Increase your uninsured motorist coverage. Please!
A few months ago I sat down with a man who was looking into a personal injury claim on behalf of his wife. She had been driving in Mukilteo when a drunk driver crossed the center line and hit her head on. She suffered multiple injuries, but the most severe injury was to her ankle. She had already undergone several ankle surgeries and she was looking at a long and painful recovery. It was likely that she would suffer a permanent disability as the result of this incident.
Signs of brain injury after a Washington Car Accident
I have been representing injury victims for a long time. I have seen all kinds of injuries, but few can be more devastating than a brain injury. You can suffer a brain injury in a car accident even if you don't hit your head on anything, and even if you don't lose consciousness. Often a traumatic brain injury (TBI) will go undiagnosed for some time after a car or motorcycle accident. This delay in diagnosis and treatment can worsen the impact of the injury and make the recovery more difficult. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it's important to determine whether a brain injury has taken place.
Washington pedestrian hit by a car. Do I have a case even if I was jaywalking?
Everyone knows that jaywalking is illegal, but many people do it anyway. Jaywalking is crossing the street at a time or location which is against the law. It could be crossing a street mid-block. It could be crossing at a crosswalk against the light. Many people, including myself, occasionally jaywalk because it seems safe to do so. If you look both ways and there are no cars coming, you should be able to cross safely, right?
Posting on social media can ruin your Washington personal injury claim
If you're like me, you love social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Foursquare, Google Plus. You name it and I've probably posted there in the last twenty-four hours. Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends, engage in community or political activism, discuss current events, and share thoughts and ideas. It is also one of the tools the insurance company will try to use to defeat your injury claim.
What is pain and suffering? Part 3 - Damages for injuries to a loved one
Non-economic or "general" damages are most commonly referred to as "pain and suffering," but the concept includes so much more. It includes physical pain and emotional pain, both in the past and future. It includes disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. It includes fear, frustration, worry, doubt, uncertainty, and sadness. The law provides no formula for placing a dollar value on any of these "intangibles," and so it is ultimately up to a jury to determine what they are worth. If you want to settle your claim, you and the insurance company will have to agree on the value of your pain and suffering. In order to maximize your claim, a good attorney will get to know you and how your injuries have affected your life. He will then make sure the insurance company knows exactly how your life has been turned upside-down, and he will seek to get you a recovery for each type of non-economic damage recognized by the law.
When your doctor wants to close your case before you're better
If there's one thing I've learned in my 20 years representing injured people, its that everyone experiences injuries differently. I've seen people walk away from major wrecks without needing any treatment at all and I've seen people suffer for years from relatively minor incidents.
I want to fire my lawyer
Several times each year, I get a call from someone who was injured in an accident, hired a lawyer, and now wants to fire his lawyer and hire me. The most common reason people give for wanting to change lawyers is lack of communication. They tell me stories of trying for weeks to speak to their lawyers without success. They leave messages and speak to case managers, legal assistants, and paralegals. They even send letters, but they never hear back from their attorneys.
Do pedestrians have a part in preventing pedestrian accidents?
Pedestrians are just one part of every vibrant city. Seattle residents fill the city streets as they casually move from place to place. This pedestrian traffic helps to support local businesses, helps to cut back on traffic congestion and helps people get out and exercise.
DO I HAVE TO PAY TO MEET WITH A LAWYER?
Every day I get phone calls from people who have been injured in some kind of accident. Often the first question they have for me is how much it will cost to meet with me to discuss their case. I guess it shouldn't surprise me; most people don't really pay attention to personal injury lawyers until they need one. The answer is simple:
