Three years ago a potential client came to me, he was being sued by a large insurance company for "Subrogation". Basically he was in an accident, (not his fault, but they thought it was) his insurance paid out the limits of its policy and the company that was suing my client paid their client on a Uninsured Motorist policy. They were suing my client for reimbursement as they felt the crash was his fault.
Some interesting things about the case.
1) My client was insolvent.
2) They were very unlikely to win.
3) They started out bullying him as he was unrepresented and they tried to bully him into paying them $7,400. (If there theory was correct the most a court would have awarded them was $4,700.
So he originally asked me to represent him and I said no, because it would cost $10,000 and he could likely settle for $4,700. He decided to represent himself... I helped with friendly advice. He asked me again to represent him when he had saved up $4,700 and wanted me to help him settle the case. I agreed to call the attorney for him and handle the negotiations, pro bono.
The attorney for the insurance company refused to discuss settlement with me. She asked me, "How do you think a jury will feel about your Arab client coming here and causing accidents."
Right then and there I agreed to take his case. My client is an Arab and was here legally. HE has since returned to Sudan. I filed a Proposal for Settlement for $470 which they rejected. In Florida if you reject a Proposal for Settlement, and then lose, you have to pay the other sides attorney fees. We went to trial and the Jury found no fault on the part of my client and awarded the Insurance company ZERO.
I filed a motion for attorney's fees which was scheduled for this afternoon, we have been negotiating all morning over how much they will have to pay me to drop the demand for attorneys fees.... About an hour ago, they agreed to pay me $23,000.
1) They could have left my client alone.
2) They could have accepted my clients offer to settle for $4,700.
3) They could have not bullied him.
4) They could have accepted my clients later offer to settle for $470.
4) They could have not made an issue about his race.
Any of the above things and they would not have had to pay me $23,000.
Some interesting things about the case.
1) My client was insolvent.
2) They were very unlikely to win.
3) They started out bullying him as he was unrepresented and they tried to bully him into paying them $7,400. (If there theory was correct the most a court would have awarded them was $4,700.
So he originally asked me to represent him and I said no, because it would cost $10,000 and he could likely settle for $4,700. He decided to represent himself... I helped with friendly advice. He asked me again to represent him when he had saved up $4,700 and wanted me to help him settle the case. I agreed to call the attorney for him and handle the negotiations, pro bono.
The attorney for the insurance company refused to discuss settlement with me. She asked me, "How do you think a jury will feel about your Arab client coming here and causing accidents."
Right then and there I agreed to take his case. My client is an Arab and was here legally. HE has since returned to Sudan. I filed a Proposal for Settlement for $470 which they rejected. In Florida if you reject a Proposal for Settlement, and then lose, you have to pay the other sides attorney fees. We went to trial and the Jury found no fault on the part of my client and awarded the Insurance company ZERO.
I filed a motion for attorney's fees which was scheduled for this afternoon, we have been negotiating all morning over how much they will have to pay me to drop the demand for attorneys fees.... About an hour ago, they agreed to pay me $23,000.
1) They could have left my client alone.
2) They could have accepted my clients offer to settle for $4,700.
3) They could have not bullied him.
4) They could have accepted my clients later offer to settle for $470.
4) They could have not made an issue about his race.
Any of the above things and they would not have had to pay me $23,000.
