Licensed in Missouri and Kansas

Jury Trials - The Basics

If your personal injury case is one of the few that can't settle, then you will have to have a trial to determine if the defendant is liable for your injuries and how much compensation you are entitled to. Most trials are heard by a jury rather than a judge and almost all have the same basic format.

The first phase of a jury trial is almost always the most important: jury selection. Also called voir dire, jury selection determines who will be deciding the fate of your case.

Next comes opening statements where the parties tell the jury what the trial will be about and what evidence they will hear.

The plaintiff next presents his or her evidence followed by the defendant. The parties then make their closing arguments and then the case is submitted to the jury so they can deliberate and return a verdict.

Despite this basic format, jury trials are incredibly complicated and difficult affairs. Years of study and practice are required to master them.

It is vitally important that you choose a personal injury attorney with the knowledge and ability to handle a jury trial. Although most cases settle, your lawyer must be able to go the distance.

As a Kansas City personal injury lawyer, I have tried many cases in my career and am always studying and learning more about them. You can rest assured that if necessary, I can and will try your case.

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