There is ample data that SUVs a prone to rollovers even when their drivers are engaging in routine evasive maneuvers (e.g., to avoid an animal in the road). Attorney Thompson has successfully represented victims of SUV rollovers by obtaining rollover data on the vehicles and, through the use of experts in the field, establishing that fairly minor and inexpensive design changes could have prevented the accident and the serious injuries that resulted. In one case, our legal team was able to show that similar design changes had been recommended by the SUV manufacturer’s engineers, but the company executives chose not to implement those changes because they felt that it would make the truck look less attractive and, therefore, harder to sell. This evidence was critical to successfully resolving the case.
Frequently the most difficult issue that we face in injury cases is how the injuries will affect our clients in the future—at work, at home, etc. Treating physicians are generally willing to provide some information about our client’s future restrictions and the future impact of his/her injuries. However, because treating doctors often do not have the time or inclination to provide a thorough analysis of the future impact of injuries on work activities and other activities of daily living, we use the best experts in the field to provide more comprehensive analysis of these issues in order to prove our cases. We find that, by providing this type of detailed and comprehensive analysis to insurance companies, we are able to settle cases favorably without having to go to court over 98 percent of the time. Insurance companies know Attorney Thompson’s reputation in court and, in the vast majority of cases, choose to settle rather than risking an unfavorable result at trial and having to pay the high the costs associated with trial.