Special Report

Auto Accident Victim!!!

“DISCOVER WHAT INSURANCE COMPANIES DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR INJURY CLAIM!”

If you have recently been injured in an auto accident because of someone else’s fault, you are probably confused or worried about what steps to take next:

• Will I be paid for the time I’m losing from work?
• Will my medical bills be paid?
• What do I do if the person who hit my car doesn’t have auto insurance?
• Will my car be repaired?
• What if I don’t make a full recovery and cannot return to my former work?
• What will the insurance company offer me for my personal injuries?
• How will I know that the insurance settlement is fair for my injuries?
• How will I know that the lawyer I’ve chosen to represent my case is a competent lawyer and will know what to do?
• How will I be able to know if I don’t have a competent lawyer?

If you or someone you care about has any of these concerns, then please keep reading this Special Report. My name is Steven Toole; I have been helping injured people as a trial lawyer in the state of Washington for more than 30 years. I have obtained justice for my clients in hundreds of insurance company settlements, arbitration awards, and court and jury trial judgments during that time.

Unfortunately, I see way too many people misinformed about their rights after being injured. I have seen honest, hard working, unsuspecting people being taken advantage of by uncaring insurance companies. That is why I have taken the time to prepare this Special Report. I have heard too many horror stories of injured people losing what they rightfully deserve because a big insurance company intimidated them or a lawyer who didn’t know any better “sold” them an unfair settlement. Each year I hear of many cases where an injured person is entitled to receive compensation for injuries, but never takes any action to submit a claim to get what he or she truly deserves. These days, doing nothing at all is one of the worst things you can do. It’s hard enough to make ends meet these days and getting injured shouldn’t have to make matters worse.

If you have been injured in an auto collision or slip and fall, there are some facts the big insurance companies do not want you to know. Let me share with you some real life examples of people I have helped and give you some critical facts you need to be aware of to ensure that you receive what you rightfully deserve. To protect our clients’ confidentiality, last names are not used.

HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING TO ME?

Take for example, Satoshi, one of my clients. At the time of his injury, Satoshi was 69 years old. He was a passenger in the rear seat of a vehicle driven by his friend. His friend ran a stop sign and was broadsided by a semi truck which had the right-of-way. As a result, Satoshi suffered a closed head injury and was unconscious for several hours. He remained hospitalized for several weeks and was transferred to a rehabilitation clinic where he continued with an in-residence rehab program for over one month.

Satoshi then had to live with numerous friends who cared for him until he was transferred to an assisted living home, which is where he now has to remain for the rest of his life.

At the time of this collision, although 69 years old, Satoshi was incredibly active. He spoke both Japanese and English and served as a tour guide for business people coming from Japan to the Northwest. He was responsible to make their travel arrangements and to show them around the area as well as entertain them. He also went to their business meetings and served as a translator. In addition, he was the agent for a Japanese company that was establishing itself in the United States by purchasing heavy equipment machinery. Satoshi was responsible for developing business leads and transacting sales.

Satoshi was extremely outgoing and was loved by everyone who came into contact with him. On that fateful afternoon when his friend’s vehicle was broadsided by the semi truck, Satoshi’s life as he knew it changed dramatically.

Fortunately for Satoshi, although he has to spend the rest of his life in assisted living, the primary ongoing problem that he has is his memory. He is not in any great physical pain. He looks fine and in short conversations, he sounds find. However, his short term memory is nothing compared to what it was and his judgment and his ability to care for himself cannot be depended on. He can function fine, but needs the assistance of a structured environment with attendants available, whereas he used to be able to live entirely on his own.

The biggest problem we had in Satoshi’s case was that by the time we began discussing settlement with the insurance company, he was 70 years old, had had successful brain shunt surgery, relieving much pressure on his brain and restoring much of his memory and he looked and sounded fine. We were able to persuade the defendant’s insurance carrier to pay out its full liability policy limits. However, our real battle developed over Satoshi’s own underinsured motorist carrier.

