Most cases we take are difficult. But we pride ourselves on achieving justice for clients that have been turned down by other lawyers. We go to trial, if necessary. And we make sure we always communicate with the client. But some things are out of our control. Tort law in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky all took some sort of hit in 2017.
This has been a trend in Ohio for the last several years and with swings in West Virginia and Kentucky, these clients are feeling the impacts of tort reform as well. With tort reform still growing, our clients’ 7th Amendment rights to a civil jury trial shrink. More parties seek more money from the client’s prospective settlement, which makes it increasingly difficult to resolve cases for a fair amount. Add that to the fact that insurance companies are finding more and more ways to not pay out on claims. This year, we have noticed a rise in the amount of insurance adjusters who claim our clients “failed to properly look out” for their negligent insured. They subsequently assign a percentage of fault to our clients where no fault exists. Our staff has found ways to counter-act these arguments, but it does add time to each case. At Burnside Brankamp Law, we strive to resolve many "underdog cases" that we feel are important cases for all of those good people facing "underdog odds".
Being of service to our community is another way our firm is dedicated to fighting the good fight for those who feel their voices have been muffled or silenced. If we do what the ambulance chasers do, we know that no one will trust us. So we focus on just being ourselves. We are all passionate about our community—- so we try to give back as often as we can. There would be no 7th Amendment if it wasn't for our veterans. And we know some of our veterans need assistance. For the last two years, we have supplied over 100 care bags to our local veterans services organizations. We are neighbors to the Red Cross. We partner with them in every opportunity we can. From the Chili Cook Off, to the annual Dancing With Our Stars fundraiser, we stay active with these community partners. This year, we will be donating car seats to local hospitals for ne families that don’t have the means to bring their babies home safely. We feel we have the trust of our community so it is only natural that we give back.