Past Results Do Not Predict Future Outcomes

I’m David Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss personal injury law topics.

Today’s question comes from a fellow who texted us. He said he was absolutely sure he had a great case, and he wanted to sue for a Bazillion Dollars! He wanted us to call him right away.

Setting aside the paradox of texting us to demand that we call him, I was intrigued that he knew how much he wanted to sue for. Most people rely upon their attorney to make that decision, but this fellow had all the answers.

Anyway, we tried calling the number he gave in the text, and surprise – there was no answer.

Keep in mind that a bazillion is not even an actual dollar amount. Also, keep in mind that what you ask for in a case has little relationship to what you might get through a settlement or verdict. Lastly, keep in mind that even if you get a large verdict after a trial, you still have to collect on that verdict. If the person you won a judgment against has no insurance and no assets, well, good luck collecting anything.

We understand that people often contact an attorney when they are frustrated, angry, and injured. Perhaps they have lost someone close to them due to negligent medical care or an auto accident caused by a distracted or drunk driver.

Sometimes it is just a matter of seeing ads or billboards tabulating how much money a law firm has won for their clients over the years. The person contacting an attorney thinks, “hey, I want that too.”

What those ads, billboards, and lawyer websites don’t always display is a disclaimer that says:

“Past results are not an express or implied prediction of future success and should not be construed as such. Past results cannot guarantee future performance or case outcomes. Any result in a single case is not meant to create an expectation, promise, guarantee, or prediction of a similar result in a future case. Each case has many different factors, including different facts and legal issues. Verdicts may be reduced by comparative fault, contributory negligence, or following an appeal. Results will always differ on a case-by-case basis.”

That’s right … the case you decide to contact an attorney about, although similar in nature to what you might have read about, is not the same as that case. And the jury that heard that big award case will not be the same jury to decide your claim, and everything will be different. And even if you win and are awarded a figure of some sort, it may or may not be the number you envision.

We’ve spent years educating our clients on what to expect if injured and are now considering bringing a lawsuit.

Our website is filled with information that can help guide viewers to the truth. You might even find articles that resemble the situation you might be in. But, if so, let us remind you that every case, jury, and outcome is unique and not guaranteed to present the same results.

In our book “Fighting for Truth,” we highlight past verdicts and past results. In doing so, however, we make clear that past performance does not equal future results.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you are a victim of someone’s carelessness, substandard medical care, a product defect, work injury, or another type of personal injury, call us at (219) 736-9700 with your questions. Learn more about us by visiting our website at DavidHolubLaw.com. And, if you want to know more about our past verdicts and results, please request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth.”