It was necessary to become involved in litigation with his insurance carrier. Through the discovery process it became apparent that his carrier did not dispute the injury and recognized that he would need to live in an assisted living residence for the remainder of his life. However, the insurance carrier felt that the cost of that arrangement plus all past and future medical bills, including surgery expenses, were less than $500,000.00. The insurance company felt another $250,000.00 on top of that would be adequate compensation for his injuries. We disagreed.

On the eve of the arbitration hearing, the case was submitted to mediation and through that process, we were able to obtain for Satoshi a very fair gross seven figure settlement. Both Satoshi and his family were extremely pleased with the result. Since Satoshi had been declared mentally incompetent by the court and a guardianship had been created, it was necessary to have the settlement approved by the court. The court appointed an independent attorney as the settlement guardian ad litem and he expressed to me his belief that it was an extremely favorable result for Satoshi. It is always very satisfying when we are able to get this type of result for our clients and their families.

MINIMAL VISIBLE PROPERTY DAMAGE TO CAR: INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMS INJURY IS IMPOSSIBLE

Wendy, was a 45 year old woman from British Columbia. She was in the Seattle area for a business convention when she was rear-ended on the interstate. Although there was not a great deal of damage to her vehicle, she did sustain a pretty significant cervical strain injury.

Wendy and her husband owned two retail stores in Vancouver, B.C. Her involvement in the business was very hands-on and required her to not only be on her feet, but to frequently climb ladders and move boxes from place to place. As a result of her injuries, she had continuous shoulder pain, restricted range of motion in her neck and frequent pain upon doing any of the aforementioned activities. Wendy received substantial treatment in Canada from a chiropractor, massage therapist and physiotherapist. She found the frequent treatment absolutely essential in order for her to be able to maintain her requirements at work and to also maintain some semblance of normalcy in her very active private life. Even with this active hands-on treatment, many of the activities she used to enjoy were now impossible. For instance, she and her husband were avid cross-country skiers and skied regularly both for enjoyment and physical fitness. She found that she was no longer able to do that activity.

Despite clear liability, the insurance carrier for the defendant, not seeing a great deal of damage to Wendy’s vehicle, refused to believe that she could be seriously injured. They also felt that she had greatly over treated and were only willing to pay her a sum of money that would just barely cover her medical bills. This was their final offer, despite the fact that Wendy had seen numerous orthopedic specialists related to the ongoing neck problems as well as shoulder pain and stiffness. All Wendy’s doctors felt she had a permanent condition with which she would just have to learn to live.

In order to resolve this case, it took significant creativity on our part. Since Wendy lived in Canada and all her doctors were from Canada, it was going to be an extremely expensive case to litigate. Further, her doctors would not come to Seattle to testify and, therefore, Wendy was going to have to rely on deposition transcripts for their testimony which would not be as persuasive in front of a jury as perhaps the live testimony of the defense doctors.

The defense, thinking this case was small and also not wanting to spend huge sums of money going to Canada to take depositions of all these doctors, agreed to binding arbitration. As part of this process, we agreed that testimony could be submitted by medical records, reports and affidavits.

We tried the case in Seattle before a retired judge and we successfully persuaded the judge that Wendy’s claim was worth substantially more than what the defendant’s insurance carrier had offered. In fact, his award almost doubled the amount that Wendy had been willing to settle for.

Although no amount of money would be able to return Wendy to her prior good health, she did have great satisfaction in knowing that the judge believed her injury and fairly compensated her for it. Since we were able to keep her expenses down by arbitrating her claim, she was able to keep most of the award for herself.

YOU CAN’T BELIEVE HOW INSURANCE COMPANIES TRY TO RIP PEOPLE OFF …

This next case was outrageous. It involved one of my clients, Ahmad. Ahmad was a hard working husband and father from Pakistan. He was driving his small vehicle when he was rear-ended at a high rate of speed by a reckless driver. The impact demolished the rear-end of Ahmad’s vehicle, breaking out the rear windshield and causing Ahmad to notice immediate neck pain. Unfortunately for Ahmad, he spoke extremely limited English and did not really understand English when spoken to him.

