As a Seattle Auto Accident Attorney, I’ve dealt with a drunk driving accident or two, and I’ve learned a lot about them over the years. The one thing you don’t have to be an expert to know is that they are completely avoidable. Call a friend; or better yet let them sleep and get a cab! Now this is going to be easier than ever with new dedicated cab stands popping up in Seattle.

Between 10 PM and 6 AM, certain curb space in the downton, Fremont and Capitol Hill neighborhoods will be restricted to cabs-only. Seattle Mayor McGinn said that they worked hard to keep these stands away from residential areas and in places that worked to benefit the local businesses. Local business owners are also happy that the couple thousand partiers who flood the city on the weekends will have a new way to get out of town.

Being a Seattle Area Personal Injury Lawyer, I know that it isn’t always easy to find a cab in Seattle late at night. That’s why I’m glad that the city is creating this new option for people to get home safely. Hopefully this will encourage people to leave their cars at home when they go out on the weekends, and grab a cab instead!

It’s amazing what level of risk some people will take – especially with other people’s children.

16% of all car accidents that result in wrongful death and 20% of all car accidents that result in personal injury are caused by distracted driving – generally caused by either texting and driving or talking on a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

This kind of dangerous behavior kills over 5000 people a year here in America – and that’s why “Consumer Reports” has teamed up with the Department of Transportation on an educational program that they hope will reach over a 100 million people.  The magazine has just published the results of their nationwide survey on the subject, which I discuss in my new article, “Distracted Driving: Survey Says…”

One recent story illustrates just how severe the problem of distracted driving can get – and that’s the case of one Connecticut woman, who drove a school bus, who’s being charged with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree reckless endangerment.

After watching her with the help of a secret surveillance video camera, authorities estimate that she sent an amazing 1068 texts while driving the school bus.  Not while parked.  Not while waiting for children to get on the bus.  No – while actually driving the bus packed with children.

Oh – and, also, this was in a one month period.

This was an accidental discovery, by the way.  The real reason the 47 year-old woman was under surveillance was because one of her passengers, a 9 year-old autistic girl, continually came home with bruises on her hands and arms.  Her parents accused the bus driver of causing the injuries.  When the police viewed the videos and saw the amount of texting the woman was doing on the job, the additional charges were made.

Perhaps we should start putting video cameras in more school buses.  Perhaps we can save more lives.

Please feel free to visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury and wrongful death lawyers, Washington auto and motorcycle accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.  I’m also inviting all teens to take the pledge not to text and drive at my website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.

Jason Epstein, Washington Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyer and Founder of Teens Against Distracted Driving, will be speaking to Seattle area young women about the dangers of texting while driving.

Seattle, Wash. – March 22, 2011 – Seattle personal injury and Washington car accident lawyer, Jason Epstein, is the founder of the initiative, Teens Against Distracted Driving (T.A.D.D.) T.A.D.D. is a movement promoted by auto accident lawyers from around the country who are dedicated to bringing awareness of the incredible dangers of texting while driving.  “We are just tired of seeing kids being killed by texting and driving, or by others texting and driving,” remarked Epstein.

Jason Epstein, the founder of TADD and Straight Talk Law, will be speaking to students and parents at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington on Thursday, March 24^th about the dangers of distracted driving.  The name of the event is called “Safe Driving For Teens” and will begin at 7pm.

“This will be a great opportunity to speak to teens, along with their parents, about the dangers of texting while driving.  More and more teens are starting to realize the dangers of texting while driving, but there is always more we can do.  Parents can play a very important role in helping their kids to understand the incredible risks they take when they are distracted while they are driving.  I hope to inspire these teens and parents to spread the message and support TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com,” remarked Epstein.

“Everywhere I speak, my main goal is to drive home the brutal reality of the dangers of texting while driving and urging teens to sign my pledge to not text and drive.  I hope to have kids all across America wearing the orange bracelets that I have produced and am giving away for free to anyone that signs the pledge.  The bracelets say, “I PLDG 2 NT TXT N DRV,” continued Epstein.

