The arbitration hearing is over, everyone logs off, and then — usually — nothing happens for a couple of weeks. That quiet stretch after the hearing can be unnerving if you do not know what to expect. Here is how the arbitrator’s decision, called the award, comes down, and what the days that follow actually involve.
Disclaimer: This post is intended for general informational purposes...Read More
Once a lawsuit is filed, one of the first substantial tasks you’ll face is answering interrogatories — written questions from the other side that you must respond to in writing, under oath. For many people this is their first real taste of litigation, and it can feel daunting. It doesn’t have to be. Most of what’s asked is straightforward background, and the guiding principle...Read More
When people think about an injury claim, they usually think about medical bills. But if your injuries kept you off the job, the income you lost is a real part of what you may be entitled to recover — and it is often the piece that is documented the most poorly. The good news is that with the right records, lost wages can be one of the more straightforward parts of a claim to prove.
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Most people never think about their medical records until a claim depends on them. But in an injury case, those records do enormous work behind the scenes. Insurance adjusters for PIP, liability, and underinsured motorist coverage make decisions largely by reading chart notes and bills. Good documentation tends to make claims go smoothly; thin documentation tends to make them difficult. Here...Read More
Most people buy auto insurance assuming the other driver did too — and that if someone hurts them, that driver’s policy will cover it. Unfortunately, plenty of drivers on Washington roads carry no insurance or only the minimum, which can fall far short of what a serious injury actually costs. That’s the gap uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is designed to address....Read More
In a civil arbitration, most of the case is decided on paper. There is no long parade of live witnesses the way you might picture at a trial. Instead, the evidence arrives in two written submissions with different jobs and different deadlines: the pre-hearing statement of proof and, sometimes, an arbitration brief. Understanding what each one does helps demystify how an arbitrator actually...Read More