The reckless driver had automobile insurance through the same insurance company with which Ahmad had his uninsured motorist coverage. The insurance adjuster representing the reckless driver contacted Ahmad shortly after the accident and took a recorded statement from him. It was obvious from reading the transcription to that recorded statement at a later time that Ahmad had absolutely no understanding of the questions being asked of him in English by the insurance adjuster.

At the time of the recorded statement Ahmad had been to the doctor once and did not realize the full extent of his injury. The insurance adjuster offered to pay his hospital bill and an additional sum that did not even cover his lost earnings and had him sign a release, which would prevent him from ever pursuing any further recovery against the reckless driver or his insurance company. Clearly Ahmad had absolutely no understanding of the release or any idea of what he had signed or done.

After signing the release, Ahmad’s neck problems continued and he was ultimately diagnosed with a herniated disc which required surgery. As a result of the injury, Ahmad had been unable to do his job and, until surgery corrected the problem, he was destitute with nowhere to turn. Ahmad contacted several attorneys who all told him that he had signed a release and was out of luck. At that point he was referred to me. I realized that Ahmad did not really understand English and could not imagine how he could have knowingly signed a release of all his rights. As such, my first act after being retained by him, was to request and obtain from the insurance adjuster a transcript of the recorded statement that he had given them and copies of correspondence between the insurance company and Ahmad. From reading those documents, I was confident that I would be successful in being able to void the release and Ahmad could proceed with his claim for personal injuries.

In discussing this matter with the insurance adjuster, he refused to willingly void the release and I prepared a bad faith lawsuit against the insurer. In the course of doing so, upper management at the insurance company, apparently realizing that they would lose the bad faith lawsuit, agreed to void the release and paid Ahmad the full amount of the insurance policy limits of the reckless driver. We then were able to obtain from them the full amount of Ahmad’s underinsured motorist coverage. As a result of our efforts and our ability to get the insurer to tender the policy limits under both the reckless driver’s liability policy and Ahmad’s uninsured motorist coverage, Ahmad was able to get on with his life and support his family. Needless to say, he was extremely appreciative of our efforts.

In all the above examples, as well as with the other clients I represent, we are able to take the pressure off our clients while we force the insurance companies to live up to their legal “obligations.” Most importantly, we have been able to sit down with our clients (in the case of Satoshi, with his family, and in the case of Ahmad, with his brother who was interpreting for him) and explain to them in each of these individual meetings, their rights concerning the personal injuries they had suffered. Satoshi, Wendy and Ahmad never understood what was involved with the legal process until I told them they had “rights,” including those for compensation for the pain and disability that they were experiencing from their collisions. Perhaps more importantly, after meeting with me they realized that they did not have to just accept what the insurance company was telling them. They could fight back. We were able to gather their respective medical records together and over a period of time, were able to obtain a good settlement in the case of Satoshi and Ahmad, and a favorable award in the case of Wendy. The results were just and they were what the clients deserved.

NO MIRACLES…JUST HARD WORK

Now, I did not work any special miracle on these cases. I just did my job as a lawyer. I did the hard work that I was supposed to do that was necessary to help my clients.

I investigated their claims, hired necessary expert witnesses, interviewed the witnesses and doctors, examined the medical records, documented and verified their damage claims, I knew the law, followed the proper procedures and held my ground for my clients.

With my extensive experience in personal injury law, I was able to analyze their situations, recommend the best courses of action and obtain just and fair settlements for them.

The tragedy in all this is that there are many people out there just like Satoshi, Wendy and Ahmad. Every year thousands of people are injured in automobile collisions, at work, in slip and falls or by defective products. In some way or another they’re injured all over again by the uncaring insurance companies they’re up against or by unskilled inexperienced lawyers they hire to represent them. These insurance companies are playing for keeps and are sparing no expense in hiring high powered law firms and biased expert witnesses to defeat your legitimate claims. YOU NEED AN EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY WHO LIMITS HIS PRACTICE TO OR SPECIALIZES IN PERSONAL INJURY LAW TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS AND FIGHT FOR YOU.

