Attorneys representing injured victims – be it for accidents on premises, auto, products liability, medical malpractice and nursing home malpractice – must be willing to incur expenses to present the case thoroughly and imaginatively. However, there is one expense that costs thousands of dollars that I do not feel is a necessity: the much revered focus group.
Attorneys are always wondering how insurers will view a serious accident case, hence the hiring of consultants who in turn convene a focus group. This runs into a lot of money and the client ultimately has it come out of his/her recovery.
Believe me, I do not believe in preparing a plaintiff’s case “on the cheap.” Nevertheless, can’t you use spouses, neighbors, students, elderly, co-workers and others who offer their view of your case?
Granted some of these people may not be typical jurors. In spite of their atypical knowledge, trust me when I say they are forever asking great questions.
In that sense, your focus group can be as large and diverse as your attorney chooses. The hidden lesson of this personal injury blog, I humbly say, is that a focus group can be as cheaply priced as your attorney chooses.