Recent Blog Posts
ANNOUNCING BEN MELNICK AS NEWEST PARTNER
We are pleased to announce that, as of January 1, 2020, Ben Melnick has been made a partner. He joined the firm in 2018, and he has proven himself to be a stellar advocate for injured people. We are excited for the future Ben has to offer for the firm, and we are proud… Read More »
DISABILITY AS A NONECONOMIC DAMAGE ELEMENT IN WASHINGTON STATE
When a person is physically injured and seeking compensation, most folks think primarily about economic damages—or special damages that come with a monetary value already attached to them. Things there is a receipt or other documentation for, such as medical bills, wage loss, prescription costs, etc. Other forms of damages are commonly suffered when bodily injury occurs,… Read More »
COMMON MEDICAL BILLING ISSUES IN PERSONAL INJURY CASES
I frequently speak with people after an injury, and they tell me they are going to get medical treatment, and that “the other side is going to cover it.” Although that is the way we hope our clients’ cases work, the reality is that, with rare exceptions, injured persons bear the up-front cost of… Read More »
ON USING YOUR TURN SIGNAL
To close out 2019, Washington’s Supreme Court weighed in on a topic some might consider trivial, but which impacts something many of us do dozens of times each day: using our turn signals while driving. This appellate case stemmed from a 2015 DUI arrest in Kennewick. While officers were following him, Brown pulled into… Read More »
ACCESS TO JUSTICE UPDATE – WASHINGTON STATE
In an article entitled “Justice Compromised: Immigration Arrests at Washington State Courthouses”, published by the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights on October 16, 2019, https://jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/2019/10/16/ice-cbp-courthouse-arrests/, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents’ espoused justifications for targeting courthouses in rounding up undocumented immigrants are both recounted and challenged. The article suggests that ICE has… Read More »
CAN I AFFORD A LAWYER?
How much is this going to cost me? Do you offer free legal consultations? I don’t have any money for a retainer, will you still represent me? These are questions I am frequently asked during an initial consultation with a potential client. During these meetings those who come to meet with me are first… Read More »
ACCESS TO JUSTICE UPDATE – OREGON
There have been at least two significant developments in Oregon over the last year, endeavoring to enhance the opportunity for equal access to justice for immigrants, and actually for all persons who may have any business in Oregon courts (remember that courts cannot function effectively unless not only the parties to an action, but… Read More »
HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS FOR OUR CLIENTS?
As personal injury attorneys, it is easy to think that success for our clients can be measured simply by the dollar amount recovered on a case. As important as that is to most cases, it is by no means the beginning and the end of the analysis. I often tell my clients that all… Read More »
NEW WASHINGTON CHILD SEAT BELT LAW
A new law was passed in Washington State that went into effect on January 1, 2020. This affects the requirements for restraining children in child-specific safety seats while traveling in cars and trucks on Washington roadways. The new law requires all children under the age of two to sit in a rear-facing car seat until they… Read More »
VANCOUVER WATERFRONT TRAIL TO BE SAFER THANKS TO CITY’S RECENT EFFORTS
I have a friend who has been known to yell out “Safety first!” in most any situation, largely and usually for comedic effect (often when he’s doing something most might consider unsafe). Really, though, it is an important mindset to genuinely hold for the greater good. With that in mind, I wanted to take… Read More »