NOTICE: I MUST INFORM YOU THAT:
PAST RESULTS ACHIEVED ARE NOT A GUARANTEE OF FUTURE RESULTS. EACH CASE IS UNIQUE AND REFERENCE MUST BE MADE TO THE SPECIFIC LEGAL AND FACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES PRESENTED.

ARE YOU COUNTING ON THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH?

The harsh reality is that the BIG, STRONG AND POWERFUL insurance companies often try to force the injured party into accepting a lower settlement for their injuries than they truly deserve. The truth of the matter is that insurance companies are in business to make money and the less they pay you, the more profit they can put into their deep pockets.

Please do not let this come as a surprise to you, but there is a strong possibility that the insurance company you have been or will be dealing with will try to get you to accept less money than you deserve. Many of these cases happen each year with thousands of people recovering with far less compensation than they’re entitled to receive.

Please, don’t let this happen to you! Protect yourself by learning the secrets insurance companies don’t want you to know!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR INJURY CLAIM!!!

The first thing I want to tell you is that rigid time deadlines exist in which to sue or make claims for different types of actions. The failure to act timely to protect yourself can become a complete barrier to your right to recover!

The following is a general statement about some deadlines for some types of cases in the state of Washington:

• Motor Vehicle Collision: 3 years
• Slip and Fall: 3 years
• Assaults: 2 years

(WARNING: THESE ARE GENERAL STATEMENTS OF LIMITATIONS. THERE ARE MANY EXCEPTIONS AND YOU SHOULD CONSULT AN ATTORNEY CONCERNING YOUR PARTICULAR CLAIM AND THE APPLICABLE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND ANY AVAILABLE EXCEPTIONS. Also note that the Limitations differ from state to state.)

IF INJURED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT, WHAT ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?

I want you to know that if you are injured through no fault of your own but by someone else’s negligence, Washington State law entitles you to recover various types of damages:

• Pain And Suffering: Ordinarily, the most “valuable” element of your bodily injury claim is the right to compensation for physical pain and mental anguish you have suffered and will endure in the future because of your injury. These general damages are in addition to and may be far more than the amount of your lost earnings and medical expenses.
• Medical Expenses: The cost of all reasonable and necessary medical expenses incurred and that are reasonably certain to be incurred in the future because of your injury, are recoverable. These expenses include past (already-incurred) medical expenses and also future medical expenses, which may be the product of the original injury or that result from an increased susceptibility to future injury. All forms of care and treatment, whether hospital, medical, psychological, therapy, nursing, diagnostic testing, surgery, physical rehabilitation or pain management are included. You can recover the full value of your medical expenses from the responsible party even if your health insurer has paid all or part of your bills.
• Loss Of Earnings: You are also entitled to recover the loss of earnings suffered from your injuries. Thus, wages, commissions, bonuses and all other earnings and fringe benefits are recoverable.
• Future Loss Of Earnings: If your injuries permanently limit your ability to earn, you can recover the value of the reduction in earning capacity with reasonable probability which will occur in the future. These damages compensate you for your lost earning power over the remainder of your working years.
• Death: Damages for “wrongful death” are available for the wife, husband, parent and children of the deceased person. Sometimes, only persons related by blood or marriage, who were dependent upon the deceased, may recover. Damages are not limited to economic loss and may include damages for mental anguish, emotional pain and suffering, loss of society, companionship, comfort, protection, marital care, parental care, filial care, attention, advice, counsel, training, guidance or education. Damages are available for the deceased’s estate, as well.
• Disfigurement: If the injury causes scarring or other unsightly marks, you are entitled to recover for the disfigurement and humiliation or embarrassment associated with the disfigurement.
• Damage To The Marital Relationship: Serious injuries to one spouse may cause damage to the marital relationship. If this occurs, you are entitled to recover for the loss of society, affection, assistance, conjugal fellowship and loss or impairment of sexual relations that occurs.
• Damage To Your Vehicle Or Other Personal Property: You are entitled to be made whole for any damage to your personal property. Where they can repair your vehicle, you are entitled to recover the reasonable cost of restoring the vehicle to its condition before the collision. If after being repaired, the vehicle has lost fair market value as a direct result of having been involved in an accident, then you are entitled to compensation for that lost value. In addition, you may recover the cost of substitute transportation necessarily incurred while they are repairing your vehicle. If the cost of repair is more than the value of your vehicle (a “total loss”), you are entitled to recover the full value of your vehicle before it was damaged.

