An injury can impact the quality of someone's life for years to come - or permanently. Representing an injured party is an enormous responsibility. The techniques you use during a case will impact both your client's future well-being and your viability as a competent practitioner. Do you have the knowledge you need to ensure a favorable outcome?

Build your skills from the convenience of your desk! You'll learn best practices for assessing a variety of personal injury cases. Take a closer look at the statutes that affect liability evaluation, as well as the laws of damages. Walk through the basics of civil practice and procedure, so you'll know what to do. Discover when it's in your client's best interest to settle, and when you'll need to go to trial. Order today!

1. Statutes Which Affect Liability Evaluation
2. Understanding the Law of Damages
3. Basics of Civil Practice and Procedure
4. Ethical Considerations for the Plaintiff's Attorney
5. Personal Injury Settlements
6. Trial of the Plaintiff's Personal Injury Case

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. STATUTES WHICH AFFECT LIABILITY EVALUATION
   8:30 - 9:30, Written by Anthony V. Cortese.
   Presented by Samuel P. King and Kenneth J. McKenna in Orlando and Anthony V. Cortese in Tampa.
   1. Statutes of Limitation
   2. Automobile Accident Statutes
   3. Injuries on Recreational Lands
   4. Sovereign Immunity
2. UNDERSTANDING THE LAW OF DAMAGES
   9:30 - 10:30, Written by Jeffrey "Jack" L. Gordon.
   Presented by Samuel P. King and Kenneth J. McKenna in Orlando and Jeffrey "Jack" L. Gordon in Tampa.
   1. Economic Damages
   2. Non-Economic Damages
   3. Wrongful Death and Survival Claims
3. BASICS OF CIVIL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
   10:45 - 12:15, Written by Kenneth J. McKenna.
   Presented by Kenneth J. McKenna in Orlando and Nicholas M. Athanason in Tampa.
   1. Assessment of Particular Case Types - Interviews and Investigation
      1. Automobile Accident Cases
      2. Slip and Fall Cases
      3. Product Liability Cases
      4. Others
   2. The Discovery Process
      1. Written Discovery
      2. Informal Discovery Including Public Sources of Information
      3. Taking and Defending Depositions
   3. Initial Court Filings
   4. Preparing Evidence Prior to Trial
      1. Understanding the Rules of Evidence
      2. Documentary Evidence
      3. Testamentary Evidence
      4. Demonstrative Evidence
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY
   1:15 - 2:15, Written by William J. Capito.
   Presented by Samuel P. King and Kenneth J. McKenna in Orlando and William J. Capito in Tampa.
   1. The Contingent Fee
   2. The Costs of Litigation - What is a Legitimate Cost?
   3. Advertising Legal Services
   4. Candor Toward the Tribunal
   5. Meritorious Claims and Contentions
5. PERSONAL INJURY SETTLEMENTS
   2:15 - 3:15, Written by Samuel P. King.
   Presented by Samuel P. King in Orlando and Nicholas M. Athanason in Tampa.
   1. Negotiation Techniques
   2. Mediation as a Settlement Tool
   3. Subrogation Interests
   4. Structured Settlements
   5. Understanding the Joint Tortfeasor Release and Other Releases
6. TRIAL OF THE PLAINTIFF'S PERSONAL INJURY CASE
   3:30 - 4:40, Written by Jeffrey "Jack" L. Gordon.
   Presented by Samuel P. King and Kenneth J. McKenna in Orlando and Jeffrey "Jack" L. Gordon in Tampa.
   1. How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes Made by New Attorneys
   2. Jury Selection - Voir Dire and Jury Questionnaires
   3. The Basics of an Opening Statement
   4. Presentation of Evidence
   5. Direct and Cross-Examination of Witnesses
   6. Proving Economic and Non-Economic Damages
   7. Delivering a Powerful Closing Argument
   8. Post-Trial Relief

