember once you settle your personal injury insurance claim and sign a release that's the end of your case. 
I strive to settle your case for as much money as possible and to do that as quickly as possible. But the "as quickly as possible " part varies with the injury, the insurance limits and multiple other factors.

I recently settled a case in three months for $50,000. This was the total insurance available and the neck injury was worth much more than the policy limits. I immediately ordered the hospital record and the bill from the very first hospital admission. My investigation and the police investigation confirmed the potential defendant was clearly responsible. And there were no other assets to make a recovery from. Armed with this information that I furnished to the insurance company I was a able to convince them to pay their policy limit.

However every case is different. If the insurance coverage was $250,000 the I would have waited until my client reached maximum medical improvement ( was as healed as they were going to get) and their doctor could tell me what the future held for my client within a reasonable probability. If an injury leaves permanent residuals such as pain, and the inability to do things they could do  before, then as a  accident injury lawyer I push for a larger settlement given the nature and extent of the injury and the insurance money available. 

A client should ask how long will this case take to resolve. The best answer I can give is when we know the full nature of your injury both past , present and future based upon medical records and your doctor's report or when you injuries and damages clearly exceed the policy limits available. In Ohio generally a negligence personal injury claim must me settled or suit filed within two years.

I welcome your questions . You can find me Anthony Castelli Attorney Cincinnati personal injury lawyer  by clicking on this link or calling 513-621-2345

Should Your Personal Injury Lawyer be Your Former Divorce Lawyer

Should Your Personal Injury Attorney Be Your Former Divorce Lawyer

Recently a potential client called me and said that their relative had referred them to their divorce lawyer for their car accident personal injury claim. They were uncomfortable with going to a  lawyer that did not focus on personal injury law.

Another relative  had found my web site Law Office of Anthony D. Castelli Accident and Injury Law. They  had researched me by reviewing me web site for reviews, testimonials, articles I had written and videos and blog posts on personal injury law, especially in the area of car accident injury law.  After doing so they recommended me to the potential client. 

Both of these ways to find a lawyer are used by the public.What many do not understand are that all lawyers are not created equal. Some have great experience in an area of law and very little or no experience in another. 

If you are a personal injury victim you should consider hiring a lawyer experienced in personal injury. 
Someone with actual trial experience in representing personal injury insurance settlement claims. In fact, download my book Attorney Advertising Revealed to find a system on how to get through the hype and hire a great personal injury lawyer.


Unless you want to be a guinea pig for a domestic lawyer that has little or no experience with personal injury I would not recommend you hire a lawyer not experienced in personal injury law. That does not mean to say it's a bad idea to ask a lawyer you know who they would recommend. In fact my personal injury clients know that I limit myself to just a few areas of the law. (personal injury, workers compensation and social security disability.)

But they will call and ask if I know an attorney that practices in an area they have a particular problem. Depending on the case I may give them a specific name or several names and let them do their research. 

I also accept referrals from other lawyers. The client may trust a lawyer from a prior case non personal injury claim and wants the lawyer to be involved , but the lawyer wants the client to have someone focused in the area of personal injury car accident law. Ohio law allows lawyers to enter into co-counsel relationships where one lawyer does most of the work , but the other lawyer remains available for consultation. This allows the client to have an initial comfort level and allows both lawyers to be compensated. The client is charged the same fee, but the lawyers split it on an agreed percentage. 

If you have any questions about Ohio personal injury law I welcome you to call for a free consultation 513-621-2345 to speak with me personally.