(WARNING: CHANGES IN THE LAW CONCERNING DAMAGES OCCUR FREQUENTLY. YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY WITH RESPECT TO THESE CHANGES.)

NINE INSIDE SECRETS INSURANCE COMPANIES DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR INJURY CLAIM

This is where you get Ripped Off. The insurance companies don’t want you to know your rights and to what you are entitled when you make a personal injury claim following an accident. The following are secrets the insurance companies do not want you to know:

1. You DO have the right to an attorney and should at least consult with one:
   Attorneys who specialize in personal injury and auto accident law generally do not charge an injured person in an initial conference. Generally, you can meet with an attorney for one hour and learn what rights you have as a result of the injury that you suffered. You can then make your own decision as to whether you wish to retain an attorney to represent you on your claim. As I mentioned, there is generally no charge for this conference and you should find that out up front from the attorney when you call the office to schedule such a consultation.
2. You are not in “GOOD HANDS” if you trust the insurance company:
   Despite the fact that many insurers will encourage you not to retain an attorney, and they will tell you that they intend to treat you as one of their insureds and that you are in good hands, this is a myth. The insurance companies have one and only one interest when they contact you early after your accident. They are interested in getting your claim settled as quickly and cheaply as possible. Providing you a “fair” settlement is not first and foremost in their mind. They want to save the shareholders of their big insurance company as much money as they can from lost profits.
3. The auto body repair shop the insurance company refers you to has a sweetheart deal with the insurer:
   Frequently, insurance companies will refer you to one or more body shops to have estimates performed on the damage to your vehicle. What they do not tell you is that with many of these body shops, there are sweetheart deals by which the body shops use cheaper and inferior parts to repair your vehicle and only repair the obvious damage as opposed to the hidden damage. As a result of these repairs, you might have continuing problems with your car which will frustrate you and may never get fully repaired. It will also result in a lower cost of repair which the insurance company will then throw back at you and say how badly could you have been injured if it didn’t cost much money to repair your vehicle.
4. In addition to getting your vehicle repaired, you are also entitled to recover the diminished fair market value of your car:
   Insurance companies will talk to you about repairing the property damage to your vehicle. They will never initiate conversation with you regarding the fact that in addition to the repairs to your vehicle, if, as a result of the accident, your vehicle has lost fair market value, you are also entitled to a sum of money to compensate you for that loss of fair market value. This is something that even many attorneys are not aware of and you have to be certain to inquire into this when you consult with an attorney.
5. Insurance companies often do not tell you about all benefits to which you are entitled:
   Whether it be your insurance company or that of the responsible party, you might be told that you are entitled to have your medical bills paid and they may offer to pay you for your loss of earnings or out-of-pocket expenses. But, the insurance company will not go into any detail as to what other damages you are entitled to receive compensation for. Some of these damages I have listed in the prior section of this report. Further, if you are a pedestrian or bicyclist and are injured by a person driving a motor vehicle, you are considered an additional insured under that policy, even if the accident was not that person’s fault.
6. It is not in your best interest to settle your claim quickly:
   The insurance adjuster will be interested in settling your claim as quickly and cheaply as possible. To accomplish that, the adjuster might even offer to pay the medical bills that you have incurred to date and continue to pay reasonable medical bills for another six months. However, early in a case, you have no way of knowing just how seriously injured you are and just how much treatment you might need and for how long. If you enter into a settlement of that nature, once that six months passes, you are out of luck. Further, what do you do if you submit additional medical bills to the insurance company within that six month period of time, and the insurance company tells you that they don’t believe those bills are reasonable or related to the accident? You have lost all leverage in dealing with the insurance company and may not even be in a position where you can sue them to force them to pay for those medical bills. It will certainly be difficult for you to find an attorney to represent you at that point in time.
7. People truly can be injured even with minimal property damage to their automobile:
   If you are injured in an accident where the vehicles did not sustain much property damage, the insurance adjuster will tell you that they would not expect you to be very injured, nor to have incurred much in the way of medical expenses given the minimal amount of damage to your vehicle. They will attempt to intimidate you into not seeking health care and not getting adequate treatment for those injuries. In reality, studies show that people very definitely can be injured in what are called low impact automobile accidents. In fact, thousands of people sustain such injuries and the visible damage to the automobile itself is irrelevant to the injuries that can be sustained by the occupants of the automobile.
8. So called “independent medical examiners” where the insurance company might send you to be examined are NOT “independent”:
   Whether it be your insurance company or the other person’s insurance company, at some point in time they may wish to send you to a doctor for an examination. They will tell you that this is an “IME,” which is supposed to stand for “Independent Medical Examination.” In reality, these doctors are NOT independent. They get paid thousands upon thousands of dollars every year by the insurance industry to write boiler plate reports that are designed to cut off all benefits to the injured person. Although there are times that you cannot avoid attending these examinations, there are things you can do to prepare for them and to attempt to minimize the damage that could be done to your claim by such examinations. You’ll never learn these things from the insurance company. You will have to be advised by a private attorney who specializes in personal injury and auto accident claims.
9. If they can’t settle early, delay, delay, delay:
   If the insurance company cannot get the claim settled early, then they switch tactics to delay matters as long as possible. It is not unusual to have your telephone calls not returned and, when you do finally talk to an adjuster, find out that the adjuster has been changed. In many instances, an adjuster may be changed three or four times within a matter of a couple months. The intent here is to get the injured person as confused and frustrated as possible so that hopefully he or she will decide they can’t waste anymore time on trying to deal with this company and will just go away.

