The Best Defense Is A Good Offense

October 26, 2016

Two weeks before trial in DuPage County, Patton & Ryan settled a case involving a right ankle fracture and resulting surgery from a slip and fall down an apartment staircase for 60% of settlement authority. Our aggressive defense tactics in this premises liability action with question­able constructive notice caused the recalcitrant Plaintiff to settle sig­nificantly under what was originally anticipated. In many of the counties in Illinois, DuPage included, all trial materials must be completed and submitted to opposing counsel and the trial judge, one to two weeks be­fore trial. As is the Patton & Ryan custom, our trial materials addressed skillfully and tenaciously every potential weakness of the Plaintiff’s case, thereby intimidating Plaintiff into accepting a settlement offer well below settlement authority. Plaintiff’s attorney indicated that part of the decision to settle was influenced by the video evidence deposition of Plaintiff’s treating physician taken by Patton & Ryan the day before the final pre-trial conference. The physician’s skillfully elicited testimony se­verely curtailed the Plaintiff’s damages claim and was indicative of the type of defense Patton & Ryan routinely presents. Trial Judge Kenneth L. Popejoy expressed his satisfaction with Patton & Ryan’s trial prepa­ration. Overall, not only were we able to gain a favorable outcome for our client, but we were also able to showcase what Patton & Ryan does best: win cases.