William P. Lightfoot

Tell us a little bit about your practice and what makes it unique.

• I limit my practice to representing people who are physically injured. I prepare every case to go to trial, therefore most cases settle before the jury delivers a verdict. I consider myself a trauma lawyer because all of my clients suffer the consequences of a catastrophic injury.
  
  For more than 30 years I have taught trial advocacy and personal injury law to lawyers across the nation. National experience teaching lawyer uniquely qualifies me to represent people who are catastrophically injured.
  
  I have a unique knowledge of D.C. Law and a special perspective of D.C. courts. For 8 years I served as a D.C. Councilmember, serving as chairperson of the Judiciary Committee . For 20 years I served as a member of the D.C. Judicial Tenure and Disabilities Commission
  

What common questions are you asked by clients, and what are your answers?

• Clients often ask how long will it take to resolve their case. I tell them that we can not resolve their case until their injury heals.
  
  I believe it is unfair to the client to resolve their claim before they reach maximum medical improvement. The dollar value of every case is determine by the nature and extent of the injury. Only with this information can we obtain a fair recovery for the injured person.

Describe one of your most interesting or memorable cases in the past year.

• I am currently representing the estate of a 12 year girl who had committed suicide in a D.C. public charter school. The school did not train its staff in suicide prevention as required by D.C. law furthermore the school did not notify the parent that the child had expressed suicidal thoughts. This case is pending in D.C. Superior Court where trial in expected in 2021.
  
  I currently represent the family of a man how died when a fire truck ran a red light. Also I represent a firefighter who was struck by a fire truck when it ran a stop sign. These case are pending in the D.C. Court system. My assertions are that for many year the D.C. Fire Department failed to train drivers in the national standard of safe driving . You may go the the news section of my website for TV News about these cases.

What is most challenging about your area(s) of expertise?

• Sometimes doctors cause harm to their patients. Medical malpractice cases are challenging because I must know medicine almost as well as the doctor. The lawyer representing the doctors are specialist and well financed. Determining a meritorious case from a bad result requires much time reading medical literature as well as consultations with numerous health care professionals.

Were there any particular inspirations (people or events) that spurred your interest in your practice area(s)?

• While a political science graduate student at Howard University, I became inspired to use the law as a tool for positive change. At that time I went to Mississippi where I observed numerous violations of the Voting Rights Law . Also in graduate school I petitioned the US government to deny a license to a South African gold mining corporation. The US Government in both cases told me that I did not know the law and that nothing will be done. That is when I decided to go to law school.

What other interests do you have?

• I love playing golf with my friends in the "Pro-Duffers".

Anything else you’d like to share?

• Regular exercise, good nutrition and happy a wife make a happy life.