Remember when you broke something as a kid and had to make it right? That childhood lesson stuck with attorney David Oddo, shaping his entire approach to personal injury law over a career spanning 35 years.
"You throw the ball, you break the neighbor's window, you're paying for it," he recalls. "How? Didn't matter. You were doing chores, cutting the grass, and doing work for the neighbor whose window you broke. Whatever it took to make them whole."
What makes Oddo's perspective fascinating isn't the straightforward nature of this philosophy, but how broadly he applies it across seemingly disparate legal scenarios.
What Is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law is a legal concentration that focuses on representing individuals who have suffered harm due to others' negligence, with attorneys serving multiple roles beyond standard legal representation. Practitioners like David Oddo work with clients during times of catastrophic need—after serious injuries, deaths in families, or accidents—acting not only as legal advocates but also as emotional support systems during clients' most difficult moments.
Holding Systems Accountable
Complex investigations sometimes uncover systematic failures rather than individual mistakes. Legal proceedings can reveal how inadequate safety protocols and maintenance in public facilities may create hazardous conditions. These cases often demonstrate how a chain of organizational oversights, rather than a single error, can lead to dangerous situations that result in serious injuries or fatalities in environments people generally assume to be safe. These investigations also serve purposes beyond financial compensation.
"What these cases do is they get to the truth, they get to the truth of what happened. And that's important for many reasons. It's important for justice. You want to get accountability and justice. And it's important for the family to know, to have some sort of closure, if there can be closure, if there's just a knowledge of how this could have happened and who was responsible for it," says Oddo.
Product Safety Reform Hidden in Plain Sight
Most Americans never connect their safer cars, childproof medications, or safer workplaces to the work of personal injury attorneys. David Oddo points out that trial lawyers have transformed dangerous products into safer ones through accountability mechanisms that regulations alone might never achieve. Ultimately, accountability is a cornerstone of personal injury law—it delivers justice not only to victims but also creates a safer world for everyone.
"Cars, pharmaceuticals, and products we buy every day are safer because of trial lawyers. You're wearing seat belts because of trial lawyers. The car you're driving is safer. Power saws are fitted with safety guards. Most things from your car, to household appliances, to hospital care are safer now because of trial lawyers," says Oddo.
Accountability Beyond Legal Theory
David Oddo evaluates his work through tangible impacts in clients' lives—a settlement or verdict that not only obtains justice, but also financial stability for his injured clients.
"I never wanted to represent big business or financial institutions. I want to put my legal education and experience to use by helping victims of negligence put their lives together. Whether that is through a settlement or a verdict, these individuals deserve to be made financially whole by the person or entity that harmed them."
"Our practice is all about the client," Oddo explains. "Should a client call during our conversation, I'll have to answer it immediately," he says. "Someone who lost her husband three months ago—I would never say 'I'm busy on a call, contact me later.' That approach remains unthinkable."
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