GSJones Law Group, P.S.

Home » Blog » Personal Injury

Home » Blog » personal injury

Guide to personal injury cases

Posted on September 29, 2018 by Jolinda Stephens

First steps in personal injury cases

1: Get as much information as you can as soon after the accident as possible. If you can’t do it yourself, enlist the help of family and friends. Most importantly, get names and contact information of witnesses and those involved. Take photos. Write down what happened as soon as you can so that you can capture details. If this is an on-going issue, keep a daily log.

2: Get medical treatment. If you have been injured, take care of yourself first and foremost. As you do this, you create evidence that will be used to determine the extent of your physical injuries. Don’t stint on this.

3: Find a good attorney with plenty of experience in both settling and trying personal injury cases. We have excellent lawyers with more than 40 years of experience. Nevertheless, consult with more than one attorney about your case to find a good fit.

4: The lawyer begins the investigation. The first step is getting all the information you have, as well as personal, financial, and medical background information. One of the biggest tasks is getting all your medical records and reviewing them.

5: Determination of viability. Once the attorney has reviewed all the information, she will make a determination about whether or not she believes your case is viable.

Moving forward

6: Attempting a settlement. If your attorney determines that the case is strong, she will probably make an attempt to settle it. Two factors determine when she begins settlement talks. The first is whether or not your healing is complete. Until that time, it is difficult to estimate or document the extent of your injuries and losses. Often, however, settlement or a lawsuit must go forward sooner than ideal because financial needs are great.

7: File a lawsuit. If no fair settlement results, your attorney will prepare for filing a lawsuit. He must file within the statute of limitations. In Washington state, the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases is three years. It will often take as long as two years before the case comes to trial. But, fear not, there are other opportunities for settlement before trial starts.

The final steps

8: Discovery begins. During discovery, your lawyer will demand that the other parties reveal their defense and the evidence they plan to use. She will also demand evidence that you need to prove your case that the other party has. The other party makes the same demands as you. Expect interrogatories, or written questions than demand written answers; demands for documents; and depositions. You will doubtless go to an attorney’s office with your attorney. There, after swearing in you will answer questions put to you by the other party’s attorneys. It will be recorded. Allow about a year for this process.

9: Mediation and Negotiation. Toward the end of discovery, the lawyers may attempt settlement. In fact, between 80% and 95% of personal injury cases are settled before trial. And, settlements can take place even after trial has begun.

10: Trial Begins. Most of these cases are tried before a jury, so the first step in the trial is seating the jury. A trial can take a day, a week or longer, depending on the complexity of the case and the number of parties.

Get a free evaluation of your personal injury case.

Personal injury attorneys Chalmers Johnson and John Groseclose have more than 40 years experience fighting for the injured. They are happy to talk with you about your case.

5 Tips to Avoid Auto Accidents This Holiday Weekend

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Jolinda Stephens

Labor Day weekend demands especially careful driving to avoid auto accidents. While not all car accidents can be avoided, you can reduce your chances of ending up a victim. The National Highway and Transportation Administration says that Labor Day weekend is among the ten most dangerous times to be driving. Even running errands can be more dangerous this weekend. If you can’t stay at home, here are some tips for safe driving.

Tip 1 – Avoid driving between midnight and 3 a.m. and be very cautious on rural roads.

The National Highway and Transportation Administration says that night driving, in general, is more dangerous than daytime driving. The most dangerous hours are those between midnight and 3 a.m. when there is a higher percentage of drivers under the influence. Ironically but logically, the safest time to be on the road is between 4 and 6 a.m.

If you are planning a camping trip or other events that include driving on country roads be particularly careful. It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? We think of freeways with their crowding and high speeds as being more dangerous. Yet, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that fatal accidents happen 2.5 times more often on rural roads than highways. They say that drivers tend to drive faster for the conditions on rural roads and a much lower percentage of drivers wear seat belts.

Tips 2 & 3 – Make sure you are driving sober and slow down.

As you know, there will be more drivers under the influence this weekend. Thus, in addition to avoiding the peak hours for drunk drivers, it’s most important to make sure you have no drugs or alcohol in your system when you drive. That will allow you extra moments to react to reckless drivers. Slowing down also accomplishes the same result. It gives you extra time to take evasive action.

Tip 4 – Avoid distractions.

