Recent Posts in The AHL Difference Category
Posted on Feb 1, 2012 By Chad Hemmat
Hiring a Colorado trial attorney who can recite the caps on non-economic damages by memory is not nearly as impressive as hiring an attorney who is aware of how to navigate around those caps. If a ...
Continue reading "WHY CAPS ON DAMAGES RARELY, IF EVER, REALLY LIMIT INJURY RECOVERY" »
Posted on Jun 3, 2011 By Chad Hemmat
The bad facts of this next case caused several law firms to turn it away as un-winnable before WE took it and won. INTRODUCTION : This injury was caused during a two car motor vehicle collision. While ...
Continue reading "WINNING THE CASE THAT APPEARS UNWINNABLE: Part 2" »
Posted on May 6, 2011 By Chad Hemmat
Consider a case where an employee is horribly injured on the job (due in large part to the employee's own negligence) and his employer didn't carry worker's compensation insurance. Sounds ...
Continue reading "WINNING THE CASE THAT APPEARS UNWINNABLE: Part 1" »
Posted on Apr 30, 2011 By Chad Hemmat
A. Introduction: New legislation from last year settled (or so we thought) a long-standing debate amongst personal injury trial attorneys. The debate was: should an injury victim be able to claim, and ...
Continue reading "MEDICALS BILLED vs. PAID: It probably ain't what your lawyer thinks" »
Posted on Apr 17, 2011 By Chad Hemmat
I am back from a successful trial in El Paso County . In a career that has spanned 20 years, I can tell you that the most common place I find myself is right where the naysayers say it can't be done. ...
Continue reading "A CASE CAN BE WON ANYWHERE (AS LONG AS YOU TRY IT INTELLIGENTLY)" »
Posted on Mar 4, 2011 By Chad Hemmat
There seems to be an unwritten rule that lawyers need to watch each other's backs. It is the notion that we as colleagues, perhaps even members of an exclusive club, should look the other way to the ...
Continue reading "LAWYER MALPRACTICE: why it happens, how you can tell when it has happened to you, and what you can do about it" »
Posted on Dec 10, 2010 By Chad Hemmat
Many of our articles focus on tips for hiring the right trial attorney for your particular case. For years we have been hired as the second or even the third attorneys by clients whose first or second ...
Continue reading "HIRING AN ATTORNEY---WHO NOT TO HIRE" »
Posted on Sep 24, 2010 By Chad Hemmat
DISCLAIMER: There is no substitute for the individual advice and counsel of your own attorney. This article should be generally considered as sound tips but should in no way be considered either legal ...
Continue reading "HAVING YOUR DEPOSITION TAKEN: Tips for Helping It Go Better" »
Posted on Sep 8, 2010 By Chad Hemmat
I spent the week before Labor Day in trial on a case in Denver District Court. For me, doing opening statements, examining witnesses and making a closing argument are an adrenaline rush. There is ...
Continue reading "WAITING ON THE JURY VERDICT: waiting, and waiting, and waiting..." »
Posted on Apr 30, 2010 By Chad Hemmat
This article is not intended to discourage the reader. Actually, quite the contrary. The premise of this article is that by not conforming to the expectations of the insurance company , you will be in ...
Continue reading "WHY INSURANCE COMPANIES EXPECT YOU TO SETTLE" »
Posted on Jan 22, 2010 By Chad Hemmat
As we continue our series, this week we will consider variations of Rear-end collisions. These “rules of thumb” are sure to surprise some of our readers. I) REARENDED by a Co-Worker = O.K. Work Comp ...
Continue reading "THE CALCULUS OF PERSONAL INJURY FROM “I” to “N”: and why lawyers need to look beyond them" »
Posted on Jan 16, 2010 By Chad Hemmat
This week we continue our series divulging trade secrets of personal injury attorneys. These "rules of thumb" used by attorneys are sure to continue surprising you. D) SLIP AND FALLS/ grocery store= ...
Continue reading "THE CALCULUS OF PERSONAL INJURY FROM “D” to “H”: and why lawyers need to look beyond them" »
Posted on Dec 4, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
Lawyers can certainly become creatures of habit and as such get comfortable in their routine. Auto accident injury victims hire lawyers with an expectation that they will thoroughly investigate these ...
Continue reading "WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP? Big recoveries lost if we don’t ask the right questions" »
Posted on Jun 19, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
In a famous scene from the movie "Dead Poet Society", Robin Williams stands on top of his desk and then invites his class of teens to do the same. He then exclaims: "I stand upon my desk to remind ...
Continue reading "TO PREPARE MY CLIENT’S CASE FOR TRIAL, I STAND ON MY DESK" »
Posted on Jun 12, 2009 By Marta
As you may have noticed, our blog entries have been written so far by Mr. Hemmat. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Hemmat is a terrific attorney and a great boss, but his view is limited as it is from the top. ...
Continue reading "THE VIEW FROM THE BOTTOM" »
Posted on Jun 5, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
When my partners and I first founded ANDERSON, HEMMAT & LEVINE close to a decade ago, we had each already spent years in other firms and had a good sense as to what worked well and what did not. ...
Continue reading "ANDERSON, HEMMAT & LEVINE: A Better Mouse Trap" »
Posted on May 28, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
In the 1960's, professional offices looked professional. In recent days, the invention of Dockers and the advent of "business casual" has resulted in a less professional feel to most offices. ...
Continue reading "WHY OUR FIRM LOOKS DIFFERENT and WHY THAT SHOULD MATTER TO YOU." »
Posted on May 14, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
There is a notion amongst many attorneys that the practice of law today should be no different than it was twenty years ago or even five years ago. Think about that for a minute. Twenty years ago you ...
Continue reading "IF IT AIN’T BROKEN–BREAK IT! – Our unique approach makes all the difference for our clients" »
Posted on Apr 30, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
There is a look in the eyes of people who have recently experienced a life-changing catastrophic injury. But that "look" is not in the eyes of the victim of the injury. He or she usually appears ...
Continue reading "LOOKING INTO THEIR EYES: WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE LIVE BY THREE RULES" »
Posted on Mar 13, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
The average experience of the typical injury victim hiring the usual personal injury attorney is unsatisfying. We know this because nationwide studies have documented it. Let me begin by emphasizing ...
Continue reading "WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE: IT’S NO SECRET" »
Posted on Feb 18, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
In an earlier blog, I detailed the importance of the first call to the law firm. Assuming a series of successful first calls, you should now have two or more firms that still interest you. The next ...
Continue reading "THE FIRST MEETING: A CHECKLIST TO SUCCESSFULLY FINDING YOUR NEXT ATTORNEY" »
Posted on Feb 6, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
Attorneys spend millions of dollars advertising to make the phone ring. But when it does, it is surprising to me how rude, uninformed, rushed and unprofessional law firms can be. I have spent 18 years ...
Continue reading "MAKING THAT FIRST CALL: HOW MOST LAW FIRMS FAIL THEIR CLIENTS RIGHT FROM THE START" »
Posted on Jan 28, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
If you have been following this blog, you might start thinking that I do not have a high regard for other attorneys who practice in the area of personal injury in Colorado. Actually, that is not true. ...
Continue reading "ONE QUESTION TO ASK YOUR ATTORNEY TO FIND OUT WHO HE REALLY REPRESENTS" »
Posted on Jan 15, 2009 By Chad Hemmat
The attorney you hire to handle your auto accident claim needs to have specialized knowledge of Colorado motor vehicle laws. If they do not, it could cost you. For example, attorneys representing ...
Continue reading "AUTO ACCIDENTS: WHAT THE LAWYER YOU HIRE BETTER KNOW" »