Even if the plaintiff blames the defendant, a suit may not take place unless and until the potential plaintiff decides that a lawsuit is the right approach to take. Another factor involves the amount of money perceived as forthcoming. Sometimes plaintiffs have wildly optimistic views of how much money will be thrown at them to go away. Potential plaintiffs are frequently convinced of the availability of a plaintiff lawyer who will do an incredibly good job. The plaintiff isn't the only person who has emotions surging in the courtroom.
Many jurors do, too.
A juror who has previously been in an accident of any sort may experience anxiety when confronted with a case where the plaintiff was injured in some way. Their emotions may well color the verdicts that they eventually render. They deal with lawsuits between bitter litigants day in and day out, and the level of tension hanging around them can easily affect a judge or lawyer. There are outreach programs for judges and lawyers who are drinking too much, and a lot of it undoubtedly comes from the stress of the job. Articles on depression regularly appear in lawyer's magazines, too.