Litigation Dynamics
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Case Study

Rojas v. Schmidt

TypeMotor Vehicle Collision
Core IssueSignal Failure / Liability Split
Verdict$500,000

Storm damage knocked out traffic signals at a major intersection. The plaintiff slowed but did not fully stop. The defendant failed to slow at all and claimed he had a green light. TxDOT had prior notice of the failure but delayed response. Liability became fragmented, the venue was highly conservative, and juror bias risks were significant, including immigration status and damages skepticism.

LDI was brought in to structure the case, test juror reactions, and build strategy across every phase of trial.

The Challenge

Why This Case Was High Risk

  • Plaintiff-friendly verdicts are rare in this venue
  • Conflicting liability between driver and TxDOT
  • Plaintiff credibility exposure ("small stop")
  • Immigration status risk
  • High medical billing scrutiny
  • Government liability caps
Infographic: Visualizing juror perception and case risks. Liability split among driver, TxDOT, and plaintiff; key juror questions on damages, credibility, and background; high-risk gauges for defense verdict and minimal recovery without structured preparation.
How We Won

Case Strategy Timeline

Testing the Case Against Real Juror Thinking

What LDI Did
  • Conducted 2 live focus groups (12 jurors each)
  • Recorded and transcribed sessions without court reporter cost
  • Ran transcripts through DG for behavioral + decision analysis
Jurors blamed TxDOT heavily for delayed response
Strong emotional reactions to injury severity
Distrust of defendant's "green light" claim
Significant debate over shared responsibility
Why It Matters

Jurors consistently distrusted the defendant, reacted strongly to delayed TxDOT response, and struggled with fault allocation.

This allowed the trial team to simplify the liability narrative, preempt juror confusion, and control how fault percentages were framed.

OUTCOME

The Verdict

$500,000

Not Expected In:

  • Very Conservative venue
  • Split liability case
  • Credibility-challenged claims

Why It Worked

Jury reactions tested pre-trial
Risks identified and neutralized early
Witness testimony tightly controlled
Liability story simplified
Strategy aligned to venue realities