For better and for worse, a large part of proving damages in a personal injury case involves producing medical records and the associated billings to the insurance company or its attorneys. There are several different ways of obtaining medical records to be able to provide it to them. If th...

The general consensus when it comes to criticism of personal injury attorneys seems to be either the attorney is not responsive in communicating with the client or that the client feels as though attorney did not appropriately involve a client in making the substantive, important decisions ...

It is not uncommon that our clients miss at least a little bit of work time as a result of a collision. In reality most miss at least a little bit of work. Whether because the collision occurred on their way to work so they're just a couple hours late , or because they miss more substantial...

I had a friend ask me recently who he should get to write a will for him. I gave him the names of a couple of colleagues that I know write wills, but I encouraged him to call and talk to these lawyers about his situation and how they charge fees before he hired one, actually, before he even...

It seems that here in our neck of the woods the summer heat is finally starting to arrive. Some will say “better late the never.” Some of you have enjoyed the cooler summer we've had thus far, more so than the past few scorchers. Even though the kids are getting ready to go back to school, ma...

Property damage claims should be simple. In most car accidents, fault is relatively clear. The at-fault driver's insurance company should pay to fix the car, or if it is a total loss, they should pay the value of the car. It should be fast, easy, uncomplicated, and leave the victim of negligenc...

The main hard-and-fast belief I strive to live by is “do not actively hurt any other human being.” As simple as that might sound, if you read the news, it seems there are not as many people living by this mantra as there should be. So let's talk about hit and run drivers.  I have thought...

I hope this post doesn't come across as too self-congratulatory or as boasting in our own successes. But we are proud and sometimes it's appropriate to just toot your own horn a little bit. Forgive us in advance for having done so. Schauermann Thayer was recently notified that we received a ...

It's an unfortunate fact of life.  Foods that we consume will, on occasion, contain something that isn't supposed to be there.  Sometimes it's just gross.  But sometimes is causes real, lasting injuries to the consumer.  As in most legal topics, there's a lot of nuance that maybe isn't cond...

As lawyers, we would certainly never pretend to diagnose someone with an injury. Still, from our experience, we develop a pretty good sense of the type of medical and observational evidence needed to prove injuries resulting from another person's wrongful conduct. In any personal injury cas...

July 2019 has been a rough month in the news when it comes to highlighting the true danger that motor vehicles pose.  This blog post may not a revelation on any level, but it is merely intended to serve as a reminder that as routine or habitual as driving has become in our everyday lives an...

One of the questions asked by virtually every person that comes into my office to talk about injuries from a motor vehicle collision is “how long is this going to take?” Other variations on the question include “how long will it take to settle my personal injury claim?” or “it seems like th...

Because our firm handles personal injury cases in Washington and Oregon, we are well-versed in how both states' civil court rules operate.  There is much that is the same between the two states.  However, there are some major differences, and maybe none as major as this: the amount of pre-tri...

Are you a dog owner?  If so, it might be a good idea to read or re-read your insurance policy.  As our prior blogs have discussed, even the nicest dogs occasionally bite, and when they do, the results can be ugly – including not just the original wound, but from the potential for complicated inf...

All over the country, car accidents happen. In many of those cases, it is relatively clear whose fault it was, like when a person is rear-ended while stopped at a red light.  Insurance companies will typically admit fault in those cases. In other cases, in my experience commonly involving multi...

On Tuesday, June 4, Schauermann Thayer attorneys participated in the Southwest Washington effort of the Washington State Association for Justice's (WSAJ) “Trial Lawyers Care” program.  Scott Edwards, Bill and Brad Thayer, and Ben Melnick all worked with other personal injury attorneys and mem...

Next time you walk into a gymnasium with a basketball court, take a look down towards the baselines, behind the backboards and hoops.  How much distance is between the gym walls and the baselines?  Are the walls behind the baskets padded?  If so, how far out towards the sidelines does the p...

A recent article in the business section of the Oregonian, entitled “Distracted Driving, Courts: Apple doesn't have to use safety tech”, addresses several test cases that have been or are being pursued in the courts. The question is an interesting one – Since Apple patented “lockout“ technology i...

Lady Justice is blindfolded because justice is supposed to be blind. A person's past run-ins with the law do not make him or her any less injured, and that same past does not make the at-fault person any less responsible for the harms caused. So why should it affect your case? In most case...

I was still in bed on the morning of March 31, 2014, when I got the text message everyone fears. My brother-in-law texted me only this: "Kimberly and I were in a really bad car accident this morning. They are taking Kimberly to the SICU, she had a broken leg and a crushed spleen, a liver l...

If you have a personal injury claim that for whatever reason cannot be settled fairly with the insurer for the wrongdoer, and you and your attorney agree the case is worth pursuing further, then it will end up in “litigation”- a term for the entire process that occurs after a lawsuit is fil...

At this year's annual Clark County Bar Association (CCBA) barbeque, the local bar association will be honoring its members who have been in practice for over 40 years.  Craig Schauermann will be among those recognized at this upcoming event for local lawyers to be held on July 26, 2019. Crai...