Katherine Karres is a Personal Injury Lawyer at Hurst Limontes, an Indiana law firm focused exclusively on helping victims of negligence. With over 13 years of experience in injury litigation, Katie has tried 27 injury cases over her legal career and has helped thousands of clients resolve their cases. Before joining Hurst Limontes, she worked as a medical negligence claims litigator.

As a graduate of the University of Indianapolis and the Indiana University School of Law, Katie has lived in Indiana for most of her life. She has been a Super Lawyers Rising Star since 2017 and named Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers. 

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [1:29] Katherine Karres highlights the intricacies of trial law in a small area like Fulton County
• [2:04]  A real-life example of a trip and fall case in a landlord-tenant situation
• [3:26] The challenges of proving liability in Indiana’s legal climate for slip and fall cases
• [5:59]  Katie’s approach to handling motions to dismiss
• [07:32] The crucial role of proving notice in premises liability cases
• [14:30] Tactics for conducting effective jury selection 
• [19:52] Experiencing small-town bias in the courtroom and strategies to counter it
• [24:30] The importance of handling “bad facts” proactively in a trial
• [33:38] Cost-saving benefits of bifurcation for clients in trial cases
• [40:05] Achieving successful outcomes by focusing on liability in cases where damages are clear

In this episode…

When you slip and fall, who’s really at fault — and just how hard is it to prove your case in a court of law? In Indiana, premises liability cases present unique challenges, often tipping the scales against the injured. Can a strategic approach to trial lead to outcomes that defy expectations?

Personal injury lawyer Katherine Karres shares insights into overcoming such challenges. Katie shares her experience of successfully trying a trip and fall case in Fulton County, a rural area where most everyone knew the defendant. She dissects critical aspects of trial preparation and litigation, from the power of jury selection to the advantages of bifurcating trials into separate liability and damages proceedings. By anticipating jury biases, presenting clear and convincing evidence, and being transparent about the “bad facts” of a case, attorneys can mitigate the impact of any negatives used by the opposing side. Illustrating the nuances that shape courtroom battles and the tactics that can lead to a favorable verdict, Katie discusses how her strategic approach resulted in a favorable and swift settlement post-verdict in the Fulton County case, highlighting how even seasoned defense attorneys can underestimate the determination of a well-prepared plaintiff’s lawyer.

In this episode of Circle City Conversations, Alex Limontes interviews Katherine Karres, Personal Injury Lawyer at Hurst Limontes, about the legal procedures and psychological dynamics in personal injury trials. Katie dives into the nuances of a premises liability case that unfolded in the rural setting of Fulton County, Indiana, expounds on her approach to jury selection and the concept of bifurcation, and highlights the pitfalls one might encounter, from dealing with biases to battling summary judgments.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Alex Limontes: LinkedIn | Bio | Facebook 
• Hurst Limontes LLC
• Katherine Karres: LinkedIn | Bio | Facebook

Quotable Moments

• “If anyone tells you they’ve never lost a case, that’s probably because they’ve never tried one either.” 
• “It’s very difficult to try slip and fall or trip and fall cases in Indiana; a lot do get disposed of by summary judgment.” 
• “You’ve got to find out what your theme is, and you’ve got to find out where the failure was.” 
• “I feel like you can succeed in these cases as long as you can prove one or two ‘bad facts’ for the defendants.” 
• “You can’t be playing catch-up on ‘bad facts’ in front of the jury.”

Action Steps:

1. Understand local demographics before taking on a case: This helps you to anticipate potential jury biases and community connections.
2. Embrace bifurcation in applicable cases: Bifurcation can lead to a more focused trial on liability, saving time and costs, especially in premises liability cases.
3. Equip yourself with a deep understanding of the law regarding summary judgments and dismissals: This protects clients against being unfairly dismissed from the court without a jury hearing. 
4. Adopt thorough preparation tactics: Properly preparing clients ensures they can confidently handle deposition questions without jeopardizing their case.
5. Strategically focus on a few key facts in a case to build a strong narrative: This focused approach can amplify the impact of your argument by avoiding information overload and keeping the jury engaged.

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by Hurst Limontes LLC — a personal injury law firm based in Indiana.

Founded in 1981, Hurst Limontes LLC is one of the few firms whose practice focuses exclusively on victims of negligence and their families.

With more than 116 years of combined experience among our attorneys, you can trust us to handle your cases with valuable and extensive expertise. We have the knowledge to handle any case — from automobile accidents to construction site accidents, firearm discharge accidents, slips and falls, and more.

No matter how complex the case or how significant the injury is, we aim to make the process as stress-free as possible for clients.

Our attorneys have represented thousands of injured clients and obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.

Have you or a family member been a personal injury victim in Indiana? Contact our dedicated team of personal injury lawyers at hurstlimontes.com or email alimontes@hurstlimontes.com.