These are just some inside secrets or tips that the insurance companies don’t want you to know about your personal injury or property damage claims.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

THE MOST IMPORTANT SECRET TO KNOW TO AVOID BEING RIPPED OFF BY INSURANCE COMPANIES IS TO HIRE THE MOST COMPETENT, AGGRESSIVE, STRONG WILLED AND SAVVY ATTORNEY YOU CAN FIND!

Why do you think insurance companies always try to get injured people to settle their claims without legal assistance from a competent personal injury lawyer? They do it because they can pay less than they should and get away with it, leaving you with less than you deserve! The only problem here is, there are so many lawyers! How will you know if the lawyer you hire is experienced? How will you know the lawyer you have is going to be the most competent, aggressive, strong willed and savvy attorney you can get? Finally…

EXPOSED MYTHS ABOUT LAWYERS…

If you have been injured, you get only one chance to get the compensation you deserve. One of the most important decisions you make in your lifetime will be the lawyer you choose to take on this task. That’s why I’m going to expose some of these myths about lawyers; that way you can have a better chance at making the decision that’s right for you. I know I’m going to get some flack for this, but if I can help just one victim with this critical information, then I will achieve my goal.

MYTH #1: EVERY ATTORNEY HAS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING.

The truth of the matter is that experience and training differ greatly from attorney to attorney. Some attorneys may have years and years of experience drafting wills or shuffling papers in real estate transactions. Why would you want that lawyer representing you in your personal injury case? If you have been injured, you don’t want some paper pusher on your side!

