‘Whole Again,’ One
Case At A Time”
Attorney Bruce Abel makes it clear to me over our lunch that his desire to make his clients “Whole Again” is strictly monetary, for no amount of punitive damages can ever erase the physical pain one goes through in an accident – so the next best thing is to get his clients as much money as possible to comfort them, and help them regain their former lives. Attorney Abel knows about physical pain firsthand, having suffered a workplace injury in his early 20’s; his Lawyer at the time wanted to settle immediately, but Attorney Abel felt the offer wasn’t reflective of his injuries, and after having to literally help his Lawyer with his own case, Att. Abel received triple the amount of the original settlement. It was this experience that prompted Att. Abel to go to Law School and become an Attorney, so he could spend his life helping others like himself. Known as a “Lawyer’s Lawyer,” Att. Abel often has fellow Attorneys hire him to handle their cases, which he says is the highest honor. One of the reasons Att. Abel has stayed so grounded in his long, successful career is his 38-year marriage to his wife, Sandy, whom he met when he was just 14 years old. When I asked how old he was when he became serious about Sandy, and knew she was the woman he wanted to marry, he replied, “14 and a half.”
HW: “How would you best describe yourself as a Lawyer?”
ATTORNEY BRUCE ABEL: “I think of myself as a voice for the people who can’t speak for themselves – I’m a trial lawyer, so unless I receive a fair settlement for my clients, I’ll be in court arguing on their behalf… That’s really what I do best.”
HW: “Why do you focus so much of your practice on motorcycle accidents?”
ATT. ABEL: “I think motorcycle riders are actually the most vulnerable motorists out there on the road, but a lot of people have unwarranted stereotypes about the kind of person who rides a motorcycle.”
HW: “I guess Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper’s ‘Easy Rider’ didn’t help things. I know every time I see someone on a motorcycle – especially a Harley – I think ‘Born to be Wild.’”
ATT. ABEL: “Let me tell you something, I ride a motorcycle – I’ve had my license for years – I’m not that ‘Wild’…You can ask my wife.”
HW: “But you are funny, and obviously passionate about your work. What differentiates you from other Personal Injury Attorneys?”
ATT. ABEL: “Well, first of all, I handle everything myself – from start to finish. I’m very hands-on with my cases: I don’t have a paralegal, and I don’t have a clerk. I’m responsible for my clients; their cases are too important for me to delegate out to someone else.”
HW: “It sounds like a lot of work.”
ATT. ABEL: “It is, so I only take on a select number of cases; if you have too many at one time you end up diluting your time with each client – and believe me, having ‘time’ to take an extra meeting with your client, or being able to sit down and carefully read a brief can completely turn a case around in your favor.”
HW: “I imagine you have a very close relationship with your clients.”
ATT. ABEL: “We do, because I’m very honest with my clients: I give them objective expectations, not false promises. I tell them the good, the bad and the ugly, and we’ll settle only when absolutely necessary. I got a jury verdict of 2.5 million dollars in 2001 for my clients who were victims of racial discrimination – I actually wanted to get them more, but it was their decision to take the offer. You asked me earlier how would I describe myself as a Lawyer – I give the same standard of excellence I would expect from an Attorney if I were a client… That’s the bar I reach for with every case.”
HW: “Okay, one last question: you witness so much pain and suffering in your job; how has it affected your outlook on life?”
ATT. ABEL: “You know, I’ve learned to cherish every moment I have with my family – my wife, Sandy; my daughter, Rachel, and her family; my son, Joshua (who’s also an Attorney) and his family…They’re what keep me going – that’s my fuel. As a matter of fact, my son and I are forming a law partnership effective October 1st, 2007 – the firm will be called Abel & Abel - Attorneys-at-law… Pretty original, wouldn’t you say? Believe me, Anthony, when I tell you that all these years, my clients have truly benefitted from the love my family fills me with."
877-We Battle (932-2885) PERSONAL INJURY BRUCE ABEL