Recent Blog Posts
IF MY CAR CRASH HAPPENED ON A BRIDGE, IS IT A WASHINGTON OR AN OREGON CASE?
If My Car Crash Happened On a Bridge, Is it a Washington or an Oregon Case? When collisions occur on the span of the bridges over the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon the rule is that the two states share jurisdiction. Oregon has a statute, ORS 507.020, entitled “Waters deemed Oregon-Washington concurrent jurisdiction… Read More »
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SCHAUERMANN THAYER
A Brief History of Schauermann Thayer Would you believe our office used to be a gas station? It’s true. Years before Craig Schauermann and Bill Thayer purchased the building in 1986 however, it had already been converted into office space. That was a lifetime ago—at least for the younger attorneys at the firm. With so much history, sometimes… Read More »
MY PIP INSURER HAS STOPPED PAYING MY MEDICAL BILLS–NOW WHAT?
My PIP Insurer Has Stopped Paying My Medical Bills—Now What? As we’ve detailed here, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits are essentially health and wage loss insurance attached to your auto policy. In Washington, your auto insurer has to provide you PIP coverage unless you specifically sign something (or click a box online) saying you don’t… Read More »
IMMIGRATION STATUS IN CIVIL DISCOVERY
If One’s Immigration Status is Generally Not Admissible in Washington, Must a Party Answer Questions About His or Her Undocumented Status at Deposition? Short answer: Typically, not. Given the fact that one’s immigration status is generally not admissible in Washington courts, it follows that it would usually be inappropriate during discovery for an attorney to inquire… Read More »
DO I HAVE TO PAY BACK HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS OUT OF MY VERDICT OR SETTLEMENT?
Do I have to pay back Health Insurance benefits from my verdict or settlement? After a personal injury verdict or settlement, reimbursing health insurance is generally required to some extent, and under some circumstances. The requirement is typically contained in the insurance contract, state laws, and regulations, or federal laws and regulations. Whether a… Read More »
IS MY CASE GOING TO TRIAL?
We’ve outlined the typical personal injury claim process before in a blog post you can find here. If there was a timeline done of the typical personal injury claim, the latter portion of the timeline would be the litigation phase (everything that happens after filing a lawsuit) and the final resolution of both the litigation… Read More »
MY INSURANCE COMPANY WANTS ME TO ATTEND AN “INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EXAM,” WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Insurance companies have the right under almost all automobile insurance policies to verify you’re your medical treatment is “reasonably and necessarily incurred as a result of” the collision. One way the insurance company can almost always this is by asking you to see a doctor of their choosing. This is called an “Independent Medical… Read More »
WHY IS MY INITIAL OFFER FROM THE INSURER TO SETTLE MY INJURY CLAIM SO LOW?
One of the most common reasons given by potential clients for coming to see me is that the insurance company for the person or company that hurt them offered a ridiculously, insultingly low amount to settle their claim. “I’m not looking to get rich or retire on this…but what they offered didn’t seem at… Read More »
IS ONE’S UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRATION STATUS ADMISSIBLE AT TRIAL IN WASHINGTON COURTS?
Is One’s Undocumented Immigration Status Admissible at Trial in Washington Courts? Short answer: Generally, no. Almost four years ago now, on January 14, 2015, I published a blog entitled Immigrants, Illegal Status, and Personal Injury (also published in Spanish as ¿Es el Estatus de un Inmigrante Ilegal admisible en un Caso de Lesión Personal?). It addressed the… Read More »
DO I HAVE TO PAY BACK PIP BENEFITS FROM MY VERDICT OR SETTLEMENT?
Do I have to pay back PIP benefits out of my settlement or verdict? Sometimes, when a case is at its end — whether that is a settlement or a jury verdict – clients think that means the case is over. To many clients, it is a sad realization that a huge part of… Read More »
