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Course Details

Course Information
  • smart_display Format

    On-Demand

  • signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level

    Intermediate

  • work Practice Area

    Personal Injury and Med Mal

Date & Time
  • event Date

    Wednesday, May 15, 2024

  • schedule Time

    1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

  • timer Program Length

    90 minutes

Credit Information

  • This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.

$197.00
CLE
ALL

This CLE course will discuss strategies for personal injury attorneys to draft and leverage demand letters in auto accident cases to maximize settlements, get cases resolved faster, and create better results for clients. The panel will consider the pros and cons of demand letter automation and the use of generative AI to create demand letters.

Faculty

Kelly E. Cook
Founding Partner
Wyly & Cook, PLLC

Mr. Cook is a founding partner of Wyly & Cook, PLLC. He is a member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, where he is a former Vice-President and currently sits on the Board of Directors. Mr. Cook served on the Board of Directors of the 7th Amendment PAC, supporting talented and credentialed candidates for the judiciary.  He is a member of the American Association for Justice and a Member of the College of the State Bar of Texas. Mr. Cook has been selected as a Super Lawyer since 2016 and was a Rising Star before that. He was selected by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys as a “Top Ten Attorney” for personal injury. Mr. Cook was also listed as one of the Top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers. He has a Superb 10/10 rating by AVVO.

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Rick J. Houghton
Attorney
Michigan Auto Law

Mr. Houghton is an attorney in the firm’s litigation division. He prides himself on providing excellent client service, communication, and protecting the rights of injured auto crash victims. Mr. Houghton Brandon Hewitt partnered to achieve the largest pain and suffering jury verdict for a car accident in Ottawa County history – a trial verdict that was over 10 times the defendant’s final offer.  He practices in Michigan Auto Law’s West Michigan office, located in downtown Grand Rapids.

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Alexander P. Kemp
Attorney
Michigan Auto Law

Mr. Kemp is an attorney in the firm’s litigation division. He has been with the firm for several years, beginning as a law clerk. While in law school, Mr. Kemp had the opportunity to first chair a felony jury trial at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office in Detroit. Prior to attending law school, he was a judicial intern for the Honorable Ronald Lowe in the 35th District Court.

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Description

In auto accident cases, the plaintiff's demand letter is critical in setting the tone and forming first impressions with the insurance company. It is your opportunity to frame the narrative and convey the seriousness and magnitude of your client's claim to obtain the maximum offer, as well as show that you are prepared to take the case to litigation if a fair settlement cannot be reached.

Consequently, personal injury counsel must be deliberate and strategic in drafting a demand letter that is persuasive. A demand letter should make it easy for the adjuster to see your client’s claim the way you do.

Today's demand letter must present a convincing case that the auto accident claim presents a good liability case with damages that justify a significant offer. The demand should detail the four medical corners of the case and highlight any relevant administrative, legal, and economic factors in play. The demand should not just provide the key facts, but frame the case favorably while preempting the insurance company’s preconceptions.

The advent of AI and automated demand letters requires attorneys to evaluate whether automation can achieve these goals and in what types of cases.

Listen as our authoritative panel discusses their personal experiences with drafting and leveraging demand letters in auto accident cases that have resulted in significant settlements for their clients.

Outline

  1. Best practices for drafting the demand letter
  2. Timing considerations: when to submit the demand letter

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • What are the key considerations for personal injury attorneys drafting demand letters in auto accident cases?
  • What are some of the pitfalls personal injury counsel have confronted when drafting and submitting demand letters, and how can they be avoided?
  • How can counsel use insurer oversights or errors as leverage to increase the settlement amount?