Claims Adjuster Continuing Education
Dr. Melissa Pigott is available to speak to claims adjusters nationwide. The list below provides a sampling of the topics included in our course offerings. More details are available upon request.
1 Credit Hour Courses
Course Title
General Content Description
Utilizing Psychological Science in Litigation
The explanation of the science employed in litigation research is the goal of this program. Clarifying the process which yields information to improve fact finders’ decision making is crucial to understanding how to maximize what is learned from litigation research, including quantitative methodologies such as large scale surveys and qualitative methodologies such as focus groups and mock trials. The program emphasizes how to evaluate cases through the eyes of decision makers – usually a jury. The intent is to help lawyers, adjusters, and others involved in litigation to better understand the decision making process thereby enhancing their litigation, trial, and risk assessment skills.
Jurors Say the Darndest Things
Despite having heard thousands of mock jurors deliberate, the jurors still have the ability to surprise, shock, and amaze Magnus’ trial consulting team. In the jurors’ efforts to get to the heart of a matter, they decide the issues in ways that surprise Magnus’ clients as well. Magnus has compiled some of the more interesting discussions in this presentation to demonstrate how the jurors reached their decisions. While some of the discussions are humorous, the ramifications were usually serious for the trial teams involved. Dr. Pigott will explain the context and implications of the deliberations shown in the video clips during this presentation.
2 Credit Hour Courses
Course Title
General Content Description
Litigation Lessons Learned: Risk Assessment through Mock Jury Research Case Challenges and Results (as case study)
This program is a case study of the decision making process related to an actual case. It is an analysis of the problems and challenges faced in a high stakes matter, from the perspective of the adjuster, the trial lawyer, and the jury/trial consultant. The program includes a review of the underlying case facts and issues faced by the insurance adjuster and the client who had been sued. The trial attorney who litigated the case identified a number of areas of concern and questions that he believed could be analyzed through mock jury research. The jury consultant, after conducting a needs assessment, outlined a program of mock jury research to evaluate the liability issues and damages potential, that is, the risk, in the case.
The mock jury research evaluated the decision process of potential jurors in the trial venue and yielded qualitative and quantitative data for analysis by the trial consultants, who are research psychologists. The consultants’ review of the data, along with the strategies developed for the attorney, provide insight for adjusters facing the uncertainty surrounding litigation. The program will include actual video excerpts of mock juror deliberations as well as statistically analyzed survey results to demonstrate the reasoning process of mock jurors.
The course is designed to educate adjusters about the jury decision process with the goal of enhancing their risk evaluation skills. Seeing through the eyes of the decision makers and understanding the decision process is crucial for making realistic litigation decisions. Further, the program is intended to educate the adjusters as to how to be informed consumers of, and users of, mock jury research services.
Litigation Lessons Learned: Risk Assessment through Mock Jury Research Case Challenges and Results (without case study)
Similar to the program involving the program which utilizes a actual case study, this program provides a similar explanation of the jury decision making process but uses a composite of multiple cases. It is an analysis of the problems and challenges faced in high stakes litigation, from the perspective of the jury/trial consultant.
Sample results from multiple mock jury research projects in survey form, along with video excerpts of mock juror deliberations are used to provide insight for adjusters facing the uncertainty surrounding litigation. The program will demonstrate the reasoning process of mock jurors.
The course is designed to educate adjusters about the jury decision process with the goal of enhancing their risk evaluation skills. Seeing through the eyes of the decision makers and understanding the decision process is crucial for making realistic litigation decisions. Further, the program is intended to educate the adjusters as to how to be informed consumers of, and users of, mock jury research services.
3 Credit Hour Courses
Course Title
General Content Description
Trial Lawyers & Trial Consultants: Teaming Up for the Best Outcome
This course provides detailed information on strategies to achieve the best outcomes in litigation. Legal issues related to voir dire and trial strategy are covered by a trial attorney. Insights into jury decision making and the best ways to influence the jury are provided by a trial consultant.
Utilizing Psychological Science to Maximize Litigation Outcomes
The intent of this program is to help claims adjusters, risk managers, lawyers and others involved in litigation to better understand the decision making process of fact finders – especially jurors – thereby enhancing their claims handling decisions as well as their litigation, trial, and risk assessment skills to achieve the best outcomes in litigation.
The program begins with information about the litigation research process. The information gained through mock jury research provides a wealth of insight into fact finders’ decision making and allows claims adjusters, risk managers, attorneys, and their clients to be fully informed as they evaluate cases with the goal of ensuring a positive litigation outcome. This part of the program imparts an understanding of how jury research (or research on other fact finders) should be conducted according to social science standards and is important in evaluating the value of the research and results. The appropriate use of quantitative methodologies, such as large scale surveys, and qualitative methodologies, such as focus groups and mock trials, are addressed. This section will help the attendees become better consumers of litigation research services.
Because the program emphasizes how to evaluate cases through the eyes of decision makers (usually jurors), a significant portion of the program includes video excerpts from Magnus’ actual mock jury deliberations on a variety of cases, with special focus on insurance related claims. These case studies include the an explanation of the context and the related implications of the deliberations.
Following the case studies, issues related to voir dire and venue specific trial strategy are addressed. This involves explaining courtroom issues as they relate to those who ultimately make the decisions – the jurors. A portion of this part of the presentation will involve information on state of the art tools for making effective presentations at trials, mediation, and hearings.
Insights into jury decision making and the best ways to mitigate claims are provided.
and are registered trademarks of Magnus Research Consultants, Inc. Magnus provides Trial Consulting or Jury Consulting services for attorneys and litigants in civil lawsuits and criminal litigation. Magnus’ trial consultant services include mock trials, focus groups, online mock trials, online focus groups, online research, virtual mock jury, attitude surveys, witness preparation, jury selection/voir dire consultation, demonstrative evidence, animations, and trial presentation services. Jury research, mediations, mock bench trials, mock mediations, and mock arbitrations assist litigators and their clients by providing risk analysis for cases and evaluating case strategy options to maximize trial outcomes. Magnus is a Florida-based trial consulting firm (working in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Broward, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Tallahassee, etc.), providing services nationwide.