When it comes to awarding compensatory damages in a jury trial, the jury tries its best to grant a monetary amount which is sufficient to cover the expenses for loss, pain, and suffering relating to a victim’s injury, breach of contract, or in worst case scenario, death. In order to provide the claimant with justice, the jury determines an intelligent damages strategy that borders every phase of the litigation and trial. But what if you want to argue damages for your client that exceed the mere cost of injury? That said, as a lawyer, arguing damages can be the most difficult part of the trial. So, how to successfully ask for what your client deserves? Here are a few lucrative techniques for arguing damages to a jury:
Get The Jury To Connect With Your Client
The first step to get 12 strangers to connect with your client is to make your client look authentic. You and your client should be engaged, involved and genuine in the case at all times. As the representative of your claimant, you should share your client’s story with the jury. To elicit sympathy from the jury, it is very important to tell a good story. A compelling tale to tell can help the jury relate to your client and hence, the jury’s feelings will be reflected in their verdict.
Make Sure The Evidence Support Your Claims
With great power comes great responsibility. And when it comes to a lawsuit, the jury has substantial responsibility upon their shoulders. For that, every juror pays close attention to all the evidence provided during the trial. When the jury begins their deliberation, they review all aspects of the case along with making sure that the evidence supports the argument or the claim at hand. So, offer evidence that does not contradict with your stance and make sure it is credible, accurate and reliable.
Create A Winning Damages Argument
Putting a price on the pain and suffering is your true goal as your client’s representative. When it comes to framing your damages argument, make sure that you lay out the liability and tie your client’s claim for damages around the defendant’s liability. Along with that, be certain to share the losses suffered by your client and remind the jury of the facts and evidence given during the trial. The more the jurors feel that the liability and the damages claimed coincide, the more they’ll be inclined towards awarding your desired damages.
The Final Word
As the fate of your trial rests in the hands of 12 jurors, you need to make sure that all the legal arguments, the facts, evidence, witnesses are in favor of your client. Be wary of the fact that your client’s story does not come off as an elaborate hoax to the jury. Rather, the jury must feel that the claimant is someone who has actually been wronged for them to grant a profitable compensation to your client.