If you find yourself wondering, “what even is a Nuclear Verdict anyway?” no need to worry, we’ve got you covered.

A nuclear verdict can be defined as: an exceptionally high award that surpasses what should be a reasonable or rational amount.

More often than not, a nuclear verdict will provoke an automatic and intense response of shock, far more so than your average trial outcome which could simply be summed up as unfavorable.

The anchoring effect is defined as: a cognitive bias that describes the common human tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information given.

It’s a proven psychological technique that’s gaining serious popularity within present day trials, and is widely known to be enhanced by repetition. And aside from being able to persuade a jury, psychologists have determined that this technique also works on judges and people in positions of power.

Our own Joaquín Neira, Vice President for Latin America, was asked by El Asegurador Magazine, one of Mexico’s top insurance publications, to shed some light on the growth of Environmental Liability insurance.

Topics he was asked about range from the industry’s performance in Latin America to the evolution of client expectations when dealing with an unexpected event.