Along the same lines, no hospital
patient or visitor wants to meet a “risk manager.” Think about it – the title combined with the timing
(typically right after a negative event) might as well be “the person who tries
to keep me from filing a lawsuit.” A designation
that would likely create much more positive associations would be “patient
advocate.”
Defining the language
allows you to control the debate.
Instead of allowing opposing counsel to control the conversation with
their biased vocabulary, set your own terms with defense-oriented language that
tells your story.
And it’s not just us who
say so. In a survey conducted last week
by our sister company, Surveys on the Go, two-thirds of participants across the
country agreed they view a “whistleblower” positively. Nearly as many respondents agreed the phrase
“risk manager” carries negative connotations.
Next time you’re thinking
about how to tell your story in court, as well as the words opposing counsel
will use to tell their story, consider the power of language. You can even use language to turn a weakness
into a strength. For example, with an inexperienced
nurse or doctor that the plaintiff lawyer will describe as a “rookie,” go on
the offensive and humanize him or her for the jury as “fresh,” “energetic” and
“current on all of the newest medical advances.”
If you’d like our input
on how to control the language – and the debate – for one of your pending
cases, call us at 714.754.1010 or email Senior Vice President Claire Luna at cluna@juryimpact.net.
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