About Amara Edblad Amara Edblad has practiced exclusively personal injury law in Arizona since 2012 and has won numerous awards for her litigation skills and customer service. Amara has a diverse educational background that gives her a unique perspective on personal injury cases and issue spotting. She attended University of Southern California and graduated as a Renaissance Scholar with a double major in History and Cinema Production. Following her tenure at USC, she attended a summer program at the University of Cambridge in England, followed by a year-long program at the London School of Economics where she studied History and Law. About Amara & Associates Amara & Associates strives to give the best customer service in the industry. Founder Amara Edblad understands how difficult it is to be in pain while continuing to juggle the demands of daily life. To maximise client recovery and reduce client stress, Amara and her staff handle every aspect of personal injury cases, from all aspects of property damage claims to subrogation and litigation. Contact Amara Edblad Founder Amara & Associates, LLC 2 N Central Ave STE 1936, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Tel: +1 623-471-8881 Fax: +1 623-471-8881 E: ae@azinjuryattorney.com www.azinjuryattorney.com Clear and consistent communication with clients is essential to manage expectations and set realistic goals for case resolution. settlement is going to net them and likely reductions. I also always under promise what a client is getting ‘in pocket’ so they are happily surprised by the final settlement check. Can you discuss any recent changes or developments in Arizona’s legal landscape that may impact personal injury dispute resolution, and how do you stay updated on such changes? There have been several large changes in the law over the last few years. First, the minimum insurance requirements were raised from $15,000/$30,000 per person/per accident to $25,000/$50,000. This has opened up more money to clients who were injured to pay for medical expenses. Recent changes to lien laws give more power for negotiations with lienholders, including a new law that requires attorneys to request reductions and for providers/ lienholders to provide an equitable reduction to clients. I stay on top of legal changes by attending seminars/ CLEs, being an active member of the AZTLA, reading the monthly State Bar magazine and speaking with colleagues. to the mistaken impression in many jurors that a plaintiff has already been fully compensated by their insurance and is going after the defendant’s personal assets. However, the insurance adjusters are the ones who hold the purse strings and who are hiring the defence counsel. The total outstanding medical expenses and liens are a strong tool to push for a higher settlement as the insurance companies know that those liens must be satisfied as part of any settlement. When representing a client in a personal injury case, how do you manage client expectations and communicate the potential outcomes of dispute resolution methods accurately? Clear and consistent communication with clients is essential to manage expectations and set realistic goals for case resolution. I explain to clients the laws in Arizona and what is compensable as well as discussing the jury instructions and what is admissible evidence. I also give social context. For example, a jury in Maricopa county is typically more conservative than in Pima County. When discussing an offer I like having the numbers finalised to let the client know what the THOUGHT LEADER 57
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