Crash! The U.S. tort system provides civil redress when one party unfairly harms another. Plaintiff lawyers represent clients who allegedly suffered physical, emotional, and economic injuries as the result of somebody else's negligent or intentional action. Despite the alleged harms, in the vehicle collision world, the injured rarely file lawsuits and trials almost never happen.

In this episode, we talk to Tricia Dennis, a graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Law. She's been a personal injury attorney in Chattanooga, TN for almost 30 years. While she's become extremely successful in her solo practice specializing in vehicle collisions, she provides a sobering look at how small law firm economics impact new and experienced practitioners.

From dealing with sexist attorneys to corralling tough clients, Tricia reveals several challenges she's faced in her career. She walks us through client intake, negotiations, and settlement from a plaintiff lawyer's perspective. By the end of the interview, listeners understand that, more than anything, Tricia is a small business owner who helps her clients navigate an insurance maze.

This episode is hosted by Debby Merritt, a law professor at Ohio State University.

Episode Links

Tricia Dennis: Attorney at Law
U.S. National Library of Medicine: Kyphoplasty
Tennessee Law Blog: Three Years of Tennessee Tort Reform - The Essentials, by Dan Berexa
Ms. JD: What No One Tells You Before You Go to Law School: You're Entering a Sexist Profession, by Alison Monahan
Yale Daily News: Robert Bork settles $1 million lawsuit with Yale Club, by Isaac Arnsdorf | Complaint (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York)

LST Links

I Am The Law