Louis “Doc” Patino has made a career out of helping the injured first as a combat medic at the age of 21, then as a chiropractor and finally as a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney. We sat down with him to discuss his career and how his time in the Army made him the lawyer he is today.
AALM: Tell us about your time in the Army.
LP: My wife, newborn daughter, and I were stationed at Fort Drum, New York with the 10th Mountain Division. I was a combat medic for HHC 2/87th Infantry. When I enlisted, I mistakenly believed I would be in a hospital/clinic setting. When I received my orders, I learned that I would be assigned to a medical platoon attached to a Light Infantry unit. I was in essence a “grunt” with medical training.
At the time, the 10th Mountain Division was known for their ability to be rapidly deployed (light infantry) to anywhere in the world withing 72 hours. With this type of notoriety comes constant field training with many days and weeks away from one’s family. Army life was tough for my young family in many ways but being away was probably the toughest part.
AALM: How was the transition from the Army back to civilian life. What drew you to a career as a chiropractor?
LP: I knew I would never be a career soldier, so I looked forward to continuing my education. As a combat medic for infantry soldiers, I was exposed to all sorts of injuries. When I separated from the Army I wanted to get into a career where I could help others who suffered injuries and not necessarily sickness. Chiropractors were musculoskeletal doctors so that was the path I chose.
AALM: What about your work as an expert witness in personal injury cases prompted you to pursue a legal career?
LP: As a chiropractor I was asked by many plaintiff personal injury attorneys to testify on my treatment of their clients. I would testify to the reasonableness and necessity of treatment, causation, present and future damages of my patients. The decision to become a personal injury attorney melded easily with my medical background as a combat medic and chiropractor.
AALM: How has your experience in the Army affected your professional career? What are some lessons you still apply to your practice today?
LP: The Army certainly prepares a young person for many aspects of life. These are some of the things I learned in the Army and still use today: Discipline to do what is necessary to get the job done. Attention to detail in what you are doing and not do things “half-ass.” Time management – being on time and getting things done on time. Working with others even when there are adversarial issues (no one gets along with everyone – sometimes you have to bite your tongue to get the mission accomplished).
AALM: What are some of your biggest challenges as a law firm owner? How do you overcome those challenges?
LP: One of the biggest challenges is trying to get along with the opposing counsel. Some defense attorneys have a big ego and big personalities to match. This becomes a problem when the final, ultimate goal is to bring a case to resolution. Some just want to drag things out so they can collect their billable hours. Others just want to be difficult. Overcoming this obstacle can be challenging but I often bring up the fact that we may have other opportunities in the future to work together in other cases so it may be a good idea to try and get along as best we can.
AALM: Can you tell us about a case that stands out in your mind?
LP: I had a multimillion-dollar case where we were able to set up my client and his family for the rest of his life. Following a catastrophic accident, my client would never be able to work again as a laborer. He had a wife and five children. How was he going to provide for his family and himself? We were able to secure a large settlement for him. He ended up opening a service business and now, after seven years, has three locations. One of the reasons we do what we do as attorneys is so we can change people’s lives for the better.
AALM: What goals or milestones do you still hope to achieve in your career? Any other big changes ahead?
LP: I hope to continue practicing law until I can’t walk to the courthouse anymore. Being an attorney is a rewarding and noble profession. I have a daughter who is an attorney and two boys who are in their second year in law school. In the near future, they will take over the practice. We hope to open at least two more locations in Texas within the next two years.
For more information, visit patinolawoffice.com.
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