How Legal Tech and Grit Inspire $7-Figure Personal Injury Verdicts: Tyler Barnett’s Story

What does it take to land some of the biggest personal injury verdicts in history? Tyler Barnett, an accomplished attorney at Yuhl | Carr LLP, spills the beans in the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno. Tune in as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Tyler to explore the critical elements required to build a thriving boutique practice.

What You’ll Learn:

How to filter cases with precision and why turning down over 95% of incoming cases could be a good thing
Why establishing attorney-led client relationships from intake is non-negotiable
The psychological framework for jury connection and why storytelling plays such a big role
How to conduct investigations proactively before filing suit.
Why video deposition records matter more than transcripts and the credibility they bring
The responsible AI strategy for litigation and the importance of developing custom AI models
How trial functions as the great equalizer in litigation
The imperative to prioritize craft mastery over technology adoption

This episode is a masterclass in creating the perfect success formula to winning (for your clients and for yourself) in personal injury law.

Highlights:

00:00 Introduction & Meeting Tyler Barnett

01:50 What Drives a Personal Injury Attorney

02:25 Why Being Selective About Clients is a Good Thing

03:20 When Red Flags Matter: Learning from High-Value Case Mistakes

06:18 From Criminal Courts to Civil Practice: Tyler's Professional Evolution

09:45 Trial Strategy: Collaborative Approaches and Jury Psychology

12:23 Why Video Depositions are More Valuable Than Transcripts

13:42 AI in Legal Practice: Responsible Integration and Custom Frameworks

16:48 The Real Consequences of Judicial Sanctions and AI Hallucinations

17:59 Technology's Impact on Human Skills and Grit

21:28 Teaching Younger Attorneys Active Listening

23:02 Why Every Case Is Not Worth Millions

24:24 Client Intake Guidance: What to Look for in Your Attorney

26:10 Pre-Filing Investigation: EDR Data, Witness Interviews and Due Diligence

28:00 AI, Contingency Fees & The Economics of Modern Litigation

30:21 Managing Expectations Between Client Consent and AI Transparency

32:07 Why Trial is the Great Equalizer

34:23 Building Investigator Relationships: Twenty Years of Trust

35:38 Humanizing Case Narratives and the Importance of Storytelling

38:28 Tyler’s Hot Take: Mastering Your Craft Above All Else

39:27 Closing Thoughts

Quotes:

“I've always hated bullies and institutional hypocrisy, and I wanted to be able to fight for victims of those two things, especially the people that couldn't fight for themselves. I like being my own boss and I like being able to pick the cases that I'm going to pursue so I can dig into the people that I believe are deserving.”
“I turn down about 95 plus percent of the cases that come in the door. Obviously what I'm looking for at first is whether or not the case has merit. The relationship that I'm going to have with the client is going to be long and involved, and I need to gauge what kind of person this client is.”
“In order to develop that relationship and that trust, the attorney needs to be hands on from the beginning. Ultimately it comes down to them trusting you, and you have to start in the beginning at earning that trust. The only way to do that is by directly communicating with the potential client before the case is taken on.”
“AI is only as good as what you feed it, and you have to know what you're feeding it so you can trust the outcome. People want AI to generate something and it's really not work product. You just have to be careful and you can't just rely. Knowledge comes from experience and not from technology.”
“The courtroom is the grand equalizer. It doesn't matter how big that defendant is. It could be General Motors or Philip Morris, but there's only one person on their behalf that can be speaking at a time in that courtroom. That is the perfect example of what can be accomplished in a courtroom.”