With T.A.D.D. and it’s corresponding website, http://www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com, Jason is urging teens across the country to be aware of the incredible dangers posed by texting and driving, one of the nation’s fastest growing causes of auto accidents.  Through the T.A.D.D website, teens can make the following pledge:

“From here on out, I pledge to completely stop texting and using my cell phone while I am driving. I understand the dangers associated with these actions and will spread the word to my family and friends to help us put an end to the dangerous habit.”

Find out more about T.A.D.D. at http://www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com

Jason Epstein, Seattle, Washington based personal injury and car accident lawyer, founded Straight Talk Law to provide a series of legal guides meant to empower accident victims and those looking for a lawyer.  Straight Talk Law prides itself on providing the unfiltered truth about lawyer advertising, an informative website and blog, a new way to practice law where the lawyer communicates pertinent information directly to the client in an easy-to-understand way, and a law practice where lawyers share information with those who need it, and work on their clients’ case in an open, easy to understand way through effective communication.

To learn more about Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

About Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law:

Jason Epstein joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Jason is a litigator handling all types of personal injury cases with an emphasis on serious plaintiff’s personal injury and insurance coverage.  Jason is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice and serves within its leadership. Jason often speaks at CLEs and serves as an arbitrator for both private and mandatory arbitration matters.

Jason attended Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming.  The month long program is dedicated to training lawyers who represent injured people. Jason completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution and the Trial Advocacy program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jason has been dedicated to representing injured people since 1999.

Jason Epstein has been representing individuals against insurance companies and large corporations since 2001. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other serious and catastrophic injuries. Hopefully you have already visited StraightTalkLaw.com. This website is loaded with tons of information, and is constantly updated to keep you informed of recent developments. You can also stay up to date by following the blogs, which are linked to StraightTalkLaw.com

Jason understands that providing the best legal representation to his clients, means limiting the number of cases he accepts. He takes fewer cases so he has more time for you. By limiting his caseload, Mr. Epstein is able to give each client and each case the time and attention that they deserve. If you would like to see if your case qualifies for Mr. Epstein to represent you, please contact us through StraightTalkLaw.com, request one or more of Jason’s books, or call us toll free at (888) 333-1873.

A Seattle native, Jason received his B.A. in Philosophy from USC, and his J.D. from Pepperdine University. Mr. Epstein lives in Renton with his wife and two sons. In his spare time, Mr. Epstein enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.

To learn more about Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

In its April issue, “Consumer Reports,” one of the top ten magazines in America, takes on the issue of distracted driving, a growing problem on our nation’s roadways that is the direct cause of thousands of car accidents that result in wrongful death and personal injury.   The magazine had teamed up with the U.S. Department of Transportation to educate teenagers, parents and teachers about the ongoing dangers of such practices as texting and driving.

The foundation of that educational process was a nationally representative poll conducted in November of 2010, in which over 1000 Americans were questioned about distracted driving.  The results were disturbing, to say the least:

• Almost two-thirds of those under 30 said they had used a handheld phone while driving in the past 30 days – and almost a third had texted while driving during the same period.

• Only 36 percent of those under 30 were very concerned about the problem of distracted driving.  Only 30 percent felt it was very dangerous to use a handheld phone.

• 64 percent of all respondents reported they had seen other drivers texting within the past 30 days.

• 58 percent had witnessed a dangerous driving situation related to a distracted driving within the past 30 days.

On the more positive side, “Consumer Reports” also looked into what the most effective weapons were in the battle against distracted driving.   They asked respondents, who said they had been influenced to personally stop distracted driving practices, just what had caused them to commit to avoiding that dangerous behavior:

• 66% of the respondents said that it was because they had either read or seen information on the dangers of distracted driving.

• 44% said they were aware of laws passed in their state or community banning the practice.

