The Firm
The Biren Law Group is a Los Angeles-based personal injury firm with a staff of four attorneys and two paralegals. With more than 40 years of experience handling complex cases, the Biren Law Group is no stranger to working with expert witnesses. Their attorneys have represented thousands of people who have been injured or financially damaged, and have obtained more than $500 million in compensation for their clients. In order to fight for the rights of injured Californians, the Biren Law Group relies on the testimony of qualified experts to ensure courtroom success for their clients — and those experts aren’t so easy to come by.
The Challenge
Often times, law firms that approach Expert Institute have had problematic experiences working with other traditional expert locators. These services don’t have the resources to provide attorneys with the most suitable professionals and as a result, they tend to refer overused experts. Many of these locators will also charge a marginal rate on top of expert fees, costing firms thousands and creating tense attorney-expert engagements. Such was the case with the Biren Law Group. After having negative experiences in the past, the firm was skeptical to enlist the help of another expert provider.
The Biren Law Group elected to partner with Expert Institute for a 3-month trial to take advantage of our consulting our diverse team of physicians. “The idea of having complimentary 30-minute sessions to pick the brains of experts and having access to Expert Institute’s in house experts was tantalizing,” said Matthew B.F. Biren, Esq., founder of the Biren Law Group.
The Solution
During their 3-month trial, the firm was representing a truck driver who suffered a severe knee injury in an accident and required a total knee replacement. Shortly after the total knee replacement, she was diagnosed with Lupus. “We had the idea that maybe we could prove that the surgery or related stress or metals in the implant caused or exacerbated the Lupus,” said Mr. Biren.
Expert Institute put the Biren Law Group in touch with a Rheumatologist out of New York City as well as an Orthopedist out of a large research university, who Mr. Biren described as “probably the world’s most knowledgeable expert on the relationship between various metals and autoimmune deficiency diseases.”
The Results
The firm reported that the experts were amazing in helping them develop arguments that supported their hypothesis. Although the Biren Law Group’s theories were both complicated and difficult to prove, their collaboration with the expert physicians was largely responsible for a $2.7 million settlement — far more than the total knee replacement alone would have warranted. Following the settlement, the Biren Law Group was so thrilled with Expert Institute’s services that they elected to extend their relationship for another two years.
“Stated simply, I would wholeheartedly recommend Expert Institute. Their services have proved immensely helpful in case after case after case.”