Training Course Syllabus:

Two Comprehensive Days of Personal Injury Law and Practice

This authoritative course will provide you with the foundational information and knowhow essential to starting or refreshing a personal injury practice. Our seasoned faculty will walk you through the nuts and bolts of personal injury practice and procedure, from case intake and evaluation to trial. Then, they will delve more in-depth on liens, damages, medical records and other key topics. Don't miss this opportunity for a full look at personal injury - register today!

• Walk through the key steps of personal injury practice and local procedure.
• Build an understanding of first-party and third-party insurance coverage.
• Hear the latest case law, trends and developments in personal injury.
• Learn the ABC's of damages, from economic to pain, suffering and punitive damages.
• Examine methods used to eliminate or minimize liens in injury cases.
• Navigate common admission issues with medical records and bills.
• Observe negotiation tactics utilized by plaintiff and defense attorneys.
• Determine the admissibility of expert testimony and reports in injury cases.
• Take a crash course on personal injury trials, from opening statements to closing arguments.

DAY 1: Case Law, Statutes, Insurance, Medical Records, Damages

1. Fundamentals of Local Procedure
   9:00 - 9:50, Cole Douglas and Kevin M. Hastings
   1. Personal Injury Statutes
   2. Case Intake, Evaluation and Investigation
   3. Pleadings; Discovery; Motions
   4. Settlement Procedure
   5. Trial and Post-Trial
   6. Sample Forms and Checklists
2. Legislative, Case Law and Regulatory Trends and Developments
   9:50 - 10:40, Cole Douglas and Kevin M. Hastings
   1. Auto Injury and Other Accidents
   2. Slip, Trip and Fall; Premises Liability
   3. Products Liability - Latest Product Recalls
   4. Medical Malpractice
   5. Wrongful Death
3. Insurance 101
   10:55 - 11:45, Jeff M. Sbaih
   1. First-Party Benefits
   2. Tortfeaser's Coverage
   3. Finding ALL Sources of Coverage
   4. How Insurance Companies Investigate and Value Injury Claims
4. Injury Demand Letters and Pre-Suit Negotiations
   11:45 - 12:35, Jeff M. Sbaih
5. Medical Records and Bills in Case Law
   1:35 - 2:35, Ahmad Khalaf
   1. Obtaining (Authorization, Request or Subpoena; Substance; Scope of What's Discoverable)
   2. Analyzing
   3. Using Them in Motions, Depositions and Trial
   4. Admission and Confidentiality Issues
6. Damages: Part 1 [Economic Damages]
   2:35 - 3:20, Martin J. Pujolar
   1. Factors That Impact Damages Calculations
   2. Expenses and Property Damage
   3. Lost Wages and Earnings
   4. Future Lost Earnings and Earning Capacity
7. Damages: Part 2 [Pain, Suffering and Punitive Damages]
   3:35 - 4:30, Martin J. Pujolar
   1. Pain and Suffering
   2. Loss of Enjoyment of Life
   3. Loss of Companionship/Consortium
   4. Scarring and Disfigurement
   5. Punitive Damages
   6. Damages in Wrongful Death Cases

DAY 2: Liens, Experts, Settlement, Trial

8. Liens and Subrogation Made Simple
   9:00 - 10:00, J.D. Smith
   1. Key Terms, Concepts and Regulations
   2. Medicare/Medicaid Liens
   3. Hospital Liens
   4. ERISA Liens
   5. Workers' Comp Liens
   6. Investigation; Determining Priority
   7. Ways to Eliminate/Reduce Liens
9. Expert Examination - Daubert, Frye and Other Challenges
   10:15 - 11:15, Jeff M. Sbaih
   1. Requirements for Selecting and Qualifying Expert Witnesses
   2. Medical Experts and IMEs
   3. Biomechanics/Engineering Experts
   4. Vocational, Economics Experts and Lifecare Planners
   5. Accident Reconstructionists
   6. Mental Health Experts
10. Personal Injury Settlements: Plaintiff vs. Defense Perspectives
    11:15 - 12:15, Jeff M. Sbaih
    1. Direct Negotiations
    2. Mediation of Personal Injury Cases
    3. Arbitration of Personal Injury Claims
    4. Settlement Conferences
11. Personal Injury Trials in a Nutshell
    1:15 - 2:15, Jeff M. Sbaih
    1. Personal Injury Trial Themes That Work
    2. Jury Selection/Voir Dire in Injury Cases
    3. Approaching Damages with a Jury
    4. Personal Injury Case Opening Statements
    5. Evidence and Witnesses: Plaintiff vs. Defense
    6. Closing Arguments: Case Examples
12. Presentation of Evidence
    2:15 - 3:15, J.D. Smith
13. Standing on Ethical Ground
    3:30 - 4:30, Tyler K. Firkins
    1. Ethics of Legal Advertising
    2. Managing Client Expectations
    3. Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
    4. Preserving Confidentiality

Agendas and Speakers may differ slightly depending on the location. Please e-mail or call a representative to obtain an agenda for a particular location.

Seminar Summary:

Play to Win: Get Personal Injury Strategies for Success  (see full course description)

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