James Lindell, Lindell & Lavoie LLP

What are the biggest challenges you currently see in personal injury law?

Loss of respect for the judicial system. In light of the current state of affairs in America, it is difficult to be much concerned about the practice of a sliver of the civil law when the entire third branch of the federal government is under assault by the Trump administration and judges at all levels are receiving threats of violence. I think it’s an “all hands on deck” moment in America when lawyers of all stripes must stand up and broadcast firm support of and faith in the judicial system and the Constitutional role of the judiciary in curbing unlawful excesses of the Executive branch and Congress, using all means possible.

What advice would you give a client to avoid legal complications in a personal injury case?

The easy nuts and bolts stuff: aside from your family as you feel you must, discuss your case only with me and my staff. Ensure that your medical care provider bills the correct entity and apprise me of any change in care provider and treatment plan. Always give your care provider a complete inventory of your complaints related to your injury. And don’t ever sit and wonder what’s going on with your case — call me!

And despite written and verbal warnings about it, some clients can’t resist posting stuff on Facebook that undermines their character and credibility. I hate learning of an embarrassing post by my client from defense counsel in the course of a deposition!

Without revealing the names of a client, what is the most interesting case you’ve worked on lately?

I’ve had my share in 47 years of trial work. I just finished a case (successfully, thank you) in which a heavy double garage door at the rear of a residence for seniors inexplicably fell on my client, who was using the door to exit the building to smoke a cigarette. The door fell on my client, the walker she was using to assist her ambulation, and an oxygen tank on a carriage she was pulling. Fracturing numerous bones, the door pinned my client and her devices to the ground until police and EMTs arrived.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I’m the rare former smokejumper who loves opera.