Of course, distracted driving is now illegal in Washington State. And, I know that we are all are constantly tempted. It is especially hard when we are going somewhere new and using our phones to navigate. We are certainly more likely to do that on holiday weekends. If possible, use voice navigation only. When necessary pull off the road to txt or make calls.

Yet, mobile phones aren’t the only source of distraction. Driving with children can be even more distracting. You know the routine. “Mom, make brother stop looking at me.” And then there’s escaping from seat belts and outright fighting. Make it a policy to pull over any time a distraction develops and resolve the situation before you continue traveling.

Tip 5 – Make sure your auto is in top shape.

Once again, avoiding accidents depend on quick responses. Make sure your equipment is in great shape. In addition, we’ve just had two weeks of smoke-filled air. Clean your headlights, taillights and signal lights. Also, give even your side windows a good cleaning, so you have an unimpeded view.

As Kitsap County attorneys we know all too well that there are too many ways that we all can be harmed. Please do all you can to be as safe as you can. And, if the worst happens to you, we stand ready to guide you through the legal process to better times.

If you are injured, call or message our personal injury attorneys.

Chalmers Johnson

John Groseclose

How to negotiate an insurance settlement

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Jolinda Stephens

Should I negotiate my own insurance settlement?

If you have an insurance settlement offer you may be able to successfully negotiate a better settlement for yourself. Your best chance is if your total damages are relatively small or your claim is with your own insurer. Here are some tips.

Don’t accept the first offer. Insurance companies often make low-ball offers.
If they believe the injury has created a financial hardship they may believe you will jump at their first offer.
- Do what you can to cover your expenses during this time. Consistently maintaining health insurance will go a long way toward easing the financial burden of medical expenses.
- Also, if your income has stopped or greatly reduced, consider taking advantage of any sliding scale pricing available from your medical providers. Don’t be afraid to ask.
- Another source of financial help for medical costs are manufacturers of costly drugs. They often have special pricing available for people who can’t afford their drugs.
- If you were in an auto accident take full advantage of any coverage you may have through your own insurance company. Check out the declarations page for coverages such as PIP (Personal Injury Protection) or underinsured motorist. They both offer coverage for your medical bills and generally are paid promptly.
If your claim is with your own insurance company, they will probably name your policy limits and provisions to justify their offer.
- Make sure you know all of the provisions of your policy and ask questions of your agent if you can. In-house agents who only represent one insurance company may not be very helpful but independent agents will want to keep your business.

What is contributory fault or negligence?

Washington State has a contributory fault or contributory negligence law and the insurance adjuster may have information that leads her to believe that you were partly at fault. So, for instance, let’s say your medical bills and pain and suffering total $25,000 by their calculation. If they believe that you were 20% at fault for your injuries they will offer $20,000. All is not lost, however.

Ask them to document the contributory fault. That may be enough to bring the offer up.
If not, get your own evidence to counter their evidence. This will usually involve eyewitnesses.
- If you are not up to the task of tracking witnesses down and questioning them about what they saw, recruit friends and family to do it for you.
- Make sure you and the witnesses thoroughly understand what they will say to the adjuster once he asks questions. Play devil’s advocate with them. Ask questions that probe any weaknesses or alternative interpretations of what they say. Their statements may sound great to you but once an experienced adjuster starts asking questions they may not be much help.

Put our personal injury attorneys’ 40 years of experience to work for you.

Often, however, it takes a law firm to effectively advocate for the insurance company to give you the compensation you deserve. Call or message us for a free case review. We’ll thoroughly review the facts and if we believe we can help you get fair compensation. We stand ready to fight for you. We know all the insurance companies’ playbook and we know how to counter them.

John Groseclose

Chalmers Johnson

Litigators won $332,000 jury verdict for small businessman

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Jolinda Stephens

GSJones Litigators turn the tables on a corporate plaintiff suing a small business owner

GSJones Law Group litigators won a $332,000 jury verdict for Kitsap County cabinetmaker Shannon Wagner. Port Orchard Airport, Inc. filed suit against the small businessman after it evicted him from his shop. In addition they seized most of the business’ tools, materials, and unfinished projects. Sara Humphries, who has worked defending tenants in eviction actions for years joined Chalmers Johnson, who usually represents plaintiffs in lawsuits against corporations. Together they formed a winning team. Continue reading →

You have something in common with Stormy Daniels

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Jolinda Stephens

Surprised? You both have arbitration agreements. We all agree to arbitration as the means of resolving disagreements dozens of times. Arbitration agreements are standard to most agreements, including all those times you click “yes” before signing for a new app.

