Lawsuits Filed Against Washington Counties for Decades of Child Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Detention
SEATTLE, WA — Stritmatter Law has filed two separate civil lawsuits against Benton-Franklin County and Grays Harbor County on behalf of nine survivors who were allegedly sexually abused as minors while detained in county-operated juvenile detention facilities. The plaintiffs—now adults—allege that detention officers used their positions of authority to groom, coerce,...
What Beard v. Everett Clinic Means for Washington Medical Malpractice Cases
A recent decision from the Washington Supreme Court, Beard v. Everett Clinic, PLLC, is one every medical malpractice lawyer in Washington should understand. While the opinion focuses on a jury instruction, its real impact is on how we frame and prove negligence at trial.
When Evidence “Disappears”: How Spoliation Can Affect Your Personal Injury Case
Most people have heard the phrase “don’t destroy evidence.” But what happens when a person, company, or government agency destroys evidence that could have helped prove your case?
This is called “spoliation.” Courts take spoliation seriously, and depending on the circumstances, the legal consequences for the party that destroyed...
Andrew Ackley Quoted in Law360 on Amazon Liability Ruling
Stritmatter Law attorney Andrew Ackley was recently quoted in the Law360 article “Amazon Ruling May Shift E-Commerce Litigation, Attys Say,” written by Rachel Riley, discussing the Washington Supreme Court’s decision in Scott v. Amazon.com, Inc.
In a unanimous ruling, the Court reinstated negligence claims against Amazon involving the...
Mandatory Arrests in Washington State: Understanding Domestic Violence Laws
Washington’s Domestic Violence Protection Act takes domestic violence seriously. The laws are meant to protect victims and ensure accountability. There are circumstances where enforcement must make an arrest in domestic violence cases. This blog explores the...
Washington’s Consumer Protection Act: What You Should Know
Washington’s Consumer Protection Act (often called the “CPA”) is designed to protect people from unfair or deceptive business practices.
Unlike many laws that focus on disputes between two individuals or companies, the CPA is concerned with the public interest. That means it is meant to stop business practices that...
Washington Supreme Court Declares Amazon Responsible for Negligence
By Daniel Laurence and Andrew Ackley
It may seem obvious that the largest retailer in the world should be responsible for dangerous products sold online, but that is what Amazon has argued for years—because most state product liability law does not address...
Stritmatter Clients Win Consumer Protection Class Action Against MultiPlan/Claritev
Our client Lydia was walking her newborn son across the street in a crosswalk when a careless, uninsured driver ran her down. Thankfully the baby was spared. But Lydia sustained pelvic fractures, long term disability from work, and disrupted the bonding experience...
Can I Pursue a Product Liability Case If the Product Hasn’t Been Recalled?
You can pursue a product liability claim even if a product was never recalled, as long as you can show it was defective and that the defect caused your injury. While a recall can support a claim, Washington law does not require one. Many unsafe products injure consumers before manufacturers or regulators...
Trial Set to Start Against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, Alleging Addictive Technology
Outside of being a lawyer, I'm a parent. And one thing that has deeply troubled me is the observed impact of social media and technology on this generation of children. The evidence has become clearer as time has passed: social media is not good for kids' development.