Demonstrative Aids as an Essential in a Digital Era

In today’s legal world, the digitization of court documents, exhibits, and even deposition testimony becomes more and more prevalent. In this digital era, both decision-makers and jurors alike expect to see some type of technology in legal proceedings. In fact, studies show that visual aids have a significant impact on audiences, leaving a lasting impression even days later. At TrialSpectrum, Inc., our team of trial technology experts will create impactful visual aids for use in your legal proceeding, drawing on our knowledge of psychological influences and persuasive techniques.

Why Use Visual Aids?

As an attorney, you may be hesitant to incorporate new techniques into your courtroom practices. However, there are a number of good reasons to use visual aids that benefit both you and your audience. Visual aids may include a variety of exhibits, such as graphs, images, charts, maps, sketches, and other similar media.

Using visual aids forces you to be better organized when planning your arguments and outlining your case. You must think carefully about when and how to present a visual aid. Rest assured, the trial technology team at TrialSpectrum, Inc., will help you determine the best point in which to present a visual aid to your audience.

In a jury trial, no matter how strong your arguments may be, you still must win over the jury. Using visual aids adds credibility to your case. In addition, those who use visual aids maintain better eye contact with their audiences, which exhibits higher levels of confidence. Jurors are more easily persuaded by attorneys who appear confident and credible.

The Science Behind Visual Aids

Science has long supported the impact of visual aids on an audience. According to one study, three days after an event, the audience recalled 10 percent of what they heard. The same audience recalled 35 percent of what they saw, and a whopping 65 percent of a combined oral and visual presentation.

Additionally, studies have shown that it is much easier for the brain to remember images instead of words. The brain can only process a limited number of words at a time. In contrast, the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than words, and has been shown to correlate with a four-fold increase in learning.

Visual aids also improve reading comprehension. During trial, a visual aid paired with text makes a stronger impact on a juror as compared to text alone.

Visual aids strengthen one’s ability to organize and communicate ideas as well. When an attorney presents a clear argument, with excellent visual aids sprinkled throughout, jurors have a much easier time grasping the concept.

Finally, visual aids assist the audience in finding relationships and patterns—which is essential in a legal proceeding. When jurors are able to “connect the dots” in an argument, they are much more likely to find in that attorney’s favor. Attorneys must make it as easy as possible for the jury to be on their side, and visual aids are one way to do so.

Hiring a trial technology company like TrialSpectrum, Inc., is helpful no matter what type of law you may practice. We have assisted attorneys and law firms in all types of legal proceedings, including courtroom trials and mediations. With our assistance, you will be able to use visual aids that are carefully tailored to your case to make irrefutable arguments for your clients.

To Learn More, Call Us Today

To learn more about the services we offer at TrialSpectrum, Inc., give us a call today. We assist attorneys and law firms throughout the United States in all types of proceedings. To schedule a consultation, call 1-800-789-0084 or visit www.trialspectrum.com.

Trial Technology Hot Seat Operators: Are They Worth It?

If you are considering hiring a trial technology company to assist you with an upcoming legal proceeding, you may have heard about “hot seat operators” who are available to attend your hearing or trial with you. These individuals handle the exhibit database, display slideshows, animations, ensuring equipment is set up properly, and numerous other aspects of the technical part of a presentation. Many attorneys are wary of having others attend legal proceedings with them; however, hot seat operators bring significant value and peace of mind to many litigators.

Setting Up and Breaking Down Equipment

Before a pivotal hearing or a high-stakes trial in your client’s case, setting up monitors, audio equipment, and computers can be stressful—especially if you realize you have forgotten a flash drive or a power cord. When you hire a hot seat operator, you no longer have to worry about packing up all of your electronic equipment, transporting it to the courthouse, and setting it up. Once the legal proceeding has concluded, you may simply grab your file and head home (or, realistically, back to the office).

Trial technology experts are able to quickly set up your equipment and test its functions to ensure everything is working properly. Our hot seat operators are equipped with extra power cords, adapters, and other items that may be needed. We arrive at the courthouse in plenty of time to test Wi-Fi connections, adjust monitor brightness, and evaluate the acoustics of the courtroom. You may spend this extra time preparing for your hearing and meeting with your client.

Directing the Presentation

Trial attorneys have many tasks to juggle in the courtroom. They must watch the jury, study witnesses, anticipate responses, and prepare exhibits. When these attorneys have to walk back and forth to their computers during a proceeding, it can be distracting for both the attorney and for the jury. By hiring a hot seat operator, these attorneys may focus on their arguments while the trial technology expert seamlessly presents documents, photographs, videos, and other exhibits to the courtroom.