Photo credit: © Glenn Francis, https://www.PacificProDigital.com

Why should I care?

Most arbitration agreements you sign will have no effect on your life. Arbitration clauses in employment agreements, on the other hand, may cause you problems. Moreover, most financial agreements, including your bank accounts and credit card accounts, have arbitration clauses. Perhaps more ominous is the use of arbitration clauses in nursing homes. The recent growth of the use of arbitration clauses also degrades the quality of American justice.

What’s the problem with arbitration clauses?

Some lawyers refer to arbitration courts as “secret corporate courts” for several reasons.

Most arbitration clauses limit you to individual hearings. It puts the brakes on class actions. While they usually result in small individual settlements, they have a much stronger impact on the way businesses operate in the future. Studies show that few people pursue small violations through arbitration. When many small legal violations are combined in a class action lawsuit, the size of the settlement sends a strong message to the business. As a result, businesses are much more likely to abandon unfair and illegal practices.
Indeed, in 2014 attorneys general of 14 states sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warning that “unlawful business practices” could flourish with the growth of arbitration clauses.
Arbitration essentially shields the wrongdoer from the public exposure that a trial in open court brings, hence the “secret corporate courts” designation. Many times the most potent tool the injured person has is the threat of exposure of the wrongdoer.
Arbitration rules favor businesses who can often steer cases to friendly arbitrators.

What can I do about the arbitration clauses in my life?

There are some situations in which you may be able to negotiate and different means of resolving contract issues. In addition, there are a few situations in which you can have your case heard in court. There are not many. If the money amount or the issue is significant, do explore the options with an experienced employment or personal injury attorney. At GSJones Law Group check out Chalmers Johnson and John Groseclose.

A few states are beginning to enact laws that limit the use of these clauses. If you are concerned about the creation of a separate legal system in the U.S. find out if your state has laws to address the issue and talk with your representatives about the issue.

Want to know more? Check out this excellent deep dive into what’s happening with arbitration clauses in the New York Times.

Personal injury attorney sues Port Townsend for retired reporter

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Jolinda Stephens

GSJones Law Group personal injury attorney Chalmers Johnson sues Port Townsend, the police department and the officer who injured his client, a retired newspaper reporter.

Port Townsend police officer threw retired reporter Stephen Patch to the sidewalk and ground his face in the concrete in December 2014. Mr. Patch ended the encounter face down in a pool of his own blood with a broken wrist. The officer was responding to a report from a third party in which Mr. Patch was the alleged victim in an argument with his disabled son. The officer, who can be heard on the police dash-cam recording, explained to Mr. Patch’s outraged son at the scene that he was only trying to protect Mr. Patch from injuring himself. He changed his justification for the attack when he later wrote a report that stated Mr. Patch, a slight 64-year-old man, was threatening the police officers.

$60,000 in Medical Costs

Continue reading →

Excessive force complaints and police reform

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Jolinda Stephens

By John Groseclose

Last week the Houston Chronicle reported the arrest of a therapist last March for resisting arrest. When she was pulled over for allegedly crossing a double white line, the young woman dialed 911 asking for another officer because she was afraid of the patrol officer who had threatened to taze her.

Was there provocation? Did the Officer use excessive force?

Ms. White’s attorney released the surveillance video video from the area dubbed with the official recording of the 911 call. For several minutes we see the officer standing by, shouting at times, while she calmly talks with the dispatcher. Then, when the dispatcher connects her with the officer’s department, he suddenly grabs his handcuffs and then grabs her. There appeared to be no provocation other than her statement to his supervisor that the officer was harassing her. She yells that he is trying to break her arm and we see parts of the struggle that ensues. The dispatch tape indicates that she rapidly goes from calm to incoherent as he manhandles her.

Conflicting Expectations

Ms. White screams, “Please get your hands off of me. What is wrong with you? … Why are you doing this?…I am a woman.” It was obvious that she expected to be treated with respect.

The officer was cleared by the department. They said that he was trained to be wary and he acted properly. From their standpoint, she should have gotten back in the car. Her failure to do that, justifies the manhandling and charges.

If she is convicted, the newspaper reports that she could lose her livelihood.