• 20% cited media campaigns such as Oprah Winfrey’s and websites such as www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com.

• 22% said they either witnessed or were involved in a car accident caused by distracted driving.

It’s clear from these numbers that the more education that is provided to Americans, the more distracted driving car accidents that result in personal injury and wrongful death can be prevented.

The Department of Transportation and “Consumer Reports” recognize this – and have already made available a free guide for parents and teachers, which can be accessed both at http://Distraction.gov and at http://www.consumerreports.org/distracted, and which will also be distributed to schools nationwide.   This April, they will also be showing a special distracted driving video in retail stores that is expected to reach over 100 million people.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit the website of Seattle, Washington Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney Jason Epstein at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Mr. Epstein’s law practice in Seattle, Washington.   Mr. Epstein also invites teen drivers to take the pledge to not text and drive at his website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com.

The fight against distracted driving has so far mostly focused on texting and driving.  Now, it may need to include surfing the web.

In my new article, “Surfing While Driving,” you can read about the results of a new survey that says almost one out of every five drivers admits to using their Smartphones to access the internet while they’re behind the wheel.

In my opinion, some things are black and white.  Things you should do while you’re driving?  Keep your eyes on the road, stay alert to other cars around you and regularly check your rear view mirrors.  Things you shouldn’t do?  Update your Facebook status and check TMZ.com.

And yet, some states are now starting to push back against proposed laws that ban texting and driving.  South Dakota has repeatedly rejected these kinds of bills and Idaho only wants to make texting and driving illegal when it actually is distracting.  How a law enforcement official is supposed to divine that, I’m not quite sure.

The fact is that the number one killer of teens is car accidents.  And teens are more likely than any other age group to engage in distracted driving, just because they’ve grown up with these electronic devices and use them more frequently.

That’s why it’s important that we continue to pass laws discouraging them – and every age group – from using handheld electronic devices while driving.

A district attorney in Georgia just might have the right idea.  When 65 year-old driver Jerry Ray Deal admitted to being distracted by his cell phone when he caused a car accident  – a car accident that resulted in the wrongful deaths of a father and son, he was found guilty on two counts of second-degree homicide by vehicle.  And, in addition to a $2000 fine and two years of probation, he has been ordered to visit three local high schools and speak to the students on the dangers of distracted driving.

Let’s all remember distracted driving takes lives every day – and let’s do everything in our power to prevent it.

Please feel free to visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury and wrongful death lawyers, Washington auto and motorcycle accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.  I’m also inviting all teens to take the pledge not to text and drive at my website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.

In recent years, distracted driving has become more and more of a national – even international – issue.  Thousands of car accidents are caused every year by motorists who text while driving – many resulting in wrongful death and personal injury.

Now, a new survey brings a whole new level of distracted driving danger.  State Farm Insurance polled 912 drivers last November – and found that 19% of them surfed the internet while they were driving.   Yes, that’s almost one out of every five drivers who are checking sports scores, entertainment news or whatever else Google can find for them…while they’re behind the wheel.

The other bad news is that most of the drivers polled were in their 30’s.  Undoubtedly, younger drivers, who also tend to text and drive more than older drivers, engage in this kind of behavior more often.

No doubt the increasing use of Smartphones that enable internet access is behind these numbers.  Because of everything these new devices can do, there are plenty of extra temptations that can cause more and more distracted driving incidents.

And that’s why more and more distracted driving car accidents are happening every year.  In 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5474 wrongful deaths and 448,000 cases of personal injury resulted from distracted driving.

Many states have led the way in passing legislation against the practice of texting and driving, including Washington.  30 states now prohibit the practice for all drivers while 8 more only have a ban in place for novice drivers.

Now, however, there seems to be a backlash brewing in the remaining states.  In South Dakota, for example, a bill to ban texting and driving recently failed to move forward past a legislative panel.  Last year, a different anti-distracted driving bill failed to pass through the state legislature.  And in Idaho, a bill has actually been proposed to allow texting and driving – as long as the driver is not distracted when he or she is doing it!

