Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Courtroom Secrets Part 2

Hoping to provide everybody the resources and knowledge to know how to fight their personal injury lawsuit, Seattle car accident attorney Jason Epstein continues his talks about courtroom secrets with two more that he wished everybody knew about.

In my first video on what I wished everybody knew about the courtroom, I talked about the incorrect notion on frivolous lawsuits and the fact that the word ‘insurance’ can never be uttered during a trial. Here, I’d like to talk about two more unknown facts about the courtroom, starting with the types of trials that can hear your case. On television, the courtroom is always portrayed as having a judge to guide the trial and a jury to decide it. This is how it works sometimes, but in other cases, a trial can be heard by the judge without a jury. With only a judge, it is called a bench trial, and with a jury, it is called a jury trial. Either side in a case can request a jury trial, but if neither does, it will be heard as a bench trial. The interesting thing about how this works is almost every time, it is the insurance company that requests a jury. The misconception about frivolous lawsuits can sway a jury in their favor, whereas a judge has a more strict understanding of the law.

Another thing I wish everone knew about the courtroom is that the insurance company can compel the victim in a case to see a doctor of their choice. It is called an ‘independent medical examination,’ but there is nothing independent about it. These doctors make big money off of seeing patients brought to them by the insurance companies, so they will almost always side with them. The doctors will either say that the victim is not injured, or the injury was caused by something not related to the accident.
If you are in an auto accident, make sure you check out my other videos that may be relevant to your case, and feel free to call my office toll free at (888) 852-0068. To get more information from Bellevue Accident Attorney Jason Epstein, make sure to get his books on Washington auto accidents for free by clicking on the preceeding link.

Jason Epstein is a partner at the Seattle and Bellevue based law firm, Premier Law Group. A Seattle native, Jason received his undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Southern California in 1995, and his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University, School of Law in 2001.

Jason is a member of the American Bar Association, the Washington Bar Association, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association. He has also completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University and the Trial Advocacy Skills program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Additionally, Jason has been a frequent speaker to other attorneys on a variety of topics. He lives on the Eastside of Lake Washington with his wife and son. In his spare time, Jason enjoys spending time with his family, exercising regularly, and taking in the great outdoors.