The lawyer you hire for your personal injury case should have a “proven” track record of taking cases like yours to trial in front of judges and juries and WINNING! Only an experienced personal injury attorney can give you the peace of mind knowing you have given yourself the best chance of winning a large settlement or verdict.

Many attorneys have lots of cases, but they would never take them to trial! Many lawyers prefer “out of court settlements,” primarily because they don’t have the skill to take their cases to trial, even if they are offered less than the case is worth. You can rely on the fact that insurance companies know this and take gambles with these “soft” attorneys. Those insurance companies will never offer you what you truly deserve knowing that your lawyer will never take your case to trial and doesn’t have the skills necessary to try a case in court.

Please don’t be bashful at asking these tough questions; “How many cases have you taken to trial? How many have you won? How many years of experience do you have as a trial lawyer?” “Are at least 50% of your open files personal injury cases?” These are the kinds of questions you better ask any lawyer you see.

The legal profession is like any other profession when it comes to experience. Every professional needs experience. Why let someone gain experience on your dime? When you need help, make sure it is the best help available so you can get the most benefit from it. Let the inexperienced lawyer experiment with someone else’s legal problems – NOT YOURS!

MYTH #2: IF A LAWYER IS ON TV OR HAS A LARGE YELLOW PAGES AD, HE MUST BE GOOD.

Just because a lawyer appears in TV commercials or has a full page ad in the yellow pages, doesn’t qualify them to handle personal injury cases. Amazingly, some lawyers who advertise on TV and in the phone book have never tried a personal injury case! Some lawyers who advertise on TV don’t even appear on the commercial themselves but hire paid “actors.” Please don’t be fooled by those slick commercials and expensive ads. If a lawyer doesn’t have the right tools and experiences that you are looking for, then don’t hire him or her.

If you do talk to a lawyer who advertises on TV or in the yellow pages, then ask him or her the very same questions you would any other lawyer, “How many cases have you taken to trial? How many have you won? How many years of experience as a personal injury trial lawyer do you have?” If all a lawyer has to offer is a slick TV commercial or a full page yellow pages ad, do you want to trust one of the most important decisions of your life to that kind of lawyer?

MYTH #3: ALL LAWYERS ARE SKILLED IN THE ART OF NEGOTIATING.

If you have ever dealt with a big corporation, you know they can be intimidating and play hard ball. They don’t mess around when it comes to losing money.

You need a lawyer who knows where the weaknesses are in those big insurance companies; knows how to negotiate effectively and drive a hard bargain; someone who has been head to head in many “high powered” negotiations involving hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.

The truth of the matter is we settle most personal injury cases out of court. If you don’t have a lawyer who knows the fine “art” of negotiation, you will not get full value for your claim.

MYTH #4: ALL LAWYERS ARE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THE CASES THEY HANDLE.

Unfortunately, this is not true. Some lawyers have so many cases, they hardly ever look at the file and they hardly talk to their clients! Just try to get one of those busy lawyers to return your phone call, let alone a quick call from his paralegal. These law firms are what we refer to in the industry as “mills,” “factories” or “assembly lines.” These lawyers hire paralegals to do most of their work.

The bottom line is no matter how big or small your case, it’s important to you! You need to have a lawyer on your side that is 100% committed to providing quality personal service and detailed attention to all of his clients. You need to know that your lawyer is personally involved in the preparation, evaluation and resolution of your case. A lawyer who will treat your case with the utmost importance it truly deserves.

I hate to admit it, but incompetent and inexperienced lawyers hurt their clients all the time. They don’t file the correct paper work. They miss critical deadlines. They don’t know how to research their client’s case. Even worse, many lawyers have never taken a case to trial and so they don’t know what their client’s case is really worth.

HERE’S WHAT I CAN OFFER YOU…

If this Special Report makes sense to you in any way, then you probably have a few questions. Since you may be uncertain about whether you have a valid personal injury claim or what to do about it, I offer a free initial consultation and review (generally between one and two hours) of your case. Please call me while this report is still fresh in your mind. I will set aside time to meet with you at no cost and with no obligation! This consultation will allow you to protect your rights and maximize the value of your case. You will be able to get all your questions answered and go forward with confidence and peace of mind.