SAMUEL P. KING is a member of the Orlando firm of Dellecker, Wilson, King, McKenna, Ruffier & Sos, LLP, where his main areas of practice are personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, defective products, nursing home abuse and neglect, insurance company bad faith, automobile/truck accidents and premises liability. He is board-certified as a civil trial lawyer by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Certification. Mr. King is a past lecturer for Rollins College, Crummer Graduate School of Business. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Florida and his J.D. degree, with honors, from Florida State University College of Law. Mr. King is a member of The Florida Bar (member, Trial Lawyers Section), the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (past member, Board of Directors), The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (member, Products Liability Section), the Southern Trial Lawyers Association and the American Inns of Court (barrister). He is admitted to practice in all courts in the state of Florida, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Supreme Court.

KENNETH J. McKENNA is a partner in the Orlando law firm of Dellecker, Wilson, King, McKenna, Ruffier & Sos, LLP, where his practice is concentrated in the areas of automobile negligence, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, insurance coverage and insurance bad faith. Mr. McKenna earned his B.S. degree, with honors, and his J.D. degree from the University of Florida. He is a member of the Orange County and American bar associations, The Florida Bar, the Florida Justice Association, and the Central Florida Trial Lawyers Association.

NICHOLAS M. ATHANASON is president of the Law Offices of Nicholas M. Athanason in St. Petersburg. He has handled hundreds of personal injury, wrongful death cases, insurance claims, criminal defense and family law matters. Mr. Athanason is admitted to practice in both state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the St. Petersburg Bar Association, the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers and the American Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Athanason earned his B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and his J.D. degree from Stetson University College of Law.

WILLIAM J. CAPITO is the president of the Law Offices of William J. Capito in Lutz, Florida. He has handled hundreds of personal injury and wrongful death cases, and has been the primary litigation attorney and advisor to two of Florida's largest metropolitan counties, as well as the managing attorney and litigation advisor to three of the nation's largest insurers. Mr. Capito is licensed in four states and has been a member of The Florida Bar since 1985. He recently argued a successful appeal before the Florida Supreme Court wherein he received a unanimous opinion from the full court in his client's favor. Mr. Capito is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the Trial Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar. He earned his B.A. degree, with honors, from West Virginia University, his M.P.A. degree from West Virginia University and his J. D. degree from Ohio Northern University, Claude Pettit College of Law.

ANTHONY V. CORTESE is a sole practitioner in Tampa who has practiced for more than 25 years handling personal injury litigation, longshore claims, workers' compensation and general litigation. Mr. Cortese is a member of The Florida Bar and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He also is admitted to the federal courts in the Western District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Florida, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Cortese is a member of The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Pennsylvania Law School and his J.D. degree, with honors, from the University of Pittsburgh Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review and had an article published. Mr. Cortese also assisted Professor Welsh White at the University of Pittsburgh Law School with a chapter on particular issues in a treatise on evidence.

JEFFREY "JACK" L. GORDON is a partner with the Tampa law firm of Maney & Gordon, PA, where he practices in the areas of civil litigation, medical malpractice and personal injury law. He is board-certified as a civil trial lawyer by The Florida Bar. Mr. Gordon earned his B.A. degree from Tulane University and his J.D. degree from Tulane University School of Law. After graduation, he worked as a law clerk intern to the Hon. Edward T. Barfield, III, 1st District Court of Appeal, Florida. Mr. Gordon is a member of several professional associations including, The Florida Bar, the American Association for Justice, the Hillsborough County Bar Association (Trial Lawyers Section) and the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association. He is member counsel for the Animal Legal Defense Fund and a fellow of the Roscoe Pound Institute. Mr. Gordon has served as a legal correspondent for media outlets throughout Tampa Bay. He is rated AV Pre-eminent by Martindale Hubbell, and was selected as one of the leading attorneys of the Southeastern United States for both 2009 and 2010 as published in Forbes Magazine by Goldline Research.

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am - 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com