The importance of story telling in personal injury cases
In all cases, but more so in the context of personal injury cases, the importance of effective storytelling is something many lawyers forget. An effective injury lawyer should concentrate on the facts of the case, also know the law, but a good handle of the facts and ability to story tell can make a world of a difference in reaching settlement or winning at trial. A good story teller in an injury lawyer can convince a trier of fact (judge or jury) that the injured person’s case should be viewed from their perspective.
The store telling should enable the jury to consider themselves in the shoes of the injury victim, sympathize with their story, suffering etc. and empathize with the effect of the incident and injuries sustained. It is important to note that an injured person who is disliked by the jury can lose a good case. Similarly, an injured person who is liked by a jury is more likely to win, as long as the facts are supported and the law is properly applied. At the same time, the lawyer representing the injury victim should also be very mindful of their conduct in the trial so that the jury “likes” the lawyer. Very poor conduct by a lawyer at a trial can result in the client paying the price, so being organized, empathetic and acting in a respectful, thoughtful way is important.
It is said that storytelling is an art form. Every injury victim’s experiences is different and those experiences (nature of the injury, nature of the incident, family life, effect of injuries, history etc.) will impact on how the story may be told. An effective injury lawyer can tell a persuasive story by sharing the experiences of the injury victim, providing crucial and vital information, demonstrating emotions and using effective evidence. The use of imagery is a valuable tool. Using demonstrative evidence such as photographs and videos is also a good tool.
An effective injury lawyer will be able to assist the injury victim to tell a story in a way that the jury can relate to and understand. A story that tells the injury victim’s experiences in a clear, simply and easy to understand way can have a persuasive impact. Every injury case has a theory – a theory of how the incident occurred and why the defendant is responsible. This theory is best developed and explained through evidence in a simple and straightforward manner.
A good story teller can win injury cases. A good story teller will be organized, know what evidence should be called and how it should be called, arrange and tell a story in a logical order, be mindful of their style when communicating the story, be prepared and present a story in a way that allows the audience (the jury) to agree with the preferred conclusion of the injury victim winning their case.
Ottawa Injury Lawyers are story tellers. Our lawyers participate in many continuing legal education seminars that make us effective injury lawyers. We offer free consultations and don’t charge a fee until we win. We almost always win.
Ottawa Accident and Injury Lawyers Marc-Nicholas Quinn, Lawyer and Mediator 613-315-4878 mquinn@ottawalawyers.com