Insurance companies pinched themselves over their good fortune as the courthouse doors pretty much closed in response to the coronavirus. The third prong of their mantra had suddenly and without precedence become their main weapon of choice to defeat claims brought by injured people.
Read MoreTruck Pedestrian trial in February. Federal Court. Delayed indefinitely.
Wrongful death trial in March. Pierce County Superior Court. Delayed for a year.
Wrongful death trial in April. King County Superior Court. Delayed until October hopefully.
Client has travelled from Idaho with Co-counsel. Two different plane delays. Epic rainfall in Seattle. Not a joy for them.
Defense lawyer and insurance adjuster in one conference room.
Client, co-counsel, Lisa and I are in another. We spend about 45 minutes with the mediator. She leaves to meet with the defense. And is gone. For a long time.
Read MoreFinding a note from TJC when cleaning up my room.
Read MoreWe have the microphones in place. Sound system wired up. Have done half a dozen shows. And now will be launching this week.
Read MoreBy order of my children, spent two weeks in Europe. Went with Michael for week one in London. Week two Liz my friend since kindergarten met me in Paris. It was very fun and easy. Cristina planned everything to perfection. I just had to show up.
Read MoreCristina: Mom - the ducks podcast is a great idea. But you should do your own.
K3: That’s funny.
Cristina: You like to talk. Every video you’ve ever taken you narrate the whole thing. You should do it.
K3: Alysha, Noelle what do you think.
Alysha and Noelle: You should do it mom.
Read MoreThere were two of them lying there helplessly. Looking forlorn. Wilted. As I prepared to dump a small bag of trash apparently on top of them. I was in college. Living in a basement level studio apartment in Ballard. There was no way they would fit in my place.
Read MoreDylan the defense lawyer wants a second deposition. We provided photographs that he hadn’t seen before. So he wants to reopen the deposition. Instead of protesting, my position is feel free. Client is disabled and lives
Read MoreIn the middle of the Ride the Ducks trial Beth Taylor of Thompson Reuters called and asked if Super Lawyers could profile me for its annual magazine. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. Ross Anderson, a freelance journalist met me over a weekend. We chatted a bit. Over the next few months he read the press coverage of the Ride the Ducks trial. Watched episodes on Court TV. And even came to trial. A good part of the article was written before the verdict came down in February of 2019.
Read MoreToday a Federal Judge denied Defendant Nelly’s motion to dismiss a sexual assault and defamation case brought by the second plaintiff I’ve represented against him. In the first case, M.G. came forward with her identity because she had already been publicly identified and reporters were calling her within hours of the allege sexual assault. She was savaged through social media by fans of the rapper and others.
We filed this second lawsuit on behalf of “Jane Doe” so the plaintiff would be spared a similar horrible public ordeal.
Read MoreTwo extra years were needed for Phuong to graduate from North Seattle College after she was almost killed in the Ride the Ducks crash on the Aurora Bridge on September 24, 2015. She missed one whole year due to being at Harborview and the Kiero Rehabilitation Home. When she was able to enter school her injuries required her to take reduced loads. Including fitting in a total hip replacement surgery during winter break 2017. Phuong was the lead plaintiff in the Ride the Ducks trial that occurred from October 1 2018 through February 7, 2019.
Read MoreThursday:
6:30 am wake
7:00 am get up
8:00 am go for run with Nala
9:30 am return home get ready grab suitcase. Email from insurance attorney – they will take out that language.
10:15 am Drop Nala off at Doggie Daycare. Drive to airport
10:45 am arrive
Read MoreSkype witness Dr. Laukant is from Wisconsin – doctor for Rhonda C the former UPS driver who lives with her wife in Amish country. We are avoiding calling doctors except for the cases involving surgery. Here, the defense has denied all of the medical bills and so we need to go through the technical dance of having a primary care provider testify that the referrals were appropriate, the care reasonable and necessary, and the total hip replacement in particular related to the crash.
In the first minute of testimony, ask if she’s a treating physician for the plaintiff, and Steve Puz objects.
Read MoreWalk up stairs. See the Hiraoka family. One year ago took two trips in the space of two months to Japan to visit them. First trip was a botch job because Scott did not realize you can only take depositions at the US Embassy in Tokyo. Second trip the deposition went forward in the dingy embassy conference room.
Dr. John Clark the lay witness is standing with them. Greet them. Walk into courtroom. Jesica tells me the interpreter is running late. Then she tells me that our three witnesses for Tuesday are being stricken. This is all awesome news first thing on a Monday morning.
Read MoreOn September 24, 2015 - beautiful inside and out HaRam Kim was injured in the Ride the Ducks Aurora Bridge crash. She was taken to Harborview where she survived for several days. Just long enough for her loving family to fly from Korea to see her one last time.
Read MoreIt’s too early to stop and smell the roses. But am out on the deck, moving pots around. Preparing for spring planting.
Am wrestling with a big pot. Bent over in a squat. Feel a prick on nose and stand up. This is bad.
Read MoreEd and I started dating in Philadelphia at an AAJ convention. After a lifetime of living in Texas he moved to Seattle a year into the relationship in 2009, ten years ago this month. He office shared with my law firm and started wearing more jeans and less cashmere suiting. We broke up shy of three years later. And stayed friends.
Read MoreToday we received a Commendation from R. Rex Parris, Mayor of City of Lancaster for our work on the Ride the Ducks trial.
Read MoreToday am supposedly blasted by an old school rapper defendant who has been sued by two of my clients for alleged sexual assault. He doesn’t have his lawyer call me up or write a letter. Nope. He issues (drum roll) a personal attack press release. Which by the way gains very little traction surely to the dismay of his PR firm. Here’s what it says according to TMZ.
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