At TrialSpectrum, Inc., our trial technology experts meet with you well in advance of your proceeding to ensure your presentation goes smoothly. We will coordinate the timing of displaying exhibits with you to maximize the impact your arguments have on the jury. Using our litigation consultants, we will determine which arguments you should make as certain visual aids are displayed.

Easy Access to Exhibits

No matter how much you prepare for your hearing or trial, you know that the unexpected can happen. If you need to change an argument at the last minute, bring an exhibit back up for display, or alter what needs to be said during your closing arguments, our hot seat operators can quickly access the item you want and display it while you make your arguments. There will be no fumbling through large files to find what you need—our trial technology experts can digitize your client’s file and index it for easy reference. Quickly pulling up photos and documents to support your statements will drive your message home to the jury.

At TrialSpectrum, Inc., our goal is to provide you with cutting edge trial technology services so that you may obtain the best results possible for your clients. With our help, you will be confident and calm as you make your arguments.

Call Today to Learn More

If you would like to learn more about the array of services we offer at TrialSpectrum, Inc., give us a call at 1-800-789-0084 or visit www.trialspectrum.com. We offer many different packages to fit your unique needs and budget. We have partnered with law firms throughout the country in many types of cases and have boosted their success.

Selecting Visual Aids for Insurance Trials and Hearings

In cases involving insurance, it is important for the judge and jury to understand how a claim applies or does not apply to an insurance policy. Simply reading from a policy and explaining the facts and circumstances behind a claim is not always an effective way to prevail in a case. Using visual aids to help a judge and jurors visualize the claim, in contrast, create a lasting impact. At TrialSpectrum, Inc., our trial technology experts and litigation consultants are available to help you determine which visual aids are best for your case and work with you to create these aids for use in your legal proceeding.

Trial Boards

Though many attorneys wonder if trial boards are an outdated type of exhibit, a printed board still has its place in the courtroom. A trial board remains in sight for however long an attorney likes, as compared to a slide or display on a monitor, which may disappear after a few moments so that the next piece of information may be displayed. When reading the details of a claim, it is often helpful to have policy language displayed on a trial exhibit board so that the jury may immediately compare the facts of the case to the policy itself.

Graphics

Whether your client represents the insurance company or one of its policyholders, it is important to detail the correspondence that was sent between the parties. Did the insured submit all required documentation? Did the insurance company take too long to communicate with the insured? Graphics that display letters sent from the insurance company or documents sent in by the insured can help the judge and jury understand what happened throughout the duration of the claim.

Photographs

Many insurance claims involve requests for damages that include medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses stemming from injuries. Printing or displaying photographs of injuries, x-rays, medical records, and other documents can be quite helpful to allow the audience to understand the extent of one’s injuries.

Similarly, in cases involving property damage or theft, photos of the damage or stolen items are often central to the case. It is easy to say a building caught on fire, but showing photos of a scorched building with its interior ruined is a much more powerful method of delivering the message.

Animations

In some insurance cases, it can be difficult to understand how an incident occurred. Some jurors may not understand how extensive injuries resulted from a seemingly minor car accident. Others may not understand how a small dent ruined an expensive piece of farming equipment. Animations may be used to bring these claims to life. With the trial technology team at TrialSpectrum, Inc., we can create an animation that details exactly what you need for the judge and jury to understand.

Videos

There are a number of ways in which videos may be used in an insurance claim. For example, security footage or doorbell camera footage may be used if it captured the disputed incident. Video interviews of witnesses may also be useful. If injuries are involved in the insurance claim, a “day-in-the-life” video that shows how an incident has impacted the daily life of an individual are often powerful tools.

Our videographers and video editing team are available to record interviews and depositions for you and provide editing services where needed. Our video editors can enhance quality, edit clips, reduce background noise, and even add captions. Whether you need to rent video recording equipment or would like to hire our videographers and video editors, we can help.

Contact TrialSpectrum, Inc., Today to Discuss Your Case

At TrialSpectrum, Inc., we offer a variety of services to law firms and attorneys throughout the country. We have worked with attorneys in numerous areas of law and have helped many secure impressive verdicts for their clients. To set up a time to learn about our services and packages, call us at 1-800-789-0084 or visit www.trialspectrum.com.