De-escalation and solutions

This video is less violent, when compared to much more egregious examples of police action since cell phone video began wide use. Ms. White wasn’t killed or badly hurt. It seems that changes in policing systems and police actions are needed. Police are called on to deal with people on their worst days. We call the police when our neighbor flips out or when we can’t deal with one of our relatives in the midst of a mental crisis. Officers receive very little, if any training, in de-escalation.

Several recent federal reports indicate the problem is not so much bad officers as a broken system.

In addition to the long list of situations that we ask police officers to handle that they are not trained to do, reports on individual police departments indicate that the system is broken.

This week the Justice Department issued its report on Baltimore PD. Key findings were that the PD’s system targeted African-Americans and failed to supervise and train officers. It called out “zero tolerance” policing and said it often resulted in violations of the Constitution. Under that program officers reported about 300,000 stop and frisk incidents in a five year period. Yet, an audit showed that in 2014 alone, there were more than 400,000 stops in a city of about 625,000.

Some examples are telling. The report cites one middle aged black man who was stopped 30 times in four years and never cited for anything. In addition, investigators also found evidence that some department leaders ordered officers to target black residents.

The attitude of the brass became crystal clear when one of the Justice Department investigators did a ride-along. The supervisor pointed to several black men standing on the sidewalk and told the patrol officer to stop and question them; then disperse them. The officer protested that he didn’t have a reason to do that. His boss’s reply was: Think something up.

Lax oversight, an us vs them mentality

The Baltimore report echoes findings in cities and towns across the nation. The ideas for police reform are many and varied. A robust complaint system is often cited. Yet, after reviewing a statistically valid sample of about 850 use of force reports, the feds concluded that supervisors approved all but a handful of complaints that they deemed questionable.

When internal oversight fails to curb abuse, individual citizens and groups can take their complaints to our courts. Lawsuits provide outside scrutiny and high profile examples that contribute significantly to creating the impetus for change.

Back the Blue Act guts drive for police reform

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Jolinda Stephens

photo of 2015 protest of police brutality by Pax Ahimsa Gethen

Back the Blue Act guts incentives to improve policing

In the past two years we’ve seen example after example of excessive force by police officers. Although they too often result in serious injury and death, these assaults rarely result in convictions or even prosecutions for the officers. In some cases, however, victims or families bring successful lawsuits. These serve, as personal injury lawsuits usually do, to bring changes to business as usual. Lawsuits for police abuse and excessive force are an important part of the drive to reform training and policies in police forces.

Tamir Rice murder: No indictment, $6 million settlement

A good example of these system failures is the murder of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, OH, just five days before Thanksgiving. The prosecutor failed to prosecute. Yet, 17 months later the City of Cleveland reached a $6 million settlement with Tamir’s family. It is too early to see what changes might result in policing in Cleveland.

The new U.S. Senate “Back the Blue” Act seeks to remove civil penalties as a tool to reform police departments.

The “Back the Blue Act” has been offered in the Senate in reaction to the recent fatal attacks on police. The Act increases penalties for harming a police officers, no matter how minor.

Robust civil penalties, a tool for change

This blog has made the point often that personal injury lawsuits help improve safety for all of us. Limits on compensation undercuts the ability to hold law enforcement accountable for horrible harm it sometimes inflicts.

Robust civil penalties for police misconduct and excessive force are particularly important. It is much more difficult to prosecute a law enforcement officer for assault or murder than to prosecute a civilian. Separate criminal laws for law enforcement personnel give them wide latitude in the use of deadly force. Although these laws, along with improved training, are currently under review, right now criminal law offers little help to end police attacks. Right now civil lawsuits remain the key tool available.

Back the Blue in its entirety is a gross overreach to address assaults on police officers. Federal law already addresses assaults on law officers. If the law passes, police officers who use excessive force will continue to escape prison and there will be little access to the courts for victims. The best way to address the recent problems with assaults on police is to quickly move to reform.

John Groseclose, Partner, GSJones Law Group, P.S.

Premises Liability – slip and fall

Premises Liability attorneys work to make sure you get a fair settlement

When you suffer an injury due to an accident on someone else’s property, don’t assume the insurance company will cover the cost of medical bills. Often their offers are far lower than what you need to get well. Often they deny your claim and claim that you are at fault.

