Early in his legal career, Daniel Brophy worked with insurance companies, defending against personal injury and wrongful death claims.
“Often, when I would see the attorney sitting across the table, I felt like that was the guy who was wearing the white hat,” Daniel says.
So, he decided to make a switch – one that has been a natural fit for him.
Today, as an attorney with Truitt Law Offices, Daniel focuses exclusively on representing car crash victims and their families in Fort Wayne, Huntington and throughout Northeast Indiana.
“My philosophy is that my clients are already the victims of others’ negligence, and they don’t need to be victimized a second time when they are dealing with their insurance claim or pursuing their case in the court system – and they can be if they don’t have an advocate at their side,” Daniel says.
“My role is to guide them through the process and present a claim or lawsuit that conveys the gravity of what they have experienced and seeks just, maximum compensation for them.”
Taking the Burden Off Clients
After Daniel earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State in 1979 and his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1984, he went to work as a prosecutor in Michigan.
After a few years, he crossed over to the civil side and practiced insurance defense and business litigation – first, in Michigan and, later, in Fort Wayne.
It was in 1990 that he decided to concentrate on representing the plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death cases. He has never regretted the move.
“Many people I work with are in a lot of pain. They are facing medical bills. And they may have been out of work for a while because of their injuries,” Daniel says. “They don’t need the hassle of handling their claim or dealing with the legal system. It just adds so much stress.”
“It is very satisfying when you can take that burden off the client,” he says. “Our entire office is set up to remove that stress. We try to make it as easy as possible for them.”
Seeing a Case from the Client’s Point of View
Daniel Brophy believes it is important to listen to clients and to learn what is important to them. By doing so, he says, he can understand how a client’s injuries have impacted their lives.
“That’s the personal touch – understanding not only the common problems that our clients suffer from due to a particular type of injury but also getting to know their unique problems,” he says. “If you don’t understand that, then you can’t be a vigorous advocate for your client.”
For instance, he once represented a client whose injuries prevented her from sitting for a prolonged period of time. As a result, she could not play bingo.
“I learned how she would play bingo with her friends, family and church members – it was a major way of socializing for her. So, I could see how the loss of this activity majorly affected her life,” Daniel says. “It really brought home to me that you need to get to know your clients.”
He also believes it is crucial to maintain regular, open and honest communication with clients as a case moves forward.
“You have to analyze the facts of a case , explain the impact of those facts to a client and discuss how they will affect the case in the long term,” Daniel says. “You want to make sure the client is fully aware of all factors in their case so there are no surprises down the road.”