One 38 year-old driver who admits to surfing the web says he knows it isn’t “the smartest thing in the world, but I do it anyway.”   That’s now how 16 year-old Dakota Woodward of Crestview, Florida feels.  He learned distracted driving wasn’t the smartest thing in the world the hard way – he was almost involved in a car accident because he was updating his Facebook status while driving.

“I don’t look at my phone anymore,” he told USA Today. “It’s more important to keep my eyes on the road and my hands on the wheel than to text somebody back, or update my status, or see what somebody else is doing on Facebook. It scared me so much, I don’t text and drive or Facebook and drive anymore, or do anything with my phone.”

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit the website of Seattle, Washington Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney Jason Epstein at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Mr. Epstein’s law practice in Seattle, Washington.   Mr. Epstein also invites teen drivers to take the pledge to not text and drive at his website, www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com.

There is a gap in Washington driving laws that has become clear to me following the recent pedestrian and bicycle accidents in the Seattle area. The penalties for negligent driving are the same regardless of whether or not someone is seriously injured or even killed. In Washington State, there is no difference between a traffic violation for negligent driving and a felony charge – showing the gap that exists in traffic law. After working as a Seattle pedestrian accident attorney in a King County injury law firm, I have seen how vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists are to serious injury in accidents involving cars. 229 bikers or pedestrians were seriously injured or killed per year from 2004 to 2007 in accidents where a driver failed to yield, ran a red light, or wasn’t paying attention.

With a vote of 43-5, the Washington State Senate passed Senate Bill 5326 on Thursday. By creating an enhanced traffic infraction for negligent drivers who kill or injure “vulnerable users” (including moped riders, pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians, or tractor drivers) this bill creates stiffer penalties for drivers who injure or kill people who are engaging in those activities. This is a significant step towards fixing a major gap in Washington State traffic law. Negligent drivers currently can be given a ticket and up to a $250 fine. People who drive negligently and seriously injure one of these vulnerable people would have to pay a fine between $1,000 and $5,000 and have their license revoked for 90 days if this bill becomes law. The driver could appear at a hearing, pay a $250 fine, take a traffic safety course, and complete 100 hours of community service instead of paying the higher fine. This bill will have to go through the House and be signed by the governor in order to become law.

The risk of serious injury or death for bicyclists and pedestrians on the road is very high due to their lack of protection and the lack of awareness of negligent drivers. While this bill does not help to protect these vulnerable users, it does impose harsher penalties on negligent drivers who hurt them. In order to avoid accidents that could have catastrophic consequences, it is important for both drivers and bicyclists or pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings.

This information is provided by Straight Talk Law, where you can order free information on Kennewick auto accidents, buying auto insurance in Washington, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Seattle personal injury attorney and author Jason Epstein and his Washington auto accident, Tacoma motorcycle accident, and King County wrongful death law firm in Seattle, Washington.

Jason Epstein, Washington Personal Injury Attorney and Founder of Teens Against Distracted Driving, recently published an article discussing The Driver Alcohol Detection Systems for Safety (DADSS) technology.

Seattle, Wash. – March 1, 2011 – Jason Epstein, Seattle personal injury and car accident attorney, recently published an article on his website, http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com, titled “New Hi-Tech Weapon Against Drunk Driving.” In the article, Jason, explains the differences between some of the drunk driving detection tools currently on the market, and how they have the potential to save thousands of lives.

Jason writes, “The most commonplace devices used today are the ignition interlock systems that require drivers to blow into a breath-tasting device before the car will start.  These systems are often mandated by judges for convicted drunk drivers.  However, ignition interlock systems are very intrusive to the everyday driver and would never gain widespread acceptance for usage in all vehicles. The DADSS, in contrast, is a passive technology system that measures blood alcohol content through two ways – either by analyzing the driver’s breath, or through the skin using special touch-based sensors that are placed either on steering wheels or door locks.”

