Effective Claims Management: Keeping Up, Staying Ahead
January 10, 2011 by Christian Stegmaier
It’s snowing today in Columbia. Our offices are closed. Nevertheless, I came in to work. I came in because losing a (non-vacation) working day creates that much more work when I return. When things get stacked up, it can be detrimental to a client’s position.
I hope our clients think of me as being skilled. Moreover – and perhaps more importantly – I hope they think of me as hard-working. The secret to effective litigation of claims – especially in the retail/hospitality/entertainment context – is staying on top of things. Our clients are not in the buisness of litigation. They are in the business of running hotels or restaurants or department stores or whatever. To that end, they want their cases in a position for resolution – whether it be by settlement or dispositive motion or trial – ASAP. That means they don’t want their matters dragged out. That means as their lawyers, we need to stay on top of things and keep their cases moving.
When the case comes in, don’t delay: Do the investigation, serve and answer the discovery, make the necessary reports, and talk about the case with the clients on a frequent basis. Get them the answers ASAP to enable them to decide what they’re going to do to resolve the case.
About Christian Stegmaier
Senior Shareholder
Christian Stegmaier is a shareholder and chair of the Retail & Hospitality Practice Group at Collins & Lacy in Columbia. He is also active in the firm’s professional liability and appellate practices. Stegmaier welcomes your questions at (803) 255-0454 or cstegmaier@collinsandlacy.com.