One of the saddest things I experience as an attorney is when a person comes to see me six months or a year after their accident, and they haven't gotten any medical treatment because they didn't have insurance and they were afraid to go into debt.
When it comes to back pain, I'm right there with you
If you've read my book, Maximizing Your Injury Claim (and you should), or if you've followed my blog, you know that I injured my low back in a 2002 rear-end car accident. I received all kinds of treatment, including chiropractic and massage, acupuncture, physical therapy, and epidural steroid injections. I even had a surgeon who offered to perform surgery on my lower back. I considered the surgery, but eventually, the pain subsided and I was able to resume my fairly active lifestyle.
Filing a Lawsuit - When negotiations fail
Most of the time, if your claim is good, a negotiated settlement can provide the best opportunity to compensate you for your injuries. Of course, money never makes what happened to you okay, but for the most part, it's all the law has to offer, and it certainly can help. Sometimes, however, the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer to settle your claim. In those cases, we have little choice but to file a lawsuit. In this chapter, I will discuss how a lawsuit gets filed, and we will explore the risks and benefits of taking your case toward trial.
Washington Auto Insurance Coverage - Part 4 - Other Coverages
I hope everyone had a happy and fun Than giving holiday with good food and great company. Now, as we return to work, is a great time to review your auto insurance coverage.
Matt talks about injuries to children
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.