“It’s estimated that over 10,000 wrongful deaths will occur this year as a result of car accidents caused by alcohol.  It’s also estimated that a motorist arrested for driving drunk has done it before an average of 87 times prior to the police pulling him or her over.   Also, one in three of all drivers will be involved in an alcohol-related car accident at some point in their lives,” continues Epstein.

The complete article can be found at http://www.straighttalklaw.com/articles/straight-talk-law-seattle-washington-personal-injury-lawyer-jason-epstein-on-new-hi-tech-weapon-against-drunk-driving.php

Jason Epstein founded Straight Talk Law to provide a series of legal guides meant to empower accident victims and those looking for a lawyer.  Straight Talk Law prides itself on providing the unfiltered truth about lawyer advertising, an informative website and blog, a new way to practice law where the lawyer communicates pertinent information directly to the client in an easy-to-understand way, and a law practice where lawyers share information with those who need it, and work on their clients’ case in an open, easy to understand way through effective communication.

To learn more about Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

To learn more about Teens Against Distracted Driving (TADD) please visit http://www.TeensAgainstDistractedDriving.com

About Jason Epstein and Straight Talk Law:

Jason Epstein joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Jason is a litigator handling all types of personal injury cases with an emphasis on serious plaintiff’s personal injury and insurance coverage.  Jason is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice and serves within its leadership. Jason often speaks at CLEs and serves as an arbitrator for both private and mandatory arbitration matters.

Jason attended Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming.  The month long program is dedicated to training lawyers who represent injured people. Jason completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution and the Trial Advocacy program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jason has been dedicated to representing injured people since 1999.

Jason Epstein has been representing individuals against insurance companies and large corporations since 2001. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other serious and catastrophic injuries. Hopefully you have already visited StraightTalkLaw.com. This website is loaded with tons of information, and is constantly updated to keep you informed of recent developments. You can also stay up to date by following the blogs, which are linked to StraightTalkLaw.com

Jason understands that providing the best legal representation to his clients, means limiting the number of cases he accepts. He takes fewer cases so he has more time for you. By limiting his caseload, Mr. Epstein is able to give each client and each case the time and attention that they deserve. If you would like to see if your case qualifies for Mr. Epstein to represent you, please contact us through StraightTalkLaw.com, request one or more of Jason’s books, or call us toll free at (888) 333-1873.

A Seattle native, Jason received his B.A. in Philosophy from USC, and his J.D. from Pepperdine University. Mr. Epstein lives in Renton with his wife and two sons. In his spare time, Mr. Epstein enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.

To learn more about Straight Talk Law, please visit http://www.StraightTalkLaw.com

I’m sure the title of this blog must strike readers as a little curious.  Enabling drunk driving car accidents?  Who in the world would want to do that?

Well, as you’re probably already aware, there are lobbyists against everything under the sun operating in Washington D.C. – including technology that might prevent wrongful death and personal injury from occurring due to a car accident caused by alcohol.

In my new article, “New Hi-Tech Weapon Against Drunk Driving,” I write about the new Driver Alcohol Detection Systems for Safety (DADSS for short), currently being developed at an R&D company in Massachusetts.  This is technology that could automatically stop an inebriated person from driving a car.

Even though this technology won’t actually be used in vehicles for 8 to 10 years, Sarah Longwell, a spokesperson for the American Beverage Institute, is already criticizing it, saying the technology would never be perfected to the point where it wouldn’t stop some completely sober people from driving.   That’s because Longwell represents the financial interests of those who want to sell alcohol at bars and restaurants.

What Longwell isn’t talking about is there is a very good reason that it will take almost a decade to get these systems into our cars;  that reason is to ensure that it works correctly.  As it is, at a public demonstration last month, they tested the DADSS with a woman who drank as one would socially, but  not to excess.  She started the demo car without a problem.

And that directly contradicts Longwell’s statement that the DADSS  would “…eliminate the ability of people to have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a ball game and then drive home, something that is perfectly safe and currently legal in all 50 states.”

As a personal injury lawyer practicing in the Seattle, Washington area, I’m for anything that has the potential to prevent the over-10,000 deaths that happen in this country because of car accidents caused by alcohol.  I suggest we all wait and see to the final incarnation of this new technology – and then judge for ourselves whether it’s practical or not.

Please feel free to visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com , where you can order free books on personal injury and wrongful death lawyers, Washington auto and motorcycle accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

By Jonathan Widran

It’s strange to think how a single man’s apparent moment of misfortune could so positively impact the lives of hundreds of people in similar circumstances years later. While attending law school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Jason Epstein was in an auto accident. The recent graduate of USC retained Marina Del Rey based attorney Doug Schiffer to handle his case, and after it was settled, he began working for the veteran lawyer as a legal intern.

The funny thing about law school is that graduating only provides the young lawyer with a general competency degree, not necessarily a specialty. Sometimes, as Epstein discovered, extraordinary life circumstances lead to a great discovery, or in his case, a lifelong mission. Schiffer’s mentoring taught the Seattle native all the ins and outs of personal injury law—and led him to see that he could make a difference in this arena as a David helping his clients take on the Goliath-sized insurance companies.

After several years of working for plaintiff law firms in Seattle, Epstein – currently honored for the third year in a row as a “Rising Star” by Washington SuperLawyers – joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Establishing himself as a top personal injury attorney specializing in auto accidents, serious injury, and wrongful death cases, Epstein created Straight Talk Law as a branding segment of the firm in 2009.

Straight Talk Law represents “real people” against insurance companies and large corporations. Epstein and his team of attorneys fight for those that have been injured, so they can focus on recovering physically and mentally. The firm also represents families of wrongful death victims and cases involving employment law, wrongful termination and sexual harassment.

The key to Epstein’s success is handling things differently than most Seattle personal injury lawyers—i.e. “when you hire us, you get us.” Rather than pass off cases to a case manager, his lawyers are hands on, focused and selective about the cases they handle. They have experience in dealing with all the physical and emotional issues connected to these accidents and commit to going the distance to seek justice.

Part of the “Straight Talk” Epstein promises includes telling prospective clients something most attorneys won’t dare: that, depending on their unique circumstances, they may not even need an attorney at all!

Over the past two years, he has written a total of five books (available through Amazon.com) that have helped him achieve his goal of putting people in a position to make better decisions when they need assistance with a personal injury claim. He offers the books, mostly geared around Washington State law, free to residents. His flagship Straight Talk Law item is “The Truth about Washington Auto Accidents,” subtitled “The Ten Secrets Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know.” The others cover different areas of Epstein’s wide ranging expertise: “The Truth About Buying Washington Auto Insurance”; “The Shocking Truth About Lawyer Advertising”; “The Truth About Washington Motorcycle Accidents; and “In Case of Death: Straight Talk on Washington Wrongful Death.”

“I wanted to write books geared towards consumers, so that people could come in to lawyers’ offices with knowledge that would even out the conversation,” says Epstein. “The bottom line is that the best relationship between attorney and client is one where the two understand each other and that the clients know what the lawyer can do for them. The idea was to give the average citizen a framework of what these different cases are about. This information shouldn’t be held in an ivory tower somewhere. In any personal injury case, we’re dealing with real people in their worst moments.

“I want people to know I’m on their side, and I don’t mind giving the information away for free,” he adds. “Typically we find that without this kind of knowledge, people will generally trust insurance companies that are actually working at cross purposes to them. They often come to a lawyer like me after a negative interaction with an insurance company that they thought would be more cooperative.”

