Chase Wilson is an Attorney at Hurst Limontes, an Indiana law firm representing Hoosiers. With eight years of experience in insurance coverage law, Chase focuses his practice on victims of personal injury and wrongful death cases, recovering millions of dollars in compensation. An award-winning attorney, Chase has been recognized as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and has earned the Super Lawyers Rising Star accolade. He is also the Chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, where he advocates for professional growth and community engagement.

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

• [1:20] Inside a recent jury trial verdict with Chase Wilson
• [2:23] The challenges of litigating a three-car rear-end accident
• [3:51] A unique trial strategy: employing the “bookends” concept
• [6:50] How to handle misleading property damage photos 
• [9:08] The importance of cost-effective trial preparation
• [19:14] Tackling jury selection challenges within 30 minutes
• [28:54] Strategies for managing unforeseen challenges in a trial
• [47:12] How client satisfaction supersedes a significant monetary settlement

In this episode…

In high-stakes courtroom battles, lawyers often tackle cases where the evidence seems stacked against them. What happens when a case involves minimal visual damage, a seemingly invincible client, or an admission of liability? This episode details these kinds of challenges as two attorneys share their strategic approach to a complex car accident case that defies the odds.

Chase Wilson, a personal injury attorney, and host Alex Limontes dive into their team’s experience overcoming the myriad of obstacles in a three-car accident case. This accident resulted in minimal visual damage to the vehicle but significant ongoing pain to the client. Despite the apparent lack of severe injuries, Chase focused on the underlying damages and the permanent impact on the client’s quality of life. Notably, the team faced the added hurdle of dealing with an uncooperative insurance company, which ultimately drove them to trial due to an inadequate offer that failed to cover medical expenses. Through diligent preparation and the relentless pursuit of justice, Chase and his colleagues achieved a verdict significantly higher than the initial offer.

In this episode of Circle City Conversations, Alex Limontes interviews Chase Wilson, Attorney at Hurst Limontes, about the challenges of personal injury trials. Chase explores the value of storytelling in jury trials, in-depth knowledge of the rules of evidence, and adapting mid-trial to unexpected twists. Tune in for an insider’s view on strategic legal preparations, jury selection intricacies, and the pivotal moments that can make or break a case.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Alex Limontes: LinkedIn | Bio | Facebook 
• Hurst Limontes LLC
• Chase Wilson on LinkedIn
• Judge Gary L. Miller 
• Katherine Karres on LinkedIn
• ”Ep. 25: Litigation Lessons: Trying Tough Cases in Small Towns” on Circle City Conversations

Quotable Moments:

• “There’s more than meets the eye, right? Just because it doesn’t look bad at first glance doesn’t mean it isn’t.”
• “If you’re going to try cases, know the case law surrounding it. Know the rules of evidence because those have benefited us several times.”
• “If I can’t make the client money, it doesn’t make sense for them to have a lawyer.”
• “You just have to be willing to put in the work and willing to go try the case. Otherwise, what are you doing being a trial lawyer?”
• “If you’re trying a case correctly and if you care about the outcome, you’re going to learn something with every single case you try.”

Action Steps:

1. Master the rules of evidence: Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the rules of evidence and know the associated case law, as they frequently come into play during trials. This knowledge allows you to effectively address unexpected situations, like inadmissible testimony, ensuring you can protect your client’s interests.
2. Prioritize client communication: Keep an open line of communication with clients, advising them on the importance of consistent medical treatment and documentation of ongoing issues. This helps counter any defense claims of negligence or exaggeration and ensures a stronger case presentation.
3. Embrace trial experience: Take every opportunity to litigate cases, regardless of size, to build confidence and courtroom acuity. Regular trial experience enhances your ability to handle complex legal issues and better represent your clients’ needs.
4. Focus on jury education: Develop concise and impactful methods for educating the jury on biases and case-specific challenges. By highlighting key issues succinctly, you can effectively prime the jury for your arguments without overcomplicating the narrative.
5. Develop persuasive closing strategies: Use creative and relatable analogies, such as the per diem calculation for pain and suffering, to clearly communicate your client’s damages during closing arguments. This approach provides jurors with a tangible framework for understanding and determining fair compensation.

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.