R. Reagan Sahadi Shares Advice on How to Choose the Best Texas Personal Injury Attorney
R. Reagan Sahadi has had overwhelming success litigating cases throughout the nation in several areas of the law. Specifically, Reagan excels in representing personal injury and product liability victims. He formed Sahadi Legal Group to provide the wealth of experience and resources of a larger law firm while still maintaining the personal touch of a boutique firm.
Upon graduating from law school, Reagan joined Donnell, Abernethy & Kieschnick in Corpus Christi where he worked for several years. He remained in Corpus Christi and subsequently joined Wigington Rumley Dunn & Blair LLP, where he focused his practice on truck accidents, products liability, oil and gas accidents, and other catastrophic personal injury accidents.
Additionally, Reagan Sahadi is a former sitting municipal court judge for the city of Goliad, Texas. Reagan was the first municipal court judge for the city of Goliad, and he presided over a wide variety of cases for the city.
Reagan recently obtained a verdict in a personal injury case exceeding $120 million dollars, the largest verdict for actual damages in El Paso County history. He has negotiated settlements on behalf of his clients in the seven-figure range on multiple occasions, including a recent $19,000,000.00 settlement on a product liability action. In total, since 2009, Reagan’s verdicts and settlements have surpassed several hundred million dollars.
Reagan Sahadi is licensed to practice in all Texas state courts, and in the Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. He is a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Attorneys Information Exchange Group. In the past, Reagan has served on the Board of Directors for the Corpus Christi Young Lawyers Association and was appointed by the mayor to the Board of Directors of the Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District.
We recently had the opportunity to talk to R. Reagan Sahadi, and he looked back on his career as a leading Texas personal injury attorney and forward to 2024 and beyond.
What do you believe sets your approach apart from other personal injury attorneys in this area?
Extremely close personal relationships with the clients. I give clients my personal cell phone and I encourage them to call or text me with any questions. I also update the clients on a regular basis. This, combined with aggressive representation against the defendants, set us apart.
How do you assess the strengths and weaknesses of a potential personal injury case when a client approaches you?
Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a personal injury case involves a detailed analysis of all the available evidence. This includes examining the circumstances of the incident, the clarity of liability, and the severity of injuries. It's important to gather as much evidence as possible, including police reports, medical records, and witness statements.
A key factor is determining liability. If the liability is clear and can be directly linked to the defendant's actions, the case is typically stronger. However, if there is shared liability or contributory negligence, this can weaken the case.
The credibility and reliability of the client and witnesses also play a significant role. If there are inconsistencies in the story or issues with credibility, these can be significant weaknesses.
Lastly, assessing the defendant's ability to pay the damages is crucial. Even if a case is strong, the actual collection of awarded damages depends on the defendant's financial resources or insurance coverage.
It always comes down to the strength of the liability against any potential defendants and the ensuing damages caused. There is also the potential comparative fault of the client(s) to be taken into consideration as well.
In what ways do you prioritize communication and transparency with your clients throughout the legal process?
You have to be honest with your clients. Good or bad. Clients do not like false promises. They would rather hear the real truth about where their case is headed and the potential outcomes explained in an upfront way.
Could you walk us through the typical steps involved in handling a personal injury case from start to finish?
First and foremost, if the individual is injured, that person needs to get medical attention right away. Next, establish the facts. What happened? Why? Who was at fault? Who else may be at fault in the chain of facts? Preserve evidence. No evidence, no case. Next, establish a plan for both medical treatment for the clients and establishing liability against the defendants. Hire the best experts, both medical and liability. If a life care plan is warranted, do it. It adds value to the case and helps explain the monetary needs of future care. Work up the case as if it is definitely going to be tried. That’s the only way to do it.
How do you stay updated with changes in personal injury laws and regulations, and how does this benefit your clients?
The Texas Trial Lawyers Association is a valuable tool to both attend continuing legal education courses and have discussions on listserv boards. Further, other organizations like the Texas State Bar and AIEG provide plaintiff attorneys with vast resources to keep up to date on both the law and trends in our industry.