Communicating Effectively

Brien Roche

There is no question that a picture is worth at least 1,000 words.  It may be worth 10,000 words.  Frequently you don’t have a picture with you when you’re trying to explain something.  A good substitute is a hand-drawn diagram.

Visual and Aural-Be Multi Sensory

Many people are visual as opposed to aural (hearing).  They learn and understand better through a picture or diagram as opposed to the oral word. Communicating effectively may mean using both.

Explaining the court process to a client may sound like Greek to them if you simply spout out the stages.  If, on the other hand, you draw a simple diagram showing the progression from voir dire to opening statement to plaintiff presentation to motion to strike to defense presentation to jury instructions to closing argument to deliberation by the jury to verdict, they have a better understanding of how the case progresses.

In other words be multi-sensory. Try to involve as many of the senses as possible.

Communicating Effectively-Explaining A Settlement

Explaining a settlement to a client by showing the total recovery less the attorneys’ fees and other expenses is necessary for the client’s understanding.  Actually drawing out the numbers is probably helpful.  The alternative is another set of numbers.  These numbers may show the best case outcome, then deducting from that, the attorneys’ fees and other expenses helps the client better understand in graphic form what the choices are.  Those choices may be settling for a recovery of “X” amount.  The alternative may be going to trial with a recovery of anywhere from 0 to 2 “X”.

For more info on this subject contact us.
Also for more info on injury claims see Wikipedia.