Nevada Personal Injury Litigation: Secrets Only the Top Attorneys Know

Agenda / Content Covered

1. Nevada Personal Injury Updates
   9:00 - 9:15, James P. Silvestri
2. Negotiating Injury Claims: Secrets and Insider Tips
   9:15 - 10:15, Dustin E. Birch
   1. Claim Evaluation Secrets
   2. Tricks to Finding Policy Limits, Adjuster Authority, and More
   3. Getting Reserves Set as High as Possible
   4. Optimizing Your Demand Letters
   5. Pointers for Negotiating With Difficult Adjusters
   6. Mistakes Many Plaintiffs' Attorneys Don't Realize They're Making
3. The Art of Medical Expert Depositions and Cross-Examination
   10:30 - 11:15, James P. Silvestri
   1. Tips for Better Prep and Deposition Outlines
   2. The Reports
   3. Advanced Questioning Tactics
   4. Questions You're Not Asking but Should
   5. Controlling the Expert and the Conversation
   6. Challenging Testimony and Cross-Examining Medical Experts
   7. Strategies for Impeaching Medical Experts
4. Smartphone and Text Evidence in Personal Injury Litigation
   11:15 - 12:15, Dennis F. O'Brien
   1. New Sources of Electronic Evidence You Need to Know
   2. Ephemeral Messaging Apps
   3. Collection Strategies: Texts, App Data, Location Data, and More
   4. Subpoenaing Records From Phone Companies
   5. Authentication
   6. Overcoming Hearsay Hurdles
   7. Smartwatch and Other Smart Technology
   8. Case Law Review
5. Wrongful Death Damages Calculations, Evidence, and Strategies
   1:15 - 2:15, Josh Cole Aicklen
6. Advanced Voir Dire and Jury Selection Techniques
   2:15 - 3:15, Josh Cole Aicklen
   1. Advanced Strategies for Reading Jurors
   2. Practical Tips for Question Construction
   3. Strategically Drawing Out Jurors' Attitudes, Opinions, Biases
   4. Asking the Hard Questions and Getting Honest Answers
   5. Maximizing Cause Strikes
   6. Wisely Using Your Peremptory Challenges
7. Legal Ethics
   3:30 - 4:30, Dustin E. Birch
   1. Conflicts of Interest
   2. The Contingency Fee
   3. Misuse of Client Funds
   4. Confidentiality
   5. Ethical Client Communications
   6. Hiding, Falsifying, or Presenting Dubious Evidence

Accreditation Details:

Josh Cole Aicklen is a partner in the Las Vegas office of the national law firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, and chair of the firm's national Hospitality Practice. Since 1990, Mr. Aicklen has practiced in the areas of hospitality litigation; general liability litigation defense in wrongful death of automobile, trucking and motorcycle cases; premises liability/negligent security claims against landowners; products liability; and the investigation and litigation of fraudulent claims. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Southern California and his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Whittier College School of Law.

Dustin E. Birch is a partner in the personal injury practice at Clear Counsel Law Group. Mr. Birch has been practicing in personal injury since graduating. He began at a small plaintiff's personal injury firm and then worked for one of Nevada's premier insurance defense firms for two years. He has handled cases ranging from paralyzed plaintiffs and wrongful deaths down to low-impact cases with limited injuries. Mr. Birch was also appointed as an arbitrator by the Nevada Supreme Court. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Utah and his J.D. degree from William & Mary Law School.

Dennis F. O'Brien is a sole proprietor at the law office of Dennis F. O'Brien, P.A., where his full-time civil litigation practice focuses on serious personal injury, product liability, including drug and medical devices, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, appellate work and general civil litigation. Mr. O'Brien is a member of the Maryland State, Harford County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City bar associations, the American Association for Justice.  He is admitted to the U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, U.S. Court of Appeals (Fourth Circuit) and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. O'Brien is the co-author and author of a variety of articles and is currently working on a book, Accident Reconstruction for Lawyers, to be nationally published by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). He earned his B.S. degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the Baltimore School of Law.

James P. Silvestri is a partner in the Las Vegas law firm of Pyatt Silvestri, where he practices in the areas of insurance defense law, insurance bad faith law, insurance coverage law, professional malpractice and appellate practice. Mr. Silvestri is a member of the State Bar of Nevada. He earned his B.S.C. degree from Santa Clara University, his M.A. degree from Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Santa Clara University School of Law. Mr. Silvestri had the privilege of clerking for the Hon. Roger D. Foley, United States District Court Judge.