Epstein feels that imparting these necessary facts is a way to correct the disparity of power that often exists when a client in a precarious position (physically or emotionally) comes to a lawyer. It was an even greater need to balance the scales of power that motivated his interest in personal injury law in the first place. His feeling was that when such a disparity exists in life, there are very few places where a single person can set it straight and make things right. One place, he realized early on, was in the law.

“The glaring thing to me,” he says, “is that insurance companies make hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars, yet make no bones about their purposeful desire to squash small claims and personal injury lawyers in order to maximize profits.”

As a budding lawyer, Epstein learned of a fascinating revelation about the insurance industry that came about in the McKinstry Documents, which were uncovered in the late 80s by a lawyer who was litigating a bad faith claim against Allstate Insurance. The docs give the history of personal injury claims in the United States in the years following World War II. When soldiers came back home, people had more spare time and there were more drivers on the road—thus, more accidents. Insurance companies saw their profits decreasing because they were paying regularly on accident claims. So they started to come up with a systemized way to increase corporate profits.

Instead of doing what was fair and right, Epstein learned, they decided that it would benefit them to squeeze the bottom, low level claims. For every million dollar accident settlement, there are a million thousand dollar claims. So they would squeeze on the small claims and make it so lawyers couldn’t afford to front money to take on these contingency cases. The insurance companies did this by forcing smaller cases into trial.

“They knew that to go on trial even in a minor case lawyers had to front five to ten thousand dollars,” says Epstein. “Lawyers didn’t get paid if they didn’t win, so the companies’ goal was to make everything harder for the lawyers to handle. In these documents, Allstate adopted a change in slogan: when someone brought a claim, they went from ‘good hands’ to ‘boxing gloves.’”

This powerful, disillusioning story led Epstein later to model his practice in such a way that he would fight the behemoth insurance companies as often as necessary in the one realm where everything is even: the courtroom. “A lot of lawyers take low settlements right away because they’re afraid of the financial and emotional risks of going to trial,” he says. “The way I do things, I will go to trial if I don’t feel my client would be getting fair compensation by settling. The only way to achieve a fair settlement is to be prepared to go to trial. If the insurance company sees we have a great case, they may make a better, more appropriate offer.”

“We’re not just trying to take a fee to get short term gain,” Epstein adds. “We want to create long term trust. For better or worse, we are motivated by our hearts and correcting perceived injustice.”

One thing Epstein sees a lot of when insurance companies are forced to go to trial is their employ of biomechanical engineers. Typically in cases when there is not a lot of property damage, they will have an engineer take the stand and say he has examined the cars involved in the accident and in his opinion, “only minor G forces were imparted on the occupant,” not enough to cause the injuries that the victim is suing for. Of course these ‘experts’ make a lot of money testifying almost exclusively for insurance companies.  Epstein sees this as intellectually lazy and junk science.

“The law provides certain remedies,” he says, “like making the person who causes the accident pay for all reasonable medical treatment. But in smaller cases, the insurance company will say, yes, you needed it but your condition wasn’t caused by the accident because the G-force wasn’t severe enough. It’s crazy what they will do to try to avoid paying what is right. Our job is to tell the story of our client to the jury and hope that we’ve conveyed the truth about what would merit fair compensation.”

Besides his books, Epstein has amassed a list of impressive accolades in his decade as a personal injury lawyer. He has the highest possible rating (10.0) on Avvo.com; is a graduate of legendary trial attorney Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College (an intensive 3.5 week course with limited enrollment); is a frequent lecturer to other attorneys; is a graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy; and was rated AV (highest possible rating) from Martindale in 2010.

But at the end of the day, his greatest satisfaction is being able to look his two children, ages six and two, and tell them that despite the way things may seem, the world can be a fair place—or at least, that the ideal is one worth fighting for. “You tell your kids certain things about life,” he says, “how they should act, about fairness and doing things right. I feel like a lot of my work as a personal injury attorney is, in my own way, an extension of telling my six year old that fairness matters. I’m trying to help make the world the way I’m telling him it can be.”