Here’s how it works:

First, I will go over the facts of your case with you, ask you questions and review the police report and any photos, estimates or other papers you may have. Then, when I have a clear understanding of what happened, I will give you my opinion about your case, including your chances for recovery and any problems I see. Every case is different and I will tell you what I think is best for you under your specific circumstances.

I will also explain your legal rights and your obligations. I’ll tell you what papers need to be filed and what reports need to be made. I will review and discuss with you the legal ramifications of the course of treatment you are undergoing. I’ll also explain the entire claims process, so you’ll know exactly what happens from start to finish.

If the facts are in dispute, I’ll tell you what can be done to prove your side. I’ll also tell you how to protect yourself from insurance adjusters and investigators. They can be tricky. I’ll show you how to keep them away from you.

The only thing I won’t do is give you an opinion of what your case is worth. It is impossible to evaluate a case until you have recovered from your injuries and all the medical bills, records, loss of earnings and other evidence are in hand.

Of course, I will also answer all your questions. This way, you will understand exactly where you stand with your case.

As a result of this consultation, you will know what to expect in the coming weeks and months. No stone will be left unturned. You will have the information you need to be able to make an informed choice about your case. You’ll leave my office more knowledgeable and more confident about the future.

Of course, I’ll also discuss my services with you. I’ll tell you what I can do for you, should you decide to hire me and explain how the fees and costs work. I am willing to answer any questions you may have about my background and legal experience including my litigation/trial experience.

Again, the consultation is 100% FREE and without obligation. There will be no one to pressure you. I treat everyone with the same respect and courtesy I expect in return. You will get a FREE confidential case audit and analysis of your injury claim and the opportunity to learn the rights, remedies and options available to you. I will tell you the pros and cons of the options available. It is my sincere hope that during this interview I can help you find a way to obtain compensation for your injuries, find out if the insurance companies you are up against are withholding benefits from you or whether these insurance companies are pressuring you to make a wrong decision for a quick settlement.

WHAT’S MY GUARANTEE TO YOU?

I will invest my time, my resources and my abilities into your case. I will even share the risk of success with you. This is my guarantee of commitment to you. In appropriate cases, I will advance the initial costs for your case. As a result of this, in the event you are unable to afford to do so, you will be able to get your case started without paying any money out of your pocket.
(NOTICE: UNDER WASHINGTON ETHICAL RULES FOR LAWYERS, THE CLIENT IS ALWAYS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPENSES.)

Our Bellevue office is conveniently located with free parking and is handicapped accessible. What this means to you is you don’t have to inconvenience yourself by fighting downtown Seattle traffic or paying for parking and you can get your case started immediately.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO

IS WHAT TOO MANY PEOPLE DO – DELAY OR DO NOTHING!

Way too many people have told me they wished they had acted sooner before important witnesses moved and could no longer be found, before delays or gaps in their medical treatment proved fatal to their case. I have encountered many people who have suffered injuries from an auto collision or who have been injured at work, but they failed to seek the “right” legal advice. Some of these people didn’t go to a lawyer because they did not know they had the right to compensation, some were intimidated and some had bad experiences with other lawyers in the past.

I would encourage you to at least contact a lawyer to see what your rights are. Frequently you can learn what your rights are and have key questions answered, with just a 5 or 10 minute telephone call or exchange of emails. At least in dealing with my firm, there is no charge for such an initial contact. If you call or email my office, please ask to speak with me directly. I will be happy to answer your questions or schedule time for an in-person meeting at which I can give you the benefit of an objective analysis, at no charge to you. Then it’s up to you to decide what you want to do. Even after that, you are under no obligation to use me as your attorney! I hope I have made this as easy as possible for you.

A Lawyer Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights for Over 30 Years