Before D. Robin Gouveia represented injured people, she worked the other side of the claim, spending about 10 years as an insurance claims adjuster before going to law school at night and moving to the plaintiff’s side. Today she is a managing attorney at d’Oliveira & Associates, a personal injury firm serving Rhode Island and Massachusetts from nearly 20 offices. In a conversation on The PI Playbook podcast, she shared how that dual perspective shapes the way she values cases, negotiates with adjusters, and counsels clients on whether to settle or file suit.
You spent about 10 years as an insurance claims adjuster before practicing law. How does that shape your work now?
“It’s been a tremendous asset. When I’m negotiating a settlement, I know what the adjusters need to justify giving more money. I did that job for 10 years. I know what a good demand letter needs in it to get the ball rolling, and I know what adjusters hate, so I avoid those things. It’s a small industry, so a lot of times I know the people I’m negotiating with.”
What makes d’Oliveira & Associates different from other large firms?
“We’re one of the larger firms in the Rhode Island and Massachusetts area, but we have a small-office feel. People want to know their attorney. They don’t want to call the office and not know who they’re going to talk to. All three of us who handle cases take our own client calls. One of the biggest complaints I hear from people leaving other attorneys is that they never get to speak to their lawyer.”
Do most personal injury cases have to go to trial?
“Most of my clients don’t want to litigate, and most of the time they don’t need to. Roughly eight or nine times out of ten we resolve it without filing suit. It’s not in a client’s interest to sit through four to six years of litigation; the expenses are higher and sometimes they end up with less in their pocket. The cases that do need to be litigated are usually a liability dispute or a complicated medical issue.”
How can an injured person help increase the value of their own claim?
“Document the specific impact the injury had on your daily life, and tell your doctors about it. Not just ‘I had difficulty with my daily activities.’ Be specific. ‘I have a five-year-old grandson and I couldn’t lay on the floor and play Legos with him for two months.’ Those specifics add real value to a case.”
You use arbitration and mediation often. Why?
“I find alternative dispute resolution to be tremendously beneficial. It gives the client what feels like their day in court, the chance to tell their story, and an experienced arbitrator or mediator usually knows how to value a case. If you give them the right evidence, you tend to get a good decision.”
What shifts are you seeing in personal injury practice right now?
“A few. How clients find you has changed completely. There are no more Yellow Pages, so it’s broadcast, streaming, internet, and the competition is fierce. On the insurance side, case values have not kept up; thirty years ago you took the medicals, multiplied by three, and that was the case. That’s long gone. We have to advocate a lot harder for every client than we used to.”
Key takeaways
- A plaintiff’s attorney with prior insurance-adjuster experience can read the other side’s playbook during settlement.
- d’Oliveira & Associates emphasizes direct attorney access. Clients speak with the attorney handling their case.
- Most personal injury claims settle; litigation is reserved for genuine liability or complex-medical disputes.
- Specific, documented descriptions of how an injury affects daily life add value to a claim.
- Arbitration and mediation give clients a faster, lower-cost path to a fair outcome.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This content is for general information and is not legal advice.
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