When such a situation occurs, call a premises liability attorney at GSJones Law Group, P.S. Our responsive and experienced legal team has served Port Orchard, WA and the whole Kitsap County area for 20 years. We work on your behalf to get a fair settlement. We have experience in all aspects of personal injury practice, including reading medical reports, applying the law and fighting like tigers to get you what you deserve. For instance, did you know that in Washington State very few claims can be denied because the injured person is at fault?

What kinds of accidents?

Premises liability deals with injuries that occur on either private or public property. The injury usually occurs because of some dangerous condition that you were not aware of before the accident, but that the property owner knew about and failed to correct.

Property owners have a responsibility to ensure their invited guests are reasonably safe while on the property. This means they usually need to take steps to repair defects on the property. For example, if a guest slips and falls on the sidewalk because the owner didn’t de-ice the ground, the owner could be found negligent, which is where a slip and fall attorney comes in.

Other common sources of injury on private or public property include:

Swimming pools
Staircases, elevators, and escalators
Poor building security
Broken or uneven floors
Toxic materials

Remember that the existence of these elements does not automatically mean the property owner was negligent. Our premises liability lawyers examine the situation and determines whether or not the owner knew of the problem and refused to take steps to remedy the situation. Figuring out who was at fault for your accident is an important step towards getting you compensation.

Message or call us today for a free consultation about your accident

If you need an experienced slip and fall lawyer to take your case, reach out to the team at GSJones Law Group, P.S. We will meet with you quickly to review your claim. Reach our Port Orchard or Bainbridge Island office at 360-876-9221.

Premises Liability Attorneys

John Groseclose

More information…

How To Negotiate an Insurance Settlement

Guide To Personal Injury Cases

Call or message for a free consultation today!

Slip and Fall Injury consultations available at both our Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island offices.

Based in Port Orchard, WA with a branch on Bainbridge Island, GSJones Law Group, P.S., represents Kitsap County residents, as well as clients from throughout surrounding counties and communities. Among the communities are Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Silverdale, Seabeck, Belfair, Banner, Olalla, Poulsbo, Bethel, Navy Yard City, Fernwood, Purdy. Clients also come from Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island, as well as surrounding areas in Mason County, and Jefferson County.

Military hospitals – medical malpractice

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Jolinda Stephens

Should military hospitals be liable for gross medical mistakes, for medical malpractice? A case with local ties once again asks that question in the heartbreaking death of Navy Lt. Rebekah Moani Daniel in childbirth.

She entered Navy Hospital Bremerton in March of 2014 with her husband Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Walter Daniel. According to the details provided by the Kitsap Sun she bled to death after an easy birth of their daughter, Victoria. Among other medical errors the lawsuit charges that a hospital doctor waited 90 minutes past the standard set to order a transfusion. Yet, Lt. Cmdr. Daniel is barred from suing the hospital for this egregious error.

This death is tragic and simple compassion makes us all long for justice for Walter and his daughter. Justice is certainly a reason for suing, when we are harmed by someone’s carelessness or incompetence. Yet, these personal injury and medical malpractice lawsuits are the means to set penalties for malpractice. They motivate medical facilities to make changes in their practices that will increase the safety of all of us.

Workers Compensation and Medical Malpractice

In 1950, the Supreme Court ruling in Feres prevents troops from suing the government for injuries deemed incidental to military service. How is the birth of a baby “military service”? Courts and the government argue that the military equivalent of civilian workers compensation provides sufficient compensation for injuries due to medical malpractice. Workers compensation prevents civilian workers who are injured on the job from suing their employers in exchange for payments from the insurance fund. Yet, nowhere in civilian employment are medical malpractice injuries covered by workers comp. Thus, this discrepancy can translate to less accountability in military hospital practices.

Did an attorney fail to take your case?

The attorney in this case is taking a real chance in bringing suit, as is the husband. Our court system requires that previous decisions by the Supreme Court sets the rule in similar cases. The person suing can be charged for the expenses of the winning side, if the judge decides that there was no basis to file the lawsuit. Lawyers take personal injury cases without charge, taking a percentage of the ultimate court award. The number of hours an attorney can put in can mean financial ruin for him or her. So they take a serious risk when they take on a case with an established Supreme Court rule.

Each attorney makes an individual assessment. If one lawyer won’t take your case, whether injuries from an auto accident, a slip and fall, a faulty product or medical malpractice, consider asking another experienced personal injury attorney about your case. The initial consultation is always free.