Dan Petrosky on Inheriting a 60-Year Firm, 525 Cases in Six Years

What happens when you inherit a sixty-year-old personal injury firm from a man who ran 760 marathons and practiced law until he was 87, and then have to figure out in real time what it means to be a sole owner, a community partner, a mock trial coach, a foster dog dad, and a lawyer who still does his own client intakes because he thinks that's how you actually win cases? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Dan Petrosky, owner of DeFranzo Petrosky in Waterbury, Connecticut, about the baseball mindset that keeps him even-keeled through the grind of personal injury work, how he settled 525 cases in six years including 12 jury trials, and what it actually takes to win $390,000 for two rear-end clients whose cars looked almost undamaged in the photos. Dan explains why modern car engineering absorbs so much force that a low-speed crash can still destroy a body, how his mentor Gene DeFranzo's one piece of advice — always be honest, never cut a corner — still plays in his head every day, and why he wants people in Waterbury to think of him as the guy who sponsors kids' sports leagues and gives out college scholarships before they think of him as the lawyer. They also discuss what it was like to watch Gene run marathons into his 80s when the pandemic finally ended his streak at number 760, why Dan left the firm and then came back because it felt like coming home, what founding a mock trial team at his kids' middle school taught him about 12-year-olds in the courtroom, and the one thing insurance companies are hoping clients never find out about hiring an attorney. Dan Petrosky is the owner of DeFranzo Petrosky in Waterbury, Connecticut, a personal injury and premises liability firm founded in 1961. Connect with Dan Petrosky: defranzolawfirm.com Phone: 203-756-7408 Waterbury, Connecticut Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dan Petrosky 00:51 Larry Bird's career double-double average and why he's the greatest 01:53 All-state basketball and tennis in high school, four years of college ball at Colby 02:27 The baseball mindset — never get too high, never get too low, even a productive out matters 03:43 Gene DeFranzo — founding a firm in 1961, practicing until 87, running 760 marathons 04:34 Starting there as an associate in 2013, leaving in 2019, and coming back as partner in 2021 06:32 Gene passes in 2023 at 87 — going from partner to sole owner 07:20 525 cases in six years and 12 jury trials — what a typical week looks like 09:00 106 settlements in 2024 and growing the business without losing the personal touch 10:42 $390,000 for two rear-end clients with almost no visible damage — how that case was won 12:21 Practice areas — car accidents, premises liability, slip and falls, dog bites, pedestrians, bicyclists 13:14 Rapid fire — You're gonna need a bigger boat, Tom Brunansky's catch, and a German Shepherd named Lucy 16:04 Riviera Memorial Foundation — supporting Waterbury kids with tutoring, sports, and $15,000 in scholarships 16:37 Founding a middle school mock trial team that made the state playoffs 17:42 Coaching youth sports, fostering rescue dogs, and why community investment is the job 18:52 Why personal injury lawyers have a bad reputation and what he does differently 19:42 Opening a second office in his hometown and where the firm is going in five years 20:22 What Gene would say if he could see the firm now 20:49 How to reach DeFranzo Petrosky #DanPetrosky #DeFranzoPetrosky #PersonalInjuryLaw #Waterbury #TrustcastShow #Connecticut #AutoAccident #GeneDefranco #CommunityLawyer #MockTrial