How plaintiff attorneys can identify jurors who will fairly evaluate damages and hold defendants accountable.
Plaintiff attorneys need jurors who can fairly evaluate injury claims and award appropriate damages. Here's how to find them.
Damage Award Attitudes
Central to plaintiff success: - Probe for "jackpot justice" mentality opponents - Identify those who understand compensation purpose - Assess attitudes toward large verdicts - Explore personal responsibility beliefs
Corporate Defendant Cases
When suing corporations: - Identify anti-corporate bias (carefully) - Probe for business sympathy - Discuss corporate accountability - Explore employment experiences
Personal Injury Considerations
For injury cases, assess: - Experience with injuries or disabilities - Healthcare and insurance attitudes - Pain and suffering valuation - Lost wage calculation acceptance
The "Damages Anchor"
Some jurors have preconceived limits: - "I would never award more than..." - "No one deserves millions for..."
Identify and challenge these jurors.
Identifying Champions
Look for jurors who might: - Advocate during deliberations - Resist defense pressure to minimize - Understand economic and non-economic damages - Take thorough notes
Avoiding Plaintiff Traps
Watch for: - Secret defense sympathizers - Those who blame victims - Jurors with relevant but hidden negative experiences - Those who'll compromise on low numbers
