July 2010 Archives

Until now if you were involved in an accident and claimed damages of $10,000 or less, you and the insurance carrier were entitled to a judge trial and not a jury trial. Jury trials cost a great deal more. Doctors who charge thousands to appear need to be called. Years ago there was no dollar limit on jury trial requests. As a result, insurance company lawyers would request jury trials in small cases as a means to discourage attorneys from taking them. It was a strategic move to reduce personal injury claims. For example, if an automobile accident case that occurred in Columbia in Howard County was worth $5,000 and the doctor charged two thousand to appear, than the economics of a Howard County jury trial didn't make sense. It discouraged many attorneys from taking smaller claims.